transforming transportation in the greater toronto and hamilton...

THE BIG MOVE: Transforming Transportation in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area

DRAFT REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN

(Draft – September 2008)

THE BIG MOVE: Transforming Transportation in the GTHA (DRAFT – September 2008)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Message From The Chair iii Preface iv Executive Summary v

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 The Need to Act: Transforming Transportation 1 1.2 The Current Transportation System 2

1.2.1 Current Stresses 4 1.2.2 The Challenge 6

1.3 How We Got Here 10

2.0 THE DRAFT REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN 11

2.1 A Vision For the Future 11 2.2 Goals and Objectives 13 2.3 Strategic Directions and Priority Actions 17

Increase Choices for Travel 20 SD#1 Build a Comprehensive Regional Rapid Transit Network 20 SD#2 Promote Active Transportation 29 SD#3 Improve the Efficiency of the Road and Highway Network 32 SD#4 Consider All Modes of Transportation 35 Reduce Demands on the Transportation System 36 SD#5 Create an Ambitious Transportation Demand Management Program 36 Meet the Needs of the Traveller 38 SD#6 Create a Customer-First Transportation System 38 SD#7 Implement an Integrated Transit Fare System 40 Build Communities That Make Travelling Easier 41 SD#8 Build Communities That are Pedestrian, Cycling and Transit-Supportive 41 SD#9 Develop a System of Mobility Hubs 44 SD#10 Focus Growth and Development Along Transportation Corridors 49


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Commit to Continuous Improvement 51 SD#11 Improve Transportation Understanding Through Research and Innovation 51 SD#12 Plan For Universal Access 53 SD#13 Improve Goods Movement Within the GTHA and With Adjacent Regions 54 SD#14 Develop a National Strategy for Transportation in Urban Regions 57 SD#15 Develop an Investment Strategy to Ensure Sustainable Funding For Transportation Infrastructure and Supporting Programs58

2.4 Results 59 2.4.1 What Can Be Achieved 59 2.4.2 The First 15 Years 61 2.4.3 Years 16 to 25 64 2.4.4 Beyond 25 Years 65

2.5 Costs and Funding 66

3.0 IMPLEMENTATION 68

3.1 Principles For Implementation 68 3.2 Status of the RTP 69 3.3 How It All Fits Together 69 3.4 Roles and Responsibilities 70 3.5 The Role of Metrolinx 73

4.0 NEXT STEPS 77

Appendix A: Glossary of Terms 78 Appendix B: Photo Credits 83 Figures Figure 1: The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area 2 Figure 2: Existing Regional Transit and Highway Network in the GTHA 3 Figure 3: Areas of Social Need in the GTHA 9 Figure 4: 15-Year Plan for Regional Rapid Transit and Highway Improvements 25 Figure 5: 25-Year Plan for Regional Rapid Transit and Highway Improvements 26 Figure 6: Regional Connections 28 Figure 7: Areas of Focus for Active Transportation 31 Figure 8: Existing strategic goods movement network in the GTHA 56 SUPPORTING BACKGROUND MATERIALS (available at www.metrolinx.com, by calling 416-874-5900 or e-mailing [email protected])

• Modelling Methodology and Results for the Draft Regional Transportation Plan, September 2008

• Climate Change and Energy Conservation, September 2008 • Mobility Hubs, September 2008 • Transit Technologies, September 2008


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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR


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Preface For many years now, community and business leaders have been calling on federal, provincial and municipal governments to work together to tackle transportation issues in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). There is a widespread consensus that incremental change is not sufficient and that our transportation system needs to be dramatically transformed to meet the needs of the 21st century. In Canada’s economic heartland, the transportation system needs to be effective, integrated and multi-modal, and it needs to be funded in a sustainable way. This is fundamental to the health of our economy, the environment and our quality of life. The concern about transportation issues has never been higher and public appetite for coordinated action on transportation has never been more pronounced. In response to this widespread concern, in 2006 the Government of Ontario established the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority (GTTA) under the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority Act. The GTTA, which became Metrolinx in December 2007, was given the mandate to develop and implement an integrated multi-modal transportation plan for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). Metrolinx’s mandate includes the development of an Investment Strategy and capital plan, coordination of a transit vehicle purchasing co-operative, and management of the PRESTO fare card, BikeLinx, and Smart Commute Initiative programs. The GTTA Act also includes provisions for Metrolinx to assume responsibility for GO Transit in the future. The Regional Transportation Plan This document — the Draft Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) for the GTHA — provides a vision, goals and objectives for the future in which transportation within the GTHA is seamless, coordinated, efficient, equitable and user-centred. It contains 15 Strategic Directions and nearly 100 actions that are needed to achieve the future vision. Together with the companion Investment Strategy, implementation of the RTP will enhance the prosperity, environmental sustainability and quality of life in the GTHA. The Draft RTP builds on the extensive work that has been carried out by Metrolinx and others to date. This includes the development of, and consultation on, seven Green Papers. These Green Papers presented, for public discussion, information on transportation trends, challenges and opportunities for the GTHA transportation system and best practices from around the world. The Green Papers included:

• Green Paper 1: Towards Sustainable Transportation (December 2007); • Green Paper 2: Mobility Hubs (February 2008); • Green Paper 3: Active Transportation (February 2008); • Green Paper 4: Transportation Demand Management (February 2008); • Green Paper 5: Moving Goods and Delivering Services (February 2008);


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• Green Paper 6: Roads and Highways (March 2008); and • Green Paper 7: Transit (March 2008).

In May 2008, building on the input received on the Green Papers, Metrolinx released two White Papers for public comment. White Paper 1: Vision, Goals and Objectives presented a proposed vision for the GTHA transportation system as well as a series of goals and objectives that could form the basis for developing, evaluating and ultimately shaping the RTP. White Paper 2: Preliminary Directions and Concepts explored a range of potential policies, programs and tools for the RTP. It also presented a series of transportation system concepts, and modelled them to see how they would perform against a range of indicators such as transit ridership, congestion rates, and emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and air pollutants. The Green and White Papers, and the feedback that has been received on them from stakeholders and the public, have informed the development of the Draft Regional Transportation Plan. The Investment Strategy The RTP will be supported by an Investment Strategy that will outline a strategy for financing the implementation of the RTP. A Draft Investment Strategy has been released for public comment in conjunction with the Draft RTP. Have Your Say The Draft RTP and Draft Investment Strategy are being released for public comment from the residents, businesses, institutions, community and labour groups and municipalities in the GTHA. As part of the review process, Metrolinx will be hosting a series of public and stakeholder workshops, as well as providing for online public consultation opportunities. Feedback on the Draft RTP and Draft Investment Strategy is essential to the completion of the final Regional Transportation Plan and Investment Strategy, which will be released in Fall 2008.


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Help Shape the GTHA’s Transportation Future Whether we walk to the corner store, take transit to work, drive to the hospital, cycle to school, or rely on the movement of goods for our business, we all have opinions on how the GTHA’s transportation system is performing. Many of us have thoughts on what is working well, and what can be improved. Whatever your transportation situation, Metrolinx wants to hear from you as we develop the Regional Transportation Plan and Investment Strategy. The more people we hear from, the more inclusive and effective the Plan will be. Comments on the Draft Regional Transportation Plan can be sent to:

Regional Transportation Plan Metrolinx 20 Bay Street, Suite 901 Toronto, ON M5J 2N8 [email protected]

You can also visit www.metrolinx.com to participate in our online public consultation or contact us at 416-874-5900 to find out how you can get involved.


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Executive Summary The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area’s (GTHA) current transportation system is inadequate. It is under capacity, underfunded, lacks coordination, and no longer meets the needs of the citizens and the businesses in Canada’s economic heartland. The symptoms of this impasse are evident in our congested roads and highways, gridlocked urban streets, unreliable and inconvenient transit, and lack of safe bicycle paths and pedestrian pathways. Other symptoms – as important, but less visible – include the economic disruption from congestion, the hindrance of trade and the movement of goods, the increased number of smog days, the toll on individuals and families from commutes that take too long and transportation that costs too much. With an additional 2.6 million people expected in the region by 2031, the situation will only worsen. To address these issues, in 2006 the Government of Ontario created the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority (now Metrolinx) and charged it with the task of developing and implementing an integrated multi-modal transportation plan for the GTHA. This is a draft of that plan. It builds on the considerable work and consultation that Metrolinx has carried out to date. The Draft Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) is based on the understanding that incremental change will not get us where we need to be. We need to boldly transform a transportation system that is no longer meeting our needs. The Draft Plan is strategic, comprehensive and addresses all sectors of society. It is multi-modal and addresses all forms of transportation — roads, transit, cycling and walking. It seeks to get the most out of our existing investments in infrastructure, as well as to identify new investments that are needed. The Draft Plan is not just about infrastructure (the roads, rails, subways and bridges that we need), but is also about changing behaviour – changing how, when, why and whether we travel. It addresses both implementation and the requirements of sustainable, long-term funding. It is practical, do-able, sustainable and timely. The Draft Plan contains a vision for the future in which transportation in the GTHA is seamless, efficient, convenient, equitable and user-centred. At its heart are 15 Strategic Directions that are organized under the following imperatives:

• Reduce demands on the transportation system: minimizing unnecessary travel, shortening the distance travelled, and making better use of the options that we currently have.

• Increase choices for travel: providing a range of fully integrated, easily accessible,

attractive and sustainable transportation choices for GTHA travellers and encouraging the use of options other than the automobile.

• Meet the needs of the traveller first: providing customers with the tools, information

and services they need to make travel easier and more enjoyable.


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• Build communities that make travelling easier: designing and building communities to reduce travelling distances and facilitate walking, cycling and transit use.

• Commit to continuous improvement: research to improve understanding of

transportation issues — such as the achievement of universal access, the improvement of goods movement, and sustainable investment for the system — and being able to respond to changing circumstances and implement new initiatives as opportunities present themselves.

Nested under the Draft Plan’s Strategic Directions are nearly 100 actions that will be implemented over the course of the Plan’s 25-year time horizon to transform the GTHA transportation system into an effective, integrated and multi-modal system. These are broad in scope and include actions by all levels of government related to legislation, policies, programs, planning and funding. While all of the recommended actions are important and will contribute to the transformation of the GTHA transportation system, eight of them are considered to be of particularly high priority. These Big Moves are those that will have the largest, most transformational impacts on the GTHA transportation system. The eight Big Moves are:

1. A fast, frequent and expanded regional rapid transit network.

2. A complete walking and cycling network with bike-sharing programs.

3. An information system for travellers, where and when they need it.

4. A region-wide integrated transit fare system.

5. A system of connected mobility hubs

6. High-order transit connectivity to the Pearson Airport district from all directions.

7. A comprehensive strategy for goods movement.

8. An Investment Strategy to provide stable and predictable funding. The Draft RTP also addresses implementation, roles and responsibilities. It is being released for public comment. The final RTP will be released later this fall.


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1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The Need to Act: Transforming Transportation We have all been there. You are stuck on a major 400-series highway for two hours because of a traffic accident. When it finally arrives, the bus is overcrowded. The train is 45 minutes late. Because of traffic congestion, you are late picking up your child from daycare. The courier package does not arrive when it is supposed to. The costs of keeping your car on the road just keep getting higher and higher. The critical electrical part your company needs is held up in traffic. Your commute, which used to take half an hour, now takes 45 minutes. It is not just you. The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) is facing a significant transportation impasse – one that affects people, the environment and the economy. Once highly regarded, the GTHA transportation system is no longer meeting the needs of the area’s residents and businesses. Some of the symptoms of this impasse are clearly evident in our congested roads and highways, gridlocked urban streets, unreliable and inconvenient transit, and lack of safe bikeways and pedestrian pathways. Other symptoms are less easy to see – the economic disruption from congestion, the hindrance of trade and the movement of goods, the increased number of smog days, the toll on individuals and families from commutes that take way too long, the ever-increasing share of the family budget devoted to basic transportation. Things need to change. And that is what the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) is about. We all agree that things need to change, but what exactly needs to be done with our transportation system? The Regional Transportation Plan will be founded on a few concepts:

• We are at an impasse in transportation in the GTHA. • We need to work together to address the issue. • Incremental change will not get us where we need to be – we need to boldly transform

a transportation system that is no longer meeting our needs. • The Plan needs to be comprehensive, to address all sectors of society. • It needs to be multi-modal, to address all forms of transportation. • It cannot just be about infrastructure (roads and rails and bridges). It is also about

changing behaviour. • It needs to be practical, do-able and sustainable.

The aim of the RTP will be to achieve a transportation system for the GTHA that is effective, integrated and multi-modal. The Draft RTP presents a vision for the future in which transportation within the GTHA is seamless, coordinated and efficient, as well as a blueprint for how to get there.

The aim of the Regional Transportation Plan will be to achieve a transportation system for the GTHA that is effective, integrated and multi-modal.


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1.2 The Current Transportation System The GTHA, located in southern Ontario, is Canada’s largest city region. Comprised of two single-tier municipalities (Hamilton and Toronto) and four regional municipalities (Durham, Halton, Peel and York), along with their 24 lower-tier municipalities, the GTHA is bounded by Lake Ontario to the south, and by the Greenbelt across the north. The Greenbelt is 1.8 million acres of protected natural and agricultural lands, including the Niagara Escarpment, the Oak Ridges Moraine, the Rouge Valley, and innumerable agricultural and rural areas. The GTHA is Canada’s fastest growing urban region. With a current population of over six million people, it is forecast to be home to 8.6 million by the year 2031. The GTHA is currently served by a loose web of regional transportation corridors (see Figure 1). Rapid transit is limited to the GO Rail network and the Toronto subway system, with a historical emphasis on serving downtown Toronto. High-order east-west regional travel is accommodated primarily on controlled-access highways, including the Queen Elizabeth Way/Gardiner Expressway, the 401, the 403 and the 407, with the Lakeshore GO Rail corridor and Toronto’s Bloor-Danforth subway being the only major east-west high-order transit options. Options for north-south travel are more varied and include several rail corridors radiating outward from downtown Toronto, as well as several controlled-access highways spread across the region. High-order transit services that connect destinations outside of central Toronto to one another are almost entirely lacking.

Figure 1: The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area


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1.2.1 Current Stresses Increasing Reliance on Cars The GTHA has become increasingly dependent on private automobiles for mobility. The number of car trips on the GTHA’s road is increasing at a faster rate than the population: between 1986 and 2006 the number of trips made by automobile in the GTHA grew 56 per cent as compared to a population increase of 45 per cent. Associated with this, the GTHA is experiencing ever-worsening traffic congestion. Over the course of a year, traffic congestion costs us billions of dollars because of lost productivity, wasted fuel, etc. Unless this is addressed, delays and costs associated with congestion are expected to grow significantly by 2031, threatening our prosperity and quality of life. A Region Designed For Cars The dependence on cars is in part a result of how communities have been built in the GTHA. Lower density, dispersed development has resulted in a pattern of travel that is less and less focused on downtowns and other core urban areas and hence more difficult to serve by transit. The province’s new Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, adopted in 2006, addresses this by setting out to intensify nodes and corridors in a more compact form that can be more easily served by transit and facilitates walking and cycling. Disconnected Transit Services The GTHA’s transportation system is currently comprised of nine separately-governed local public transit agencies and one regional public transit provider. This patchwork of systems is poorly integrated, making travel across boundaries by public transit inconvenient, frustrating and an unattractive and costly option for many travellers. Given that one out of every four trips in the GTHA crosses a regional boundary, these arrangements need to change if transit is to accommodate a larger share of trips. Years of Under-Investment The GTHA transportation system has not kept pace with growth. Construction of rapid transit and regional rail, which averaged 135 kilometres per decade from the 1960s to the 1980s, all but ground to a halt over the past two decades. This lack of investment contrasts sharply with what is happening elsewhere in the world. In the United States, most large cities have invested heavily in rapid transit. Madrid, Spain — only slightly smaller than the GTHA — has built more rapid transit facilities during the past decade (88 km) than all of our subway and light rail lines (77 km) combined. The roads, highways, subways, streetcars, buses and regional rail services in the GTHA are being pushed to their limits, and customers are suffering with crowding and poor reliability.


