4. Existing and Future Conditions

Transcription

1 4. Existing and Future Conditions This section provides details of the existing situation in the study area with respect to travel characteristics, roads, transit, trails and pathways, and programmed and planned transportation improvements. The assessment of existing and future conditions involved the collection and review of documents, information and data relating to existing travel patterns and the existing and planned roads and transit system in the study area, as identified in Section 2, as well as the review of 2001 Transportation Tomorrow Survey (TTS) data. 4.1 Travel Characteristics Travel patterns and characteristics for the Town of Milton are based on data from the 2001 Transportation Tomorrow Survey Modal Split The 2001 TTS summary data indicate that during the AM peak period approximately 74 percent of all trips by Milton residents are made by automobile, 3 percent by transit and 8 percent by walking and cycling and other forms of travel. In the Town of Milton, local transit accounts for 1 percent of all trips, while GO Transit accounts for 2 percent. Exhibit 4.1 summarizes travel mode for the AM and PM peak periods, based on the 2001 TTS for the Town of Milton Trip Distribution The 2001 TTS summary data for the Town of Milton indicates that more than half the trips made to and from Milton are made by residents of Milton. Exhibit 4.2 summarizes the origin and destination of trips for the AM and PM peak periods, based on the 2001 TTS for the Town of Milton. ENTRA Consultants 6/5/2008 Page 45

2 Exhibit TTS Modal Split, Town of Milton Travel Mode Peak Period AM (7:00-9:00) PM (16:00-18:00) Auto driver 74% 79% Auto passenger 10% 14% GO Rail only 2% 2% Joint GO Rail and public transit 1% 1% Transit, excluding GO Rail 0% 0% School bus 4% 1% Cycle 1% 1% Walk 8% 2% TOTAL 100% 100% Source: TTS summary data for the Town of Milton, Exhibit TTS Trip Distribution, Town of Milton AM (7:00-9:00) PM (16:00-18:00) Region Outbound Inbound Total Outbound Inbound Total Toronto 6% 3% 4% 6% 8% 7% Halton Region (including Milton) 69% 75% 72% 67% 62% 65% Milton 57% 55% 56% 47% 47% 47% Durham Region 1% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% York Region 1% 2% 1% 2% 1% 2% Peel Region 18% 10% 14% 12% 19% 15% Hamilton 2% 6% 4% 6% 3% 5% Others 4% 4% 4% 7% 6% 6% TOTAL 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% Source: TTS summary data for the Town of Milton, Page 46 6/5/2008 ENTRA Consultants

3 4.2 Inventory of Existing Roads Roads in the Study Area The network of roads in the Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan area comprises a coarse grid of arterial roads. In the adjacent East/Southeast planning district, Central Business District and, to a lesser extent, the Milton 401 Industrial/Business Park, a network of collector and local roads is emerging that reflects the developing urban character of these areas. Exhibit 4.3 summarizes the major roads in the vicinity of the Business Park II Secondary Plan area, including jurisdiction, function, right-of-way width, number of travel lanes, posted speed and type of roadway cross-section. The jurisdiction of the major roads in and around the study area is shown in Exhibit 4.4. The Official Plan functional classification of roads in and around the study area is shown in Exhibit 4.5. Rights-of-way of major roads are shown in Exhibit 4.6. The posted speed and roadway cross-section for links in the major road network are shown in Exhibit 4.7. Exhibit 4.8 illustrates the number of travel lanes on the major roads and lane configurations at key intersection locations. Exhibit Characteristics of Major Roads Road Jurisdiction Function ROW (m) No. of Lanes Posted Speed (km/h) Crosssection Thompson Road Milton Minor Arterial /80 Urban Fourth Line (Britannia Road to CPR line) Milton Collector /60 Urban Fourth Line (north of CPR line) Milton Major Arterial Urban Fourth Line (south of Derry Road) Milton Collector /60 Urban James Snow Parkway (North of Derry Road) Halton Major Arterial Urban James Snow Parkway (South of Derry Road) Halton Arterial Urban Fifth Line (Lower Base Line to CPR line) Milton Minor Arterial Urban Sixth Line (Britannia Road to Milton Collector /60/70 Rural ENTRA Consultants 6/5/2008 Page 47

4 Road Jurisdiction Function ROW (m) No. of Lanes Posted Speed (km/h) Crosssection CPR line) Trafalgar Road (ETR 407 to Highway 401) Halton Major Arterial /80 Rural Main Street (Bronte Street to James Snow Parkway) Milton Multi- Purpose Arterial Urban Main Street (Tremaine Road to Bronte Street) Milton Minor Arterial Urban Main Street (James Snow Parkway to Fifth Line) Milton Minor Arterial Urban Derry Road (West of James Snow Parkway) Halton Major Arterial Urban Derry Road (East of James Snow Parkway) Halton Major Arterial Rural Highway 401 MTO Highway Urban Britannia Road (RR 6) (Tremaine Road (RR 22) to Ninth Line) Halton Major Arterial /80 Urban Steeles Avenue (RR 8) (East of James Snow Parkway) Halton Major Arterial Rural Lower Base Line (Trafalgar Road to Ninth Line) Milton Collector Rural Steeles Avenue (Tremaine Road to James Snow Parkway) Halton Major Arterial /60 Rural / Urban Source: Field Survey November 2007, and Milton Official Plan, OPA18, December Page 48 6/5/2008 ENTRA Consultants

