MCARTHUR AVENUE CYCLING LANES Photo: istock AS WE HEARD IT REPORT City of Ottawa Transportation Services
CONTENTS Background...1 Consultation Activities Summary...1 Public Commentary Questionnaire Results...2 Questionnaire Results...3 Public Commentary...8 ii McArthur Avenue Cycling Lanes
BACKGROUND The City of Ottawa is undertaking a transportation planning and functional design project to provide cycling lanes along McArthur Avenue. The project will examine a reconfiguration of the roadway to promote safe passage for pedestrians, cyclists, buses and cars. Although there are no immediate plans to reconstruct McArthur Avenue, the project will use pavement markings, signage and planter boxes to reconfigure the road and travel lanes. Also, given that there are schools and other community centres along this corridor, a secondary objective is to increase safety by reducing the road width and discouraging aggressive driving. The public was encouraged to provide feedback at two key stages of the project: 1. Public Open House (March 8, 2017) 2. Online questionnaire (March 8 March 22, 2017) This report provides a summary of the comments received through both the online public survey and the Public Open House. A complete transcript of all unedited comments can be obtained by request. CONSULTATION ACTIVITIES SUMMARY The City established a project webpage - ottawa.ca/ McArthuravenue. It has been updated at key checkpoints to provide important information including the project questionnaire, the plans and drawings from the Public Open House, and contact information. McArthur Avenue Cycling Lanes 1
PUBLIC COMMENTARY QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS Roughly 100 people completed the project questionnaire providing the study team with feedback regarding McArthur Avenue cycling lanes as well as a gauge of public interest on various traffic related topics. Approximately 12% identified as residents of McArthur Avenue; for those who provided their address information, the vast majority were within the immediate study area. most concentrated 2 McArthur Avenue Cycling Lanes
QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS Do you travel on McArthur Avenue on a daily basis? Yes: 54 No: 46 No answer: 6 46% 54% Do you work or own a business on McArthur Avenue? 12% Responses Yes: 12 No: 88 No answer: 6 88% Do you live on McArthur Avenue? Yes: 8 No: 93 No answer: 6 92% 8% McArthur Avenue Cycling Lanes 3
In your daily commute, which method of transport do you use more often on McArthur Avenue? Summer 8% 12% Walking: 11 Cycling: 40 44% 36% Automotive: 32 OC Transpo: 7 No Comment: 16 Winter 16% 17% Walking: 15 Cycling: 14 16% Automotive: 46 OC Transpo: 14 No Comment: 17 52% 4 McArthur Avenue Cycling Lanes
In a transportation related context on McArthur Avenue, how would you describe the following? Choose one answer. Pedestrian Safety 41% 35% 24% Good: 22 Acceptable: 32 Requires Improvements: 37 No Comment: 15 Driver Behavior 13% 64% 22% Good: 12 Acceptable: 20 Requires Improvements: 58 No Comment: 16 McArthur Avenue Cycling Lanes 5
Collision Frequency 33% 44% 22% Good: 14 Acceptable: 28 Requires Improvements: 21 No Comment: 43 Vehicular Speed 72% 12% 16% Good: 11 Acceptable: 15 Requires Improvements: 68 No Comment: 12 Cyclist Safety 77% 11% 12% Good: 10 Acceptable: 11 Requires Improvements: 70 No Comment: 15 6 McArthur Avenue Cycling Lanes
Implementing cycling facilities on McArthur Avenue may require changes to on-street parking. Which of the following statements best reflect your position? Changes to on-street parking Responses I would support removal of some parking in exchange for traffic calming and cycling improvements: 61 Please keep on-street parking as it is currently: 18 This is not a concern for me: 6 Other: 6 No comment: 6 P 65% 19% 16% Implementing cycling facilities on McArthur Avenue will require removal of some vehicular travel lanes. Which of the following statements best reflect your position? Removal of some vehicular Responses travel lanes I would support removal of some vehicular travel lanes in exchange for traffic calming and cycling improvements: 64 Please keep the number of vehicular travel lanes as it is currently: 28 This is not a concern for me: 5 Other: 5 No comment: 4 66% 29% 5% McArthur Avenue Cycling Lanes 7
PUBLIC COMMENTARY A working draft concept plan was developed and presented at the Public Open House. Members of the public were asked to provide their feedback / commentary. The draft plans were also available online for comment. Comments were received from 116 residents, several local businesses, the Quartier Vanier Business Improvement Association [QVBIA], which represents local businesses, the Overbrook Planning and Development Committee as well as advocacy groups such as Citizens for Safe Cycling. NOTE: This table is intended to summarize the long list of comments. As such, it may not necessarily detail the context of some ideas as originally intended by the respondents. COMMENTS Would like traffic calming measures on McArthur Avenue High traffic speeds on McArthur Avenue Cycling facilities proposed along McArthur Avenue are insufficient / uncomfortable In support of parking protected cycling facilities I do not support removing vehicular travel lanes on McArthur Avenue Would like to see round about on McArthur Avenue at Vanier Parkway Loading zone concerns at Brant Street Would prefer having cycling facilities on Donald Street vs McArthur Avenue Do not create parking on McArthur Avenue west of Vanier parkway, it is not necessary Floating lanes are not safe Would like raised intersections along McArthur Avenue Education is required for people to understand cycling facilities Cut through traffic concerns on Allen and Carmen Consider the traffic impacts of the modifications of Montreal Road and McArthur Avenue on the road network Narrowing the road is good and improves pedestrian and cycling experience McArthur Avenue does not require bike lanes, it will disrupt traffic flow of all vehicles and result in less bike safety Parking is important to a number of businesses along McArthur Avenue Donald Street connects directly to the Adawe Crossing and may be a better connection than McArthur Avenue Concerns with connectivity from St-Laurent Boulevard to Mutual Street Keep the street as it is. Law abiding bicycle riders do not require special lanes Very strongly support this project Please make it look nice, not cheap. Add planters/trees with nice plants Bike lanes should have continuous treatment at all junctions It has never been busy enough to have so many lanes and people speed often Would prefer having the cycling lane beside the curb instead of beside the parking Would like a crosswalk at Cyr Avenue and McArthur Avenue Would like segregated cycling lanes along McArthur Avenue Parking study did not include section east of Vanier Parkway Concerns with the road surface along McArthur Avenue Loading zone concerns at May Street School bus loading concerns at Robert E. Wilson Public School 8 McArthur Avenue Cycling Lanes