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The current system does not offer the traveller a high level of customer service or assurance that they can get where they need to go on time and comfortably. Inefficient Use of the Existing Road and Highway System Years of under-investment aside, we are not even using our existing transportation infrastructure as efficiently as we could be. The average car on the GTHA’s roads transports just under 1.2 people during the peak period — in essence, consuming a tremendous amount of fuel and wasting significant amounts of road space to transport empty seats. At full capacity, a standard 40-foot bus is about 10 times as space-efficient as a typical North American car. Research also suggests that a significant percentage of trucks circulate empty or not fully loaded. Unlike what is the case with almost every other scarce resource, road users receive no price signals that would help them optimize their use. As a result, demand often exceeds supply. The costs associated with building roads and highways are considerable and the financial resources available to build them are limited. It is in everyone’s best interests that we make sure we are using our existing road infrastructure as efficiently as possible before we invest in more. Our Competitiveness in Jeopardy Our economy is changing fast. An increasing number of workers provide services to a variety of clients, and require the ability to travel efficiently around the region. Employers need an efficient transportation system to attract the broadest talent pool possible. Our companies are fully integrated in the global marketplace and rely on predictable and efficient shipping times for their supply chains. Delays can reduce our competitiveness in a just-in-time environment.

“The average car on the GTHA’s roads transports just under 1.2 people in the peak period.”

Transit uses much less road space than single-occupant vehicles. At full capacity, a standard 40-foot bus is about 10 times as space-efficient as a typical North American car.


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Lack of Options in Areas of Higher Social Need

There are many people in the GTHA who cannot afford to own a car and many who stretch their available resources to do so. As energy costs increase, the potential for social exclusion grows, as more people are unable to afford to participate in activities due to the high cost of fuel. Access to frequent, fast and affordable transit is therefore crucial for equity and social cohesion. As illustrated in Figure 2, there are several pockets of concentrated social need in the GTHA. The transportation system needs to improve the mobility options for people in these areas, connecting at risk, vulnerable and disadvantaged communities to the jobs, social services, and health care facilities which can improve their lives and reduce the financial stress associated with transportation. 1.2.2 The Challenge The six million residents of the GTHA are part of a large and dynamic global system. Trends like population growth, climate change, peak oil, urbanization, shifting economies, aging populations and obesity will all have significant long term impacts on individuals, neighbourhoods, and urban regions in the near future. Population Growth The GTHA will continue to be one of Canada’s fastest growing areas over the next few decades. Today, the population is just over six million people. By 2031, the population is estimated to grow to 8.6 million people – all of whom will need to move around. Clearly this growth alone will require a massive increase in transportation infrastructure; the issue is what form this infrastructure should take. Climate Change The trips that we make in our trucks, cars, ships and airplanes are the source of 31 per cent of all greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted in Ontario. These GHGs contribute to climate change and its effects, such as drought, floods, rising sea levels and more frequent incidents of extreme weather. Climatic instability, in turn, is reducing the life expectancy of built infrastructure and interfering with day-to-day operations. The storm in August 2005 that washed out a portion of Finch Avenue was singled out by the insurance industry as the most expensive natural disaster in Ontario’s history and occurred during the hottest summer in Toronto’s history. Transforming how we travel around the GTHA is part of the solution to arresting climate change and achieving the province’s GHG reduction targets under its Go Green Action Plan on Climate Change (for more information see the technical backgrounder “Climate Change and Energy Conservation, September 2008”). Increasing Energy Costs and Peak Oil Anyone who has had to fill their tank lately knows that the price of oil has risen dramatically in recent years. Canada-wide, the average retail price of

“Through an effective transportation system, we can reduce our dependence on fuel consumptive vehicles by providing more energy efficient and less costly mobility choices.”


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gasoline was $1.32 per litre in June 2008, up from $0.68 per litre in June 2003. Had the Canadian dollar not strengthened against the U.S. dollar in the last year, a litre would now cost about $1.75. With predictions that the production of oil is expected to peak in the next five or 10 years, the upward trend in prices is likely to continue. The costs of fuelling private automobiles and trucks will become increasingly unsustainable. Metropolitan regions that are fully automobile dependent will be more adversely affected by rising fuel costs than ones with a more balanced transportation systems. By providing more energy efficient and less costly mobility choices, and reducing our dependency on fossil fuel consumptive vehicles, we will also send away fewer resources from our regional economy. Urbanization By the year 2030, 61 per cent of the world’s population will live in urban areas. This trend is even more pronounced in Canada where nearly half of the population now lives in the six largest urban regions — the GTHA, Montréal, Vancouver, Ottawa-Gatineau, Calgary and Edmonton. What is more, the population in these urban regions is increasing rapidly: between 2001 and 2006, two-thirds of the population growth nationwide occurred in just these six regions. Densely populated regions, if planned appropriately, have smaller carbon footprints per person than less dense areas, which tend to be car-dependent. In addition to not being well-suited to transit, low-density development also consumes a lot of land. In 2003, the Neptis Foundation estimated that if business-as-usual development trends continued, 1,070 square kilometres of agricultural and other natural land — almost double the area of the City of Toronto — would be urbanized in the GTHA between 2000 and 2031. With the delineation of the Greenbelt, which protects 1.8 million acres from urbanization, and the adoption of the provincial Growth Plan, which mandates more compact, higher-density development in the region, the rate that land is consumed by development in the GTHA is expected to decrease. However, a more balanced transportation system is essential to the success of both the Growth Plan and the Greenbelt. Shifting Economies National economies are in a state of flux. They have become more complex and increasingly more dependent on creativity and innovation. Increases in productivity, a fundamental indicator of standard of living and economic well-being, has remained modest in Canada over the past 10 years and is falling behind other G8 nations, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Many of the jobs created over the next 25 years will be in businesses that do not even exist today. We need to start now to meet the travel needs of the workforce of the future. We can increase productivity in Ontario by providing transportation access to groups who historically have had limited access to the labour market, such as new Canadians, visible minorities, Aboriginals, youth, persons with disabilities, and older workers. Aging Population During this century, for the first time in history, the United Nations forecasts that the number of people in the world over the age of 59 will surpass the number of people under the age of


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15. In Ontario, the population aged 65 years and over is expected to more than double to 3.5 million in the next 25 years. The shifting age distribution of the population will have a direct impact on mobility and transportation issues. The percentage of people with a driver’s licence begins to decline after age 59. Without access to viable alternatives to driving, many seniors may become isolated, without access to the services and social connections they need. Public Health The World Health Organization predicts that there will be 2.3 billion overweight adults in the world by 2015 and more than 700 million of them will be obese. How we travel contributes to our vulnerability to this major health risk. One study found that each hour spent in a car on a daily basis is associated with a six per cent increase in the likelihood of obesity. In contrast, every kilometre walked per day was associated with a 4.8 per cent reduction in the likelihood of obesity. Arguably, no group is more affected by automobile dependency than children. While in the GTHA less than one in every four walks or bikes to school, the amount of time that children spend in cars has increased exponentially: between 1986 and 2001, weekday travel by car for 11 to 15-year-olds increased 83 per cent versus 11 per cent for adults. Emissions from motor vehicles also have impacts on respiratory and cardiovascular ailments and cancers. Toronto Public Health estimates that air pollution gives rise to 440 premature deaths and 1,700 hospitalizations each year in the City of Toronto alone. What This Means For Us While some metropolitan regions can rely on minor transportation adjustments, this is not a valid option for the GTHA given the issues and challenges outlined above. We cannot escape the need for a massive addition of new infrastructure. And this must be supported by significant changes in how we use the transportation system.


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1.3 How We Got Here The mandate to create a Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) is embodied in the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority Act, 2006 which established Metrolinx and directed it to create a long-term strategic plan for an integrated, multi-modal, regional transportation system. As defined by the Act, this is to be a transportation plan that:

• takes into account all modes of transportation; • makes use of intelligent transportation systems; • promotes the integration of local transit systems in the regional transportation area

with each other and with the GO Transit system; • works toward easing congestion and commute times, and reducing transportation-

related emissions of smog precursors and greenhouse gases; and • promotes transit-supportive development and the viability and optimization of transit

infrastructure. The RTP will be the blueprint for a more sustainable transportation future. It will reach out 25 years into the future to guide and direct decision-making. It will set out priorities, policies and programs for a future of complete mobility. The RTP will be the next key piece in a three-part approach by the provincial government to prepare the GTHA for growth and sustained prosperity. It will build on the work of the Greenbelt Plan, which protects more than 1.8 million acres of environmentally sensitive and agricultural land in the heart of the region, and the Growth Plan, which manages population and job growth and curbs urban sprawl. Together these three initiatives will lead to the development of more compact and complete communities with a strong emphasis on walking, cycling and transit-friendly design. The RTP will fulfil the province’s commitment to undertake further work and analysis to implement the transportation network and policies of the Growth Plan. It will also meet the Growth Plan’s directions that call for the transportation system to be planned and managed to provide connectivity among transportation modes, offer a balance of transportation choices, encourage the most financially and environmentally appropriate modes for trip-making, offer multi-modal access to jobs, housing and services, and shape growth by supporting intensification. As outlined in the Preface, this Draft RTP builds on the considerable work and extensive consultation carried out by Metrolinx in 2007 and 2008. This includes the development and review of seven Green Papers on trends, challenges and opportunities in the GTHA transportation system and best practices from around the world. The two White Papers released in May 2008 outlined a vision, goals and objectives for the regional transportation system and a range of potential networks as well as policies, programs and tools. The input received on the Green and White Papers has informed the development of the Draft RTP that is now being circulated for public comment.


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2.0 THE DRAFT REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN 2.1 A Vision For the Future In 25 years, the GTHA will have an integrated transportation system that enhances our prosperity, environmental sustainability and quality of life. The nearly nine million residents and thousands of businesses in the GTHA will be served by a well-integrated transportation system that supports:

• A high quality of life. Our cities, towns, suburbs and rural areas will be more liveable, supporting healthy and active lifestyles, with many options for getting around quickly, reliably, conveniently, comfortably and safely.

• A thriving, sustainable and protected environment. Our transportation system will

be people-focussed, have a low carbon footprint, conserve resources, and contribute to a legacy of a healthy and clean environment for our children and grandchildren.

• A strong, prosperous and competitive economy. As the heart of Canada’s economy,

our region will be competitive with the strongest regions in the world. We will attract and retain the best and the brightest talent from around the world. Businesses will thrive, supported by a transportation system that moves goods and delivers services quickly and efficiently. The region will be well-connected to the rest of Ontario, Canada and the world.

The travel needs of the residents and businesses in the GTHA will be met with a transportation system that is focussed on the needs of the customer. Priority will be given to moving people and goods, rather than moving vehicles. The transportation system will support the diverse communities that make up the GTHA and will accommodate everyone, regardless of age, means or ability. Services will be delivered fairly and equitably. Public transit will compete effectively with the automobile because it will provide quality service, that is convenient, integrated, comfortable, safe, reliable and valued by its users. Walking and cycling will be attractive choices for travel. Roads and highways will be maintained and efficiently used as a key component of the multi-modal transportation system. Transportation users will know and understand the true cost of their transportation choices and will be able to use this information to choose how, where and when they travel, depending on their needs.

“In 25 years, the GTHA will have an integrated transportation system that enhances our prosperity, environment and quality of life”.


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Connections between different modes of transportation, and across jurisdictions, will be seamless. Transportation providers will deliver exceptional, user-centered service and will treat the needs of travellers as their highest priority. Investments in transportation will create high-paying jobs in the GTHA and across Canada. The transportation system will be an essential building block of the GTHA. It will contribute to the creation of attractive, liveable neighbourhoods and complete communities where the goods and services that one needs to access during day-to-day life will be close at hand. It will support a robust regional economy and the efficient movement of goods and services. People will have timely and complete information about their transportation options so that they can make informed choices about how to move about. Citizens, businesses and governments will be active partners in defining the transportation system. They will view transportation as a shared responsibility. Ongoing research and development will ensure that the transportation system of the GTHA remains cutting edge. Funding for new and existing transportation infrastructure will be reliable, predictable and befitting of the needs of a bold, world-class transportation system. We will be proud of our transportation system, and the world will once again look to the GTHA as a model of transportation vision and progressiveness.


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2.2 Goals and Objectives The vision for the Regional Transportation Plan describes where we want to be in 25 years. To guide progress towards the vision, a set of goals and related objectives has been developed. These are presented in Table 1. It should be noted that many of the objectives will help to achieve more than one goal. The goals and objectives are intended to provide guidance for decision-making and planning at all levels.

Table 1: Goals and Objectives of the Regional Transportation Plan

GOALS OBJECTIVES

A. Transportation Choices: People will have a wide range of options available to them for getting around regardless of age, means or ability, including walking, cycling, public transit and automobiles.

1. Increased transportation options for accessing a range of destinations

2. Improved accessibility for seniors, children and individuals with special needs and at all income levels

3. Decreased need for travel, particularly over long distances and at rush hour

B. Comfort and Convenience: There will be a strong emphasis on the user. Getting around will be more convenient with coordinated information, facilities, operations and pricing; a more comfortable and less crowded experience; and the highest standard of customer service across the system. Uncertainty regarding travel times and delays will be reduced.

4. Improved transportation experience and travel time reliability

5. Faster, more frequent and less crowded transit

6. Improved information, including real-time information, available to people to plan their trips

7. Region-wide integrated fare structure and collection, and schedule coordination


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C. Active and Healthy Lifestyles: Walking and cycling will be an attractive and realistic choice for all, including children and seniors.

8. Increased daily levels of exercise from walking and cycling

D. Safe and Secure Mobility: Getting around will be safer and more secure. Parents will feel comfortable allowing and encouraging their children to walk, cycle or take public transit to school.

9. Continued progress towards zero casualties and injuries on all transportation modes, including walking and cycling

10. Improved real and perceived traveller safety, especially for women, children and seniors

E. Fairness and Transparency: Citizens will be active partners in reshaping the future transportation system. Decision-making will be transparent.

11. Increased engagement in the planning of the transportation system from a diverse group of citizens

F. A Smaller Carbon Footprint and Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The transportation system will operate sustainably within the constraints of – and in balance with – the GTHA’s ecosystems. GHGs and other harmful emissions related to transportation will be reduced.

12. Decreased use of non-renewable resources

13. Achievement of the transportation-related GHG reduction targets of Go Green: Ontario’s Action Plan for Climate Change

14. Improved air quality, and reduced impacts on human health

G. Reduced Dependence on Non-Renewable Resources: By reducing our dependence on non-renewable resources, the transportation system will be more resilient. We will be better able to withstand volatility in energy supply and prices, and have more flexibility to switch to new fuels and technologies.

15. Increased proportion of trips taken by transit, walking and cycling

16. Improved energy efficiency, including increased application of fuel standards and use of clean vehicles and green technologies

17. Reduced use of out-of-province energy sources


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H. Foundation of an Attractive and Well-Planned Region: The transportation system will be a cornerstone of city building, helping to create a region that is a destination of choice for new residents and businesses. The transportation system will help us create valuable, beautiful and attractive places. Roads, streets, transit lines and stations will be designed to benefit both travellers and local residents. The transportation system itself will use less space, and help curb sprawl by supporting more compact and efficient urban forms. Transportation services, particularly transit, will not lag behind population and employment growth.

18. Reduced consumption of land for urban development

19. Reduced ecological impact on our agricultural and natural systems

20. More transit and pedestrian-friendly streetscapes, and improved walking and cycling amenities

I. Prosperity and Competitiveness: The transportation system will respond efficiently and equitably to the needs of the Ontario economy. It will create opportunities for greater prosperity throughout the region and support Ontario in becoming a leader in attracting the best and the brightest from around the world especially for new green jobs in the transportation sector. Deliveries, imports and exports will be faster and more reliable thanks to a more efficient, integrated and coordinated transportation system. Residents will be able to get to a greater number of jobs.

21. Lower average trip time for people and goods

22. Greater reliability of the freight and passenger systems

23. Managed congestion

24. Increased productivity of the transportation system

J. Multi-Modal Integration: The transportation system will be fully integrated. It will be easy to make a decision on how to get somewhere or ship something thanks to seamless integration, accurate and timely information, and prices determined in a transparent manner.

25. Reduced delays, damage and costs in transferring goods from one mode to another, and more seamless region-wide services for travellers and service-providers

K. Interconnectedness: The GTHA transportation system will be well-connected to surrounding regions, the rest of Canada and the world.

26. Improved connections and service within the GTHA and to/from inter-regional, inter-provincial, and international terminals and facilities


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L. Efficiency and Effectiveness: The transportation system will be designed to optimize the use of resources and provide better value to households, businesses and governments. Greater emphasis will be placed on moving people and goods, rather than vehicles.

27. Increased prevalence of Transportation Demand Management practices

28. Improved value of transportation investment and spending for households, businesses, governments and other users

29. Optimized use of all travel rights-of-way by commercial vehicles through a range of incentives and disincentives

M. Fiscal Sustainability: Funding for transportation will be sufficient, reliable and predictable to build and operate the new and existing system. Technology and infrastructure will be selected that promotes system productivity and safety, reduces on-going operating and maintenance costs and ensures integration across the system.

