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Home My WebLink AboutDSD-19-235 - Complete StreetsREPORT TO: Community & Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: October 21, 2019 SUBMITTED BY: Barry Cronkite, Director Transportation Services, 519-741-2200 ext. 7738 PREPARED BY: Darren Kropf, Active Transportation Planning Project Manager, 519-741-2200 ext. 7314 WARD (S) INVOLVED: All DATE OF REPORT:October 10, 2019 REPORT NO.: DSD-19-235 SUBJECT: Complete Streets ___________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That the City of Kitchener’s Complete Streets guidelines, attached as Appendix A, be approved and applied to the design of future street reconstruction projects; That the Complete Streets scorecard, included in Appendix A, be incorporated into street reconstruction project planning and reporting; That city staff be directed to update the city’s Development Manual to incorporate the Complete Streets vision, goals, principles and street designs into new developments; and That staff be directed to report back to City Council onprogress in 2024. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: A Complete Streetis designed in a manner thatconsiders the needs of people of all ages and abilities, and considers allmodes of transportation. A street can be defined as“complete” when it is safe, comfortableand convenientfor all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, transit ridersand motorists. Complete streets also contribute to sustainability, health and social priorities, and enhancestreetscapes, leading to streets that becomeplaces to enjoyrather than places to move through quickly. The City of Kitchener’s newComplete Streets guidelines shouldbe used to guide all roadway projects in Kitchener. Most common applications include the design of new streetsthrough land development processes,roadway reconstruction projects, or streetretrofits. The vision for Kitchener’s Complete Streets approach is: “Every street in Kitchener is safe, comfortable and convenient for all.” *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 2 - 1 To achieve this approach, the guidelines provide new cross-sections and street designfeatures that draw on best practices from other cities and transportation planning industry standards, including: Narrower lanes of 3.0 m or 3.3 m for bus routes Widen sidewalks from 1.5 m to 1.8 m “All ages and abilities” bicycle standards, including new “cycle track” design Improving transit access using features such asfloating bus stops and bus bulbs Wider boulevards Tighter turning radii and curb extensions New woonerf alternative Proposed green street alternative Introduction of arterialstreet classificationsubcategories. A key tool in realizing the Complete Streets vision is the Complete Streets scorecard, forcity- led road reconstructions. The scorecard will encourage a culture shift in supportof the Complete Streets vision, putsa stronger emphasis on sustainable modes of transportation and prioritizedifferent designelements, and assistsin understanding operational and maintenance impacts. BACKGROUND: 21 The City of Kitchener owns and maintains 763.1 linear km of streets on 14.1 kmof land.That means approximately 45% of all city-owned land and 10% of all land in Kitchener is dedicated to streets. 2 Over 80 municipalities in Canada have taken a Complete Streets approach.Designing streets for allusersisa best practiceand expectationin transportation planning, supported by leading industry organizations such as Institute for Traffic Engineers (ITE), Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) andNational Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO). On June 24, 2019, Kitchener City Council unanimously voted to declare a climate emergency, joining 400 other Canadian municipalities in highlighting the urgent need for strong action in addressing the threat posed by climate change.With transportation emissions accounting for 3 49% of total emissions in Waterloo Region, every street project is an opportunity to transform the city’s transportation system to provide more transportation options and helpachieve the city’s climate action goals. 1 According to City of Kitchener Geographic Information System (GIS) data. 2 The Centre for Active Transportation, “Where are Complete Streets in Canada?” https://www.completestreetsforcanada.ca/locations/. 3 Climate Action Waterloo Region, “Our Progress, Our Path: An Update on Waterloo Region’s Community Carbon Footprint” (Kitchener, 2015). 2 - 2 REPORT: Complete Streets emphasize the importance of designing for safety of vulnerable road users and safe motor vehicle speeds, improving transportation choices and advancing sustainability. Benefits of complete streets Safety – Reducing motor vehicle speeds is amajor contributor to safety for all users. Complete Streets reduce speedsby narrowing the road width and provides more space in the right-of-way for boulevards, sidewalks and/or bicycle infrastructure. Cost effective – Speed and safety are common concerns that are heard from the general public. This has led to many traffic calming projects and road safety initiatives. Retrofitting “incomplete” streets for safer speeds and more balanced transportation infrastructure is more costly than building complete streets during new land development processesor during scheduled reconstructions. Maximizing transit investment – The Region of Waterloo and local taxpayers have made a significant investment in ION light rail and transit improvements. Complete Streets maximize these investments by emphasizing safe, convenient accessto transit throughactive transportation. Reducing road congestion – For every person choosing to walk, bike or take transit, that’s one less vehicle contributing to road congestionand wear and tear on the roadway. Complete Streets create a more balanced transportation network that reduces reliance on single-occupant vehicles. Climate action – In 2016, 46% of all vehicle trips in Waterloo Region werelessthan 5 km with 4 no passengers.Complete Streets facilitate a shift ofthese trips to active transportation and/or transit, making a significant contribution to reaching climate action goals. Environmental sustainability – Complete Streets improve stormwater runoff quality and quantity through incorporation of Low Impact Development (LID) features and providing boulevard space to protect and grow the tree canopy. Economic development – The Canadian Automobile Associationestimates that vehicle 5 ownership has a cost of $9,500 per year.Complete Streets provideviable alternatives to vehicle ownership, improvingresidents’ cost of living and freeingup discretionary funds for purchases in the local economy.Complete Streets and vibrant streetscapes attract businesses, talent and 4 Transportation Information Steering Committee (TISC), “Transportation for Tomorrow Survey,” (Toronto, 2016), http://dmg.utoronto.ca/transportation-tomorrow-survey/tts-introduction. 5 Canadian Automobile Association, “CAA provides real picture of annual driving costs,” (Ottawa, 2013), https://www.caa.ca/caa-provides-real-picture-of-annual-driving-costs/. 2 - 3 investment through, lively shopping districts, stress-free commuting options and efficient movement of goods and people. Quality of life - 10% of population health outcomes can be attributable to ourphysical or built 6 environment. Complete Streets createphysical environmentsthat facilitate healthy living, supporting individuals in making better choices for their health. Policy direction for Complete Streets City and provincial policies have identified the need for and expectation of Complete Streets in Kitchener. Aformalizedset of Complete Streets guidelines, and accompanying implementation and evaluation plan, is needed toensure this policy direction is achieved. The guidelines will help to achieve andreinforce the following policy objectives: The province of Ontario provided policy direction for Complete Streets in 2017. This policydirection was maintained in the 2019 update calledA Place to Grow: The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.The policy calls for a complete streets approach through the design, refurbishment or reconstruction of the existing and planned street network. Kitchener’s Official Plan: A Complete & Healthy Kitchener(2014) recognizes an integrated transportation system is an essential part of the city’s urban structure and a key element in shaping the form and character of growth in the city. The plan seeks to encourage a wide range of viable transportation choices in Kitchener. The Kitchener Integrated Transportation Master Plan(TMP) (2013) defines and prioritizes an integrated transportation system that is supportive of all modes of travel. This includes walking, cycling, public transit and the automobile. The TMP also provides direction to maintain and improve the City’s street network to move people and goods, but with reduced dependence on single occupant vehicles. The main goal of the TMP is to “plan a transportation system that reduces dependence on the private automobile in Kitchener by 2031.” The Sidewalk Infill Policy(2015) endeavours to include sidewalks on both sides of every street to support a sustainable community and a pedestrian friendly environmentand removes barriers to equitable access to the community no matter age or ability. The vision of Kitchener’s Cycling Master Plan for the 21st Century(2010) is to “enhance the choice to cycle as a viable means of transportation and recreation through the provision of a safe, comfortable and connected bikeway network.” 6 Keon WJ, Pépin L. “A healthy, productive Canada: adeterminant of health approach.” The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, Final Report of Senate Subcommittee on Population Health, (Ottawa: 2009). 