Sixth Line Development - Transit Facilities Plan

Transcription

1 Memorandum Date: November 13, 2012 To: From: c.c. Subject: Rob Freeman (Freeman Planning) Kevin Phillips Sixth Line Development - Transit Facilities Plan This memo was prepared to review the transit requirements for the proposed Sixth Line Development. The proposed development is on a parcel of land which is located on the northeast quadrant of the Sixth Line and Dundas Street intersection in the Town of Oakville. 1.1 DEVELOPMENTAL PROPOSAL The proposed development is one of the blocks to be developed in the surrounding area (within the North Oakville East Secondary Plan area of the Town of Oakville) bounded by Highway 407 to the north, Dundas Street to the south, Sixteen Mile Creek to the west and Ninth Line to the east. The ultimate North Oakville community is targeted to have a future population of 55,000 and employment of 35,000. The Sixth Line lands are generally bounded by Sixth Line to the west, future residential lands to the east and north, and Dundas Street to the south. In the vicinity of the study area, the lands are proposed primarily for residential uses. It is proposed to develop a total of 530 low and medium density residential dwelling units (442 units in blocks for a mix of single family/semi-detached/on-street townhomes, and 88 townhomes in another block) on the subject lands. Within the study area, four external access points to the subject development are proposed: three fullmovement intersections at Sixth Line, and one full-movement intersection at Dundas Street. Access to the subject development will also be via internal connections to adjacent lands on the east and north sides. 1.2 TRANSIT FACILITIES The development and configuration of the road network of the North Oakville lands is intended to be supportive of alternative travel modes, including transit. Local transit routes within the North Oakville lands are focused along the key east-west and north-south roadways. Local transit routes provide coverage such that most residences, and all schools, neighbourhood centres and public facilities are within a walking distance of no more than 400 metres of a bus stop. Bus stops should be placed at most intersections along the routes, passenger generators and transfer points. Bus stop spacing should be approximately metres (not less than 200 metres). It is also noted that maximum transit stop spacing along transit routes is typically 250 metres based on the Town of URS Canada Inc. 75 Commerce Valley Drive East Markham, ON Canada L3T 7N9 Tel: Fax:

2 Oakville s Transit Plan (August 2009) and the Terms of Reference for Transportation Impact Studies (dated August 31, 2009). The transit routing is complimented with a comprehensive network of sidewalks and bicycle connections throughout the community to facilitate walking and cycling to transit stops. This includes sidewalks on both sides of all streets and multi-use path or trail connections to link the adjacent sidewalks. Based on the Transportation Plan in the North Oakville East of Sixteen Mile Creek Secondary Plan (dated February 2008), the proposed transit corridors within the study area include: Dundas Street It is a designated Major Arterial/Transit Corridor which provides Primary Transit Corridor Service with high frequency service (service interval ranging from 2 to 5 minutes). It provides connections within Oakville, as well as inter-municipal connections and connections to an inter-regional network of services. As mentioned, Dundas Street will be widened to six lanes with provision of HOV lanes in the near future. Initially the HOV designation would be during peak periods only, then staged to HOV only (i.e. full time), and ultimately as Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lanes; Sixth Line It is a designated Minor Arterial/Transit Corridor which provides Secondary Transit Corridor Service with high frequency service (service interval ranging from 7 to 15 minutes); Street B It is a designated Avenue/Transit Corridor which provides Secondary Transit Corridor Service with high frequency service (service interval ranging from 7 to 15 minutes); Street C It is a designated Connector/Transit Corridor which provides local (community) services (service interval ranging from 15 to 30 minutes); and Street A It is a Local Street which provides local (community) services (service interval ranging from 15 to 30 minutes). Based on the criteria as stated in the Town of Oakville s Transit Plan (August 2009) and the North Oakville Secondary Plan Transit Plan Developer s Toolkit, as well as a review of the Concept Plan, transit stops are strategically proposed within the study area. The following is a summary of the proposed transit stop locations: Dundas Street / Sixth Line (Stop A, Shelter Info ); Dundas Street / Street A (Stop A, Shelter Info / Stop D, Basic) Sixth Line / Street B (Stop A, Shelter Info / Stop D, Basic); Sixth Line / Street C (Stop A, Shelter Info / Stop D, Basic); Sixth Line / Street D (Stop A, Shelter Info ); Street A / Street B (Stop D, Basic); Street A / Street C (Stop D, Basic) and ; Street C / Street H (Stop D, Basic). Figure 1 illustrates the proposed transit stop locations and types. It should be noted that these are preliminary locations for consideration, the stop locations and types should be reviewed when the ultimate transit routing plan is available given that some of the stops may not be required due to the potential for consolidated stops. N:\Traffic\Documents\2011\ Sixth Line Corporation\08-Reports\02-Transit Facilities Plan\Final_Memo-Sixth Line Transit_Nov13-12.doc - 2 -