30. Increased financial self-sufficiency of transportation infrastructure and projects

31. Competitive shipping cost structure

32. Fair and effective fiscal treatment of various modes that better reflects the cost of transportation services in the prices paid by users

33. Minimized direct and indirect economic losses due to accidents


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2.3 Strategic Directions and Priority Actions The Draft RTP contains 15 Strategic Directions that are needed to achieve an effective, integrated, multi-modal transportation system for the GTHA. The Strategic Directions are organized into categories as shown in Table 2. The categories are:

• Reduce demands on the transportation system: minimizing unnecessary travel, shortening the distance travelled, and making better use of the options that we currently have.

• Increase choices for travel: providing a range of fully integrated, easily accessible,

attractive and sustainable transportation choices for GTHA travellers and encouraging the use of options other than the automobile.

• Meet the needs of the traveller first: providing customers with the tools, information

and services they need to make travel easier and more enjoyable. • Build communities that make travelling easier: designing and building communities

to reduce travelling distances and facilitate walking, cycling and transit use. • Commit to continuous improvement: research to improve understanding of

transportation issues — such as the achievement of universal access, the improvement of goods movement, and sustainable investment for the system — and being able to respond to changing circumstances and implement new initiatives as opportunities present themselves.

Each Strategic Direction (SD) includes recommendations for a number of key actions relating to it. These are broad in scope and include actions relating to legislation, policies, programs, planning and funding. In total, the Draft RTP contains nearly 100 recommended actions that would be implemented over the course of the Plan’s 25-year time horizon by various levels of government, as well as other sectors. All of these actions are important and will contribute to the transformation of the GTHA transportation system. However, eight of the actions are highlighted as Big Moves. These are listed in Table 3, along with the Strategic Direction under which they are presented in the Plan. The Big Moves are those that will have the largest, most transformational impacts on the GTHA transportation system.

“The Big Moves are those that will have the largest, most transformational impact on the GTHA transportation system.”


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Table 2: Fifteen Strategic Directions

STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS

Increase Choices for Travel SD#1 Build a Comprehensive Regional Rapid Transit Network SD#2 Promote Active Transportation SD#3 Improve the Efficiency of the Road and Highway Network SD#4 Consider all Modes of Transportation

Reduce Demands on the Transportation System

SD#5 Create an Ambitious Transportation Demand Management Program Meet the Needs of the Traveller First

SD#6 Create a Customer-First Transportation System SD#7 Implement an Integrated Transit Fare System

Build Communities that Make Travelling Easier

SD#8 Build Communities That are Pedestrian, Cycling and Transit-Supportive SD#9 Develop a System of Mobility Hubs SD#10 Focus Growth and Development Along Transportation Corridors

Commit to Continuous Improvement

SD#11 Improve Transportation Understanding Through Research and Innovation SD#12 Plan For Universal Access SD#13 Improve Goods Movement Within the GTHA and With Adjacent Regions SD#14 Develop a National Strategy for Transportation in Urban Regions SD#15 Develop an Investment Strategy to Ensure Sustainable Funding For

Transportation Infrastructure and Supporting Programs


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Table 3: Eight Big Moves

Big Moves Strategic Direction

1. A fast, frequent and expanded regional rapid transit network.

See SD#1 Action 1

2. A complete walking and cycling network with bike-sharing programs.

See SD#2 Actions 1 and 2

3. An information system for travellers, where and when they need it.

See SD#6 Action 1

4. A region-wide integrated transit fare system. See SD#7 Action 1

5. A system of connected mobility hubs. See SD #9 Action 1

6. High-order transit connectivity to the Pearson Airport district from all directions.

See SD#9 Action 8

7. A comprehensive strategy for goods movement. See SD#13 Action 1

8. An Investment Strategy to provide stable and predictable funding.

See SD#15 Action 1

The Strategic Directions and the recommended Actions are found in the next sections of this Plan. The Big Moves are highlighted and presented in blue.


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Increase Choices for Travel

SD#1 Build a Comprehensive Regional Rapid Transit Network Significant investment in transit infrastructure is needed to make up for a generation of under-investment, meet the challenge of a growing population, and allow more people to choose transit in the face of rising oil prices, growing congestion and environmental concerns. The core of the Draft RTP is a plan for a regional rapid transit network, funded through Metrolinx, that operates seamlessly across the region. This network is identified in Figures 4 and 5 and described more fully in section 2.4. The regional transit network will need to be supported by comprehensive and robust local transit networks, cycling and pedestrian networks, and transit-supportive land uses. The regional transit network identified in Figures 4 and 5 is conceptual only. It represents projects proposed for full or substantial completion within the first 15 years and 25 years respectively of the RTP's adoption. Subsequent to the RTP, recommended alignments and technologies for each project may be refined through the project-level Benefits Case Analysis that Metrolinx will carry out in partnership with municipalities and transit agencies.

Actions: BIG MOVE – A fast, frequent and expanded regional rapid transit network. 1.1 Build the regional transit network identified in Figures 4 and 5, to bring fast, frequent, all-day, two-way express rail service and expanded regional rapid transit service to every region of the GTHA and to within two kilometres of 75 per cent of GTHA residents.

1.2 Develop a 15- and 25-year Capital Outlook, five-year rolling capital program, and

annual capital program to identify the phasing of implementation for individual projects identified in the regional transit network.

1.3 Update local Official Plans and Transportation Master Plans to be consistent with

the regional transit network and to support the regional transit network with robust, comprehensive and coordinated local transit networks.

1.4 Update the GO Transit Strategic Plan to be consistent with the regional transit

network. 1.5 Connect the GTHA’s transit network to municipalities surrounding the GTHA and to

other destinations outside of the region with both public and private transit services.


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1.6 Require transit priority and traffic management measures as well as policies supporting transit-supportive land uses to be in place as a condition of transit funding. For road-based transit, funding priority should be given to projects that maximize use of existing road infrastructure, and minimize the need for road extensions and widenings.

1.7 Ensure that, to the maximum extent

possible, new transit infrastructure, including transit vehicles and technologies, are compatible across the region and utilize common international standards. This will allow for better integration of transit services, inter-operability across the region, and cost-effective procurement.

1.8 Create additional Bus Bypass

Shoulders, where feasible, to allow transit vehicles to bypass congested roadways.

1.9 Augment public transit service in low

density areas by encouraging alternative service models, such as outsourcing, jitneys, shuttle buses and dial-a-bus.

1.10 Identify transit priority zones where

transit agencies could be allowed to enforce traffic and parking operations to ensure the optimal function of transit operations.

1.11 Establish protocols with the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure to facilitate the

use of provincially-owned lands for transit facilities.

Shoulder lanes can provide fast and reliable transit service on busy highways.

Priority signals allow transit vehicles to jump ahead of regular traffic after a red light.


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CHOOSING THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY The regional transit network in Figures 4 and 5 identifies several types of transit service: express rail, regional rail, subway, and other rapid transit (comprises light rail transit, bus rapid transit, automated guided transit, and other technologies). These categories are based on the level of service provided. Within each category, several types of technologies are possible. Many of these categories overlap. Subsequent to the RTP, each project identified in the regional transit network will undergo a more detailed Benefits Case Analysis to determine the most appropriate technology. More information on these categories and technologies is available in the technical backgrounder entitled “Transit Technologies, September 2008”.

EXPRESS RAIL

Yamanote Line Réseau Express Régional Bay Area Rapid Transit (Tokyo) (Paris) (San Francisco)

High-speed trains, typically electric, serving primarily longer-distance regional trips with two-

way, all-day service. Station locations would generally be the same as for regional rail, but

with faster and more frequent service.

Average Speed: 50-80 kilometres per hour

Headway: as low as 5 minutes between trains

Capacity: 30,000 – 60,000 passengers per hour

Stations: 2 to 5 kilometres apart


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REGIONAL RAIL

River Line Deux-Montagnes Line GO Train (New Jersey) (Montréal) (GTHA)

Diesel-electric or electric trains serving primarily longer-distance regional trips.

Average Speed: 30–50 kilometres per hour

Headway: as low as 10 minutes between trains


Stations: 2 to 5 kilometres apart

SUBWAY

Toronto Subway Tunnelbanan Metro (Toronto) (Stockholm) (Washington D.C.)

High capacity, heavy rail transit that is fully-grade separated from other traffic,

predominantly underground.

Average Speed: 25–50 kilometres per hour

Headway: as low as 90 seconds between trains


Stations: spacing varies depending on desired speeds


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RAPID TRANSIT

T3 Tram RIT RandstadRail (Paris) (Curitiba, Brazil) (Netherlands)

A broad category that includes bus rapid transit (BRT), light rail transit (LRT), automated

guided transit (AGT) and other technologies that operate completely or mostly in their own

rights-of-way, protected from mixed traffic. Speed and reliability can be increased

significantly with grade-separation from other traffic (i.e. above-ground, below-ground, or at-

surface with signal pre-emption) that allows the transit to bypass or have priority at

signalized intersections.

Average Speed: 15–40 kilometres per hour (higher for dedicated bus transitways on

controlled access highways)

Headway: as low as 90 seconds between trains/buses


Stations: spacing varies depending on desired speeds


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Figure 6: Regional Connections

The Draft RTP acknowledges the future need for new and improved rapid transit connections to communities outside the GTHA, in Ontario and beyond.


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SD#2 Promote Active Transportation Active transportation, including walking, cycling, roller-blading and movements with mobility devices, is a healthy, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly way to travel. In the GTHA, it is estimated that 17 per cent of all trips are walkable (i.e. less than two kilometres in length) and 40 per cent are bikeable (i.e. less than five kilometres in length); however, walking and cycling currently account for just five per cent of all work trips and 32 per cent of all school trips in the region. An effective transportation system is one that makes provision for and encourages the use of walking, cycling and other forms of active transportation.

Actions: BIG MOVE - A complete walking and cycling network with bike-sharing programs. 2.1 Plan and implement a complete, integrated walking and cycling network for the GTHA, including Toronto’s PATH system, that addresses key barriers to walking, such as bridges over 400-series highways, and that brings every urban resident to within a maximum of one kilometre of a dedicated bicycling facility. This will be supported by a provincial funding commitment increased over time to at least $20 million per year for municipalities to complete the network. 2.2 Create pilot bike-sharing programs in major urban centres.

2.3 Research, standardize and

promote best practices to integrate walking and cycling in road design, such as scramble intersections, bike boxes, and signal prioritization.

FACT The cost of bike lanes varies depending on the circumstances. It can be a little as $10,000 per lane kilometre to re-stripe an existing road to as much as $150,000 per lane km to add a bike lane to a new road. An annual investment of $20 million would result in the creation of approximately 300 lane kilometres of new bike facilities in the GTHA each year. The same amount of money spent on new roads would buy between 16 and 50 lane kilometres.

.

EXAMPLE: BIKE-SHARING IN PARIS

Vélib is a stunning bike-sharing initiative launched in summer 2007 in Paris, France. Over 20,000 bikes will be installed at 1,500 self-serve rental stalls across the city.


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2.4 Install bike racks on all buses and Light Rail Transit (LRT) vehicles and amend both the Highway Traffic Act (Section 109) and the Public Vehicles Act (Sections 23 and 24) so that transit vehicles with bike racks would not require special permits.

2.5 Identify and implement opportunities for promoting active transportation and

connecting key destinations, including mobility hubs and major transit station areas, when designing greenways strategies and park systems.

2.6 Municipalities should develop Official Plan policies and, where appropriate, use the

bonussing provisions under the Planning Act to require that any application for major commercial, employment or multiple residential development, particularly those in mobility hubs, provide appropriate facilities for cyclists and pedestrians such as secure bike storage, showers and change rooms.

2.7 Establish a coordinated, region-wide bicycle registry with the ability to report and

look-up stolen bikes. 2.8 Define school catchment areas on the basis of maximizing walking and cycling as

the primary means of school travel.

EXAMPLE: TORONTO

In 1993, the City of Toronto amended its zoning by-law to require bike parking, showers and change rooms for all new residential and commercial buildings over 2,500 square metres in size.

EXAMPLE: BIKELINX

BikeLinx is a $5 million Metrolinx initiative that will make it easier for people in the GTHA to combine bicycling with transit. Through the BikeLinx program, Metrolinx has provided funding to GTHA municipalities to equip every bus in their transit fleets with an external bike rack and to install permanent, secure and sheltered bicycle parking facilities at major transit stops in their local communities.


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SD#3 Improve the Efficiency of the Road and Highway Network

Most people and goods in the GTHA travel on roads. Only about five per cent of the GTHA’s total daily travel is done on rail (via subway and GO Transit), The rest of the 12 million-plus trips that are made every day – whether by car, truck, bus, streetcar, bicycle or foot – are made on roads and highways. For the GTHA’s rural areas, the regional road and highway network is their mobility lifeline. It is critical to improve the efficiency of the GTHA’s network of road and highways, through better monitoring and planning, strategic improvements to the road network, promotion of ride-sharing and car-sharing, and the use of tools to improve traffic flows.

Actions:

3.1 Implement the GTHA road network and complete studies of the proposed

transportation corridors identified in Figures 4 and 5. 3.2 Identify, prioritize and resolve gaps and bottlenecks in the road network,

particularly where they cross municipal boundaries. 3.3 Update local Official Plans and Transportation Master Plans to be consistent with

the GTHA road network identified in Figures 4 and 5. 3.4 Any new additions to the road network in the GTHA, whether provincial, regional

or local roads, must be considered within the context of the transportation hierarchy, and contribute to meeting the goals and objectives of the RTP, including reducing trips, encouraging transit use and active transportation, and increasing the efficiency of goods movement. New or expanded roads must complement and reinforce the RTP’s directions and not compete with existing or planned transit, particularly when the transit service operates within the same corridor.

3.5 Develop a strategy to assess and implement an interconnected regional network of

multi-purpose reserved lanes to improve the efficiency of highways and arterial roads. In these lanes, priority would be granted to transit and multi-occupant vehicles, with the potential for High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes. The use of both existing and new lane capacity as well as shoulders will be explored, with an emphasis on interconnectivity and more efficient use of available capacity.

3.6 Building on highly successful programs such as the Ministry of Transportation’s

COMPASS freeway traffic management system and the City of Toronto’s RESCU traffic management system, create an Intelligent Transportation System strategy for the GTHA, with policies and programs to:

FACT Currently the average vehicle travelling on the GTHA’s roads and highways during the morning rush hour carries less than 1.2 people. Increased use of ride-sharing can have a significant benefit. Increasing the average number of people per vehicle to 1.4 would take 344,000 vehicles off the roads every rush hour.


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• reduce traffic congestion and delays by implementing road and highway video and computer-aided monitoring for faster incident detection, management and emergency vehicle or tow truck dispatching;

• implement a coordinated, region-wide system of ramp metering signals at entry ramps to major highways that monitors cumulative traffic conditions and optimizes traffic flows to reduce congestion;

• improve and coordinate signal controls for more efficient traffic flows, including across municipal boundaries;

• provide real-time road and highway traffic and weather information directly to travellers; and

• establish a regional traffic management centre for all 400-series expressways, urban expressways and regional roads with centralized monitoring of traffic flows and patterns, and control over signalization and other traffic management measures.

3.7 Continue to support the Smart

Commute CarpoolZone online ride-matching service, and identify and eliminate legal and liability barriers to ride-sharing.

3.8 Amend the Ontario Public

Vehicles Act to allow third-parties such as non-governmental organizations to provide vanpools to service major trip generators such as employers, post-secondary institutions and tourism destinations.

3.9 Update municipal parking by-laws to require priority parking for carpool and car-

share vehicles at all mobility hubs, major transit station areas, and commercial and employment areas, and to require operators of non-residential parking lots to provide easily visible information on carpooling opportunities.

3.10 Continue to develop and expand

the provincial carpool lot network to include additional lots at strategic locations, aligned with High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) networks, particularly at the periphery of the GTHA.

EXAMPLE: HALTON

Carpool-only parking spaces in Halton.

EXAMPLE: CarpoolZone CarpoolZone.ca was launched by Smart Commute in November 2005 to serve as a region-wide carpooling ride-match service. Users can specify their home and work locations, whether they would like to be a driver, passenger or both, and how flexible they are in terms of distance, departure times and other preferences. CarpoolZone will find them an ideal match. CarpoolZone.ca now has over 5,000 active users and over 400 active carpools.


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3.11 Where appropriate, develop road

capacity enhancement pilot projects, such as tidal flow operations, contraflow lanes, dynamic lanes, continuous flow intersections, diverging diamond interchanges, shoulder bus lanes, roundabouts, reversible lanes, and moveable barriers.

3.12 Support driver education programs

which encourage more efficient driving practices to reduce fuel consumption and speeding, and decrease emissions.