5 N LEGEND Provincial Highway Regional Milton (urban) Milton (rural) C.P.R C.N.R Exhibit 4.4 Roadway Jurisdiction in Milton Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan 27-34AFig Figs Form revision: 05/02/15

6 N LEGEND Highway Major Arterial Minor Arterial Multi-purpose Arterial Collector C.P.R. C.N.R. Exhibit 4.5 Official Plan Road Classification in Milton Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan 27-34AFig Figs Form revision: 05/02/15

7 N LEGEND 42m 40m 35m 30m 26m 16-20m Rail Exhibit 4.6 Planned Right-of-way of Roads in Milton Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan 27-34AFig Figs Form revision: 05/02/15

8 N 80 km/h 50 km/h 50 km/h 50 km/h 50 km/h 50 km/h 80 km/h 60 km/h 60 km/h 60 km/h 60 km/h Traffic Signal Stop Signal 80 km/h 80 km/h 80 km/h 80 km/h 80 km/h 80 km/h 80 km/h Flashing Light 80 km/h 80 km/h 80 km/h 80 km/h 60 km/h 60 km/h 80 km/h 80 km/h 80 km/h 80 km/h Urban Road Rural Road Exhibit 4.7 Planned Right-of-way of Roads in Milton Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan 27-34AFig Figs Form revision: 05/02/15

9 N 6 Lanes 4 Lanes 2 Lanes Exhibit 4.8 Lane configuration of key roads in the Study Area Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan 27-34AFig Figs Form revision: 05/02/15

10 4.2.2 Highway 401 Highway 401 bisects the Town and is situated at the northern limit of the Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan area. Within the study limits, Highway 401 has six basic lanes, with two full access interchanges (James Snow Parkway and Trafalgar Road) servicing the Town of Milton and the surrounding areas. The horizontal alignment of Highway 401 within the study limits consists of long straight tangents interspersed with relatively short curves. There are five horizontal curves on Highway 401, ranging from R-825 m. to R-1750 m. These curves meet the minimum design speed of 120 km/h, as identified in the latest Geometric Design Standards for Ontario Highways Manual (1994) by Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. Highway 401 is generally flat (within 2 percent) in vicinity of the Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan area, with exceptions at two locations: west of Tremaine Road and east of Regional Road 25. The steeper grade west of Tremaine Road is necessary to traverse the Niagara Escarpment. Highway 401 has a steeper grade east of Region Road 25 to achieve the required grade separation with the Canadian National Railway (CNR) Halton Subdivision Railway Crossings Both the Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway operate lines through Milton. The presence of these two railway lines results in several locations where roads are required to cross rail lines. Railway crossing locations and treatments are identified in Exhibit Programmed and Planned Road Improvements Several area transportation improvements have been identified in the Halton Region Roads Capital Projects ( ) and Town of Milton Capital Program. The Halton Region Roads Capital Projects ( ) and Town of Milton Capital Program are presented in Appendix D. Road improvements in and around the Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan area are summarized in Exhibit Planned and proposed roadway improvements in and around the Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan area are shown in Exhibit Page 54 6/5/2008 ENTRA Consultants

11 Over Pass west of R.R. No. 25. At Grade east of R.R. No. 25 Over Pass for the Proposed James Snow Parkway At grade crossing for 4th Line N LEGEND At Grade Crossing Over Pass Crossing Flashing Light/Bell/Gate Flashing Light/Bell C.P.R. C.N.R. Exhibit 4.9 Railway Crossing Locations and Treatment Business Park II Secondary Plan 27-34AFig Figs Form revision: 05/02/15

12 Exhibit Programmed Road Improvements (to 2017) (Based on 2008 Halton Region Roads Capital Program) Roadway Location Year Improvement James Snow Parkway Derry Road to Britannia Road NEW 2/4-lane Road Britannia Road Trafalgar Road to Ninth Line 2014 Regional Road 25 Britannia Road to Derry Road 2010 Widening from 2 to 4 lanes Widening from 2 to 4 lanes Steeles Avenue James Snow Parkway to Trafalgar Road 2010 Widening from 2 to 4 lanes Derry Road James Snow Parkway to Ninth Line 2008 Widening from 2 to 4 lanes Derry Road Tremaine Road to Bronte Street 2009 Widening from 2 to 4 lanes Steeles Avenue Tremaine Road to Bronte Street 2007 Resurfacing Steeles Avenue Industrial Drive to Bronte Street 2015 Widening from 2 to 4 lanes Trafalgar Road Britannia Road to Highway Widening from 2 to 4 lanes Trafalgar Road CPR South of Highway Grade separation Tremaine Road Main Street to Steeles Avenue 2017 Widening from 2 to 4 lanes Tremaine Road Derry Road to Main Street 2011 Widening from 2 to 4 lanes Source: Halton Region Roads Capital Projects ( ). Page 56 6/5/2008 ENTRA Consultants

13 New Consutruction 4 Lanes Grade Sepration N 4 Lanes 4 Lanes 4 Lanes 4 Lanes 4 Lanes 4 Lanes 4 Lanes 4 Lanes and Realignment Grade Sepration 4 Lanes Source: Halton Region Captial Road Projects Exhibit 4.11 Planned Road Improvements in the Study Area Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan 27-34AFig Figs Form revision: 05/02/15