2 - 4 The City of Kitchener’s pedestrian charter(2005) aims to create an urban environment in all parts of the city that encourages and supports walking, as a critical mode of transportation. There are a number of additionaldocuments that guide the design of a street’s right of way. The staff involved in these plans were consulted in the development of Complete Streets to ensure coordination between the different plans. Neighbourhood Speed Limit Review (2019) – Completes streets use street design features to encourage safe speeds. Urban Design Manual (2019) – Guides the design and placement of buildings, public spaces, transportation systems and other amenities. Development Manual (2015)– Provides new development with technical standards and guidance for subdivisions, site plans, streets, all associated infrastructure and utilities, watermains, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, stormwater management, streetlighting, natural gas, lot grading, erosion and sediment control and parks and trails. Kitchener, Changing for Good: Our corporate climate action plan for sustainability(2019) – a detailed strategy for reducing Kitchener’s corporate level greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation strategy. Kitchener’s Sustainable Urban Forest Strategy (2019) – A vision and framework to guide Kitchener’s sustainable urban forest. Corporate Asset Management Policy (2018) – Managesthe city’s assets by incorporating all aspects of asset maintenance and service delivery. O.Reg. 239 of the Municipal Act: Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways (2018) – Establishes maintenance standards in regards to inspections, snow accumulation, ice formation, potholes, cracks, debris, signs, and more, for municipal streets, sidewalks and bicycle facilities. Integrated StormwaterMaster Plan (2016) – Sets targetsforstormwater management and how to achievethem. Love My Hood: Kitchener’s Guide to Great Neighbourhoods (2017) - Encourages residents to take the lead in shaping their neighbourhood, with help from the city. Age Friendly Kitchener Action Plan (2017) – “A community in which we can all live well and age well,” with accessible and affordable neighbourhoods. Improving the design and functionality of streets supports safety and accessibility, encourages social connections, and promotes healthy lifestyles for residents of all ages. Purpose of the Complete Streets guidelines The intent of Kitchener’s Complete Streets guidelines is to provide direction onall streetrelated projectsin Kitchener. Most common applications include the design of new streetsthrough land development processes,city roadway reconstruction projectsor street retrofits. 2 - 5 The purpose of the guidelines is to: Assist in implementing the vision for Kitchener’s streets set out in the city’s Official Plan; Provide a clear design process that enhances collaboration on city roadwayprojects; Provide examples of design features to be considered and assessed in street design processes; Useevery street design project as an opportunityto advancethe Complete Streets vision; Integrate adopted city policies, standards and bylaws as they relate to street design; Provide city and agency staff, consultants, private developers and community groups with information on how to design streetsthat meet city-wide objectives; Educate stakeholders about thebenefits of Complete Streets; and Communicate to Kitchener residents about the considerations that are guiding the design of Kitchener’s streets. If approved, City staff will apply the guidelines to roadwayreconstructions and retrofits. In order to require new developmentsto adopt the Complete Streets approach, staff propose that the vision, cross-sections and design features of the Complete Streets guidelines be integrated into the next update of the Development Manual, expected in late 2019 to early 2020. A shorter version of the guidelines, called the Community Edition, was prepared as a communication tool for the community. It is intended to be used primarilyat roadway reconstruction consultations. It includes the high-level vision, goals, and principlesas well as some of the key cross-sections and design features of Complete Streets. Layout of the Complete Streets guidelines There are six sections of the guidelines: Section 1: Kitchener’s Vision for Complete Streetsdescribes the vision, design goals and design principles that are used to guide efforts and make streets more complete. Section 2: Street classificationsprovidesa description and cross-section for the city’s four street classifications: local streets, minor collector streets, major collector streets and arterial streets. Section 3: Street designprovides technical guidance for the various aspects of street design, including pedestrian, cycling, transit, motor vehicle, intersection, streetscape, sustainable infrastructure, maintenance & utilities, temporary conditions and smart streets. Section 4: Emerging trendsdescribes some of the new or growing in importance aspects of transportation planning that are shaping street design, including mobility hubs, curbside management andmicromobility. Section 5: Making it happenincludes a scorecard tool for reconstruction projects and twenty actions to ensure the Complete Streets vision is achieved. 2 - 6 Section 6: Changing Kitchener – for the betterdescribes the community engagementprocess for developingComplete Streetsand how it contributes to People-Friendly Transportation. Summary of major design features Within the Complete Streets guidelines there are several design features that adapt, evolve or change current street design practices. All proposed changes are to be completed within the existing right-of-way widthsfor each street classification. Proposed major RationaleIndustry support design featuresof Complete Streets ITErecommends narrower lanes to manage or Narrowerlanes of Contribute to safe reduce speed. 3.0 m or 3.3 mfor speeds and reallocate bus routes space topedestrian, TACrevised its minimum lane widths in 2017 to cycling and/or boulevard 3.0 – 3.7 m, and as low at 2.7 m in constrained features. scenarios. ITErecommends a 1.8 m preferred minimum Widen sidewalks Provides enough space and1.5 m absolute minimum in constrained from 1.5 m to 1.8 for two wheelchair users scenarios. m or strollers to pass side by side, and greater Cities with 1.8 m minimums or more include comfort for all Waterloo, Region of Waterloo, Niagara Region, pedestrians. Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Saskatoon. “All ages and Designing for “all ages Industry best practices for cycling design abilities”bicycle and abilities” can attract have shifted significantly in the last five standards,people who would like to years. Painted bike lanes are considered a including new bike but currently don’t supporting feature on low volumes roads, “cycle track”feel safe or comfortable. and not the defaultoption for cycling. Separated bike lanes provide physical Proposed cycling facilities are consistent separation from motor with Ontario Traffic Manual Book 18, vehicles while cycle NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide, tracks place the bike TAC Geometric Design Guide for Canadian lane next to the sidewalk Roads Chapter 5 – Bicycle Integrated in the boulevard. Design, and other cycling guides. Transit accessProvide better Design features are consistent with Grand through floating integration of River Transit standards, which are also bus stops, bus pedestrians, cycling and being updatedto reflect current best bulbs, etc.transit infrastructure, practices. improve the waiting experience and facilitate Hamilton, Toronto, Winnipeg, Victoria, fastertransit service. Vancouver and many U.S. cities have built floating bus stops. 2 - 7 Proposed major RationaleIndustry support design featuresof Complete Streets Wider boulevardsProvide more space for Supported by thecity’s existing snow storage, tree soil maintenance, urban forestry and volume, and softscaping stormwater management objectives. for improved stormwater management, and pedestrian comfort. Tighter turning Tighter turning radii ITE recommends a design vehicle and radiiand curb contribute to reduced control vehicle approach to identifying extensionsspeeds,notably at turning radii and curb extensions, to better intersections where balance all users at street intersections. pedestrians cross,while also reducing pedestrian NACTO advises in its Urban Design Guide: crossing distance.“Minimizing the size of corner radius is critical to creating compact intersections with safe turning speeds.” New woonerf Provide an alternative Canadian cities with woonerfs include alternativecross-section in Guelph, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Toronto, constrained right of ways Frederiction and Ottawa. Waterloo has or where a different identified Larch Street as a woonerf in its residential or Northdale Land Useand Community commercial experience Improvement Plan Study. is desired. Proposed green Provide an alternative Aquafor Beech, a consultant specializing in street alternativecross-section for stormwater management and low impact environmentally development, is developing this cross- sensitive lands.section for the Development Manual. Introduction of Arterial streets can vary Most urban cities have several arterial in function quite classifications or options withinthe arterial subcategoriessignificantly depending classification. on land useor built form context.An Official Plan amendment is proposed for the future. 2 - 8 How the guidelines were developed City staff across divisions, residents and stakeholders worked together through several stages to create the Complete Streets guidelines. StageTimingActionsDeliverables Project 2017Identified scope of project and Project charter initiation and available resources planning Best practices Early2018Staff researched other cities’ Common themes and research– Spring complete streets approach, drawing design standards were 2019on comparable citiesin terms of size incorporated into a first and climate including London (ON), draft. Ottawa, Niagara, Hamilton, Kingston, Calgary, Edmonton and A full list of resources Saskatoon.cited and consulted is included at the end of Staff consulted key industry the guidelines documents from ITE, TAC, NACTO, (Appendix A). Ontario Traffic Manuals and more. Staff attended a Complete Streets Workshop in Ottawa on October 23, 2018, hosted by ITE. Community January –Staff partnered with students in 339 people engaged. engagementApril 2019Wilfrid Laurier University’s CMEG 305 Community Engagement and Analysisof community SE 330B Social Innovation in the engagement feedback City to deliver community is provided in Appendix engagement. D and online survey responses are in Appendix E. Staff ThroughoutProject team of staff representatives Comments collected engagementfrom various DSD and INS divisions and incorporated as guided the project. appropriateinto successive drafts. Transportation staff hosted a workshop for city staff who manage large vehicles, including Fire, Fleet, Operations, Roads & Traffic and Utilities. Stakeholder January –Staff conducted severalComments collected engagementSeptember presentations and meetingswith and incorporated as 2019stakeholders(full list in Community appropriateinto Engagement section of this report).successive drafts. 