EXAMPLE: ONTARIO HOV NETWORK

A High Occupancy Vehicle (or HOV) lane is a roadway lane designated for use only by vehicles with a specified minimum number of occupants--usually two or three. HOV lanes encourage people to use transit or carpool rather than drive alone by ensuring them more reliable and faster trip times. This increases the efficiency of the road network as more people are moved in fewer vehicles, reducing congestion and improving the reliability and speed of travel in the other lanes, as well. In December 2005, the province of Ontario opened its first HOV lanes on sections of Highways 403 and 404. By 2031, a network of more than 350 km of HOV lanes will be in place on 400-series highways in the GTHA as part of the Ministry of Transportation’s HOV Lane Network Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The network will be accompanied by supportive programs, including the provision of carpool and parking lots in strategic locations.

EXAMPLE: DRIVEWISER Drivewiser is a fuel efficiency and driver training program, administered by the province of Nova Scotia in partnership with a not-for-profit organization. In addition to an online resource, the program also includes workshops to promote the use of efficient vehicles and good driving habits to improve fuel efficiency on the road. The program focuses on communicating the benefits of fuel efficiency and the impacts of individual behaviour on emissions reduction.


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SD#4 Consider All Modes of Transportation The focus of the transportation system should be on moving people and goods. This may seem obvious, but too often, transportation planning has instead emphasized moving vehicles. For example, a car carrying a single person is given the same priority as a bus carrying 50 passengers; or a car with a single driver competes for space with a car carrying five people. An effective transportation system is one in which full consideration is given to all modes of transportation, and decisions consider the most efficient way to move the most people or goods. Actions:

4.1 Establish the following passenger transportation hierarchy to be used as the basis for planning, designing, financing and operating the transportation system: i. Trip reduction, shortening or

avoidance ii. Active transportation iii. Transit iv. Ride-sharing and taxis v. Single-occupant vehicles

4.2 Broaden the scope of traffic impact

studies that are submitted in support of applications for planning approvals to become comprehensive transportation impact studies. These studies would consider the impacts of new development on all forms of transportation, including transit, walking and cycling, as well as the impact of induced traffic.

4.3 Evaluate opportunities to

incorporate all transportation modes as part of the Environmental Assessment process for road constructions, reconstructions or widenings.

4.4 Municipalities should establish

protocols to obtain the input of transit agencies and public health departments on all major planning and transportation matters.

FACT At 60 km/h, one arterial lane can accommodate about 1,000 passengers an hour in cars, but up to 10,000 an hour in buses. Driving alone in a car produces about 250 grams of greenhouse gases per km per person. Riding in a full bus produces just over 30 grams of greenhouse gases per km per person.

EXAMPLE: EDMONTON All land development proposals in the City of Edmonton, no matter how small, are forwarded to Edmonton Transit Service for review and comment.

EXAMPLE: EDINBURGH In Edinburgh, Scotland, transit and active transportation now account for 50 per cent of trips in the city, and are allocated 50 per cent of the road space.


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Reduce Demands on the Transportation System SD#5 Create an Ambitious Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program Residents of the GTHA are making more and more trips every year and the average length of these trips is increasing. The number of daily car trips during the morning peak period increased 60 per cent from 1.3 million in 1986 to 2.1 million in 2006. The average distance of these morning peak period trips increased 21 per cent from 12.3 km in 1986 to 14.9 km in 2006. The increase in car trips and distance travelled is heightening the stress on our transportation system and leading to ever-worsening traffic congestion. The best way to reduce this stress on our system is to reduce the demand for travel: the most efficient and cost-effective trip to service is the trip that never happens in the first place. By changing whether, when, where and how we travel, we can make more efficient use of our transportation system. Actions:

5.1 Develop a TDM strategy for provincial ministries and agencies such as school boards, hospitals and universities that includes actions, timelines and targets.

5.2 Establish guidelines and model

policies to help municipalities develop and implement TDM policies in their Official Plans and Transportation Master Plans.

5.3 Require a TDM strategy – including

social marketing where applicable – as a condition of provincial funding for all major road and transit projects.

5.4 Require a TDM strategy as part of local Official Plan complete application

provisions for any major commercial or employment development applications. 5.5 Encourage private sector employers to implement TDM programs.

FACT: EMPLOYER TDM PROGRAMS Employer TDM programs can include: • emergency ride-home programs, such

as free taxi fares, for employees who miss their train or carpool because they had to work late;

• employee ride-matching services; • flexible work hours; and • promotion of telework opportunities.

EXAMPLE: TDM IN MARKHAM The Town of Markham identifies a range of TDM performance measures for new development in Markham Centre. During the initial assessment of each development application, the Markham Centre Advisory Committee reviews development applications against the Markham Centre Performance Measures Checklist. The Advisory Committee scores the application and provides comments on it. These are considered during the approvals process.

EXAMPLE: HAMILTON U-PASS McMaster University’s U-PASS program provides all McMaster students with an eight-month transit pass for only $94.80 annually. An overwhelming 89 per cent of students voted in favour of the program in the last referendum.


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5.6 Encourage employers to offer their employees a choice between a free or

subsidized parking space or a cash equivalent.

5.7 Provide financial incentives to

encourage transit use: • expand GO Transit’s local

transit subsidy program for riders who are travelling to GO stations using local transit;

• expand the use of U-PASS programs currently offered by many transit providers;

• make employer-provided or employer-subsidized transit passes tax-exempt; and

• offer bulk discounts on transit pass sales to employers and major trip generators.

FACT: EMPLOYER-PROVIDED TRANSIT PASSES

If your employer provides you with a free or subsidized transit pass it is considered a taxable benefit and you have to pay tax on it. If your employer provides free parking, however, it is not considered a taxable benefit and you do not have to pay tax on it, unless there is a specific spot reserved for your exclusive use.


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Meet the Needs of the Traveller SD#6 Create a Customer-First Transportation System It often appears as if the GTHA’s current transportation system is designed and operated with the needs of the transportation provider in mind, rather than the traveller. With limited resources available to them, local transit agencies have had to focus on meeting immediate demands. To achieve an effective transportation system, this must change. The comfort and convenience of the traveller must be the primary consideration in how the transportation system is planned, designed and operated. Regional travel must be made more convenient and barrier-free as travellers transfer between modes, services and across regional boundaries. Travellers must have the information they need to make the best choices about whether, when, where and how they travel. Planning a trip, regardless of where in the region you are going or how you want to get there, should be easy for travellers to do. Most of all, the system needs to strive to make transportation a more reliable and enjoyable experience for users.

Actions: BIG MOVE – An information system for travellers, where and when they need it. 6.1 Create a regional transportation information portal that is accessible online and by telephone, e-mail or PDA that provides travellers with easily accessible, standardized information on the full-range of transportation alternatives available to them. 6.2 In consultation with transit

agencies, establish region-wide standards and public reporting requirements for all transit services in the GTHA that are appropriate to the local context, and that address customer service issues such as maximum service

EXAMPLES: HELSINKI, LYONS & SINGAPORE Regional transportation information portals in places such as Helsinki, Lyons and Singapore provide travellers with information on a wide range of matters including:

• schedules, routes and fares for public transit as well as inter-city motor coach and rail services

• real-time location and arrival time of individual transit vehicles

• walking and cycling routes • accessibility of stations, stops and

vehicles • road and transit closures, construction

and detours • planned infrastructure improvements • school bus cancellations • parking lot locations, costs and

availability • carpooling and car-sharing

opportunities • air quality conditions and smog alerts • a personal carbon-footprint calculator

that allows people to compare the environmental impacts of their transportation choices

• opportunities for contributing to local carbon offset programs

• air quality index values to inform people when air quality is low and transit use is encouraged.


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frequency, crowding, safety, service reliability including on-time performance and cancellations, cleanliness, responsiveness and customer satisfaction.

6.3 Coordinate schedules among transit service providers, including demand-responsive

services for persons with disabilities. Require GO Transit and local transit agencies to provide each other with a minimum 90-days’ notice before implementing any changes in service, to allow time for agencies to adjust and coordinate their schedules.

6.4 Establish customer service centres at all mobility hubs where travellers can obtain

information on schedules, connecting trips, fares and other information for any transportation provider in the region.

6.5 Equip all mobility hubs and key transit stations and stops with real-time

information displays that tell transit riders the arrival time of the next transit vehicle, and what alternatives they should take in the event of a service disruption.

6.6 Develop a consistent set of procedures, and visual and audio cues that make the

transit system easier to use and navigate, including consistent numbering and naming of transit stations and stops, consistent schedules, and common transit signage standards.

6.7 Phase out the restrictions that

currently prevent transit agencies from picking up passengers while passing through neighbouring jurisdictions.

6.8 Expand the availability of

overhead display boards on roads and highways that show the estimated time to key destinations and notify travellers of delays and alternative routes.

6.9 Encourage developers to provide

information about transportation alternatives, including local transit routes and schedules, to new home buyers.

6.10 Undertake individualized social marketing campaigns directed at the household

level to reach every household near rapid transit approximately every three years with information about transportation alternatives, including local transit routes and schedules.

EXAMPLE: SOCIAL MARKETING IN PORTLAND

Portland, Oregon was the site of the first large-scale individualized social marketing project in North America. The project, called TravelSmart, reached more than 14,000 people in 2004 after a new MAX light rail line was opened. Thousands of households in the TravelSmart area received information on transit, walking and cycling. Subsequent surveys showed that after the light rail line opened, the growth in transit trips was 24 per cent in the area where there was no individualized marketing project, but 44 per cent — almost twice as much — in the TravelSmart area.


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SD#7 Implement an Integrated Transit Fare System There are 10 public transit agencies in the GTHA. Currently each has its own, separate system for paying fares and each has its own fare structure. This means, for example, that people who travel from a local bus in one city, to a GO train, and then to the subway in Toronto need to pay three different fares, or have three different transit passes for their trip. Other jurisdictions in Canada and around the world have integrated their transit fare systems to offer a more consistent and seamless service to travellers. The Ministry of Transportation launched a regional farecard pilot project called Presto in the summer of 2007. Eventually, the Presto farecard will allow users to swipe the card and automatically be billed for travelling on transit systems from Hamilton to Oshawa. There is a potential to expand Presto to become the premiere payment platform in the GTHA and revolutionize the way travellers interact with the transportation system. There is also an opportunity to use it to help integrate fares across the region.

Actions:

BIG MOVE - A region-wide integrated transit fare system. 7.1 Implement a region-wide integrated transit fare system by 2012 that allows users to pay a seamless, integrated fare for all transit systems across the region. 7.2 Over time, leverage the Presto

fare smart card’s technology to offer new fare products and integrate fares throughout the region and pursue partnerships with financial institutions, local businesses, tourism destinations, transit agencies and public sector agencies to expand the scope of the Presto fare smart card to function as a debit card, library card, parking pass, bike share card or to offer discounts and reward points.

EXAMPLE: HONG KONG SMART CARD

The Octopus Card was introduced in Hong Kong in 1997 for electronic payment of transit fares. Today, over 2,000 service providers accept payments using the Octopus Card, including virtually all forms of public transport in Hong Kong, parking facilities, supermarkets, convenience stores, fast food restaurants, vending machines, and others. Users also collect reward points for using the card, which can be redeemed at various stores. Over 95 per cent of the population aged 16 to 65 possess a card, with over 17 million cards in circulation.


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Build Communities that Make Travelling Easier

SD#8 Build Communities That are Pedestrian, Cycling and Transit-Supportive How we design our communities is a major factor in determining how we choose to travel. People who live in a higher density neighbourhood with a variety of stores and services near their home are more likely to walk, cycle or take transit. People living in a lower density neighbourhood that is far from stores and services, and lacks sidewalks and bike lanes are much more likely to drive. An effective transportation system is one that is supported by and which promotes efficient and sustainable land use. The Draft RTP builds on the linkages between the transportation system and the management of urban growth that have been established in the province’s Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and helps to support and implement the Growth Plan vision.

Actions:

8.1 Plan, design, build and operate

the transportation system to support and reinforce conformity with the Growth Plan and consistency with the Provincial Policy Statement to create pedestrian-, cycling-, and transit-friendly communities. Ensure connectivity between places and along corridors that support the urban structure and intensification objectives of the Growth Plan.

8.2 Plan, design and build the

transportation system in a way that directs growth to approved settlement areas, particularly already built-up areas, and away from natural areas and agricultural lands.

8.3 In new residential, commercial and employment developments in municipalities

where transit service is available, require all homes and businesses to be within walking distance of a transit stop with frequent service, and require transit stop signage to be erected as soon as roads are constructed so that prospective businesses and homeowners are aware of where transit service will be provided.

8.4 Update the province’s Transit Supportive Land Use Guidelines. 8.5 New institutions such as elementary, secondary and post-secondary schools,

regional hospitals, large sporting venues and cultural centres should lead by

FACT: ONTARIO’S GROWTH PLAN Ontario’s Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe was released in June 2006. It sets out a 25-year vision and plan to accommodate the expected growth in the region. It is designed to support economic prosperity, protect the environment and help communities achieve a high quality of life. The Growth Plan calls for the creation of more compact and complete communities, with a strong emphasis on transit and pedestrian-friendly design. For more information about the Growth Plan visit www.placestogrow.ca.


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EXAMPLE: DESIGNING FOR TRANSIT, CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS

Many municipalities have employed one or more of the following measures to give greater priority to transit, walking and cycling on certain streets:

• traffic calming at key pedestrian and cyclist destinations such as schools, local retail stores, mobility hubs and community centres;

• landscaping, shade trees and other amenities, such as street furniture and lighting that enhance the experience of active transportation users;

• narrowing streets and widening sidewalks in high-pedestrian traffic areas; • phasing-out or redesigning channelized right-turn-only lanes; • audio signals at major signalized pedestrian crossings for the visually impaired; • limiting the widths of roads to facilitate crossing and reduce traffic speeds; • resting points, island refuges, and longer walk signals on wide crossings; • “signal priority” devices that allow transit vehicles to change traffic signals at key

intersections as they approach; • “queue-jump” lanes that allow transit vehicles or cyclists to bypass other traffic

at key intersections; • pedestrian and cyclist bridges at key locations, for example crossing 400-series

highways; • reduced speed limits in high-pedestrian traffic areas and around schools; and • automated enforcement technology for speeding and red lights.

example by demonstrating excellence in transit-oriented and pedestrian-friendly design and by choosing locations that maximize access by transit and active transportation.

8.6 Update municipal parking and zoning by-laws to:

• establish maximum parking requirements and decrease minimum parking requirements;

• permit off-site, on-street and shared-parking capacity to be counted towards meeting parking requirements; and

• give landowners and developers the option of providing alternatives to free on-site parking, such as transit passes, car-sharing memberships, carpooling services, and/or cash contributions towards transit or active transportation infrastructure.

EXAMPLE: SAFE STREETS FOR CHICAGO “The safety and convenience of all users of the transportation system including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, freight, and motor vehicle drivers shall be accommodated and balanced in all types of transportation and development projects and through all phases of a project so that even the most vulnerable – children, elderly, and persons with disabilities – can travel safely within the public right of way.”

City of Chicago, Safe Streets for Chicago, 2006.


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EXAMPLE: STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS Design improvements to the streetscape of a hypothetical road to make it more pedestrian, cyclist and transit friendly (Source: Ontario Growth Secretariat, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure).

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Reserved lane for

transit, bikes, carpools

Bus shelter

Access to store located closer to

sidewalk

Landscaping for weather

protection and a more enjoyable

walking experience

Curb cut for wheelchair access

Walkway clearly demarcated for greater safety

Windows improve safety and comfort


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SD#9 Develop a System of Mobility Hubs

The relationship between the structure of a city-region and the transportation system that serves it is critically important. An attractive and environmentally sustainable urban structure requires fast, frequent and well-connected means of movement. An efficient and cost-effective transit system requires nodes (or dense concentrations) of origins and destinations. The interface between urban form and the transportation system is particularly important around major transit stations. Focusing growth and development around major transit stations allows more people to live near transit services, and makes more destinations accessible by transit. Transit stations are also the key point of contact between the traveller and the transit system, so they have a significant impact on customer service and the overall travelling experience. A well-designed transit station can help make travellers feel relaxed, informed and appreciated. A poorly-designed transit station can cause frustration. Some of the GTHA’s transit stations are particularly significant given the level of transit service that exists or is planned for them, and the development potential around them. These transit stations are identified in the Draft RTP as mobility hubs. In addition to serving as places to arrive, wait for and depart on transit, successful mobility hubs have the potential to become vibrant places of human activity and destinations in themselves. Currently, many of these sites offer little more than vast parking lots, but they could be much more. The Draft RTP imagines a future in which major transit stations are turned into true mobility hubs, where transportation modes come together, including local transit service, cycling and pedestrian networks, with secure storage facilities for bikes and car-share drop-off areas. They will be locations for major destinations

EXAMPLE: MOBILITY HUBS

Atocha Station in Madrid, Spain is at the intersection of commuter and national rail lines and one of the city’s metro lines. There are also shops, cafés, a nightclub and a 4,000 square metre covered tropical garden.