14 4.3 Traffic Volumes Existing Existing traffic volumes on the major roads in the Business Park II Secondary Plan study area vary substantially according to roadway design, function and existing connectivity. The Halton Region provided modeled 2006 link volumes for roads in the study area. The existing PM peak hour link volumes on the major roads in the study area are shown in Exhibit Screenlines The 2006 link volumes provided by the Halton Region were used to estimate PM peak hour traffic volumes across the screenlines established for the Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan study (see Exhibit 4.12). The modeled PM peak hour traffic volumes were used to assess existing roadway capacity deficiencies in key travel corridors and across the study area. Existing AM and PM peak hour volume-to-capacity (V/C) ratios for screenlines in the Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan study area are shown in Exhibit The estimated volume-to-capacity ratios in Exhibit 4.13 indicate that all roadways across the identified screenlines are operating at satisfactory levels and sufficient roadway capacity exists across each of the screenlines in the study area to accommodate existing PM peak hour traffic volumes Key Intersections The Halton Region and Town of Milton provided existing peak hour turning movement counts for intersections within the study area. The vehicle turning movement count summaries for the intersections are included in Appendix E. Intersection capacity analyses were completed for key intersections in the Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan study area to determine the existing levels of service during the roadway AM and PM peak hours. Intersection capacity analyses were completed using Synchro 7.0, the traffic volumes presented in Appendix E, existing lane configurations obtained from field visits and available information, and signal timings provided by Halton Region and the Town of Milton. Details of the analyses are presented in Appendix F. Existing overall intersection levels of service (LOS) for signalized intersections are summarized in Exhibit Page 58 6/5/2008 ENTRA Consultants

15 N Steeles Avenue Highway 401 Main Street Fifth Line Sixth Line Trafalgar Road Derry Road Regional Road No 25 Thompson Road Fourth Line Proposed James Snow Parkway Exhibit 4.12A Existing Traffic Volumes, Roadway Peak Hour Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan 27-34AFig Figs Form revision: 05/02/15

16 N Britannia Road Regional Road No 25 Fourth Line Fifth Line Sixth Line Trafalgar Road Thompson Road Lower Base Line W Exhibit 4.12B Existing Traffic Volumes, Roadway Peak Hour Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan 27-34AFig Figs Form revision: 05/02/15

17 Exhibit Existing Screenline Traffic Volume-to-Capacity Ratios Exhibit 4.13 ~ Existing Screenline Traffic Volume-to-Capacity Ratios, 2006 PM peak hours Northbound Southbound Screenline Location Number Capacity Roadway Number Capacity Roadway North/South Screenlines of Lanes per lane Capacity Volume V/C of Lanes per lane Capacity Volume V/C 1. South of Highway 401 Trafalgar Rd Sixth Line Fifth Line James Snow Parkway Total CNR Trafalgar Rd Sixth Line Fifth Line James Snow Parkway Total North of Britannia Rd. Trafalgar Rd Sixth Line Fifth Line James Snow Parkway Total South of Britannia Rd. Trafalgar Rd Sixth Line Fifth Line Fourth Line Total Eastbound Westbound Number Capacity Roadway Number Capacity Roadway East/West Screenlines of Lanes per lane Capacity Volume V/C of Lanes per lane Capacity Volume V/C 5. West of ETR 407 Britannia Rd Derry Rd Total West of Trafalgar Rd. Lower Base Line Britannia Rd Derry Rd Total East of James Snow Parkway Lower Base Line Britannia Rd Derry Rd Main Rd Total East of Ontario Rd. Britannia Rd Louis Saint Laurent Ave Derry Rd Main Rd Steeles Ave Total Source: 2006 link volumes, link volume-to-capacity (V/C) ratios, link travel times and link attributes from the Halton Region transportation demand forecasting (EMME/2) model. ENTRA Consultants 6/5/2008 Page 61

18 Exhibit Existing Overall Level of Service, Roadway Peak Hours, Signalized Intersections AM PM Intersection LOS V/C Delay LOS V/C Delay Derry Road at Thompson Road B B Derry Road at Armstrong Boulevard* Derry Road at Trudeau Drive* Derry Road at James Snow Parkway B A Derry Road at Fifth Line D C Derry Road at Trafalgar Road C C Main Street at James Snow Parkway C C Main Street at Thompson Road C C Hwy 401 Off Ramp (N) at James Snow Parkway Hwy 401 Off Ramp (S) at James Snow Parkway A B B B Hwy 401 Off Ramp (N) at Trafalgar Road B B Hwy 401 Off Ramp (S) at Trafalgar Road B B Britannia Road at Thompson Road C B Britannia Road at Fourth Line D B Britannia Road at Sixth Line C B Britannia Road at Trafalgar Road C B Lower Baseline at Trafalgar Road C C Steeles Avenue at Trafalgar Road E C Steeles Avenue at Thompson Road B C Steeles Avenue at James Snow Parkway C B * Capacity analysis to be completed upon receiving traffic counts. Levels of service for unsignalized intersections are summarized in Exhibit The estimated overall level of service at each of the intersections during PM peak hour and AM peak hour are shown in shown in Exhibit 4.16A and Exhibit 4.16B respectively, Level of service definitions are provided in Appendix G. Page 62 6/5/2008 ENTRA Consultants