2 - 9 StageTimingActionsDeliverables Public September Draft of the guidelines and outline of 271 peopleengaged. comment on 2019major design changes presented in draftan online survey, open house and Summary of online city advisory committees. comments provided in Appendix F. Peer review August–The Centre for Active Transportation Peer review provided in rd of draftSeptember (TCAT) was retained to provide a 3Appendix C. 2019party peer review, analysis and critiqueof Kitchener’s guidelines. They conclude: “Kitchener’s guidelines were developed in alignment with the ten elements of anideal Complete Streets policy as identified by the National Complete Streets Coalition, and use the most recent and best design criteria for making streets safe, comfortable and convenient for all.” Final October Comments from stakeholders, Final document, document2019public, and TCAT incorporated into Appendix A final document. Complete Streets Scorecard A key tool to assist in applying the Complete Streets visionto every reconstruction project is the Complete Streets scorecard.The scorecard has several purposes: Encourage a culture shift in support of the Complete Streets vision; Put a stronger emphasis on sustainable modes of transportation and other street uses; Assist in prioritizing different street elements, especially when constraints require difficult trade-offs; and Understand operations and maintenance impacts Implementationand evaluation plan The Complete Streets vision will require strategic efforts on behalf of city staff, city council, industry partners and the entire community. Staff expects the Complete Streets guidelines will need to be updated asindustry standards evolve. City staff propose returning to City Council in 2024 to report on progress, update the guidelines and make further recommendations to City Council. Risks and challenges Consistent application of the guidelines Due to the specific constraints, contexts and opportunities of each individual street, some streets may not be able to be as “complete” as desired. To mitigate this risk, the scorecard has been 2 - 10 developed as one tool to help staff understand the “trade-offs” that are often involved in a street design process. Maintenance challenges The city is active in the management and maintenance of city streets, driven by Provincial standards (the Minimum Maintenance Standards), city bylaws and policy and best practices. Generally speaking, the standards within these policies and legislation are increasingly expanding the scope and nature of city involvement in street management. For example, in 2018, the MMS was enhanced to include cycle facilities and sidewalks within the legislation, and staff anticipate that maintenance standardswillgrow over coming years, reflectingthe desire for increasing opportunitiesto encourage transportation by means other than single-occupancy private vehicle. Meeting these provincially legislated standards protects both users of streets, and the city. Moving toward a Complete Streets approach creates both challenge and opportunity from an operational perspective. Over the past 50 years, the philosophy behind street management has been to be more efficient. Efficiency has been driven by developing large equipment that can do more, in a shorter amount of time, with fewer staff. Fundamentally, as we start to divide our streetscape into sections, and create obstacles and barriers for large equipment and vehicles, the city will need to look at the resource implications of seeking smaller equipment, designed for different environments, in order that we maintain the existing level of service expected by residents; or adjusting service levels to operational capacity. The resource implications are not yet fully understood of moving to a Complete Street model in Kitchener; which will influence the nature and extent of infrastructure we are responsible for, and the equipment requiredto manage this with. As we start to evolve from a traditional streetscape to a Complete Street model, there will be a process of change, where existing equipment and resources may be placed into situations they are not designed for. This may increase the need for road closuresand disruption while large equipment operates in a small street and it also places our staff and members of the public in positions where conflict and accidents can occur. It should be noted that other municipalities are also working to address these challenges and Kitchener staff have reached out to other municipalities to share lessons and management strategies. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: People-friendly transportation Our goal: Transform how people move through the city by making the transportation network safe, comfortable and connected. Action: Develop a set ofComplete Streets(safe and comfortable) guidelines and an associated evaluation scorecard by 2020 to apply to roadway construction projects. 2 - 11 The need for Complete Streets guidelines was first identified in 2017 and is included in the Corporate Business Plan as item NB18. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Having Complete Streets guidelines in place is expected to help the city avoid costly retrofits for traffic calming, sidewalkinfilland cycling facilities that often occur years after a street is built, because these features were not included in the original scope of capital projects. The National Complete Streets Coalition has foundthatComplete Streets “adds little to no expense to their \[capital\] transportation budgets. Complete Streets are more cost effective than the alternative – streetsmade only for cars. In some cases, Complete Streets can help jurisdictions save money. In allcases, Complete Streets are long-term investments in the overall 7 health of communitieswho adoptpolicies.” Slight increases in capital funding may be required for higher order streets with enhanced pedestrian crossings and cycling facilities. These willbe assessed on a case-by-case basis and will be guided by the Cycling and Trails Master Plan. It is worth noting that Complete Streets can have increased maintenance costs, especially when a new transportation asset, such as a separated bike lane, is added to a street that previously did not have these assets. These will also be assessed on a case by case basis.There will be opportunities through equipment review to ‘right-size’ maintenance equipment; however, as active transportation networks are built out there will be a need for service level increases as identified through future budget processes. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the council / committee meeting.Four media stories were generated during the community engagement phases. CONSULT – Two phases of engagement were conductedto gather initial feedback and confirm the Complete Streets guidelines are reflective of community priorities. 7 National Complete Streets Coalition, “Implementing Complete Streets: Costs of Complete Streets,” (Washington, DC) https://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/app/legacy/documents/cs/factsheets/cs-costs.pdf. 2 - 12 During the first phase, avariety of engagement tactics were conducted to reach a broad cross- section of our community and hear from a variety of perspectives: Engagement approachNumber of participants Key stakeholder interviews3 Online survey230 Street team in-person surveys56 Design charrettes53 Total339 The design charrettes were conducted with different groups of people to target different ages and abilities, including Wilson Avenue Public School, Trinity Village Retirement Community and 44 Gaukel, which wasopen to the public, with a special invitation to people supported by Extend- A-Family Waterloo Region. During the final phase of engagement, the following approaches were used to gather feedback on the draft guidelines: Engagement approachNumber of participants Online survey198 Open house at Breithaupt Centre17 City advisory committees 50 Direct phone calls and emailsto staff6 Total271 City advisory committees included Economic Development Advisory Committee, Downtown Action and AdvisoryCommittee, Cycling and Trails Advisory Committee, Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee, Environmental Committee. In addition to the 610residents who were engaged in this project, the following stakeholders were engaged and invited to submit comments: City of Waterloo City of Cambridge Region of Waterloo – Transportation Engineering Region of Waterloo – Public Health Region of Waterloo – Grand River Transit Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region Kitchener Wilmot Hydro Bell Communications Rogers Communications Kitchener Fire 2 - 13 Kitchener Utilities Waterloo Region Homebuilders Association Sustainable Waterloo Region - Travelwise Climate Action Transportation Working Group The Waterloo Region Homebuilders Association (WRHBA) was consulted on August 23, 2019. They identified the desire for narrower boulevards and shared concerns around: traffic congestion in new, high density subdivisions; costs of active transportation infrastructure; winter maintenance; and the pace of change. Staff have mitigated and/or addressed many of WRHBA concerns through the Complete Streets Guidelines. However, staff have identified thatwider boulevards are needed for snow storage and separation for pedestrians. It is worth noting thatactive transportation is not a significant additional cost in the context of new development, given changes can be made within the existing right-of-way allocations. Further, the installation of Complete Streets can contribute to reduced traffic congestion. City staff will continue to engage WRHBA in response to their concernsand any future or unresolved concerns can beintegrated into the Development Manual where feasible. Additionally, all future and/orunresolved concerns will be flagged and explored in the next Complete Streets update, currently plannedin 2024. COLLABORATE – City staff partnered with Wilfrid Laurier University’sCMEG 305 Community Engagement and SE 330B Social Innovation in the City classes to deliver community engagement for Complete Streets. Staff, students and advisors worked together to plan and execute community engagement tactics and analyze and summarize the feedback provided by the community. Community engagement feedback Full analysisand responses of both phases of engagement are found in Appendix D, Appendix E and Appendix F. In phase 1, in response to the question “what makes a great street?” responses found: 48% of respondents described streets that are safe and comfortable for walking and either gave high priority to pedestrians or were closed to cars entirely; The identification of some major arterial roads that are primarily designed to move high volumes of vehicles demonstrates that some members of the public put a high value on direct and convenient automobile travel. In response to a question about feeling unsafe on a street, common responses included: Close calls while riding bikes, walking atnight, and in roundabouts; Some intersections can feel dangerous to both cyclists and pedestrians; and Traffic speed. 