In St. Paul, Minnesota a new transit hub will link a new LRT station with relocated bus and train stations, making it easier to transfer between routes and modes. The priority is to make transit use as simple and pleasant as possible. To that end, the station will also feature a new public square to provide focus for activities in and around the station.


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such as office buildings, hospitals, education facilities and government services. They will also offer amenities to travellers such as heated waiting areas, traveller information centres, a café or restaurant, and services like a daycare, grocery store or post office (for more information see the technical backgrounder “Mobility Hubs, September 2008”). Union Station and Pearson International Airport possess all the qualities of anchor hubs, but have additional significance because of their importance on a provincial, national and international scale. Currently, 33 per cent of all Canadian air traffic passes through Pearson Airport, including 30 million travellers and 500,000 metric tonnes of freight each year. More than 200,000 passengers move through Union Station on an average business day, making it Canada’s busiest transportation facility. Activity at both Pearson Airport and Union Station is expected to grow substantially over the next 25 years. To build on the opportunities offered by Union Station and Pearson Airport, the Draft RTP recommends that the areas around them be developed as the GTHA’s largest and most significant mobility hubs.

Actions: BIG MOVE – A system of connected mobility hubs. 9.1 Identify and incorporate two types of mobility hubs in municipal Official Plans and Transportation Master Plans. Anchor Hubs have strategic importance due to their relationship with urban growth centres (UGCs) and/or their role as major international gateways. Anchor Hubs contain current or planned major regional destinations such as major institutions, employment centres, town centres or regional shopping centres, and they have significant potential to attract and accommodate new growth and development. Anchor Hubs have the potential to transform the regional urban structure and act as anchors of the regional transportation system. Anchor Hub locations are identified in Figures 4 and 5. Gateway Hubs are major transit station areas at the interchange between two or more rapid transit lines, or where significant numbers of people access the regional transit system. Gateway Hubs and their associated transit catchment areas also generally have high current or potential development capacity that make them significant origins and/or destinations on the transit system. Gateway Hubs are identified in Figures 4 and 5. As the regional transit system is implemented, and detailed planning is undertaken for specific corridors, Metrolinx may identify additional Gateway Hubs in consultation with municipalities and transit agencies.

Major Transit Station Areas in the Growth Plan

The Growth Plan defines major transit station areas as the areas including and around any existing or planned higher-order transit station within a settlement area, or the areas including and around a major bus depot in an urban core. The Growth Plan requires that major transit station areas be planned for higher densities of residential and employment development, as well as commercial, institutional, office, cultural and entertainment uses.


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9.2 In addition to mobility hubs, municipalities should also identify in their Official

Plans and Transportation Master Plans unique destinations with significant drawing power (e.g. universities, regional shopping centres, hospitals, cultural facilities, etc.) that are important regional activity centres and trip generators.

9.3 Municipalities, in consultation with upper-tier municipalities, transit agencies,

landowners, major stakeholders, and public agencies and institutions, will prepare detailed master plans for each mobility hub and, where appropriate, other major transit station areas and unique destinations. At minimum, master plans will: • set out policies and an anticipated schedule for their achievement, to conform

with and implement the Growth Plan’s policies for major transit station areas and, where applicable, urban growth centres;

• establish minimum density targets that conform to the Growth Plan and are based on the planned transit service levels of the RTP;

• optimize transit-oriented development potential, and identify and implement incentives to promote transit-oriented development, such as streamlined planning and building approvals and reduced development application fees;

• provide for a range of amenities for travellers such as retail uses, restrooms, community spaces and tourism information where appropriate;

• optimize the trip-generation benefit of the mobility hub; • set target modal splits for transit usage, single occupancy vehicle trips and

active transportation for each mobility hub, and an anticipated schedule for their achievement;

• establish a surface parking reduction strategy, including a scheduled transition from free surface parking to a limited supply of fairly priced, structured parking, and policies to set aside reserved parking spaces for carpool and car-sharing vehicles;

• include design policies that help achieve, at minimum, LEED Gold or equivalent standards for any new transit-related buildings and improve the travelling experience through the use of public art, landscaping and architectural excellence;

• minimize the distance and time required for transferring between transit lines or services, and accessing key destinations, by minimizing distances between transit stations, and between transit stations and key destinations;

• give priority to transit, pedestrian and bicycle access over all other modes, including priority measures on roads leading to the mobility hub;

• establish a pedestrian-focused internal movement plan that integrates public and private spaces through well-designed, human-scaled spaces;

• provide secure, conveniently located weather-protected bicycle storage facilities and integrate bike-sharing where available; and

• address issues relating to the comfort and convenience of transit users, including policies that provide for customer service amenities such as a plentiful supply of clean, safe, comfortable, weather-protected waiting areas, guidelines for way-finding, and access for users with special needs.


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9.4 A special purpose, transit-related urban development capability should be established to lead or facilitate development for those mobility hubs where it is determined that jurisdictional issues, land ownership patterns or other issues present particular challenges that would otherwise inhibit their successful, integrated development. Such capability would be structured appropriately to respond to the issues identified and could be vested with authority to manage publicly-owned lands and to acquire or assemble lands needed to realize the strategic development objectives of the mobility hub.

9.5 Metrolinx will develop a financial program to facilitate mobility hub capital

improvements that increases over time to $50 million annually. This program would fund or leverage transit-related improvements such as converting surface parking to structured parking, strategic land acquisitions, station improvements, and local road re-alignments to facilitate integration of transportation modes, with a focus on those mobility hubs that: • have the greatest potential to improve the performance of the overall transit

system and generate a return on the transit investment; • demonstrate an ambitious and practical development plan for achieving or

exceeding the land use and transportation objectives of the RTP and the minimum requirements of the Growth Plan;

• have prepared a viable business plan that outlines the public and private financing techniques for achievement of the intended development; and

• demonstrate best practices in the design and function of the mobility hub. 9.6 Metrolinx, the province and municipalities will take advantage of the full range of

financial and development tools available as part of a mobility hub development strategy and will establish guidelines for their appropriate utilization. These tools may include tax increment financing, community improvement plans, area development charges as well as other value capture strategies, public-private partnerships and the possible use, as necessary, of statutory expropriation powers.

9.7 Metrolinx will have regard for the targets and achievement of mobility hub master

plans when establishing its priorities for capital funding and in determining the appropriate transit mode and level of service that will be provided to individual mobility hubs.

BIG MOVE – High-order transit connectivity to the Pearson Airport district from all directions. 9.8 Establish high-order transit connectivity to the Pearson Airport district from all directions, including a multi-purpose, fast transit link to downtown Toronto.

9.9 Integrate the Toronto bus terminal

with Union Station to provide more seamless connections between regional rail and bus services.

FACT: TRANSIT TRIPS TO PEARSON Currently, less than one per cent of all travellers at Pearson Airport arrive by public transit.


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9.10 Renovate and improve Union Station to create a customer-focused facility that provides seamless connections between all modes of transportation and the surrounding downtown Toronto area. Union Station should be developed in a way that maximizes not only the value of the station itself, but the precinct it directly serves, and that meets the needs of the passenger throughput that will result from the implementation of the RTP.


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SD#10 Focus Growth and Development along Transportation Corridors In addition to transit stations and mobility hubs, a second key relationship between land use and transportation is the mix and intensity of land use along transit and transportation corridors. Transit corridors are ideal places to focus growth and development. People living near or along them have quick and easy access to the regional transit system, and will be able to get anywhere in the region without needing a car. Locating jobs, retail areas and other destinations near or along transit corridors makes them easily accessible by transit. The Growth Plan identifies areas along major roads, arterial roads and higher-order transit corridors as intensification corridors and directs that these be focal areas for increased residential and employment densities, and a mix of residential, office, institutional and commercial development, wherever appropriate. Achieving this concentration of growth along these corridors is critical to the success of the RTP.

Actions:

10.1 Municipalities will assess all transit corridors in the regional transportation system

for their potential for higher density mixed-use development and for their suitability as intensification corridors as defined in the Growth Plan. Generally, all rapid transit corridors not operating on controlled access highways or in freight rail corridors should be identified as intensification corridors, except where this would conflict with other provincial policy.

10.2 For those transit corridors that are identified as intensification corridors, lower-

tier and single-tier municipalities, in consultation with upper-tier municipalities, transit agencies, landowners, major stakeholders, and public agencies and institutions, will set out policies in their Official Plans and Transportation Master Plans that: • conform with and implement the Growth Plan’s policies for intensification

corridors; • establish minimum density targets based on the planned transit service levels

of the RTP; • facilitate a mix of modes, including active transportation; • give priority to transit vehicles over private vehicles, and maximize the value

of the transit investment; • discourage free parking, minimize street-facing surface parking lots,

accommodate appropriate streetside parking and minimize the impacts of parking on other forms of transportation such as walking and cycling; and

• provide for desirable maximum and minimum heights and maintain site development standards that create positive visual relationships among buildings along the street and between buildings and the street.

10.3 Design standards and streetscape guidelines, enforceable through the site plan

process, should be prepared by municipalities for those transit corridors that are identified as intensification corridors. These should address landscaping, street furniture, integrating transit facilities (shelters and waiting areas), signage and lighting.


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10.4 Metrolinx will have regard for the targets and achievement of transit corridor

policies when establishing its priorities for capital funding and in determining the appropriate transit mode and level of service that will be provided along individual transit corridors.

EXAMPLE: ARTERIAL ROAD INTENSIFICATION Hypothetical intensification and revitalization of an arterial road (source: Ontario Growth Secretariat, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure). BEFORE:

AFTER:


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Commit to Continuous Improvement

SD#11 Improve Transportation Understanding Through Research and Innovation The best transportation systems and transportation plans are informed by the best available data and research. Many information gaps currently remain in the GTHA, particularly with respect to the movement of goods within the region. As the RTP is being implemented, it will be important to continue to improve our understanding of transportation issues, and the factors which affect our success. The ability to offer innovative new programs over time will require increased local knowledge and understanding of transportation issues.

Actions:

11.1 Establish a Centre of Excellence for Transportation in the GTHA. 11.2 Improve the coordination and standardization of transportation data collection,

forecasting and modelling. This could include: • expanding the Transportation Tomorrow Survey (TTS) to gather more detailed

information on active transportation;

• analysis of global and regional macro-economic forces;

• enhanced capacity for backcasting;

• analysis of socio-demographic dimensions of travel behaviour, and trends;

• trip assignment methodologies;

• analysis of transportation-land use integration; and

• effects of induced travel and congestion on emissions.

11.3 Consult with private and public

partners, post-secondary institutions, and others to expand the body of research related to the links between transportation and public health, socio-economic conditions, economic competitiveness and the environment, and on clean fuel technologies and green vehicles.

BACKGROUND: TTS The Transportation Tomorrow Survey (TTS) is a travel survey conducted in the Greater Golden Horseshoe once every five years. Approximately five per cent of the households in the region are surveyed by telephone with questions pertaining to mode choice, trip purpose, trip timing, trip origin and destination, and other related issues. This data is an invaluable resource to transportation planners. One shortcoming of the TTS is that it counts walking and bicycling trips only if they are undertaken for work purposes. Walking and bicycling trips for other purposes, such as going to school, shopping and visiting friends, are not counted. As a result, these modes are systematically undercounted and information about their use for non-commute trips is lacking, which hampers efforts to match the supply of walking and


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11.4 With the guidance of a multi-stakeholder roundtable, undertake a comprehensive parking strategy to: • identify optimum parking standards, practices and pricing policies for non-

residential parking, particularly in mobility hubs; • establish parking design guidelines that ensure parking facilities do not act as

barriers to transit or active transportation; • identify opportunities to phase-in the charging for parking at mobility hubs

separately from transit fares, in order to encourage travellers to access the station by walking, cycling and local transit; and

• identify implementation mechanisms such as municipal parking authorities. 11.5 Gather and disseminate knowledge about best practices in regional transportation

planning, drawing on examples from similar organizations in comparable regions such as Agence Métropolitaine de Transport in the Montréal area, TransLink in the Vancouver region, Transport for London in England, and Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg in Germany.

11.6 Develop a mobility index for the GTHA to track progress in achieving the goals and

objectives of the RTP. 11.7 Develop a long-range land protection and/or acquisition strategy to accommodate

future transportation needs. Such a strategy should identify and accommodate future needs for active transportation, transit, roads, highways and goods movement including the requirements for corridors, stations, intermodal facilities and other elements of the network.


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SD#12 Plan for Universal Access

Currently, people in the GTHA with disabilities have limited mobility options. Though progress is being made, there are still too many conventional transit vehicles on the road with steps that people with some disabilities are unable to climb, and bus stops and stations that are not accessible to people in wheelchairs. For trips that cannot be accommodated on conventional transit, people with disabilities can apply to use one of several specialized transit providers in the GTHA, each of which has a geographically distinct service area. These services do not generally accommodate cross-boundary trips. Such trips typically involve transferring from one service provider to another, sometimes with substantial waits in between. Metrolinx is committed to making the GTHA’s transportation systems fully accessible to people with disabilities by 2025, as required by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). Metrolinx is also committed to improving access to people with other special needs — newcomers whose first language is not English and seniors, for example. Planning for universal access is a fundamentally important part of the Draft RTP.

Actions:

12.1 Create a regional body to advise Metrolinx on matters related to universal access. 12.2 Develop a region-wide strategy and local implementation strategies to improve

specialized transit coordination and delivery, and address: • opportunities to accelerate the achievement of AODA compliance in transit

facilities; • integrating eligibility criteria; • improving training for transit agencies; • coordinating and standardizing trip requests through a “one-window” service; • traveller education programs for those who are unsure about using accessible

conventional transit services; • coordinating services with transportation providers in the health care sector;

and • a GTHA taxi scrip or voucher program for areas where service is inadequate.

FACT Thirty-six per cent of the people in the GTHA do not have a driver’s license.

BACKGROUND: ACCESSIBILTY The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), adopted by the Government of Ontario in 2005, will improve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities by developing, implementing and enforcing accessibility standards. The process will be complete by January 1, 2025. By then, people with disabilities should be able to move from place to place within Ontario, for whatever purpose, without facing barriers that people without disabilities do not face.


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SD#13 Improve Goods Movement Within the GTHA and With Adjacent Regions Every year, traffic congestion in the GTHA costs the economy billions of dollars. Congestion costs businesses money, and affects their competitiveness and ability to provide goods and services to customers on time. The ability to move goods to, from and through the region is critical to our ability to compete in a global economy. Currently, most of the freight movements in the GTHA are local, and 89 per cent of all freight movements are by truck. Greenhouse gas emissions from heavy trucks are the fastest growing of all vehicle classes. We need to develop a strategy to improve the movement of goods within the GTHA and to adjacent areas. This will require a multi-pronged approach and will need a strong partnership with users and players in the goods movement industry.

Actions:

BIG MOVE - A comprehensive strategy for goods movement. 13.1 Develop a comprehensive strategy for goods movement within the GTHA, and between the GTHA and other regions, that identifies opportunities and actions to improve efficiency, increase capacity, enhance the region’s competitiveness, reduce emissions of GHGs and other pollutants, and shift a greater proportion of goods movement to sustainable modes such as rail, short sea shipping and active transportation. Components of this strategy will include: • mapping goods movement flows by

mode, and identifying pinch points in the system;

• identifying opportunities to pilot innovative approaches for urban freight movements such as urban logistics centres, centralized lock boxes for end-consumer deliveries, and shared urban freight and delivery centres (e.g., for construction sites), as well as regional freight movements such as logistics villages (e.g., next to inter-modal hubs), siting, loading and routing optimization, and real-time fleet management systems;

• identifying infrastructure needs such as new east-west freight rail capacity, new inter-modal facilities; priority measures for truck-based goods movement; and strategic bypasses to get goods around rail and highway bottlenecks;

EXAMPLE: PACKSTATIONS One of the challenges of residential deliveries is coordinating shipments with customer availability. One solution used in several western European countries is the “Packstation” or “Locker Box”. Customers choose their preferred drop-off point. As soon as the package arrives, a message is sent to the customer by e-mail or text message with a code to retrieve the package. Vehicle travel is minimized because people can walk to the boxes or combine their pick-up with other trips.