19 Based on the intersection capacity analyses, all intersections are operating at good or satisfactory levels of service during the roadway PM peak hour, with the exception of the unsignalized intersections of Britannia Road at Fifth Line, Derry Road at Sixth Line. Exhibit Existing Overall Level of Service, Roadway Peak Hours Unsignalized Intersections Intersection Delay LOS Delay LOS Derry Road at Sixth Line Northbound 166 F 324 F Southbound 157 F 135 F Britannia Road at Fifth Line Northbound 54 F 94 F Southbound 281 F 110 F Steeles Avenue at Sixth Line (S) <1 - <1 - Northbound 15 B 17 C Steeles Avenue at Sixth Line (N) Southbound left 18 C 15 C Steeles Avenue at Fifth Line (S) Northbound 15 C 17 C Steeles Avenue at Fifth Line (N) Northbound 38 E 0 A Southbound 19 C 19 C Main Street at Fifth Line Northbound 14 B 14 B Southbound 12 B 10 A Lower Baseline at Fifth Line* Lower Baseline at Fourth Line* Derry Road at Fourth Line* * Capacity analysis to be completed upon receiving traffic counts. AM PM ENTRA Consultants 6/5/2008 Page 63

20 N Traffic Signal LOS V/C A-B C-D E-F Unsignalized Exhibit 4.16 A Existing Intersection Level of Service, PM Peak Hour Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan 27-34AFig Figs Form revision: 05/02/15

21 N Traffic Signal LOS V/C A-B C-D E-F Unsignalized Exhibit 4.16 B Existing Intersection Level of Service, AM Peak Hour Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan 27-34AFig Figs Form revision: 05/02/15

22 Future Modeled 2031 link volumes for major roads in the Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan study area will be requested from the Halton Region. The modeled link volumes from the Halton Region transportation demand forecasting (EMME/2) model will be used to assess future background traffic conditions, assess secondary plan land use and transportation options and select a preferred land use and transportation option for the Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan. 4.4 Transit Milton Transit Conventional transit ridership in the Town of Milton has consistently and rapidly declined since 1992 to 1999 though it had been has significant increase during last years especially since The 2000 ridership of 15,270 has been reached to 86,000 in 2006 which means 460 percent increase during 6 years. Exhibit 4.17 shows the trend in ridership over the period since Ridership in Milton is largely adult based, consisting of people in low-income categories or without access to other means of transportation. Seniors and GO Train riders make up a substantial component of the total transit ridership. Changes in the Milton transit routes and schedule in year 2000 have resulted in improved transit ridership. On August 16, 2004, the Town of Milton began offering expanded transit service, which now includes five fixed routes: North of Main, South of Main, Southeast of Main, Thompson South, Milton Crossroads. They are scheduled service frequency at approximately every 30 minutes from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on weekdays, and transfers between all routes at the Milton GO station. The Town of Milton is working in partnership with the Town of Oakville to offer this service and is using Oakville s smaller, commuterfriendly buses. The Town will continue to assess the need for changes to transit service. Exhibit 4.18 shows the existing transit routes operating in the Town of Milton. Since the inauguration of this service, there have been two major adjustments (three after September 4, 2006) in order to connect with the growing population of this town, and to the GO Transit commuter train and bus routes. Milton's fare-free transit program started June 1, 2007, providing free rides Monday to Friday, from 9 AM to 3 PM GO Transit GO Transit provides both rail and bus service between Milton and the City of Toronto. It extends from Union Station in Toronto to Milton. The stations of Milton Go Transit are: Union Station, Kipling, Dixie, Cooksville, Erindale, Streetsville, Meadowvale, Lisgar. Frequent rush hour GO trains provide a traffic-free commute to Toronto for people working in the city. Page 66 6/5/2008 ENTRA Consultants

23 Like many GO stations, Milton offers parking for commuters, a station building housing ticket sales and a waiting room, and a bus loop serving GO and Milton Transit buses. The station is located very close to Highway 401, and is placed to be accessible to residents of Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo who work in Toronto to park and ride. Its bus loop may be used by future connecting buses to Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo. Along with Streetsville and Dixie, this is one of three Milton line stations that feature the necessary mini-platform to allow passengers dependent on wheeled mobility aids to board the trains. A new layover facility (overnight service and storage yard) was built in 2006 and opened at the beginning of 2007 with capacity to store eight 12 car trains. Currently, six 10 car trains are operated. This facility replaced one located 8 miles west at Guelph Junction in Campbellville which could not be expanded beyond its five 10 car tracks. On weekdays, the first GO train leaves the Milton GO Station at 6:23 AM, with subsequent trains following at 6:48 AM and then every 15 (20) minutes until 7:58 AM. There is no service provided on weekends. GO Transit also provides bus service from the Town of Milton to the City of Toronto, Monday to Friday, excluding holidays. The first bus departs the intersection of Main Street and Martin Street in Milton at 4:40 AM and subsequent trips depart at 4:55 AM and operate on a 30 (45)-minute schedule from 8:15 until 10:20 AM. The remainder of the day hourly service is available from 10:20 AM to 22:20. On weekends and holidays, there is hourly service available from 6:25 Am to 23:25 except for Sunday and holidays in which the last departure is at 21:25. Exhibit 4.18 shows the existing transit in Milton. Exhibit Milton Transit Ridership Summary (2000 to 2006) Year Ridership Percent Change from N/A 463% 368% , % , % ,706 36% ,270 - Source: Milton Transit Service. ENTRA Consultants 6/5/2008 Page 67