2 - 14 Survey respondents are most interested in these features when creating “streets as places:” Trees and greenery; Public seating areas; and Wider sidewalks. In phase 2of community engagement, major themes from comments included: Support for improving accessibility for all abilities; Concerns about costs, especially related to wider sidewalks; Support for narrower vehicle lanes if it leads to reduced speeds. Concerns narrower vehicle lanes may squeeze cyclists even more, cause congestion or reduce parking availability; Support for an emphasis on cycling infrastructure that is safe and comfortable for all ages and abilities, especially children. Support for more trees in the street right of way. Questions about if and how active transportation can be supported during winter; Desire to see solutions implemented in the interim on streets with known safety concerns, and not just wait many years or decades until reconstruction; and Encouragement to see Complete Streets implemented effectively and funded adequately. Overall, through the online survey, 70% of respondents indicated they were happy with the direction the city is taking, 15% were neutral and 15% were unhappy. PREVIOUS CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER: INS-15-101, Proactive Traffic Calming in New Subdivisions APPENDICES: Appendix A - Complete Streets Kitchener Appendix B - Complete Streets Kitchener: Community Edition Appendix C – The Centre for Active Transportation Peer Review Appendix D – Laurier phase 1engagement analysis Appendix E – Engage Kitchener phase 1 engagement responses Appendix F – Engage Kitchener phase 2 engagement responses ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services Department 2 - 15 COMPLETE STREETS KITCHENER STREETS FOR ALL Design for safety Improve transportation choices Advance sustainability 2 - 16 Contents Section 1: Kitchener’s Vision for Complete Streets.................................................................... 5 What are Complete Streets?.................................................................................................. 5 Kitchener’s Complete Streets vision....................................................................................... 6 Policy support for Complete Streets in Kitchener.................................................................... 9 How to use this document.....................................................................................................11 Section 2: Street Classifications................................................................................................13 Local streets..........................................................................................................................14 Minor neighbourhood collector streets...................................................................................22 Major community collector streets.........................................................................................26 Arterial streets.......................................................................................................................30 Summary of street classifications and map............................................................................37 Section 3: Street design............................................................................................................41 Pedestrian design..................................................................................................................41 Cycling design.......................................................................................................................50 Transit design........................................................................................................................60 Motor vehicle design..............................................................................................................69 Intersection design................................................................................................................76 Streetscape design................................................................................................................87 Sustainable infrastructure design...........................................................................................90 Maintenance & utilities design...............................................................................................93 Temporary conditions design.................................................................................................94 Smart streets design..............................................................................................................95 Section 4: Emerging Trends......................................................................................................97 Mobility hubs.........................................................................................................................97 Curbside management..........................................................................................................99 Micromobility.......................................................................................................................100 Section 5: Making it happen....................................................................................................103 Kitchener’s Complete Streets scorecard..............................................................................103 Implementation & evaluation plan........................................................................................112 Section 6: Changing Kitchener – for the better........................................................................117 Community engagement.....................................................................................................117 People-friendly transportation..............................................................................................122 Glossary& Works Cited and Consulted..................................................................................123 2 - 17 Acknowledgements The development of Kitchener’s Complete Streets approach was a collaborative effort of city staff, stakeholdersand residents. Thank you to the many people who contributed their time and energy to changing Kitchener’s streets – for the better. Project team & contributors Aaron McCrimmon-Jones, Adam Clark, Barry Cronkite, Dayna Edwards, Janette MacDonald, Jason Brule, Lindsay Button, Mara Engel, Matt Wilson, Robert Morgan, Steve Allen, Tom Margetts, Claire Bennett, Philip Price, Scott Berry,Danny Pimentel,Brynn Dolfi, Justin Readman,Colleen Collins, Trevor Botting Project manager Darren Kropf Photography Brynn Dolfi,Zac Jolliffe,Laura McBride, Darren Kropf Cross-section graphic design Alta Planning + Design Community engagement Morgan Gracey, Scott Hutter, Elie Jahshan, Jenna Maingot, Sabrina Moyer, Connor O’Brien, Kiera Quarrington, Tristan Stephen, Thurka Subendran, Heather Montgomery, Kearney Coupland, Bob Sharpe, Edmund Pries, John Abraham Liability statement Kitchener’sComplete Streets guidelines are based on recent experiences designing and constructing streets and extensive consultation with city divisions, agencies, the public, councillors, industry and community stakeholders, as well as best practices from local, provincial, national and international sources. It integrates and builds upon the latest available city policies, standards and guidelines. It is consistent with other provincial, federal and nongovernmental organizations, including the Ontario Traffic Council (OTC), Transportation Association of Canada (TAC), Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) and other sources. These guidelines also work within existing Provincial and Federal legislation pertaining tostreet design and operations, such as the Ontario Highway Traffic Act and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. The Guidelines are based on the principle that all streets are different, and that no single design solution exists. A street’s design will be tailored for the particular needs and opportunities created by local context, existing and future uses and users and dimensions of each street. Street design is an evolving practice. In the coming years, design strategies used elsewhere, and technologies that do not yet readily exist in Kitchener, will affect how we design our streets. Street designers should stay up-to-date on the latest best practices. 