Durham Region Long Term Transit Strategy An adaptive, safe, reliable, frequent, accessible and desirable transit system that shapes and connects Durham Region and beyond in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner. Presentation to City of Oshawa Development Services Committee 1 1 Agenda 1. Summary 2. LTTS and the EA Process 3. DRAFT Regional Rapid Transit Network 4. Highway 2 Rapid Transit Functional Planning 5. Public Consultation 6. Next Steps 2 2
Summary Purpose of Project: Identify Regional Rapid Transit Network Provide sufficient justification to support future funding applications Status: Draft Regional Rapid Transit Network complete Draft Hwy 2 Conceptual Design Complete Hwy 2 Pinch Point Options Identified Preliminary Technology Recommendations Cost Benefit and Economic Analysis underway Key Issues: Project Team is working cooperatively with regional and local municipal staff to ensure that key issues are identified early in the process (no surprises in Phase 3) 3 3 Schedule LTTS to be completed by March 2010 in accordance with the signed Contribution Agreement. Draft Report Submitted to the Region December 18, 2009 Distributed to municipalities for review and comment. Final Report Complete by February 15, 2010 4 4
Consultation with Local Municipalities June 29, 2009: Technical Advisory Group Meeting (TAG) March 23 April 2, 2009: Individual meetings with Lakeshore Municipalities: July 10 July 22, 2009: Individual meetings with Lakeshore Municipalities August 13, 2009: Project Team Meeting (Lakeshore Municipalities attended) Post Aug 13: Comments received from Ajax, Oshawa and Pickering November 2, 2009: TAG Meeting General Public Community Advisory Committee meetings (CAC) Stakeholder Advisory Committee meetings (SAC) Open Houses 5 5 LTTS and the EA Process Phase 1: Problem Statement The quality, speed and reliability of existing transit services along the Region s key corridors are being negatively impacted by existing traffic congestion. Planned road network improvements are not expected to mitigate these impacts and they are expected to worsen over the next 20 years as traffic demand increases. By 2031, forecasted travel demands along many of the Region s major travel corridors are expected to exceed the available capacity. Opportunity To improve Public Transit service in the Region to address intra- and inter-regional travel demands To support Regional and Municipal planning policies, with Rapid Transit acting as a catalyst for future land use development Phase 2: Preferred solution as shown in the Draft Rapid Transit Network Phase 3: Alternative Methods of Implementing the Preferred Solution (Hwy 2) We are beginning to look at these issues now, in order to: Phases 1 & 2 and the preliminary Ensure Feasibility stages of Phase 3 are being Identify Key Issues undertaken as part of the LTTS project Engage Residents and Other Stakeholders Phase 3, 4 & 5 will be undertaken as Raise Awareness the project progresses to subsequent Phase 4: Environmental Study Report stages Phase 5: Implementation 6 6
Rapid Transit : BRT or LRT in exclusive or semi-exclusive right of ways Enhanced Conventional: Distinctive Stations/Vehicles/Passenger Amenities Increased Average Speeds Arterial Conventional: Grid network Feeder Conventional: Neighborhood service Corridor Types 7 7 Proposed Rapid Transit Network 8 8
Consistency with Metrolinx 9 9 Hwy 2 Rapid Transit Why LRT in the long-term? Future Ridership > Bus Capacity Sparks Urban Growth Supports Transit Oriented Development Meets Vision Statement Objectives: Short-term options for Hwy 2: Bus Rapid Transit (HOV to dedicated lanes) Mixed-Traffic Operations through pinch points Transit Signal Priority HOV / Queue-Jump Lanes 10 10
Functional Planning for Hwy 2 Rapid Transit Goals of the Highway 2 Functional Planning work: Assess the feasibility of accommodating Rapid Transit throughout the corridor Identify pinch points Identify right-of-way requirements and potential property impacts Assess operational impacts and benefits (i.e. through microsimulation) Pinch-point options are for illustrative purposes only These and other options will be developed in more detail in subsequent Phase 3 of the EA process Based on consultation with local municipalities 11 11 Cycling Facilities Council Direction (October 21, 2008) adopt Regional Cycling Plan recommendations Regional Cycling Plan Highway 2 Corridor = Regional Cycling Spine Urban Cross Section: Multi-use boulevard path on one side of the road Rural Cross Section: Paved shoulder bikeway on both sides of the road Wherever possible include a 3.0 m multi-use boulevard on north side of the road Bike lanes may be preferred in some sections where a multi-use trail is not feasible Consideration should be given to the use of alternative, parallel routes for cycling, where available, rather than forcing cyclists into mixed traffic on a high-volume arterial road 12 12
Oshawa Mainline Options 13 13 Oshawa/Courtice Mainline Options 14 14
Possible Pinch Point Options 15 15 Possible Cross-Section 16 16
Possible Cross-Section 17 17 Local Council meetings Presentations requested by area municipalities: Pickering Planning Committee: October 5 Ajax General Government Committee: October 8 Clarington Council: November 16 Oshawa Development Services Committee: November 16 Whitby Council: November 16 Uxbridge Council: November 23 18 18
Future Public Consultation CAC, SAC and Open House meetings to be held Winter 2010 19 19 Thank you 20 20