24 N Source: Town of Milton Website Not to Scale Exhibit 4.18 Existing Transit in Milton Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan 27-34AFig FigsPort Form revision: 08/05/16

25 4.4.3 Future Plans and Proposals North Halton Transit Strategy, Final Report, January 2004; The study focused on the transit requirements for next five years within the context of the planned development. Also, the place of development and the sensitivity of transit requirements to change in this development clearly points to the need for Milton to adopt an accelerated growth of transit supply to match development needs in the next five years. The North Halton Transit Strategy provides additional details and costs for development and expansion of transit services and other paratransit services in the urban area Milton, Georgetown and Acton; recommends ways to initiate transit connections between the urban communities and Burlington and Oakville, and illustrates ways to initiate services in the rural areas of the towns. The development of service alternatives combining options in each of the service components built on both the technical analysis and the results of the community consultation process. Five preliminary options were developed in parallel to the options developed for service in Milton. In each case, a preliminary screening was applied to eliminate those alternatives that did not meet the basic criteria of flexibility, community support and service quality. The rest of transit service alternatives were evaluated based on these criteria: estimated ridership based on GO transit train trips, student trips, employment trips, and seniors trips, average and maximum travel time and performance. The final suggested alternative for Georgetown is the combined peak GO/school shuttle service and midday/evening zone bus service. The recommended alternative for town of Milton is combining peak GO/school/employment shuttle service and midday/evening zone bus service. The employment shuttles in this option would provide an express service to the local employees with multi-connections to each GO/school shuttle route. Given the current low demand for trips within Acton, specific alternatives were identified: existing GO Bus service taxi-based scrip program expansion of the volunteer network Establishing transit links between the urban centres of Acton, Georgetown and Milton, as well as external links to Brampton, Oakville, Burlington and Mississauga was clearly shown to be important throughout the consultation phase. Because of the distances involved, and the lack of intervening opportunities for revenue between the centres, traditional fixed route services connecting the three communities would be difficult to provide cost-effectively in the short-term, particularly between Georgetown and Milton, where the distance and road network configuration makes service even more difficult. However, there are several opportunities to provide these links. ENTRA Consultants 6/5/2008 Page 69

26 Similar to service within Acton, service between Acton and Georgetown could be provided in the very short-term though active agreement with GO Transit. Services linking Georgetown and Milton could also be provided by GO bus. This service could connect or continue to Oakville or Burlington with connections to the hospital, Sheridan College and the GO station(s). The Making Connections: Transit for Halton report identified the opportunity for a multimodal node at the intersection of Highway 401 and Highway 407. This location could be the site of a new GO rail station, a major park-and-ride facility and bus transfer point. A service operating along Ninth Line from Georgetown could connect with service from Milton along Derry Road, providing the Georgetown-Milton link in the short- to mediumterm. The study also suggested a link from Milton to the south of the Region. This service would be enhanced by providing a direct connection to Georgetown as well, particularly if a transfer was not required. In continuing regional analysis, Halton Region and GO Transit are investigating ways of providing this regional link service in the short-term, and this study supports that initiative. In the longer term, as development in Oakville proceeds to Highway 407, extensions of Oakville Transit to connect to Milton could be cost effective ways of providing the service. Hinterland Services The remaining areas of Milton (including Campbellville) and of Halton Hills (including Acton), represent low demand areas with trips distributed on a similar fashion to the urban areas of the community. As a result, ridership and revenue are expected to be lower than the urban operations and consequently, unable to support conventional transit service delivery. The previous section described options or connecting service from the urban centres of these areas to Milton and Georgetown. Within these areas, that is, for travel within the communities of Campbellville or Acton, or from the surrounding areas to these communities, a taxi-based transportation system is proposed. Specialized Services These services represent a crucial component of transit service in the North Halton communities and must be part of a comprehensive system in the future. The transit service components described in this section are designed to provide accessible service throughout the community for those whole mobility requirements do not dictate door-to door service. These services are also designed to relieve demand pressure on the specialized service, allowing more service delivery to the highly specialized market. In this way, overall mobility within the community is maximized, at the minimum possible cost. To proceed without such a comprehensive system will put unmanageable demands on the specialized services and consequently limit mobility within the community. Provision of specialized services within the comprehensive transit service is proposed to follow a similar pattern to the existing services within Milton, Acton and Georgetown, with Page 70 6/5/2008 ENTRA Consultants