3 2 - 18 2 - 19 Section 1 What are Complete Streets? Complete Streets are for everyone! Complete Streets are designed to be safe and comfortable for all, regardless of ageorability. In other words, a street is “complete” when it works well for pedestrians, cyclists, transitridersand motorists.Complete streets also contribute to sustainability, health and social priorities,all whileprovidingbeautiful streetscapes and places to enjoy. Streets are essential to our community 2 The City of Kitchener owns and maintains 763.1 km of streets on 14.1 kmof land. That means approximately 45% of all city-owned land and 10% of all land in Kitchener is dedicated to 2 streets. Plus, the Region of Waterloo owns an additional 137.6 km of roads on 4.1 kmof land. All of this space doesn’t even include highways owned and operated by the Province of Ontario. A large portion of our city’s land mass is dedicated to streets. Streets are where we hold community gatherings, and play basketball, hockey,or hopscotch. They are where we walk the dog, and catch up with friendsand neighbours. A street is where our sanitation, cable, hydro, gas, phone and other servicesare located. They are where approximately 70,000 trees grow, stormwater runoff is managed and where we put out our recycling. Streets are places of commerce and economic activity. They bring people together to share ideas and rally around community causes. And of course, streets serve as transportation corridors, helping us get around to all the places we need to go, to work, learn, shop and play. We need to use these assetsto the maximum benefit of our entire community by making streets more complete. Making streets safefor all Each year about 3,400 residents from Waterloo Region visit an emergency department and twenty-threeresidents die as a result of injuries caused by streetcollisions, including 1 pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.Street collisionsremain a leading cause of unintentional 2 injury for Canadian children, youth and young adults. 1 Ambulatory Emergency (2013-2017), Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH ONTARIO, Date Extracted: October 24, 2018.Ontario Mortality Data (2011-2015), Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH ONTARIO, Date Extracted: March 14, 2019. 2 Gemmill I, Arra I, Carew M, et al. Preventing Road Traffic Deaths and Injuries: Position Paper Road Safety Working Group, COMOH. https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.alphaweb.org/resource/resmgr/COMOH_Section/6.4_MVC_Report_050615. pdf. Accessed October 17, 2018. 5 2 - 20 The impactis far reaching and with great costs to individuals, families and society. In 2010 the 3 cost of injury for transport related incidents in Ontario totalled an astounding $1.2 billion. Financial costs of road crashes and injuries include lost earnings, health care and rehabilitation 4 expenses, and the costs of property damage, administration, police, legal, and insurance. Injuries from such incidents can range from minor to severe including life-altering permanent disabilities like paraplegia, quadriplegia and brain injury. Those injured may experience chronic physical pain, as well as enduring the emotional trauma effects personally and within their family 5 and society. The City of Kitchener and Region of Waterloo Public Health have a sharedinterest in preventing injuries and fatalities of all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Almost all unintentional injuries are predictable and preventable. However, decreasing the incidence of injury of road users must be done in collaboration with other stakeholders who have an interest 6 in road safety.Collaborating across the sectors of engineering, enforcement and education will establish large scale changes in healthy public policy and the creation of environments, both 7 social and physical, which will encourage Canadians to be active and safe.Communities need to be designed in a way so that the people using the spaces can easily make behavioural 8 decisions that will keep them safe and promote active transportation choices. Kitchener’s Complete Streets vision A comprehensive Complete Streets approach uses every roadway construction or reconstruction project as an opportunity to improve the design and functionality of a street for all users, and support effective maintenance and operational processes. In Kitchener, a vision, design goals and design principlesshould be used toguide effortsandmake streets more complete. Vision Every street in Kitchener is safe, comfortable and convenient for all. 3 Belton K, Pike I, Heatley J, Cloutier E. The Cost of Injury in Canada.; 2015. http://www.parachutecanada.org/downloads/research/Cost_of_Injury-2015.pdf. Accessed October 29, 2018. 4 Gemmill I, Arra I, Carew M, et al. Preventing Road Traffic Deaths and Injuries. 5 Ibid. 6 Ibid, Belton K, Pike I, Heatley J, Cloutier E. The Cost of Injury in Canada. 7 Parachute Canada. Public Policy Overview. http://www.parachutecanada.org/policy. Accessed October 29, 2018. 8 Public Health Agency of Canada. Designing Healthy Living: The Chief Public Health Officer’s Report on https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac- the State of Public Health in Canada 2017.; 2017. aspc/documents/services/publications/chief-public-health-officer-reports-state-public-health-canada/2017- designing-healthy-living/PHAC_CPHO-2017_Report_E.pdf. Accessed October 17, 2018. 2 - 21 Design goals To achieve thevision, the city hasthree design goals for every street to prioritize: design for safety, improve transportation choice and advance sustainability. Design for safety Kitchener’s streets will embrace designs that protect the most vulnerable road users - pedestrians and cyclists. Regardless of street classification, priority is given(in this order)to the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motorists. Kitchener’s streets emphasize slower speeds through street design that makesit natural and intuitive for people to drive at safer speeds. This approach means that Kitchener’s streets will embrace designs that protect the most vulnerable road users - pedestrians and cyclists. Improve transportation choices Kitchener’s streets willprovide connected networks with direct routes to major destinations for all modes of transportation. Streets should be designed to make it possible for individuals to choose between different forms of transportation, depending on their unique needs. Planning for intermodal connectivity – meaning the ability to transition between different types of travel within a single trip – makes walking, cycling and public transit even more attractive and viable. Payingcareful attention to the little details that can take away the stress of travelingis key.In doing so, the city canmaximize the comfort and attractiveness of those travel options. Advance sustainability Kitchener’s streets willadvancethe city’seconomic and environmental performance. Vibrant and active streetscapes attract businesses, talent and investment throughlively shopping districts, stress-free commuting options and efficient movement of goods and people.Complete streets make it easy for individuals to choose low energy and low carbon modes of transportation. Urban forestry and stormwater management can be enhanced through street design.Maintain with a triple bottom line approach: financial sustainability through appropriate resourcing andasset replacement; social sustainability through maintaining witha clear and equitable defined service level; and environmental sustainability by ensuring that maintenance isplanned for and delivered within the broader context of the Corporate Climate Action plan. 7 2 - 22 Design principles Complementingthe design goals are several design principles that foster a holistic approach to street design. Each principle acts as an important “lens” in which to view street design. Foster a sense of place Kitchener’s streets are part of unique neighbourhoodswith places to gather, celebrate,and connect with neighbours. They oftencontain vibrant greenery, beautiful art andpractical amenities. Some streets can also be heritage landscapes. Encourage social connections and equity Kitchener’s streets encourage people to connect and build relationships. Balanced and well-designed streetscan improveequity among all ages, gender identities, abilities, ethnicities, incomes,sexual identitiesand underrepresented populations. Promote healthy lifestyles Kitchener’s streets encourage physical activity, improve mental health, reduce stress, protect air quality and provide more options to access nutritional, health and support services. Deliver services Kitchener’s streets provide a connected corridor for service delivery. Streets ensurethat emergency vehicles are able to respond quickly, andsupportsnow removal activities, garbage collection and other municipal services.Streets contain the veins and arteries of the citywith services like hydro, stormwater, sanitation and water. Plan for all seasons Kitchener’s streets support peoplein getting around by all forms of transportation through all seasons. Designing with operational considerations in mind helps the citymeet or exceed legislated or mandated requirements for maintenance, through things like understanding where snow can be stored, how maintenance vehicles can access services and howseasonal maintenance can occur. Prepare for temporary conditions Kitchener’s streets provide accommodations or signed detour routes that maintain a high level of service for pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motor vehicles during temporary closures forconstruction or special events. 2 - 23 Policy support for Complete Streets in Kitchener A Complete Streets document by itself does not guarantee the implementationof complete transportation networks. Several important plans set the policy direction for Complete Streets. The followingpoliciesserve as key tools to implement complete streets. Official Plan: A Complete & Healthy Kitchener (2014) The Official Plan contains goals, objectives and policies to manage and direct municipal change andits effects on the cultural, social, economic and natural environment within the city. The plan’s visionis: “Together we will build an innovative, vibrant, attractive, safe, complete and 9 healthy community contributing to an exceptional quality of life.” TheOfficial Plan recognizes an integrated transportation system is an essential part of the city’s urban structure and a key element in shaping the form and character of growth in the city. The plan seeks to encourage a wide range ofviable transportation choices in Kitchener. Kitchener Integrated Transportation Master Plan (2013) The Kitchener Integrated Transportation Master Plan (TMP) defines and prioritizes an integrated transportation system that is supportive of all modes of travel. This includes walking, cycling, public transit and the automobile. The TMP also provides directionto maintain and improve the City’s street network tomove people and goods, but with reduced dependence on single occupant vehicles. The main goal of the TMP is to “plan a transportation system that reduces 10 dependence on the private automobile in Kitchener by 2031.” Cycling and Trails Master Plans st The City of Kitchener’s Cycling Master Plan for the 21Century (2010) presents a network of bikeways to beimplemented over time, policies to support making Kitchener a bicycle-friendly city and related practices and programs to further those policies into action. The plan’s vision is to “enhance the choice to cycle as a viable means of transportation and recreation through the 11 provision of a safe, comfortable and connected bikeway network.” The Multi-use Pathways and Trails Master Plan (2012) is a blueprintintendedto guide the development and operation of multi-use pathways throughout Kitchener. The visionof the plan is described as: “Multi-use pathways form the primary continuous off-road walking and cycling network that provides residents of all ages and abilities the means to travel easily and safely throughout their neighbourhood, across the City and to neighbouring municipalities. Multi-use 12 pathways offer year-round opportunities for active recreation and active transportation.” In 2020, the Cycling Master Plan and Trails Master Plan will be updated and combined into a single Cycling and Trails Master Plan (CTMP). 