3 1.2.1 Transit Corridor Cross-section Design For the above noted transit corridors, the design of the Major Arterial/Transit Corridors (i.e. Dundas Street) will be identified based on the findings of the Environmental Assessment Study; and the design of the Minor Arterial/Transit Corridor (i.e. Sixth Line) will be subject to future Environmental Assessment Study. The following table summarizes the proposed design of the Avenue, Connector and Local Transit Corridors within the study area based on the Town s requirements. Table 1: Transit Corridors Proposed Design Street A Street B Street B Road Type: Local Street Avenue/Transit Corridor Connector/Transit Corridor Type of Urban Area: Lane Pattern: Dundas Urban Core / Neighbourhood Centre 3.25 m 3.00 m 2.25 m parking Neighbourhood Centre 4.0 m x m parking x 2 General Urban / Neighbourhood Centre 3.25 m x m bike lane x 2 FOC* to FOC: 8.5 m 12.5 m 9.50 m R.O.W.: 17.0 m 22.0 m 19.0 m Sidewalk: Both Sides Both Sides Both Sides Cycling Facility: Signed Bike Route (north of Street B ) Signed Bike Route On-Street Bike Lanes * FOC is Face of Curb Transit Impacts Based on the results of the intersection capacity analysis for the total future traffic conditions (as documented in the Transportation Impact Study for the Sixth Line Development, prepared by URS in November 2012), all the studied intersections are not expected to experience significant delays for the weekday a.m. and p.m. peak hours. As such, it is anticipated that transit services within the study area will not be impacted by the operations at the studied intersections. Moreover, Dundas Street, the key inter-regional transit route within the area, is proposed to have HOV provisions and ultimately as Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lanes in the future which would further improve the reliability of the transit service Interim Transit Facilities It is noted that the phasing order of the development will be from south to north. The subject site is planned to be developed in 2 phases; and Phase 1 (south of Street 'C') is expected to be occupied after 2014 (i.e. after the scheduled widening of Dundas Street and Sixth Line). For interim conditions (which assumed that the subject development is advanced in absence of the adjacent developments on the east side), it is proposed that transit services be provided via a temporary route that loops around the southerly portion of the subject site via Street A and Street B Pedestrian and Cycling Connections to Transit Routes Pedestrian Facilities A comprehensive network of sidewalks and sidewalk connections are proposed to provide for convenient movement throughout the North Oakville Secondary Plan area. N:\Traffic\Documents\2011\ Sixth Line Corporation\08-Reports\02-Transit Facilities Plan\Final_Memo-Sixth Line Transit_Nov13-12.doc - 3 -

4 Sidewalk connections should also be incorporated to link sidewalks to paths and other walkways at notable sites, open space areas, as well as the Town s Natural Heritage System. The community is configured to provide pedestrian access to pedestrian and transit routes. It is desirable to provide pedestrian connections or openings to transit routes along arterial roads every 250 metres. Based on the North Oakville East Trails Plan (dated May 20, 2008) and the Town of Oakville Active Transportation Master Plan (dated September 2009), a network of trails was proposed within the North Oakville lands. The trails network will centre on the main east-west Natural Heritage System corridor, and it is comprised of a hierarchy of trail types including: Multi-Use Paths, Major Trails, and Minor Trails. In addition, pedestrian sidewalks (or multi-use paths) are proposed on both sides of Dundas Street (based on the EA Study). Within the Sixth Line lands, a functional pedestrian sidewalk network will be provided to complement the North Oakville East Trails to enhance pedestrian connectively and safety. Pedestrian sidewalks are generally proposed within the study area based on the following principles: Pedestrian sidewalks will be provided on both sides of all roadways; and Connections between the pedestrian sidewalk network and the Town s trail system will be provided with reasonable spacing. Figure 2 illustrates the proposed pedestrian sidewalk network within the study area. Cycling Facilities A comprehensive cycling plan for the North Oakville Secondary Plan area will improve the safety and attractiveness of cycling as an alternative travel mode. The Town of Oakville has prepared and approved the North Oakville East Trails Plan (dated May 20, 2008), as well as the Town of Oakville Active Transportation Master Plan (dated September 2009), which identified a comprehensive cycling (on- and off-road) and sidewalk network. Based on the North Oakville East Trails Plan (dated May 20, 2008), the conceptual bicycle network within the study area (as illustrated in Figure 7-2) includes: The east-west and north-south multi-use path within the Natural Heritage System (including the drainage corridor) on both sides of Sixth Line; Dundas Street It is a designated Regional Bicycle Facility; Sixth Line On-street bike lanes are proposed between Highway 407 and Dundas Street; Street C On-street bike lanes are proposed between Sixth Line and Trafalgar Road. Also, it is a designated Signed Bike Route west of Sixth Line; Street A It is proposed to be a Signed Bike Route between Street B and Burnhamthorpe Road; and Street B It is proposed to be a Signed Bike Route. Figure 3 illustrates the proposed cycling network within the study area. N:\Traffic\Documents\2011\ Sixth Line Corporation\08-Reports\02-Transit Facilities Plan\Final_Memo-Sixth Line Transit_Nov13-12.doc - 4 -

5 1.3 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS In summary, the configuration of the road network within the proposed Sixth Line development accommodates alternative travel modes (i.e. transit, walking and cycling). Local transit routes provide coverage such that most residences, neighborhood centres and public facilities will be within a reasonable walking distance of a bus stop. The proposed development is supported with transit routing complimented with a comprehensive network of sidewalks and bicycle connections throughout the community to facilitate walking and cycling to transit stops. These include sidewalks on both sides of all streets and multi-use path or trail connections to link the adjacent sidewalks. It is envisioned that higher non-auto mode splits for the North Oakville lands can be achieved as there is a comprehensive network of sidewalks and cycling facilities, transit services, HOV and/or Bus Rapid Transit lanes on the arterial corridors, and to some extent since there will be auto congestion on the primary Dundas Street corridor which would promote other travel modes. Also, there are planning related attributes of the North Oakville lands that promote non-auto travel, such as consolidated mixeduse development in compact urban form, transit supportive land use densities, a pedestrian/cyclist friendly grid base street system, as well as effective parking management strategies within the community. N:\Traffic\Documents\2011\ Sixth Line Corporation\08-Reports\02-Transit Facilities Plan\Final_Memo-Sixth Line Transit_Nov13-12.doc - 5 -

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