27 some capacity for connection between the communities. These services can be supported by non-dedicated (contracted) taxi service for those riders that do not require the mobility capabilities of a larger van. Requests for service would continue to be restricted to registered clients, based on current eligibility requirements. However, it is important to note that the design of the comprehensive system and its accessibility features are intended to make the broader system available to the widest possible range of passengers and their mobility requirements. Halton Region, Regional Transportation Master Plan Study, June 2004; Inter-regional Transit Corridor Service Levels The transit and HOV strategy component of the Halton Transportation Master Plan reexamined the corridors and priorities already established in the Region, in light of most recent Best Planning Estimates for the Region, up-to-date transit market potential projections, other transportation-related objectives, present financial considerations, and ongoing transit advancements and initiatives by others. In the context of projected future travel patterns, forecast population and employment growth, and resultant growth in person trips in Halton over the next twenty-year period, a substantial increase in inter-regional transit ridership is anticipated. This is true even at fairly conservative estimates of future transit use that are based on existing levels of transit use in the Region. A substantial increase in inter-regional transit ridership of the magnitude projected requires transit that is convenient and attractive to potential riders. This means service that takes them where they want to go, when they want to go, and provides a total trip travel time that is competitive with the private automobile. To attract inter-regional transit ridership at the levels projected based on the enhanced transit modal splits (previously presented in Section 3.0), high-frequency inter-regional bus service is required in several key Provincial highway and Regional Road corridors in Halton, with corresponding service levels in these corridors in adjacent regions and supporting local transit services throughout the local municipalities in Halton. Two levels of service have been identified for the transit and HOV strategy component of the Halton Transportation Master Plan based on the primary and secondary interregional transit corridors established in Making Connections and the transit assessment completed as part of this work. Primary inter-regional transit corridors in Making Connections connect beyond the Region and are important links in the overall transit network in the GTA. Primary interregional transit corridors comprise: Mid-Halton Corridor a major inter-regional transit spine, connecting Niagara Region, Hamilton, Halton, Mississauga, Brampton, south York Region and Toronto. In Halton Region, services in this corridor would use both Dundas Street and Highway 407. ENTRA Consultants 6/5/2008 Page 71

28 Oakville/Brampton/South York Corridor - uses Highways 403 and 407 to link Oakville GO station on the Lakeshore West line to the Highway 401/407 Gateway Business Park in Halton Hills and to important activity centres in north Toronto, and Peel and York Regions. Trafalgar Road Corridor - between Oakville GO station on the Lakeshore West line and Highway 407, linking the planned Uptown Core and Mid-Town Core areas in Oakville. Appleby Line Corridor - between Appleby GO station on the Lakeshore West line andhighway 407, linking to the planned Alton community in Burlington. Secondary inter-regional transit corridors provide important connections between major activity centres within Halton and have substantial future inter-municipal transit market potential, or provide important connectivity to the overall transit network in the GTA. As such, secondary inter-regional transit corridors play a vital role in supporting the primary inter-regional transit corridors. Secondary inter-regional transit corridors comprise: Regional Road 25 Corridor, from Bronte GO station on the Lakeshore West line through Milton and ultimately to Acton. Milton Corridor, linking Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge through Milton via Highway 401 to a proposed regional intermodal transfer centre in the vicinity of Highways 407 and 401, and permitting potential links south into Oakville and east into Brampton and York Region. Ninth Line Corridor between the regional intermodal transfer centre at Highways 407 and 401 and Georgetown and connecting south to Oakville. North Burlington branch of the Mid-Halton Corridor, linking downtown Hamilton and the primary inter-regional transit corridor along Dundas Street via Highway 403/Highway 6/Regional Road 5. Hamilton/Niagara Link, connecting St. Catharines to Burlington GO station on the Lakeshore West line via QEW. Georgetown Corridor, linking Guelph in the west through Acton and Georgetown via Highway 7 to Bramalea GO station on the Georgetown line in Brampton. Lakeshore Corridor between Burlington GO station on the Lakeshore West line and Trafalgar Road via Lakeshore Road or New Street and Rebecca Street. Based on these corridors, the transit and HOV strategy component of the Halton Transportation Master Plan identifies inter-regional transit services in the following corridors in Halton: Primary Transit Corridors: Highway 407. Highway 403, from Mississauga to Oakville GO Station, and from Highway 407 into Hamilton. Dundas Street (east boundary to Highway 407). Page 72 6/5/2008 ENTRA Consultants

29 Trafalgar Road (Oakville GO station to Highway 407). Appleby Line (Appleby GO station to Highway 407). Regional Road 25 (Bronte GO station to Milton). Lakeshore Road (Oakville GO station to Burlington GO station). Secondary Transit Corridors: Dundas Street (Highway 407 to west boundary). Regional Road 25 (Milton to Acton). Ninth Line (Highway 407 to Georgetown). Highway 7 (Georgetown to west boundary). Highway 401 (Highway 407 to west boundary). QEW (Highway 407 to south boundary). Primary Regional Transit Node Primary regional transit nodes have the following attributes: major concentration of high-density, mixed uses (i.e., residential, employment, shopping, cultural) inter-regionally significant origin and destination of primary trips served by GO Transit commuter rail line or primary inter-regional transit corridor, comprising two-way, high-frequency transit (rail or bus) throughout the day local and regional feeder bus services provide frequent (15-minute) transit service to the node throughout the day Includes a regional transit station. Transit station facilities include: advanced passenger information systems and electronic ticketing pick-up and drop-off bus platforms transfer station customer services and amenities, including coffee and newspaper stands, dry cleaners, take-out restaurants, convenience stores, daycare centres, and so forth Transit facility is most often integrated with development. These locations experience the highest transit modal splits and the highest proportion of access to the transit facility by walking. Proposed primary regional transit nodes in the Region comprise: Oakville GO station/mid-town Core ENTRA Consultants 6/5/2008 Page 73