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• a freight corridor optimization strategy that optimizes the use of existing rail infrastructure and the allocation of rail between freight and passenger trains;

• land use policies for areas around transportation facilities such as inter-modal facilities, rail yards, airports, dockyards and major highway interchanges that are compatible with, and supportive of the primary goods movement function of these facilities;

• identifying opportunities for coordination with the Continental Gateway Strategy; and

• documenting and sharing best practices.

13.2 Establish a roundtable to steer the development of the strategy with representatives from the goods movement industry, including shippers, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Ontario Trucking Alliance, Southern Ontario Gateway Council, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways, logistics companies, freight forwarders, manufacturers and exporters, environmental groups, municipalities and the province.


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SD#14 Develop a National Strategy for Transportation in Urban Regions Urban regions are often bottlenecks in Canada’s transportation system. This is jeopardizing our national economy and competitiveness. The Draft RTP seeks to address these challenges in the GTHA, but this needs to be part of a broader effort. Given the importance of transportation in meeting national economic, environmental and societal objectives, a national strategy is needed that examines the inter-relation between national, regional and local transportation networks.

Actions: 14.1 In collaboration with the federal government, Quebec, Ontario and other key

stakeholders, identify concrete opportunities to align regional and national transportation objectives, including linking regional networks to national and international networks.

14.2 In collaboration with Translink in Vancouver and the Agence Métropolitaine de

Transport in Montréal, identify common approaches to prioritizing transportation projects, including linking regional to national transportation benefits.

14.3 Acknowledging the recent increase in federal participation in funding

transportation projects, collaborate with the federal government and other regional transportation authorities to develop a stable and predictable federal funding strategy for transportation projects.


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SD#15 Develop an Investment Strategy to Ensure Sustainable Funding For Transportation Infrastructure and Supporting Programs The Draft RTP sets out a bold vision for the future of transportation in our region and identifies a number of infrastructure projects, policies and programs necessary to fulfil the plan’s vision, goals and objectives. While the cost of these elements is identified in the Plan in section 2.5, proposed sources of revenue necessary to fund these elements are discussed in Metrolinx’s Investment Strategy. The Draft RTP and Draft Investment Strategy should be read in tandem since their conclusions and recommendations are inter-related. Actions:

BIG MOVE - An Investment Strategy to provide stable and predictable funding. 15.1 Adopt the Metrolinx Investment Strategy to begin providing stable and predictable capital and operating funding to support the implementation of the RTP. 15.2 Subject every transit project in the regional transit network to a comprehensive

project assessment by Metrolinx. This would include a Benefits Case Analysis to inventory the social, environmental and economic benefits and costs resulting from the project and determine the most appropriate technology. Depending upon the size and scope of the project, the suitability of each project for alternative financing and procurement would also be evaluated.

15.3 Provide municipalities with additional tools to leverage funding for local transit

infrastructure from new development, such as amending the Development Charges Act to allow municipalities to recover the full, growth-related costs of transit infrastructure, and to base cost recovery on a level of transit service above existing levels; re-direct development charge levies within the broader transportation envelope for transit; facilitate value-capture related to transit by expanding the use of special-area rating of benefiting areas or developments; and/or authorizing negotiation of accelerated transit infrastructure investment in exchange for voluntary contributions from benefiting property owners.

Draft Metrolinx Investment Strategy The Draft Investment Strategy is available for review and comment on the Metrolinx website at www.metrolinx.com or by calling 416-874-5900.


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2.4 Results 2.4.1 What Can Be Achieved With implementation of the Regional Transportation Plan, the GTHA’s transportation system will be transformed into an effective, integrated, multi-modal transportation system. Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the significantly expanded road and transit network that GTHA residents and businesses can expect. The phasing of these road and transit initiatives is discussed further in sections 2.4.2, 2.4.3 and 2.4.4. These road and transit initiatives will need to be supported by the comprehensive suite of policies and programs that are outlined in Section 2.3 (Strategic Directions and Priority Actions). What will it all mean to the average person? Modelling conducted in support of the Draft RTP demonstrates that the changes will indeed be profound. As illustrated in Table 4, the Plan will provide significant benefits to residents, businesses and governments. These benefits will include reduced commuting times, improved access to transit, increased use of transit, and more walking and cycling. The bottom line will be a stronger and more competitive economy, a healthier environment, and a higher quality of life for those who live and work in the GTHA.

Table 4: Key Indicators of Success For the RTP* INDICATORS OF SUCCESS TODAY IN 25

YEARS Amount Driven

• Average distance travelled by car each day per person 26 km 19 km

Transportation Choice

• Per cent of people who live within two km of rapid transit 42% 75% • Approximate length of dedicated bicycle lanes in the

region 1,400 km 9,000 km

• Total length of rapid transit service in the region 500 km 1,650 km

Time Spent Commuting • Per cent of commuters who can get to work in 45 minutes

or less by transit 38% 52-56%

• Per cent of commuters who can get to work in 45 minutes or less by car

60% 59-63%

• Average time spent commuting each day per person 82 minutes 77 minutes

Convenience, Accessibility and Service • Per cent of people who can use an integrated fare card to

pay for their transit trip 0% 100%

• Per cent of transit vehicles that are accessible to persons with disabilities

58% 100%

• Travellers’ satisfaction with the transportation system TBD 80 – 100%


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INDICATORS OF SUCCESS TODAY IN 25 YEARS

Use of Transit

• Total number of transit trips taken every year 546 million 1.26 billion

• Number of transit riders during the morning peak period 467,000 1.1 million

• Proportion of morning rush hour trips taken by transit 16.5% 26.2%

Walking and Cycling • Proportion of morning rush hour trips taken by walking or

cycling 9.0% 12.5%

• Approximate percentage of school children 11 years of age or older who walk or cycle to school

32% 50%

Environmental Impact • Annual greenhouse gas emissions from passenger

transportation per person** 2.4 tonnes 1.5 tonnes

• Annual fuel and electricity consumption from passenger transportation per person (in million Gigajoules)**

26.4 19.1

• Number of occupants in the average private motor vehicle during the morning rush hour

1.15 1.32

* Values derived from modelling carried out in support of the Draft RTP. More information can be found in the technical backgrounder “Modelling Methodology and Results for the Draft Regional Transportation Plan, September 2008” available on the Metrolinx website. ** For more information on these indicators see the technical backgrounder “Climate Change and Energy Conservation, September 2008”.


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2.4.2 The First 15 Years In the first 15 years of the RTP’s implementation, there will be significant improvements to the GTHA’s transportation system. A priority has been placed on key regional projects that will result in substantial capacity increases in key corridors, on projects that will bring new rapid transit services to underserved areas throughout the region, and on projects that improve regional connectivity. These are illustrated in Figure 4 and are highlighted below. Connecting Urban Growth Centres

The Growth Plan identifies 17 urban growth centres in the GTHA — typically the downtowns of large- and mid-sized cities — and directs municipalities to plan these areas as focal points for growth and development. The GTHA’s first Express Rail service will provide significantly faster and higher capacity service to commuters travelling along the GO Lakeshore Line, connecting several of the Growth Plan’s urban growth centres: the downtowns of Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Toronto, Pickering and Oshawa. Collectively, these six centres are forecast to accommodate significant growth over the next 25 years, and new Express Rail service will make transit an attractive alternative. Travel times from Hamilton to Union Station will be reduced from 66 minutes today, to as little as 45 minutes. Trips from Oshawa to Union Station will be cut from 45 minutes to 35 minutes. Express Rail will also be extended to downtown Brampton, along with more frequent, two-way all-day Regional Rail service to the urban growth centres of downtown Milton, Richmond Hill/Langstaff, Markham Centre and Etobicoke Centre. The first subway extensions outside of Toronto will connect two additional urban growth centres — the Vaughan Corporate Centre and Richmond Hill / Langstaff Gateway, as well as York University — to the subway system.

Top 15 Priorities Within the first 15 years of the RTP’s implementation, the top 15 priorities for early implementation are:

• VIVA Highway 7 and Yonge Street through York Region

• Brampton’s Queen Street Acceleride • Spadina subway extension to

Vaughan Corporate Centre • Yonge subway extension to

Richmond Hill and capacity improvements

• Eglinton rapid transit from Pearson Airport to Scarborough Centre

• Upgrade and extension of the Scarborough Rapid Transit line

• Finch/Sheppard rapid transit from Pearson Airport to Scarborough Centre and Meadowvale

• Express Rail on the Lakeshore Line from Hamilton to Oshawa

• Rapid transit in downtown Hamilton from McMaster University to Centennial Parkway

• Hurontario rapid transit from Port Credit to downtown Brampton

• 403 Transitway from Mississauga City Centre to the Renforth Gateway

• Rail link between Union Station and Pearson Airport

• Rapid transit service along Highway 2 in Durham

• Improvements to existing GO Rail services and extension of GO Rail service to Bowmanville

• Early phases of BRT service on Dundas Street in Halton and Peel


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Toronto’s five urban growth centres — Etobicoke Centre, Yonge-Eglinton Centre, North York Centre, Scarborough Centre and downtown Toronto — will be linked by the city’s expanded rapid transit network. Rapid transit services will also be extended to Mississauga City Centre and Newmarket Centre. By the end of the first 15 years of the plan, every urban growth centre in the GTHA will be linked by the rapid transit network. New East-West Transit Connections

One of the most significant gaps in the current transit network is the lack of east-west higher-order transit connections to destinations other than Union Station. A new rapid transit line along Eglinton Avenue in Toronto will provide rapid transit service for local residents as well as a crucial new east-west corridor for regional travellers. By connecting to an upgraded and extended Scarborough Rapid Transit (SRT) line, which is also part of the first 15 years of the Plan, the opportunity exists to create a new continuous service, without transfer, from the east end of Scarborough to the Pearson Airport district. The Benefits Case Analysis will consider both fully and partially grade-separated technologies for this corridor, and will assess the termination of the SRT line at Sheppard or at Malvern. Four other significant new east-west rapid transit corridors are part of the first 15 year plan. With the new Sheppard/Finch rapid transit corridor, communities of social need that have historically lacked good higher-order transit service will have ready access to new rapid, comfortable, safe and frequent higher-order transit services, connecting those communities to employment and training opportunities throughout the GTHA, including Pearson Airport. The Benefits Case Analysis will consider several routing options for this corridor. Options will explore approaches to connect the Finch line directly to the Sheppard line for improved connectivity, including a connection via Don Mills and a connection at a western extension of the Sheppard subway. In York Region, existing VIVA services will be upgraded to rapid transit to create an east-west spine on Highway 7, connecting with Acceleride to downtown Brampton. In Halton and Peel, rapid transit along Dundas Street will provide a direct linkage to the subway system at Kipling Station, and rapid transit along Highway 403 will connect Peel and Halton to the Pearson Airport district. In Durham Region, Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax and Pickering will have rapid transit access along Highway 2 to Scarborough Town Centre, with connections for travel further west to the Pearson Airport district along the new Sheppard/Finch corridor or the new Eglinton rapid transit corridor. With these additional services, travellers will have several new options for travelling by transit from east to west across the region.


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Urban Corridors

Directing growth and development to urban corridors is a key objective of the province’s Growth Plan as well as local Official Plans. The Plan will support this objective with new transit service along several urban corridors including King/Main streets and James Street in Hamilton, Trafalgar Road in Oakville, Hurontario Street in Mississauga and Brampton, Highway 7 and Yonge Street in York Region, and Jane and Don Mills in Toronto. These corridors have tremendous opportunity to accommodate growth and development, and achieve a transit-supportive density and urban form. These corridors are also critical linkages in the local transit networks of these municipalities. Upgrading transit services in these corridors to rapid transit, and including them in the regional transit system, will significantly improve service for local transit riders, and also offer the potential to free up local resources that are currently being used to fund local bus services in these corridors to improve local transit elsewhere in these communities. Linking Pearson Airport and Union Station

With well over half a million combined jobs within less than four kilometres of these hubs, and tens of thousands of travellers passing through them every day, Pearson Airport and Union Station are the two most significant mobility hubs in the GTHA. Access to Union Station will be significantly enhanced with improvements to the regional rail network. Transit access to Pearson Airport will be provided from all directions: from the east along the Eglinton corridor; from the north from the Finch transit corridor; from the west via the Highway 403 Transitway; and from the south via Highway 427 from Kipling Station. The Plan will also connect these two critical hubs to one another with a new rail service. Extending the Reach of Rapid Transit

Most communities at the periphery of the GTHA are entirely dependent on driving for getting around. The Plan will extend rapid transit service to more of these communities, giving them a viable alternative to driving or opportunities to shorten their auto trips, taking more cars off our congested highways. GO Regional Rail service will be extended to Bolton, Bloomington Road, Stouffville, east Markham, Seaton and Bowmanville. Although outside the mandate of Metrolinx and the RTP, several transit linkages to communities outside of the GTHA are identified as future extensions of the GO Regional Rail system. These include connections to Cambridge, Guelph, Niagara, Peterborough and Kitchener-Waterloo. Strategic Improvements to the Highway and Regional Road Network

Improvements to the transportation system in the first 15 years of the plan are not limited to transit. Hundreds of lane-km will be added to the region’s expressway network — as identified in the Growth Plan — with the completion of the Highway 407 East extension and the extensions of Highways 404, 427 and 410. In addition, regional road widenings and extensions will be added to the road system, in accordance with the 10-year municipal road


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programs and longer range road network expansion plans in the transportation master plans of the Cities of Toronto and Hamilton and the regional municipalities of Halton, Peel, York and Durham. Smart Goods Movement

The RTP’s goods movement strategy will have identified key investments and opportunities to improve goods movement through the region, and recommendations from that strategy related to separating freight and passenger service and identifying new freight rail corridors and inter-modal facilities will have begun to be implemented. Innovative approaches, for example on urban logistics, will be piloted in test areas. A Growing Walking and Cycling Network

By the 15-year mark of the RTP, as much as $300 million will have been invested in new walking and cycling infrastructure across the region, creating up to 4,500 kilometres of new, dedicated, on- and off-road facilities. A Better Travelling Experience

Several new programs will be in place within the first 15 years of the plan that will improve the travelling experience. Travellers will be able to access the vastly expanded transit network with an integrated transit fare card that allows for seamless connections among all transit service providers. An online information portal will provide a single access point for information on transit fares, schedules, cycling networks, congestion, roadworks and more. Mobility hubs and other key stations will offer real-time information on vehicle arrival times, and notifications about delays. 2.4.3 Years 16 to 25 In years 16 to 25 of the RTP, additional gains will be made to the GTHA transportation system. These infrastructure projects consolidate and strengthen the 15-year network described above. These are illustrated in Figure 5 and are highlighted below.

• Express Rail service will be extended to Cooksville on the Milton Line and to Richmond Hill.

• Additional rapid transit services will be added on the mountain in Hamilton and

connecting Burlington to the rapid transit service on Dundas Street. Durham and Toronto will be connected with a new rapid transit service along the Taunton Road and Steeles Avenue corridor.

• New east-west BRT service will be added for regional travellers from the Pearson

Airport district through York Region to Scarborough Centre and Pickering via Highways 407 and 401.


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• A new subway service in the King / Queen corridor in downtown Toronto will provide relief to the Bloor subway line and greatly improved service in the downtown core.

• Necessary improvements to regional road networks to service new growth will

continue to take place in accordance with local Transportation Master Plans. • Studies will be complete, and the recommended alternatives implemented, for major

transportation corridors connecting the GTHA to Niagara Region and the U.S. border, and to the Kitchener-Waterloo region.

• A further $200 million will be invested in walking and cycling infrastructure for an

additional 3,000 kilometres of new facilities. • Opportunities for upgrading BRT services to LRT will be examined.

2.4.4 Beyond 25 Years

The first 10-year review of the RTP will examine the results achieved in the first 10 years of the Plan’s implementation, and the latest information on environmental, social and economic trends. Subsequent to this review, specific projects and actions for beyond the 25-year time horizon will be identified. Priority projects for analysis beyond 2033 include:

• additional rapid transit service in Hamilton along the Centennial Road/Rymal Road corridors;

• connecting Milton to the Dundas Street rapid transit corridor along Bronte Road and/or Trafalgar Road;

• providing a direct Express Rail link between Mississauga City Centre and Union Station; • new rapid transit service in York Region along Major Mackenzie Drive, with additional

north-south connections to the Highway 7 corridor; • additional rapid transit along Highway 407; • east-west Express Rail connecting Oakville, Mississauga, Vaughan, Richmond Hill,

Markham and Pickering; • additional capacity along the Yonge subway line or in the Richmond Hill Express Rail

corridor to provide relief to the Yonge subway; and • extension of all-day two-way regional rail service to additional communities.


