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Transportation

Peterborough Council on Aging Discussion paper series – #4, 2015

“Transportation, including accessible and affordable public transport is a key factor influencing active aging. …in particular, being able to move about the

[community] determines social and civic participation and access to community and health services.” (1)

Transportation can take many forms; from driving, to riding transit, to walking, cycling, or scootering. Older

adults and individuals with mobility challenges may require specific forms of transportation to maintain their

mobility and access services and programs in the community. When planning for age-friendly communities it

is important to consider the full range of transportation options to ensure that the needs of older adults and

individuals with varying levels of ability are accommodated.

Roads Roads are an important part of any community’s driving infrastructure. Older drivers tend to rely on their car

for transportation more than younger drivers; however, local data shows that the proportion of licensed

drivers in the region declines over the age of 65 (2). The responsibility for the maintenance of roads depends

on their classification.

There are three Provincial Highways in the Peterborough region:

» Highway 115 connects the region south to the 401 corridor

» Highway 7 connects the region west to the City of Kawartha Lakes and east to Ottawa

» Highway 28 connects the region north to Bancroft

The County of Peterborough manages a network of 715 km of surfaced roads (3). Townships are responsible

for the maintenance and repair of local roads, while the City of Peterborough manages the network of

freeways, arterial, collector, and local roads within its limits (4).

Ontario municipalities are required to maintain roads according to the provisions set out in the Municipal

Act, 2001. These ‘minimum maintenance standards for municipal highways’ govern maintenance, signage,

traffic control, snow removal, and patrolling standards (5).

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Transportation

75%

13%

12%

Transit Stops City of Peterborough, 2014

Stop only

Benches only

Shelters and

Benches

Public Transportation Public transit offers an alternative means of motorized transportation. The City of Peterborough operates a

public transit system with 12 regular routes, 3 express bus routes, a trans-cab service (available in areas not

serviced by regular bus routes), and a handi-van service (6).

Buses operate seven days a week on a 40 minute schedule

Monday to Friday 6:00 am until 11:20pm , Saturdays

6:40am until 11:20pm, and Sundays 8:00am until 7:20pm.

Additional service is available on select routes. Monthly

transit passes are available for seniors (age 65+) at a

discounted rate. There is no discounted single ride or daily

pass rate for older adults (6).

Regularly scheduled buses operate out of one central downtown bus terminal. A 2012 transit review study

recommends that the City initiate planning for a new downtown bus terminal as a catalyst for downtown

intensification (8). There are 574 individual bus stops in the City, 68 of which have covered shelters and

benches, and a further 72 of which have benches only (9).

The City of Peterborough aims to have 6% of all

daily passenger trips made by public transit by the

year 2031; a 2% increase over 2006 levels (2).

Currently, local transit ridership declines with age.

Peterborough Transit’s Handi-van service is

available for individuals with physical mobility

challenges. Passengers must pre-register for the

service and book their rides ahead of time. Rides are

provided from accessible door to accessible door

within the city at the same cost as a single fare (6).

The 2012 transit review study proposes the phased implementation of two community bus routes in

addition to the existing Handi-van service. This service would be designed primarily to serve seniors and

individuals with mobility related disabilities (8).

There is no local transit service within the County of Peterborough. Coach Canada and Greyhound Canada

both provide limited service between select settlement areas in the County. Greyhound operates a route

between Peterborough and Havelock once per day. Coach Canada offers bus service between Havelock,

Fast Fact:

Transit ridership in the

City of Peterborough

declines with age (7).

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Transportation

28%

72%

Cycling Routes City of Peterborough, 2013

On Road

Off Road

Norwood, and Peterborough twice a day (2). In addition, Century Transportation has offered a commuter

service between Peterborough and Lakefield, which is scheduled to be discontinued as of March, 2015 (10).

Community Care Peterborough, through its Care Mobile service, also provides regional transportation

services for seniors and adults with physical challenges. Door-to-door trips must be booked in advance and

are offered on a fee for service basis (11).

Inter-city transit options in the Peterborough region are offered by Greyhound Canada and Go Transit.

Routes to Toronto run frequently; however, other destinations such as Ottawa, Lindsay, and areas north of

Peterborough are less frequently serviced (9).

Walking and Cycling Non-motorized transportation options include walking and cycling. Studies have shown that older adults

tend to walk more than other segments of the population, with some relying on walking as their primary

means of transportation (2).

For over 10 years the City of Peterborough has prioritized the provision of sidewalks to support walkable

communities. In 2002, the City adopted a sidewalk policy that requires sidewalks to be provided on both

sides of the street on new or reconstructed streets (2). In 2008, the City developed a sidewalk strategic plan

that prioritizes areas of missing sidewalk for construction.

The plan identified 65 km of sidewalk as a priority for

construction by 2022 (2).

In the County of Peterborough sidewalks are

provided in some, but not all, settled areas. Sidewalk

availability varies by township, with some “villages

and towns [having] extensive sidewalks networks,

while others have few” (2).

Sidewalk Provision by Type of Road City of Peterborough, 2012

Local Collector Arterial Total

No Sidewalks 52% 28% 38% 44%

Sidewalks on One Side 10% 21% 11% 12%

Sidewalks on Both Sides 38% 51% 51% 44%

Contact: Sarah Cullingham Age-friendly Coordinator scullingham@peterborough.ca www.peterboroughcouncilonaging.ca

Transportation

Some older adults also use cycling as a form of

transportation and/or recreation. The City of

Peterborough manages a network of 58 km of on

and off road cycling routes. Over the next 20 years

the City plans to invest in the construction of 131

km of new cycling routes (2).

As of 2013, there were 47.5 km of off-road

multiuse trails used for cycling, walking, trail

running, and other recreational activities in the County of Peterborough. In 2012, the County’s first on-road

bike lane (the Heritage Line on County Road 134) was developed (2).

The County’s current transportation plan recommends the development of an active transportation plan for

the County which would identify priorities for infrastructure and program development to support cycling

and other forms of active transportation (e.g. walking) (2).

References:

(1) World Health Organization, 2007. Global Age-friendly Cities: A Guide.

(2) Active Transportation and Health Indicators Report, 2014. [Read More]

(3) County of Peterborough, 2014. Transportation Master Plan.

(4) City of Peterborough, 2012. Comprehensive Transportation Plan.

(5) Province of Ontario, 2001. Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways.

(6) City of Peterborough, 2014. Peterborough Transit.

(7) Transportation Tomorrow Survey, 2011.

(8) City of Peterborough, 2012. Public Transit Operations Review.

(9) City of Peterborough Transportation Division, 2014. Personal Correspondence.

(10) Peterborough Examiner, 2015. [Read More]

(11) Community Care Peterborough, 2014. [Read More]

Did you know?

Share the road signs have been

placed along the 7th line through

to Hwy 29, near the Bridgenorth

Trail in Selwyn Township (2).

CavanMonaghan

TrentLakes

dc115

dc7-115

dc7

dc28

dc7a

Multi-Use Trails and Bicycle Paths in the

County of Peterborough ®

0 6 12 18 243Kilometers

TrailOn-Road Bicycle Path

Trail Type