30 Burlington GO station Milton GO station Milton GO station While the Milton GO station area is not fully developed, the attributes of a primary regional transit node are identified or supported in Milton s Official Plan and secondary plans. Milton GO station is located adjacent the Milton Central Business District, the area of highest planned densities in Milton. In the future, it will serve as a significant origin and destination of primary trips. Milton GO station has already been identified by GO Transit as a potential hub for local and regional feeder bus services. As such, it could develop into a possible transfer location for travelers to and from Guelph and Cambridge. Page 74 6/5/2008 ENTRA Consultants

31 RECOMMENDATIONS To advance the transit and HOV strategy component of the Halton Transportation Master Plan, it is recommended that the Region: Continue to encourage the early introduction of HOV lanes on Highways 403 and 407 through Halton, as part of a GTA-wide HOV network. These corridors as identified in the recent OPA 23 to The Regional Plan (1995) and are related to initiatives by MTO and GO Transit. The Region needs to actively participate in the decision-making process and secure funding commitments for these initiatives. Introduce new lanes on Dundas Street (between Highways 403 and 407) and Trafalgar Road (between Oakville GO station and Highway 407) as HOV lanes with 2+ eligibility in the short-term. The introduction of new lanes as HOV lanes will encourage and support travel by transit and HOV in the Region, while avoiding some of the negative public reaction that can accompany conversion of general purpose lanes and/or under-utilization of HOV lanes at 3+ eligibility. The introduction of HOV should have regard for the timing of transit/hov initiatives by others. Aim to introduce HOV lane eligibility with 3+ occupants across the network by The introduction of 3+ eligibility should be based on the results of annual monitoring of traffic volumes, HOV lane utilization, and transit services in the corridors, as well as transit/hov initiatives and policies of others. Have strong regard for the transit and HOV strategy component of the Halton Transportation Master Plan when reviewing The Regional Official Plan and considering the approval of development plans in the Region. This should include exploring opportunities to create streetscapes in areas such as Regional Nodes that encourage transit, walking and other activity, and discourage auto use. Facilitate the provision of local transit services within the Region in support of the interregional transit corridors. This would include facilitating discussions with local municipalities and service providers, aimed at securing a commitment to provide: integrated and coordinated local transit services in the designated inter-regional transit corridors serving existing and emerging employment and activity centres, Regional Transit Nodes and centres in adjacent municipalities integrated fare technologies as a way to increase customer convenience and make transit more attractive for travel. Specific initiatives should include the establishment of paid fare instruments (i.e. SmartCard technology) and electronic fare collection systems ENTRA Consultants 6/5/2008 Page 75

32 integrated passenger information systems and technologies, including increased use of vehicle location systems and on-board passenger information systems Explore opportunities to introduce transit priority measures through further studies and in conjunction with local transit service providers. Such measures should include transit priority signals and queue-jump lanes at Regional Road intersections to improve transit service and diminish delays at major intersections on the interregional transit corridors. The Trafalgar Road and Dundas Street corridors are priority corridors for consideration of transit priority treatments. Immediate study of potential transit priority measures in the Trafalgar Road corridor at the QEW is required in light of existing high traffic volumes and congestion, and the numerous transit routes and busses in the corridor. 4.5 Trails and Pathways The development of an interconnected open space system that includes walking and cycling trails has been a long-standing objective of the Town of Milton. The Linear Open Space Study (1983) provided the first detailed guidance for the development of pedestrian and cycling trails in Milton. Since 1994, the Town has taken some significant steps to plan for a future trail system. Milton s strategic plan, Destiny Milton, adopted in 1994, identifies the community s vision and includes support for the development of an expanded trail network that will provide a wide range of leisure, learning and healthy lifestyle opportunities. The Leisure and Library Action Plan and the new Official Plan further defined the direction for the Town of Milton trail system Existing Trails and Pathways, Trails Guide The Town's Trails & Bikeways Guide was updated in the spring of This comprehensive publication includes residential area and rural maps, featuring off-road trails, boulevard trails and suggested cycling routes. The guide also features key destinations and points of interest along with information on trails etiquette and cycling safety tips. The Trails and Bikeways Guide is available at most Town facilities. Exhibit 4.19 illustrates the trails guide for Milton urban area. Multi-use trails Multi-use trails are off-road pathways dedicated to pedestrians, in-line skaters, cyclists and other non-motorized vehicles. Manual and motorized wheelchairs as well as scooters are welcome on multi-use trails. Multi-use trails are wider than the average sidewalk and are easy for everyone to navigate with their paved asphalt surfaces. The Town's current minimum recommended standard width for multi-use trails being built today is 2.4 metres. Existing trails that do not currently meet this standard will be upgraded in the coming years. Page 76 6/5/2008 ENTRA Consultants