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2.5 Costs and Funding

Capital Costs Table 5: Transit Capital Costs

15 Year Plan 16-25 Year Plan Total Annually $30 Billion $20 Billion $50 Billion $2 Billion

Pre-engineering capital costs were estimated for the regional road and transit network based on industry-standard unit costs, and costs for similar types of road and transit facilities. Broad assumptions were made with respect to the need for structures, tunnelling and other higher-cost construction activities. Contingency estimates were added to reflect property acquisition and other cost uncertainties. For transit facilities, a cost component for transit vehicles and operations and maintenance facilities was also included in the capital costs. It is important to note that these costs may vary based on alignment, technology, station spacing and design, and other factors that will be determined during the Benefits Case Analysis. The estimated costs relate only to the upgrade and expansion of the regional transportation network and do not include deferred maintenance (“state of good repair”), any required investment to upgrade the accessibility of facilities, investment in local transit or local roads, or the extension of the road or transit network outside of the GTHA. The capital costs are net of existing funding (e.g. Spadina Subway extension, Acceleride, Mississauga Transitway). Capital costs also include capital costs for the programs described in the Draft RTP’s Strategic Directions that are designed to improve the efficiency and capacity of the system. Capital costs for highway improvements are estimated to be $5 billion, and include projects that are in the Ministry of Transportation capital program and the High Occupancy Vehicle network proposal as of July 2007, but do not include widening or extension of local roads. Operating and Maintenance Costs Operating and maintenance cost estimates are provided for the regional road and transit network, including both new and existing regional services. These costs also include program costs described in the Draft RTP, such as TDM measures and other directions that are designed to make more efficient use of the road and transit network. Costs do not include local transit or regional bus services, although it is important to note that these services would have to increase to provide connections to the regional network. Cost estimates are based on current delivery methods, and headway and operating speed assumptions adopted in the model. As with capital cost estimates, operating costs will vary depending on technologies and operating conditions that will be determined as part of the Benefits Case Analysis. For transit, at full build-out and with full program implementation, operating and maintenance costs are estimated at $1.5 billion per year. For roads and highways, operating and maintenance costs are estimated at $230 million per year. Operating costs for roads include operation and maintenance as well as rehabilitation and reconstruction for the GTHA’s 400-


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series highway network and municipal limited-access highways. They do not include costs related to other municipal roads. Funding The Investment Strategy will be a critical companion piece to the RTP. The Draft Investment Strategy, released for public comment at the same time as the Draft RTP, sets out a plan to finance the implementation of the RTP and allow the regional transportation system to be expanded, maintained and operated in a financially sustainable way both in the short- and long-terms. As discussed in the Draft Investment Strategy, the first series of new projects in the Draft RTP could be supported through the province’s existing MoveOntario 2020 funding commitment. This means Metrolinx could get projects moving as quickly as possible, so the people in the GTHA see benefits early. Metrolinx is proposing to consult with the public and stakeholders and report back to the Provincial government in 2012 with strategic advice and options for potential revenue and financial tools to deliver the balance of the 25-year RTP capital and operating program.

DRAFT INVESTMENT STRATEGY The Draft Investment Strategy was released for public comment at the same time as the Draft RTP. For a copy, please visit www.metrolinx.com or contact Metrolinx at 416-874-5900.


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3.0 IMPLEMENTATION

The RTP provides direction and sets priorities for decision-making on transportation in the GTHA. Embodied in the Plan is the notion that all levels of government, as well as operators, stakeholders and users of the system have a role to play in contributing to its success. The ability of the RTP to transform the GTHA transportation system is dependent on support from all sectors for its vision and for its implementation. Implementation will take place through a variety of mechanisms. Some of the actions presented in the Draft RTP would require legislative or policy changes; others may require guidelines to assist decision-makers. Metrolinx will undertake additional work and analysis to identify who should take the lead in implementing specific actions, and the appropriate implementation mechanisms for individual actions.

3.1 Principles For Implementation Implementation of the RTP will be guided by the following principles:

• Be Bold: The scope and breadth of the RTP are transformational. Bold steps will be necessary to implement it.

• Move Quickly: We have already lost several decades. The transportation system is at

an impasse. It is time for action. The GTHA needs “shovels in the ground” as soon as possible.

• Get Going on the Big Moves: The Draft RTP contains numerous Strategic Directions.

All are important, but the most important are the eight Big Moves listed in Table 3. Getting these right will be critical to the achievement of the overall Plan.

• Don’t Ignore the “Little Things”: In transportation planning, there is often a

tendency to focus on mega-projects and “big ticket” items, but the power and impact of the “little things” must not be under-estimated. Whether it is the design of one local street, or the actions of one employer, the true success of the RTP will be in the collective achievement of hundreds of actions, large and small.

• Partnership and Collaboration: No single organization can implement the RTP on its

own and the Plan cannot be legislated or regulated into reality. Successful implementation will depend on partnership and collaboration across governments and across sectors.

• Lead by Example: While directing the actions of others is an important element of

implementation, it will be equally important to lead by example. Every day, governments, agencies, employers, and individual citizens makes decisions that affect


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how the transportation system performs, and how it affects our environment, economy and quality of life. Each of us must lead by example with the decisions we make.

• Remain Adaptable to Opportunity: While every effort has been made to anticipate

the needs of the future in developing the Draft RTP, it is important to remain adaptable to changing conditions and circumstances. The Plan must be viewed as a living document, and the approach to implementation must allow it to change course should the need arise.

3.2 Status of the RTP The status that the RTP will have in the decision-making processes is central to its success. The recommendations of the Plan are broad and far-reaching. Decisions relating to them will involve large numbers of decision-makers and stakeholders over the next 25 years. Each of these decisions, large and small, will need to be consistent with the vision, goals, objectives and Strategic Directions of the Plan. This includes decisions related to transportation planning, transportation investments, land use planning, transit operations, and more. It is recommended that the provincial Cabinet adopt the RTP as the province’s Regional Transportation Plan for the GTHA and require, through legislation, that the planning and infrastructure investment decisions of municipalities and the province be consistent with the plan’s directions, and that a prescribed process be established for reviews and amendments to the Plan. 3.3 How It All Fits Together The RTP will be the first step in building a world-class regional transportation system in the GTHA.

The regional transit network described in the Draft RTP is conceptual only. Recommended alignments and technologies will be developed during the project-level Benefits Case Analysis that Metrolinx will carry out in partnership with municipalities and transit agencies, as part of the funding approval process for individual projects. When it comes to making decisions on new transit projects, the costs and benefits of all reasonable alternatives need to be evaluated so that the best possible transit projects are built. The Metrolinx Benefits Case

Regional Transportation Plan

Benefits Case Analysis

Financing & Procurement

Analysis

Annual Capital Program and

Five-year Rolling Capital Program

Investment

Strategy


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Analysis will provide decision-makers with a robust and consistent "triple bottom line" evaluation of the relative environmental, economic and social impacts of each proposed project. Each Benefits Case will evaluate the relative merits and costs of alternative project options, which may include variations in the alignment, technology, performance and/or phasing of the project. Projects recommended for the regional transit network will also undergo evaluation for their potential for alternative financing and procurement (AFP), as required by the provincial and federal governments. AFP has the potential to expedite the delivery of transportation infrastructure and to ensure the most appropriate allocation of both private and public sector resources. Following the Benefits Case Analysis and AFP evaluation, individual projects will be included in the Metrolinx Annual Capital Program and Multi-Year Capital Plan that will cost, record and calendarize project and program expenditures. 3.4 Roles and Responsibilities Achieving the goals of the RTP will require the cooperation, support and commitment of all sectors. Everyone has a role to play in this transformation. Province Alignment of Investment One of the most important elements of successful implementation will be the alignment of infrastructure investments with the RTP by the province and its agencies, particularly investment related to roads and transit. In June 2007, the province announced its largest-ever commitment for rapid transit expansion — the $17.5 billion MoveOntario 2020 investment. The Government of Ontario will provide 65 per cent of this money — $11.5 billion — and will seek the remaining funding from the federal government. Metrolinx will work with the provincial government to begin to implement the RTP using the MoveOntario 2020 foundational investment. The RTP will require a dedicated, reliable source of ongoing funding. The Draft Metrolinx Investment Strategy presents a practical, economically responsible approach to fund and quickly implement the initial transformational projects identified in the RTP. Implementation of the Investment Strategy is critical to the success of the RTP. Land Use Planning The province will also have a key role to play in implementing the RTP through its authority over land use planning. The critical linkage between land use planning and transportation planning is highlighted in the Draft RTP. The primary land use planning policies for the GTHA are the province’s Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2006, the Greenbelt Plan and the Provincial Policy Statement, 2005. The RTP will provide the transportation plan that conforms to and helps implement these provincial policy directions. The RTP will also provide


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additional direction on land use planning that builds on these policies, and ties together the Growth Plan’s urban structure policies with the transportation system envisaged by the RTP. Achieving this integration between land use and transportation planning is critical to the success of the RTP, and will require that all land use planning decisions, whether made by municipalities, the Province, or the Ontario Municipal Board, be consistent with the RTP. The land use related directions proposed in the Draft RTP, such as those related to mobility hubs and transportation corridors, will require clearly defined status relative to decisions under the Planning Act. This could be done through amendments to the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority Act, amendments to the Growth Plan, or by exploring the possibility of prescribing the land use components of the RTP as a provincial plan as defined by the Planning Act. Appropriate land use planning provisions should also be used by Metrolinx as a condition of any transit investments. Legislative Reforms Some of the Draft RTP’s Strategic Directions call for changes to provincial legislation. Transportation planning cuts across many issues and many provincial programs. All of these will need to be “pushing in the same direction” for the RTP to be a success. In some cases, this will mean amending the legislative underpinnings of these provincial responsibilities. Environmental Assessment Implementation of any public sector transit project identified in the RTP will have to fulfill the requirements of Ontario’s Environmental Assessment Act. The RTP will provide important background information for transit environmental assessments (EAs), and set the context for transit projects, including those which are assessed under the new streamlined process. The RTP will constitute a Master Transportation Plan, addressing the early planning principles for projects, and as such, it can be the basis for and support EAs for individual projects. When those projects are being considered in the future, the RTP will provide a solid foundation for meeting the requirements of the new six-month assessment process or the requirements under the GO Transit Class EA, the Transit Chapter of the Municipal Class EA, or an individual environmental assessment. Federal Government The federal government has a critical role to play in funding the transportation infrastructure that is vital not only to the competitiveness of the GTHA, but also to businesses throughout Canada that rely on goods travelling to and through our region reliably and expeditiously. By

THE NEW SIX-MONTH ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR TRANSIT PROJECTS

In June 2008, the Ontario government issued a Transit Priority Statement which provided the rationale for introducing the new six-month EA process for transit projects. The new process provides a significant amount of streamlining for transit EAs carried out anywhere in Ontario. Formerly, individual EAs and EAs carried out under either GO Transit or Municipal Class EA processes could take two or more years to complete. The introduction of the new six-month process allows transit projects to be built faster which gets cars off the road, reduces congestion and lowers emissions of greenhouse gases, and saves energy and non-renewable resources.


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providing a long-term roadmap for an integrated transportation system, the RTP will make a compelling case for long-term, stable, predictable and sufficient funding from all levels of government. In addition to being subject to Ontario’s new six-month EA process, many of the transit projects identified in the RTP will need to satisfy the requirements of the federal government’s Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. Metrolinx is committed to working closely with the federal government and with project proponents to dove-tail the Ontario and federal EA processes to limit duplication and overlap, and expedite project approvals. Municipalities Municipalities will have an important role to play in applying the directions of the RTP locally. As outlined in the Draft RTP, all municipalities in the GTHA will need to develop Transportation Master Plans (TMPs) as part of their Official Plan processes. These TMPs will need to address all modes of transportation and identify policies and a course of action for implementing the RTP. TMPs should inform local capital planning so that local capital plans anticipate and provide for the infrastructure necessary to implement the RTP. Official Plans should also be brought into conformity with the RTP, in order to guide local planning decisions in a manner that supports RTP implementation. Several municipalities within the GTHA are already developing community engagement strategies to promote healthier and more environmentally friendly lifestyles. Metrolinx will work with municipalities to help engage their communities and to provide resources and support for community outreach and education programs that support the goals and objectives of the RTP. Local Transit Agencies Local transit agencies have a critical role to play. High quality local transit is essential to the success of the regional transit network, and the entire RTP. Improvements to local transit systems, and better integration of local transit with walking and cycling, are necessary to realize the full benefits of the enhanced regional transit network. Local transit serves demand within municipalities and also feeds the regional transit network, providing the critical first or last leg of the regional traveller’s journey. The quality and reliability of this transit service will play a significant role in affecting changes in travel behaviours. Non-Governmental Organizations One of the most important aspects of an integrated transportation system is choice. Whether it is around the block, or across town, people should be able to take transit or ride a bike just as easily as they can get in their car. While having the infrastructure in place to offer that choice is important, just as important is that people choose to use it. That is why community engagement will be a vital component of the RTP’s implementation. Metrolinx recognizes the important role that the non-govenmental sector plays in providing support services such as bike safety, community events, and public education and awareness. It will be vital to


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support the role of this sector as partners when implementing the RTP, through further community engagement and education. NGOs will also play an important role as advocates for improvements to the transportation system at the federal, provincial and local levels, and as partners in delivering some of the programs identified in the RTP. Private Sector Private sector employers and businesses should consider their impact on the transportation system, and the opportunities presented by the regional transportation network, when deciding where to locate their operations, how to ship their goods, and how to deliver their services. There are also several actions they can take to promote and encourage their employees to reduce their demand on the transportation system, such as working from home or at irregular schedules, using technology to conduct meetings, carpooling, taking transit, walking or cycling. The private sector may also play a role in delivering some of the projects and programs identified in the RTP. Academic Institutions The RTP will be based on the best available information about our transportation system and how it operates. But as the RTP is being implemented, it will be important to continue to improve our understanding of transportation issues, and the factors which affect our success. Leaders in academia will have an important role to play in researching best practices from around the world, supporting or leading the implementation of pilot or demonstration projects, and gathering the data necessary to gauge our success and, where necessary, change our course. Individuals The individual decisions of the millions of residents of the GTHA will be at the heart of the RTP’s success or failure. Today, transportation users are not receiving appropriate signals that would allow them to adapt their demand to the available supply of transportation services. Better travel planning can eliminate some car trips, or make others more efficient. Using transit or regional rail rather than a car will reduce one’s impact on the environment, as would carpooling or working from home. Short trips can be made on foot or on bicycle. Supported by new options, incentives and price signals provided by governments, public outreach and education will be an important and integral part of the RTP’s implementation, and will help to shape travel behaviour, guide travel choices and transform travel patterns across the GTHA. 3.4 The Role of Metrolinx Metrolinx was created to coordinate transportation planning and delivery across governments, sectors and stakeholders in the GTHA. As the agency responsible for the creation of the RTP, Metrolinx will also have lead responsibility for implementing the Plan.


