Thompson Temporary Median and Traffic Circle

The median and traffic circle was designed with consideration for winter maintenance and emergency response which dictates the placement of the traffic calming curbs. It was readily anticipated that some road users may be still inclined to make eastbound U-turns at the end of the median rather than completely use the traffic circle at Wilson Drive and Thompson Road . This was expected and could not be fully mitigated without completely eliminating the westbound left turning movement, by placement of traffic calming curbs at property accesses, or by creation of a formal roundabout at Wilson Road and Thompson Road intersection while accomodating winter maintenance and emergency response needs.

From a road safety perspective, U-turns at a lower speed roadway/intersection (Thompson Road & Wilson Road) are generally less conducive towards sustaining a serious injury or fatalities for road users than the unsafe and illegal southbound U-turns and southbound extended left turns at Hamilton Boulevard & Thompson Road intersection.

Study Purpose 

The project purpose is to reduce and mitigate the risk of unsafe and illegal southbound U-turns and southbound extended left turns (southbound left turn followed by eastbound U-turn followed by westbound right turn that is anecdotally considered a "U-turn") at Hamilton Boulevard and Thompson Road/Heron Drive.

Study Timing

Monitoring and evaluation will occur once school traffic conditions resume in Fall 2021 to obtain a representative monitoring and evaluation of driver behaviour and traffic patterns in the context of normal non-summer traffic conditions.

Study Monitoring and Evaluation Methodology

The City has two approaches for evaluation and monitoring the success of the project: one being qualitative and the other being quantitative. 

• The qualitative approach will include monitoring residents experience using the temporary median and traffic circle. Specifically, the approach seeks to understand if there is a perceived increase in safety and perceived decrease in road safety conflicts between westbound (right turn and left turn) traffic and southbound U-turn traffic and southbound extended left traffic at Hamilton Boulevard and Thompson Road/Heron Drive. 

• The quantitative approach will include measurement of before and after southbound U-turns at Hamilton Boulevard at Thompson Road/Heron Drive only.
  • The City's traffic cameras can only measure southbound U-turns at Hamilton Boulevard and Thompson Road/Heron Drive. The common and familiar southbound extended left turn (southbound left turn followed by eastbound U-turn followed by westbound right turn that is anecdotally considered a "U-turn") is likely not measurable as it is treated by the City's traffic cameras as two traffic movements: a southbound left turn and a westbound right turn at Hamilton Boulevard and Thompson Road/Heron Drive.
  • Traffic data collection is rather problematic in the post-pandemic era as traffic patterns have changed significantly with generally less commuting and more work at home arrangements. The comparison of before-after may have some limitations as pre-COVID traffic volumes are generally considered most representative and collection of data post-COVID may skew the data and the before-after comparison.
  • These assumptions will be documented in the study monitoring and evaluation.

Traffic circles are very different from roundabouts and each have unique features. Learn more about the differences at the Transportation Association of Canada's Primer on Roundabouts in Canada.

The purpose of this project is to provide an easily implementable, low cost, enforceable, interim and temporary solution to reduce and mitigate the risk of illegal southbound U-turns at Hamilton Boulevard and Thompson Road in advance of major infrastructure projects.

The City’s capital budget has slated a roundabout at Hamilton Boulevard and Thompson Road//Heron Drive for 2023 subject to approval by Mayor and Council and funding by external funding sources. The median and traffic circle is temporary in nature and is not deemed to be the final solution for the issue.

The City heard from residents of the Granger neigbourhood that there was a desire to have interim improvements to mitigating the risk associated with unsafe southbound U-turns and southbound extended left turns at Hamilton Boulevard and Thompson Road/Heron Drive intersection ahead of major capital improvements and an eventual roundabout at Hamilton Boulevard and Thompson Road/Heron Drive intersection. It was not deemed safe, feasible, or appropiate to implement temporary measures at Hamilton Boulevard and Thompson Road/Heron Drive intersection using temporary implementation tools available (traffic calming curbs, bollard delineator posts, line painting, signage, etc) given the nature and function of Hamilton Boulevard as a high volume and high speed arterial corridor. Thus interim improvements were sought elsewhere such as along Thompson Road and at Wilson Drive and Thompson Road intersection.

The City capital budget has slated a roundabout at Hamilton Boulevard and Thompson Road//Heron Drive for 2023 subject to approval by Mayor and Council and funding by external funding sources. The median and traffic circle is temporary in nature and is not deemed to be the final solution for the issue of illegal southbound U-turns at Hamilton Boulevard and Thompson Road/Heron Drive.