9 City of Kitchener. Official Plan: A Complete & Healthy Kitchener(Kitchener, 2014), 2-1. 10 City of Kitchener. Kitchener Integrated Transportation Master Plan: Transportation’s Role in a Complete andHealthy Kitchener (Kitchener, 2014), 5. 11 st City of Kitchener. Cycling Master Plan for the 21Century (Kitchener, 2010), 4. 12 City of Kitchener. Multi-use Pathways and Trails Master Plan(Kitchener, 2012), 3. 9 2 - 24 Pedestrian Charter (2005)& Sidewalk Infill Policy (2015) The City of Kitchener’s pedestrian charter aims to create an urban environment in all parts of the city that encourages and supports walking, as a critical mode of public transportation. An urban environment that encourages and facilitates walking supports community health, vitality and safety. It increases use of public transit, decreases car dependence, reduces conflict between vehicles and pedestrians, leads to cleaner air, green public space, and supports green tourism. The Sidewalk Infill Policyendeavours to include sidewalks on both sidesof every streetto support a sustainable community and a pedestrian friendly environment. Sidewalk infrastructure is a key component of the urban environment that encourages and facilitates active transportation, supports community health, neighbourhood connectivity, community vitality and safety. Sidewalks contribute significantly to a sustainable community and a pedestrian friendly environment. Province of Ontario: APlace to Grow (2019) A Placeto Grow: The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoeprovides policy direction to guide infrastructure growth in Ontario. The policy calls for a complete streets approach through the design, refurbishment or reconstruction of the existing and planned street network. "Using a complete streets approach to roadway design, reconstruction, and refurbishment will ensure that the needs and safety of all road users are considered when planning and building 13 the street network." Additional policies and strategies influencing streets In addition totransportation-specific policies, there are a number of important documents that guide the design of a street’s right of way, including: Urban Design Manual(2019) – Guides the design and placement of buildings, public spaces, transportation systems and other amenities. Kitchener, Changing for Good: Our corporate climate action plan for sustainability (2019) – A detailed strategy for reducing Kitchener’s corporate level greenhouse gas emissions. Kitchener’s Sustainable Urban Forest Strategy(2019) – A vision and framework to guide Kitchener’s sustainable urban forest. Corporate Asset Management Policy(2018) – Managesthe city’s assets by incorporating all aspects of asset maintenance and service delivery. Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways (2018) – Establishes maintenance standards in regards to inspections, snow accumulation, ice formation, potholes, cracks, debris, signs, and more, for municipal streets, sidewalks and bicycle facilities. Integrated StormwaterMaster Plan(2016) – Sets targetsfor stormwater management and how to reach them. Development Manual (2015)– Providesnew development with technical standards and guidance for subdivisions, site plans, streets, all associated infrastructure and utilities, 13 Province of Ontario. APlace to Grow: The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, (Toronto, 2019), 30. 2 - 25 watermains, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, stormwater management, streetlighting, natural gas, lot grading, erosion and sediment control and parks and trails. Love My Hood: Kitchener’s Guide to Great Neighbourhoods(2017) - Encourages residents to take the lead in shaping their neighbourhood, with help from the city. Age Friendly Kitchener Action Plan(2017) – “A community in which we canall live well and age well,”withaccessible and affordable neighbourhoods. Improving the design and functionality of streets supports safety and accessibility, encourages social connections, and promotes healthy lifestyles for residents of all ages. How to use this document Kitchener’s Complete Streets guidelines areused to guide all street projects in Kitchener. Most common applications include the design of a new streetthrough the development process, a street to be reconstructed or a street that is suitablefor retrofits to advance the Complete Streets vision. Thepurpose of theguidelinesisto: Assist in implementing the vision for Kitchener’sstreets set out in the City’s Official Plan. Provide a clear street design process that enhances collaboration on city street projects. Provideexamples of street design features to be considered and assessed in street design processes. Encourage the use of every opportunity to apply the Complete Streets Guidelines. Integrate adopted City policies, standards and bylaws as they relate to street design. Provide city and agency staff, consultants, private developers and community groups with information on how to design streets that meet city-wide objectives. Communicate to Kitchener residents about the considerations that are guiding the design of Kitchener’s streets. Managing change with a changing streetscape Achievingthe Complete Streets vision willrequire change for city staff in the planningand operating of streets,whileresidents will experience change as they get around every day. Some of these changes may be subtle, and others may feel more significant. Managing change is key for success. The city will expect experience some of these changes: A greater number of smaller equipment may replace a smaller number of larger equipment to do jobs such as snow removal; More resources (staff and equipment) may be required to achieve a similar level of service to that which is currently achieved; Different ways of working may be needed to accommodate the new ways in which our city streets are built; and Our operations will evolve and change as we see increasing growth in active transportation and transit. For residents, changes might include: Greater awarenessof and interactionbetween people using different transportation modes; How snow is cleared, leaves are collected, or garbage removed; and The level of service from the city and expectations of what the city should do for different elementsof a street. 11 2 - 26 2 - 27 Section 2 Every street can be a complete street, while maintaining or enhancing its unique character. There are a variety of ways to make a street more complete, depending on thefunction and context. The City of Kitchener’s Official Plan maintains a hierarchy of streets to ensure the desired movement of people and goods within and through the city. Four types of streets make up Kitchener’s street system: Local Streets, Minor Neighbourhood Collector Streets, Major Community Collector Streets and Arterial Streets. Each street classification has different functions and capacities, including types of active transportation facilities and expected motor vehicle volumes and speeds. In addition, Scenic Heritage Roads, which possess unique historical significance, are protected in accordance with the city’s Official Plan and heritage conservation policies. An integral part of a transportation network is established through a working partnership with other levels of government. The Region of Waterloo’s street classification systemfacilitates movement between municipalitiesand townshipsin Waterloo Region. Major highways are planned and maintained by the Province of Ontario. Streets perform both a mobility function and a place function. Depending on the local context, some streets will prioritize moving people and goods while some will prioritize attracting people, encouraging them to enjoy all that a street has to offer. 13 2 - 28 Local streets Local Streets provideaccess to properties and are not intended to carry high volumes of through motorized traffic. Examples of local streets include Cotton Grass Street (below), Brock Street and Tanglewood Avenue. Local streets are the most common form of street in Kitchener,making up 72% ofthe city’s overall road network,spread throughout every neighbourhood in the city. Local streets prioritize activeneighbourhood life and social interactions between neighbours going for walks, sitting on their front porch, or at a neighbourhood street party. When designing local streets, create pedestrian-scaled streetscapes that promote walking, rolling,children riding their bikes safely on the road,social interaction and residential activities, while discouraging speeding and through traffic. Enhancing livability, asense of community, an ability to age-in-place and safety for children are important considerations for these streets. 2 - 29 Preferred cross-sectionfor local streets (18.0 m Right-of-Way) Pedestrian View Cyclist and motorist view Note: All cross-sections are for illustrative purposes only. Exact conditions may vary depending onstreet context and constraints. 