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Prioritizing Investments Metrolinx has an important role to play in funding major transportation infrastructure projects and programs. This includes prioritizing infrastructure investments in regional transit, delivering targeted infrastructure investment programs such as BikeLinx, and administering funding programs to support active transportation infrastructure and mobility hub development as proposed in the Draft RTP. To achieve this, Metrolinx will need access to predictable and sustainable funding that is matched to the needs of the RTP over a 25-year period. To ensure that all transit investments provide the maximum value in return for the investment, Metrolinx will lead an objective and comprehensive Benefits Case Analysis for each transit project. The Benefits Case Analysis will inventory the benefits and costs associated with each project and will determine the most appropriate routes and technology. The Benefits Case Analysis will also help to identify performance measures that can be applied to transit projects, so that travellers and citizens receive the maximum benefit from transit investments. Integrating Services As the regional transportation authority, Metrolinx will require authority to lead the integration of transit services across the region, including integration of fare systems, and ensuring compatibility of technologies. Implementing Infrastructure Projects Metrolinx is already taking a leading role in implementing some key infrastructure projects. In these cases Metrolinx will be responsible for, among other things, conducting project assessments, coordinating procurement processes, managing projects to completion, and determining long-term operating and maintenance models for new routes. Metrolinx’s role in project implementation will vary. Metrolinx will determine whether it should oversee project implementation at arm’s length, partner with other agencies or levels of government, outsource implementation to a third party, or lead and direct implementation directly. As one example, Metrolinx has been asked by the provincial and federal governments to lead a feasibility study on the expansion of passenger rail service to Peterborough. Delivery of Programs and Pilot Projects Metrolinx will have an important role in delivering many of the programs described in the Draft RTP, either as the lead, or in partnership with others. Examples include fare integration, online traveller information system, bike-sharing program, and the Smart Commute initiative, as well as social marketing, public outreach and education efforts. Some of these programs will require innovative new approaches. Efforts such as online traveller information systems, integrated fare systems, and mobility hub design and development have been employed with great success in other jurisdictions, but are relatively untested in the GTHA. For many of these, it will be important for Metrolinx to help


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implement pilot and demonstration projects that build local knowledge and expertise, demonstrate best practices, and raise public awareness and acceptance. Setting Common Standards Metrolinx has a responsibility to ensure that consistently high levels of service are provided on all routes in the regional transit network so that the value of the investment to travellers is maximized. This will necessitate the development and implementation of region-wide quality assurance standards for all elements of the regional transportation system, and the inclusion of these standards as a condition on all investments. It will also involve ensuring consistency in technology to facilitate seamless integration of transit services across the region. Linking Land Use Planning and Transportation Planning Metrolinx will participate in local, regional and provincial land use planning exercises, where necessary, to ensure that land use planning and transportation planning decisions are fully integrated. This includes reviewing key local land use and transportation planning proposals and decisions, as well as providing advice and guidance to provincial ministries to help them align their plans, priorities and programs with the RTP (for example, decisions related to the siting of major public facilities such as universities and hospitals). Metrolinx will also need to ensure that appropriate land use policies are in place to support transit investments. This could include conditions on transit funding that require minimum densities along transit corridors, accessibility provisions at mobility hubs, implementation of transit priority and traffic management measures along transit corridors, or the provision of amenities along pedestrian or cycling routes. Metrolinx will work with the Ministries of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and Energy and Infrastructure to define the most appropriate mechanisms for the involvement of Metrolinx in the land use planning decision-making process. Monitoring Progress Effective implementation of a long-range plan such as the RTP will require monitoring of the impacts of actions taken and the overall performance of the transportation system. Metrolinx will conduct a review of the RTP every 10 years as outlined in the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority Act, which will include consideration of the various policies, programs and investments put forward in the Plan, to determine their effectiveness in improving the transportation system. However, the monitoring of the Plan will not be confined to the statutory 10-year review. The complexity and inter-dependence of the transportation system will require regular monitoring of its performance. This will be done through the tracking of key indicators that will provide measures of the overall performance of the system. The results will be compiled and reported publicly as part of a Mobility Index for the region. Reporting will include benchmarks comparing the GTHA’s performance to other jurisdictions around the world. The Mobility Index will help inform the development and review of the RTP, and also provide a means to review and assess the return on the investments made to support the RTP. Wherever possible, the data that are used to develop the Mobility Index will build on existing information sources and data that are already being collected. This will be augmented by an enhanced modelling capacity that Metrolinx will develop in collaboration with the Ministry of Transportation.


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Other Roles Metrolinx has a number of unique powers that could be used to help implement the RTP. This includes the ability to establish development corporations and hold assets that could help facilitate development activity around mobility hubs. The Greater Toronto Transportation Authority Act also contemplates Metrolinx assuming responsibility for GO Transit. GO Transit will be a key implementing agency for the RTP. Its capital plan and strategic plan will need to be aligned with the RTP, and its transit operations and customer service should act as the standard for all transit agencies in the region. Metrolinx is also ideally situated to serve as the advocate for the transportation interests of the GTHA, both nationally and internationally, to ensure that the priorities and needs of the region are represented. This may include collaborations with Canada’s other regional transportation planning agencies (TransLink and AMT), participation in national or international transportation planning initiatives, and promoting and showcasing the region’s successes internationally.


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4.0 NEXT STEPS Metrolinx welcomes your comments and feedback on the Draft Regional Transportation Plan and accompanying Draft Investment Strategy. Written comments can be sent to:

Regional Transportation Plan and Investment Strategy Metrolinx 20 Bay Street, Suite 901 Toronto, ON M5J 2N8

Comments via e-mail can be sent to [email protected]. You can also visit www.metrolinx.com to participate in our online public consultation or contact us at 416-874-5900 to find out how you can get involved. In October 2008, Metrolinx will be hosting a series of public meetings across the GTHA to engage citizens in discussions about the Draft RTP and Draft Investment Strategy. Call us or visit our website for details. The final Regional Transportation Plan and Investment Strategy will be released in Fall 2008. Following completion of the Plan and Strategy, Metrolinx will begin implementation which will involve detailed discussion with provincial, municipal and other stakeholders on roles and responsibilities, and the development of action plans for implementation of specific initiatives.


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APPENDIX A GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Active Transportation: Non-motorized travel, including walking, cycling, roller-blading and movements with mobility devices. The active transportation network includes sidewalks, crosswalks, designated road lanes and off-road trails to accommodate active transportation. Anchor Hub: Mobility hubs that have strategic importance due to their relationship with urban growth centres and/or their role as major international gateways. Anchor Hubs contain current or planned major regional destinations such as major institutions, employment centres, town centres or regional shopping centres, and they have significant potential to attract and accommodate new growth and development. Anchor Hub locations are identified in Figures 4 and 5 of the Draft RTP. Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP): The use of private sector involvement to design, finance and/or build infrastructure while ensuring appropriate public control. Arterial Road: A high-volume urban road with at least four lanes, having a typical speed limit of 50 to 60 km/h and typical spacing between traffic signals of 200 to 400 metres. The typical volume of an arterial road is less than 20,000 vehicles/day and it connects to collector roads, other arterial roads and expressways. Automated Guided Transit (AGT): A type of rapid transit that uses a fully grade-separated right-of-way, which can be elevated or located in a segregated at-grade corridor. The complete separation from traffic, including at intersections, allows for the use of fully automated vehicles as well as higher service frequency, speed, capacity, reliability and service flexibility than non-grade separated LRT. The capacity of AGT is typically 10,000 to 25,000 people per hour, peak direction. Average speed: 20 to 35 km/h with stations 1 to 2 km apart depending on area density. Example: Vancouver Skytrain. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT): Similar to light rail transit operating predominantly on protected rights-of-way, separate from other traffic, but using advanced bus technology. The capacity of BRT is typically 5,000 to 10,000 people per hour, peak direction. Average speed: 15 to 40 km/h depending on station spacing, with higher speeds possible on grade-separated rights-of-way on controlled access highways. Example: Vancouver 98B Line (Richmond section), Ottawa Transitway system. Controlled-Access Highway: A high-speed, high-capacity highway with at least four lanes and grade-separated with access to the facility limited to ramps and interchanges. It may include signalized intersections. A controlled-access highway has a typical speed limit of 60 to 100 km/h with daily traffic greater than 20,000 vehicles. Dedicated Walking or Bicycling Facility: A sidewalk, path or traffic lane that is reserved for use by pedestrians and/or bicyclists only.


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Express Rail: High-speed trains, typically electric, serving primarily longer-distance regional trips with two-way all-day service. Regional Express service could have a capacity of 30,000 to 60,000 passengers per hour in the peak direction (pphpd) with trains operating in completely separated rights-of-way, with as little as 5 minutes between trains. Average speed: 50 to 80 km/h with stations 2 km or more apart. Example: Paris Réseau Express Regional (RER). Expressway: Similar to a controlled access highway, but typically serving commuter traffic within a single city or municipality; may allow access from adjacent properties; may also include signalized intersections. The speed limit is typically 60 to 90 km/h with daily traffic greater than 20,000 vehicles. Gateway Hub: Major transit station areas at the interchange between two or more rapid transit lines, or where significant numbers of people access the regional transit system. Gateway Hubs and their associated transit catchment areas also generally have high current or potential development capacity that make them significant origins and/or destinations on the transit system. Gateway Hubs are identified in Figures 4 and 5 of the Draft RTP. Greater Golden Horseshoe: The geographic area designated as the Greater Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan Area in Ontario Regulation 416/05. Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA): The metropolitan region encompassing the City of Toronto, the four surrounding Regional Municipalities (Durham, Halton, Peel and York) and the City of Hamilton. Headway: The scheduled time between successive transit vehicles on a given route. See also: Service Frequency. High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lane: On an expressway, an HOT lane is a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lane which single drivers are also allowed to use by paying a toll. Tolls can vary depending on time of day and demand in order to regulate the flow of traffic. HOT lanes allow for a better utilization of HOV lanes while generating revenue. HOT lanes can also be opened to buses. High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lane: A roadway lane designated for use only by vehicles with a specified minimum number of occupants, usually two or three; see Green Paper 6. Higher-Order Transit: Includes all forms of rapid transit (see definition below). The term High-Order Transit is often used interchangeably. Intelligent Transportation System (ITS): The use of real-time computer/ communications/ information technology for advanced, traffic-responsive, area-wide traffic control and to provide information which allows transportation providers to optimize transportation system operations and enables travellers to use the system more efficiently and effectively, while also increasing their convenience and ease of travelling. Intensification Corridors: Intensification areas along major roads, arterials or higher-order transit corridors that have the potential to provide a focus for higher density mixed-use


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development consistent with planned transit service levels. [Source: Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal, Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2006.] LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design): A green building rating system, since expanded to rate neighbourhood development. Buildings can qualify for four levels of certification related to environmentally sustainable construction. Certification is granted by the Green Building Council based on an application documenting compliance with the rating system requirements, as well as paying registration and certification fees. Light Rail Transit (LRT): Streetcar trains (up to three or four cars per train) operating on protected rights-of-way adjacent to or in the medians of roadways or rail rights-of-way. Generally at-grade, possibly with some sections operating in mixed-traffic and/or in tunnels. Electric power is normally via an overhead trolley or pantograph. Capacity of 5,000 to 10,000 passengers per hour in the peak direction, with higher capacities where there are significant stretches of completely segregated rights-of-way. Average speed: 15 to 35 km/h depending on station spacing and extent of grade separation. Examples: Calgary and Edmonton LRT systems. Major Transit Station Areas: The area including and around any existing or planned higher-order transit station within a settlement area, or the area including and around a major bus depot in a urban core. Station areas generally are defined as the area within an approximate 500 metre radius of a transit station, representing about a 10-minute walk. [Source: Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal, Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2006.] Major Trip Generator: A facility or area which generates significant volumes of passenger and/or goods/services trips to/from residential, commercial and/or industrial land uses. Mobility Hub: Major transit stations areas that are particularly significant given the level of transit service that is planned for them and the development potential around them. They are a place of connectivity where different modes of transportation, from walking to high-speed rail, come together seamlessly and where there is an attractive, intensive concentration of employment, living, shopping and enjoyment around a major transit station. Mobility Index: a set of indicators, derived from the goals and objectives of the RTP, developed to gauge and monitor the progress and success of the RTP as Strategic Directions are implemented and investments are made. The indicators cover a range of goals and objectives that support a high quality of life, a thriving sustainable and protected environment, and a strong, prosperous and competitive economy. Modal Split: The proportion of total person trips using each of the various different modes of transportation. The proportion using any one mode is its modal share. Queue-Jump Lanes: Short roadway lanes provided on the approaches to signalized intersections which allow buses or cyclists to by-pass queued traffic and enter the intersection before other traffic when the traffic light turns green.


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Rapid Transit: Transit service separated partially or completely from general vehicular traffic and therefore able to maintain higher levels of speed, reliability and vehicle productivity than can be achieved by transit vehicles operating in mixed traffic. Regional Rail: Diesel-electric or electric trains such as those in the current GO Transit rail network; approximate capacity at 10-minute headways of 5,000 to 20,000 persons per hour peak direction (pphpd); service can be enhanced by electrification, enabling better train performance (acceleration) and therefore higher average speeds even with relatively close station spacing. Average speed: 30 km/h with 2 km station spacing; 50 km/h with wider station spacing or electrified trains. Example: GO Transit rail system. Regional Transit System: The higher-order transit components of the regional transportation system. Regional Transportation System: The components of the transportation system that are regionally significant due to their capacity, speed, and cross-jurisdictional service, as depicted in Figures 4 and 5 of the Draft RTP. Service Frequency: the scheduled time interval between successive transit vehicles on a given route. See also: headway. Settlement Areas: Urban and rural settlement areas within municipalities (such as cities, towns, villages and hamlets) where: a) development is concentrated and which have a mix of land uses; and b) lands have been designated in an official plan for development over the long term planning horizon provided for in the Provincial Policy Statement, 2005. Where there are no lands that have been designated over the long-term, the settlement area may be no larger than the area where development is concentrated. [Source: Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal, Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2006.] Short Sea Shipping: Port-to-port goods movement on the Great Lakes. In the Draft RTP context, these would likely be mainly among ports serving the GTHA or between these ports and transfer points to/from ocean-going vessels downstream from the St. Lawrence Seaway. Specialized Transit: A door-to-door service for passengers with special needs. Specialized transit riders must meet specified eligibility criteria and are required to book their trips in advance. Streetcars: Urban rail vehicles circulating at low speeds (e.g. 10 to 25 km/h) in mixed traffic, with closely spaced stops (e.g. 200 metres). Examples exist in Toronto, Vienna, Prague and Melbourne. Generally known as “trams” outside of North America. Subway: High-capacity, heavy rail transit that is fully-grade separated from other traffic, predominantly underground. Capacity in the range of 25,000 to 40,000 passengers per hour in the peak direction. Average speed: 25 to 50 km/h. Example: Toronto subway. Transit Agency: One of the following public transit operators in the GTHA: GO Transit; Hamilton Street Railway; Burlington Transit; Oakville Transit; Milton Transit; Mississauga


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Transit; Brampton Transit; York Region Transit; Toronto Transit Commission or Durham Region Transit. Transit Catchment Area: The area around each transit station that contains most origins (e.g., home) and destinations (e.g., work or school) for transit users. The catchment area varies by the type of transit being accessed, the means by which it is being accessed, and by the surrounding urban fabric. For example, a downtown subway station will have a different-sized catchment area for a pedestrian than would a suburban GO train station. Transportation Demand Management (TDM): A program of incentives which influence whether, when, where and how people travel, and encourage them to make more efficient use of the transportation system. Transportation Hierarchy: The priority order in which transportation directions and modes will be considered and given precedence in planning, designing, funding and operating a transportation system. Transportation System: A system comprised of corridors and rights-of-way for the movement of people and goods, and associated transportation facilities including transit stops and stations, cycle lanes, bus lanes, High Occupancy Vehicle lanes, rail facilities, park-and-ride lots, service centres, rest stops, vehicle inspection stations, inter-modal terminals, harbours, and associated facilities such as storage and maintenance [Source: Provincial Policy Statement, 2005.] Urban Growth Centres: Centres designated in the provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2006. The Growth Plan designates 25 UGCs in the Greater Golden Horseshoe, of which 17 are in the GTHA.


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APPENDIX B PHOTO CREDITS

Page Description Credit 2 GTA Context Map Ontario Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure 5 Inefficient use of roads Viva- York Region 21 High Occupancy Vehicle Lane U.K. Highways Agency 21 Bus Priority Signal Government of British Columbia

22 Yamanote Line Nathan Duckworth: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kamoda/342051406

22 Réseau Express Régional Paris Thomas Lu: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomaslu/2136528533

22 Bay Area Rapid Transit Thomas Hawk: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/30844137

23 River Line Fußgänger: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kgradinger/1396687493

23 Deux-Montagnes LIne Antoine Belaieff

23 GO Train Dave: http://www.flickr.com/photos/david_han/2524516564/

23 Toronto Subway Paul Sherwood: http://www.flickr.com/photos/17248968@N00/9586039

23 Tunnelbanan Acesee: http://www.flickr.com/photos/acesee/2378156139/

23 Metro Grundlepuck: http://www.flickr.com/photos/grundlepuck/153948029

24 T3 Tram JC: http://www.flickr.com/photos/voyages-jc/2560940827/

24 RIT Lisa Weitekamp: http://flickr.com/photos/23799600@N08/2304005245/

24 RandstadRail

Maurits Burgers: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mauritsb/2361354895/ Dortwegt Leen: http://www.flickr.com/photos/treinen_leen/1489520713

29 Bike Lane Antoine Belaieff

29 Velib Perry Tak: http://flickr.com/photos/24406544@N00/838247423

30 Toronto Secure Bicycle Parking Richard Drdul: http://www.flickr.com/photos/drdul/177246250/

30 BikeLinx Metrolinx

33 Carpool Parking Only SmartCommute - Halton

34 Ontario HOV Lane Ontario Ministry of Transportation


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40 Octopus: Paying machine Enoch Lau, 2006: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Central_MTR_Octopus_gate.jpg

43 Streetscape Improvements Ontario Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure

44 Atocha Station Barry Hoggard: http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=514028852&size=l

44 St. Paul Transit Hub Urban Strategies Inc.

50 Example of Intensification Ontario Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure

54 PackStation Klaus Meuller, 2006 : http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Packstation_winter.jpg

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