Kingston’s Quiet Streets Initiative | Final Report
What Are Quiet Streets?
Quiet Streets are corridors that prioritize non-motorized road users through the systematic placement of traffic barriers designed to reduce and slow down traffic. Quiet Streets are typically introduced on local residential streets that are already desirable routes for walking, cycling, and rolling. By redirecting traffic away from these routes, Quiet Streets increase engagement in active transportation, while enabling access to key destinations within and beyond residents’ neighbourhoods.
Why Quiet Streets?
The goal is to create corridors that connect neighbourhoods in Central Kingston to essential services, the downtown core, parks, trails, and the waterfront, all while allowing safe space for 2-metre physical distancing. The Kingston Quiet Streets Pilot is in support of the COVID-19 response efforts. On June 16, 2020, Kingston City Council gave unanimous support to the Kingston Coalition for Active Transportation (KCAT) to take the lead to put in place this community-led initiative.
When Will Quiet Streets Happen?
August to mid-November: Quiet Streets will use construction-style barriers and local-traffic only signs. Analysis of data and feedback will determine if additional phases or expansion are feasible.
How Does It Work?
The purpose of Quiet Streets is to enable people who are walking, bicycling, and rolling to use all of the roadway, not just the sidewalk or the side of the street. To enable this, motor vehicle access on Quiet Streets is limited to local traffic only through the installation of traffic barricades at intersections. Motorists are urged to drive slowly, to watch for people, and to use caution when passing people on the road.
Residents of quiet streets and their visitors can still access their street, driveways, and on-street parking spots. Access for taxis as well as emergency, waste collection, and delivery vehicles is maintained. Once implemented, the quiet streets barricades remain in place 24/7 until the initiative has concluded.
Get Involved!
We are seeking volunteers and donations to help!
We need:
- access to trucks to transport the equipment from the City warehouse on Division Street;
- volunteers to help with the assembly and installation of the signage and barriers on each block along the routes;
- ‘Street Stewards‘ to help be the ‘eyes and ears’ for a few blocks along the routes, to do regular daily checks to make sure the equipment is in place; and
- volunteers to help organize and host a kick-off event.
If you are interested and available, contact us to find out more.
Help Fund the Quiet Streets Pilot Project
KCAT is working with Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour (FKIH) to help fund the Quiet Streets pilot project.
KCAT will spend every dollar raised towards installing Quiet Streets. We hope to expand the pilot this Fall to include more streets – but funding is necessary. Costs are approximately $1,200 per city block.
An anonymous donor has offered to match up to $2,000 in donations!
To donate online, you will be re-directed to the Canada Helps donation portal for FKIH. Please leave a memo – in the space provided – that your donation is for “KCAT Quiet Streets”. An Official Tax Receipt will be sent online (email) by Canada Helps.
To donate by cheque, make it payable to “Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour” and include a memo “KCAT Quiet Streets”.
Mail to: Roger Healey, Treasurer
123 Beverley St., Kingston, ON K7L 3Y7
Donations of $10 and over will be sent an Official Tax Receipt from FKIH. Please include your mailing address if it is not printed on your cheque.
We Want to Hear From You!
Dr. Patricia Collins, an associate professor from Queen’s University and KCAT member since 2011, is leading an evaluation study of Kingston’s Quiet Streets initiative. Various data sources are being gathered to inform this evaluation, including traffic observations, interviews, a survey of residents, and a survey of users. If you have used one of Kingston’s Quiet Streets, please tell us about your experience by completing the User Survey.