15 2 - 30 Alternativecross-sectionfor local streets (18.0 m ROW) This cross-section isused where cycling isidentified asa high priorityrouteand/or demand for parking is low. Pedestrian view Cyclist and motorist view 2 - 31 Design objectivesfor local streets Pedestrians Provide sidewalks on both sides of the street to encourage walkingand rollingfor both practical and recreational purposes, like commutingand dog walking. Provide shade trees to enhance the public realm by improving pedestrian comfort and helping to calm traffic. Provide curb extensions at intersections to calm traffic, shorten pedestrian crossing distanceand improve sightlines for all street users. Encourage a connected grid network of local streets with direct pedestrian routes to neighbourhood destinationsand amenities. Cycling Cycling can be enjoyed safely on the street in mixed traffic. Use traffic diversion elements for priority cycling routes, as identified in the Cycling and Trails Master Plan. Transit Transit service is generally not anticipated on local streets but provided on connecting minor or major collector streets. Provide dedicated walkways/trails to ensure direct pedestrian and cycling routes to nearby transit stops, especially in curvilinear street design, such as cul-de-sacs and crescents. Motor vehicles An unmarked (no yellow centre line) two lane cross-sectionis typical. Local streets are designedto carry local traffic only. Designing the street for speeds of 40 km/hor lessis a priorityfor safety of all users. Use pavement widths of 7.0 metres. Depending on volume of vehicles and parking utilization or restriction, 6.0 metresmay be appropriate. On-street parking can be accommodated and used to aid in traffic calming, either as a shared travel and parking lane or alternating sides ofthe street. Restrict parking near intersections to provide improvedsightlines and curb extensions. Design turning radii at 6.0 m to encourage slower vehicle speeds around turns. When entering residential neighbourhoods from higher order streets, raised crosswalks/crossridesare encouraged to signal to motorists that slower speeds are expected. The needs of service and emergency vehicles is an important design factor,with managing motor vehicle speeds andvolumes in residential areas beingan equally important priority. Sustainableinfrastructure Provide green space, landscaping and adequate soil in appropriate quantity to foster healthy tree growthin the boulevard. Curb extensions and other traffic calming or diversion elements are ideal locations for additional storm water management applications. 17 2 - 32 Local streetalternative - Woonerf Translated to “living street”, a woonerf utilizes a shared space cross-section that reclaims the street as public space for people’s everyday use. The street is designed in such a way that motor vehiclesare seen as “guests” in a space otherwise dominated by pedestrian activityand a high level of amenities.The street is designed correctly when children can safely play in any space of the right of way.Woonerfs can be used in both residential and commercial areas and are ideal where right ofways are constrained and in neighbourhoods with limited public space or parks nearby. 2 - 33 Woonerf design objectives Free movement of pedestrians is encouraged with a level, barrier-free streetscape. The traditional cross-section of grade-separated curbs, sidewalks, boulevardsand vehicle lanes is not used. Provide clear and distinct entrances, often marked by gateway features. Use different colours or texture for the woonerf street surface area, such as imprinted asphalt, modular cobblestone or unit pavers. Apply frequenttraffic calming elementssuch as curves and streetscape featuresto prevent vehicles frommovingquicklythrough the woonerf space. The path of travel for drivers zig zags through the right of way.The design of the woonerf is for vehicle speeds of 15km/h, slow enough for children to be playing in the middle of the street. Provide parking intermittently, not continuously, with different materials and bollards to designate available parkingspaces. High use of furnishing, public art and landscaping, placed consistently throughout the right of way, to provide the feel of an “outdoor living room or play room” that encourages social interaction of all ages on the street. Group utilities together, as much as possible. Provide snow storage areas, close to drainage to limit runoff. Building facades are close to the property line to create a pedestrian oriented 14 streetscape and sense of enclosure. 14 Natalia Collarte. The Woonerf Concept: Rethinking a Residential Street in Somerville(Tufts University, 2012). 19 2 - 34 Local street alternative – Green streets In environmentally sensitive areas, a higher standard of environmental care can be applied through the adoption of a “green street” cross section. These lower impact roads protect valuable environmental resources and are most applicable to local streets withprimarily residential land uses andlow traffic volumes. While the land designated to the right of way is consistent with a local street, a significantly lower rate of imperviousness is achieved with a small, windy, shared street (similar to a woonerf), no curb or gutter and a significant amount of green space to absorb rainwater and sequester carbon. 2 - 35 Green streets design objectives: 1.Create pockets of natural areas throughout the streetscape. Integrate a variety of green infrastructure elements. 2.Utilize similar design principles as a woonerf. This includes clear and distinct entrances and the free movement of pedestrians with a level, barrier-free streetscape.Include a snow storage area on a non-permeable surface close to the stormwater system. 3.Design the street for a designspeed of less than 30 km/h. Through windy curves and a narrow pavement width, motorists should be made to be very uncomfortable driving above 30 km/h. 4.Identify the uniqueness of the street. Permeable pavers can be used to provide additional Low Impact Development (LID) benefits as well as identifythe street as different than conventional streets, requiring motorists to use extra careand slower speeds. 5.Engagethe community. Collaborate with neighbourhood residents, integrate their ideas and encourage their buy- in for an improvedstreetscape everyone can enjoy. 21 2 - 36 Minor neighbourhood collectorstreets Minor neighbourhood collector streets prioritize active neighbourhood life, multi-modal connections and facilitate movement within neighbourhoods. Examples of minor collector streets include Driftwood Drive (below) Manchester Road and Bechtel Drive. Minor collector streets connect local streets to higher order streets and primarily accommodate residential land use. Commercial and retail land uses can be expected in proximity to significant intersections. These streets may mark the entrance to a neighbourhood, with urban design features that celebrate the neighbourhood’s unique identity. 2 - 37 Preferred cross-section for minor collector streets (20.0 m ROW) Pedestrian view Cyclist and motorist view 23 2 - 38 Alternativecross-section for minor collector streets (20.0 m ROW) This cross-sectionisused where cycling is identified as a high priorityroute. Pedestrian view Cyclist view 2 - 39 Design objectives for minor collector streets Pedestrian Provide sidewalks on both sides of the street to encourage walkingand rollingfor both practical and recreational purposes. Provide shade treesand seating (where appropriate)to enhance the public realm and improve pedestrian comfort. Provide curb extensions at intersections to calm traffic, shorten pedestrian crossing distanceand improve sightlines for all street users. Cycling Cycling can be enjoyed safelyon the street in mixed traffic. For priority cycling routes identified in the Cycling and Trails Master Plan, use traffic diversion elements or dedicated bike facilities. Typically this would include on-road painted bike lanesand/or parking protected bike lanesbut can also be cycle tracks located in the boulevard next to the sidewalk. Transit Conventional bus service can be supported by minor collectors. Facilitate pedestrian access to transit stations with safe and convenient pedestrian crossings at transit stops. Include a transit stop pad and amenities based on demand and context, according to Grand River Transitstandards. Motor vehicles A two lane cross section is thestandard.On-street parking can be accommodated. Design the street for speeds of 40 km/h. Minor collector streets will carry traffic primarily originating from within the neighbourhood it serves. Cut-through traffic is discouraged through traffic calmingor diversion techniques. The connectivity of minor collector streetsmay attract through traffic, which is undesirable due to the residential context of these streets. Traffic calming measures such as raised intersections or crossings, neighbourhood traffic circles, centre island mediansor speed cushionsshould be considered where observed travel speeds significantly exceed the posted speed limit. The standard lane width is 3.0 m. For bus routes, lane widths of 3.1 - 3.3 m can beused. Where parking and bike lanes are provided, elements, such as curb extensionsat pedestrian crossings,which create visual and physical constraints are needed to avoid creating the perception of an excessively wide roadway that is comfortable for higher vehicle speeds. Design turning radii at 6.0 m, to encourage slower vehicle speeds around turns. When entering residential neighbourhoods, raised crosswalks/crossridesare encouraged to signal to motorists that slower speeds are expected. Sustainableinfrastructure Provide green space, landscaping and adequate soil in appropriate quantity and plant trees in boulevard. Curb extensions and other traffic calming or diversion elements are ideal locations for additional green infrastructure. A parking bay can be integrated with LID stormwater surfacing. 25 2 - 40 Major community collector streets Major community collector streetsbalance the mobility of people between neighbourhoods with land accesses. Examples of major collector streets includeGuelph Street (below), Westheights Drive,and Wilson Avenue. These streetsfacilitate movement from local and minor collector streets to higher order streets while providing a high-level of streetscape appeal for businesses, homes and other properties located along the street. 