33 Off-road trails are typically found in parks, easements, natural areas and other open spaces. Off-road trails are primarily made of asphalt; however, near a pond or woodlot, they may also be made with limestone screenings. Boulevard trails are portions of the road right-of-way dedicated exclusively to recreational use. These types of trails are physically separated from the motorized vehicle travel lanes by a landscaped boulevard and/or curbing. Pedestrian trails Pedestrian trails are pathways dedicated for pedestrian use and are narrower than multiuse trails. These trails are not recommended for cyclists or in-line skaters and may also not be suitable for strollers or wheelchairs due the more rugged type of trail surface, which could be limestone or wood chips. Suggested on-road cycling routes The Trails & Bikeways Guide presents numerous roads and roadway connections for cyclists for transportation or recreation. If you are riding on the road, your bicycle is considered a vehicle and you must obey the traffic laws for motorized vehicles. For cycling and traffic safety information, please refer to the many safety tips included in this guide. A comprehensive Trails Master Plan is also currently being completed for the Town of Milton. As well, secondary plans for the Milton Urban Area are required to establish a proposed recreational pedestrian/bicycle trail system for the planning district. It is generally intended that major trails: range from a minimum of 5 metres to a maximum of 20 metres. This would allow for a minimum pathway width of 3 metres (two lanes of 1.5 metres each) and landscaping accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists, in-line skaters and other recreational users be designed as separate linkages from other vehicular traffic be surfaced with asphalt to accommodate a wide range of users. In more natural settings, trails may be paved with natural materials such as crushed stones, limestone, wooden planks, etc. allow easy access for all users; surfaces should be carefully graded and finished to allow full accessibility be clearly marked with an attractive signage system explore opportunities to introduce environmental (flora, fauna) or cultural/historical educational experiences en route be carefully landscaped to provide shelter from natural elements (extensive sun radiation) while creating a high quality visual environment consider elements of public safety. Dense trees or high walls should be avoided because they create entrapment areas. Frequent, clearly-marked exits to areas of high pedestrian and car traffic should be incorporated into the design ENTRA Consultants 6/5/2008 Page 77

34 have lighting along the entire trail. The level of lighting and type of fixture will depend on the size and character of the trail The trail system in the Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan area will be developed in the context of trails systems in adjacent planning districts and the recommendations of the Town of Milton Trails Master Plan (see Exhibit 4). Page 78 6/5/2008 ENTRA Consultants

35 N Source: Town of Milton Website Not to Scale Exhibit 4.19 Town of Milton Trails and Bikeways Business Park ll Secondary Plan 27-34AFig FigsPort Form revision: 08/05/16

36 Page 80 6/5/2008 ENTRA Consultants

37 5. Study Interests The review of previously completed transportation studies in Milton, the assessment of existing and future roadway operations and the input provided by Town staff were used to identify potential transportation and related items of interest that the Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan study needs to address. This section provides a brief description of each of these potential study interests, as well as an indication of the priority placed on them, and a discussion of the considerations in dealing with each of the identified interests, in light of: Town and Region Official Plan policies existing and planned road networks projected traffic volumes roadway engineering design criteria existing communities, approved developments, rail lines, rivers and environmentally significant features 5.1 Future Transit Service Provision The Official Plans of the Town and Region emphasize the importance of public transit in meeting the travel needs of future residents. The Town s Official Plan policies include: provision of a public transit system that targets a high level of public transit usage in the Urban Area integration of all travel modes: walking, cycling, public transit, trains and private vehicles early introduction of public transit service to new development areas wherever economically feasible provision of transit service in the Milton Urban Area, within reasonable walking distance and at reasonable cost, to all sectors of the public, including persons with physical disabilities One of challenges for the Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan area, in addition to establishing land uses that support local transit, is developing transit service that will attract potential future riders. This will require: consideration of major inter-regional transit nodes and transfer locations, such as the existing GO Milton station to the west and the proposed Highway 401 / 407 ETR regional inter-modal transfer centre identification of appropriate transit nodes, local transfer locations and bus stop design and amenities and ENTRA Consultants 6/5/2008 Page 81

38 consideration of appropriate service types development of appropriate transit service routes and frequencies 5.2 Transit-oriented Development Transit-oriented development (TOD) is being explored in the Town of Milton as a means of maximizing transit ridership, maximizing the return on transit investment and infrastructure, and helping to achieve the goals of the community, as outlined in the Official Plan. The principles of transit-oriented development mesh with the Town s objectives, so they can both support and be supported by the implementation of Official Plan policies. In general, the more compact the urban form, the greater the support for walking, cycling and use of transit. In the study area it is important that uses are planned with built form and streetscape that support the use of alternative travel modes to the greatest extent possible, particularly transit. TOD is a development pattern characterized by the concentration of jobs, moderate and high-density housing, retail uses and services, and complementary public uses in mixeduse developments at strategic points along an area transit system. The location, design, configuration and mix of uses in a TOD provide an alternative to current suburban development trends by emphasizing a pedestrian-oriented environment and reinforcing the use of transit. 1 The strategic points of concentrated development in the TOD approach can vary in scale, configuration and focus. It is intended that TOD design principles be incorporated in the Milton Business Park II Secondary Plan. Potential TOD elements for possible consideration during the study include: ensure transit-supportive land uses, including establishing a mix of uses, to the extent possible optimize density around nodes like the intersection of Derry Road and James Snow Parkway provide convenient, comfortable pedestrian-oriented routes with development forms and siting of buildings that are pedestrian-friendly make the transit stop areas attractive and functional implement street and block layouts on a grid basis, with sidewalks on all streets consider reduced parking requirements integrate design for transit access and drop-off zones 1 ENTRA Consultants Inc., STRP Report 16, New Approaches to Suburban Land-Use Planning That Support Transit Use: Experience and Model Policy Wording, Toronto: Canadian Urban Transit Association, 2000, p.3. Page 82 6/5/2008 ENTRA Consultants