2 - 41 Preferred cross-sectionfor major collector streets (26.0 m ROW) Pedestrian and cyclist view Motorist view 27 2 - 42 Alternativecross-section for major collector streets (26.0 m ROW) This cross-section is used in higher density, mixed-use environments, and/or wherecycle tracksin the boulevardare not feasible. Pedestrian view Cyclist view Motorist view 2 - 43 Design objectivesfor major collector streets Pedestrian Provide sidewalks on both sides of the street. A higher pedestrian clearway width can be used where there is a high volume of pedestrian traffic, such as near schools or long term care facilities. Provide shade trees to enhance the public realm and improve pedestrian comfort. Public realm features may include art, waste receptacles, or seating. Provide curb extensions at intersections to calm traffic, shorten pedestrian crossing distance and improve sightlines for all street users. Cycling Provide dedicated cycling facilities on most Major Collectors, with the type of facility and level of protection dictated by street characteristics and network prioritization, as directed in the Cycling and Trails Master Plan. Draw attention to conflict points, like driveways and intersections, with markings or signage. Plan for the safe movement of bicycles atall intersections, including crossrides, intersection protectionand signals. Transit Major collectors can support both conventional transit and rapid transit (iXpress service). Facilitate pedestrian access to transit stations with safe and convenient pedestrian crossings at all major transit stops. Include a transit stop pad and place transit stop amenities based on demand and context, according to Grand River Transitstandards. Consider“floating bus stops” to integrate bike facilities with transit stopsand to reduce conflict points. Provide bicycle parking and micromobilitystations to facilitate multi-modal connections. Motor vehicles A two lane cross section is typical. A two way left turn lane may be appropriate in higher density scenarios. The standard width of motor vehicle travel lanes is 3.3 m, but can be reduced to 3.0 m if the street is not part of a transit routeand motor vehicle volumes are low. Design the street for speedsof 50 km/h. Some Major Collectors may carry truck/freight traffic or prioritize emergency services. Greater attention to turning movements at intersections are required in these cases, but accommodating large vehicles must also be balanced with the benefits of managing motor vehicle speeds and volumes, especially in residential, school and commercial areas. Design turning radii with lower order streets at 6.0 m. Radii with other Major Arterials or higher order streets is 7.5 m – 8.0 m. Sustainableinfrastructure Boulevards should have a predominantly soft surface, with exceptions for transit stops or high pedestrian areas with street furniture. Provide green space, landscaping and adequate soil quantity to foster healthy tree growth in the boulevard. 29 2 - 44 Arterial streets Arterial streets provide mobility for people and goods throughout the city while also providing a positive image of the city and fostering economic development. Examples of arterial streets include King Street (below), Strasburg Road and RiverRoad. These streets carry high volumes of all modes of movement, including pedestrians,cyclists, transit, motor vehicles and freight vehicles. Arterial streets often provide the most direct and convenient access to major destinations in the city, making it essential that all four travel modes are balanced effectively. Limit driveway accesses in order to prioritize safety and convenience of all forms of transportation along the corridor. Within the Arterial classification, there are several functional subcategories depending on the land use and neighbourhood context: Main streets - serve as the social, economic and cultural centres of neighbourhoods and the city, through an expanded pedestrian realm and active street frontages. Main streets may limit motor vehicles to enhance the pedestrian experience, with services provided by laneways or side streets. Thoroughfares – provide efficient connections between different parts of the city, and connectivity to adjacent mixed land uses. Industrial streets – provide direct access to industrial and commercial properties and are designed to accommodate frequent heavy vehicles. 2 - 45 Preferred cross-section for main street scenarios(30.0 m ROW) This cross-section is used in highdensity, pedestrian-oriented, commercial urban centres. Pedestrian and cyclist view Motorist view 31 2 - 46 Preferred cross-section for thoroughfare arterials (30.0 m ROW) This cross-section is used in high density, mixed use corridors. Pedestrian and cyclist view Motorist view 2 - 47 Alternativecross-section for thoroughfare arterials (30.0 m ROW) This cross-section isused in back-lotted, low density,and/orlow driveways/intersections scenarios. Pedestrian and cyclist view Motorist view 33 2 - 48 Preferred cross-section for industrialarterials(30.0 m ROW) This cross-section isused in primarily industrial areas. Pedestrian and cyclist view Motorist view 2 - 49 Design objectivesfor arterial streets Pedestrian Prioritize anexpanded pedestrian realm (wider sidewalks, pedestrian throughways and furnishing zones) where land uses provide active street frontage and high level of transit options. Provide a high level of pedestrian amenities and street furniture. Plan for frequentand safe pedestrian crossings, a minimum of every 200-400m, so the street is not a barrier that divides neighbourhoods or discourages pedestrian activity. Provide curb extensions at intersections to calm traffic, shorten pedestrian crossing distance andimprove sightlines for all street users. Cycling Significant volumes of cyclists can be expected on arterials, especially those with a Main Street design and/or featuring rapid transit. Provide dedicated cycling facilitieson all arterial streets, separated andprotected from motor vehicles. Where Main Streets transition to other street classifications, extend cycling facilities beyond the segment that is designated as a Main Street to provide connectivity. Draw attention to conflict points, like driveways and intersections, with pavement markings or signage. Plan for the safe movement of bicycles at all intersections, including crossridesand signals. Transit Prioritize frequent and efficient transit service. Consider transit-only lanes, queue jump lanes and transit signal priority. Facilitate pedestrian access to transit stations with safe and convenient pedestrian crossings at all major transit stops. Consider“floating bus stops” to integrate bike facilities with transit stops Provide bicycle parking and micromobilitystations to facilitate multi-modal connections. Provide a transit stop pad and high level of transit stop amenities, in accordance with Grand River Transitstandards. Consider curbside drop-off areas next to major transit stationsor destinationsfor carpools, ridesharing services, etc. Motor vehicles A two, three or four lane cross section can be used depending on neighbourhood and land use context. Design the street to encourage speeds of 50 km/h. In Main Streetcontexts or areas with vulnerable users (e.g. schools, nursing homes, community centres, etc.) a 40 km/h speed limit is more appropriate. Parking in dedicated lay-bys is preferred, but may also be provided on-street. In constrained situations, parking is less prioritized and shifted to nearby or intersecting streets. Off-peak parking in a motor vehicle travel lane may be appropriate in four lane cross sections. Arterial streets serving manufacturing uses often need to accommodate larger trucks turning andloading and unloading activities. Consider designated curbside drop-off areas for deliveries and services in high density, main street scenarios. 35 2 - 50 Freight and emergency vehicles are important considerations in determining lane widths, curb radii and the suitability of raised medians. Desired separation between driveway accesses is 50 m or greater. Design turning radii with local or minor collector streets at 6.0 m. Radii with other streets is 7.5 – 8.0m. Some encroachment oflarge vehicles is expected into adjacent lanes in same direction at major intersections (or opposing lanes at minor intersections). For Industrial Arterial Streets, up to 15 m radii can be used, with truck aprons an option (two separate curb radii for cars and a semi-mountable curb for trucks.) Sustainableinfrastructure In main street scenarios, the boulevard and furnishing zone is typically constructed of hard surfaces, with integration ofvegetated swales, rain gardens, filter strips, and native vegetation. Use trees, planters and other greenery to provide a high quality aesthetic experience. Silva cells, grates or planter beds may be required where soil volumes are limited by other constraints.Hard surface boulevards always require silva cells and careful attention to providing adequate soil volume. Planted centre medians may be appropriate if they do not have an undue negative impact on emergency services' response timesor maintenance. 2 - 51 Pedestrian-only alternative Pedestrian-only streets prioritize people and are typically most appropriate in corridors with commercial activity on both edges of the street. They are strategically selected streets in which pedestrian volume is high and vehicular traffic is restricted. These streets offer opportunities for 15 diverse activities such as shopping or sitting, dining or dawdling, promenading or performing. Provide smooth and level surface to optimize walking and accessibility and encourage the free movement of pedestrians. Add street furniture, artwork, seating, tables, benches, trees, landscaping, cycle racks, and water fountains to add character and support a range of activities. Maintain minimum clearpaths for emergency, service and maintenance vehicles. Restrict vehicular access and prohibit parking. Delivery vehicles can be allowed during certain times of day if required, but generally plan for deliveries to the rear access of properties. Provide nearby drop-off and pick-up points for vehicles carrying people with diverse accessibility needs. Schedule regular maintenance and waste collection to keep the space clean and inviting. Provide snow storage areasclose to drainage. Include programmable space based on community needs, such as music or performance stages. Provide an expanded frontage zone to encourage merchants to use the outdoors for 16 displaying and selling products. 15 National Association of City Transportation Officials. Global Street Design Guide (New York: Island Press, 2016). 16 Ibid. 37 2 - 52 Summary of street classificationsand map Here is a quick summary to compare the different functions, characteristicsand primary design features of each street classification. LocalMinor CollectorMajor Arterial Collector Right of Way 18.0m20.0m26.0m30.0m Sidewalk width 1.8 m1.8 m1.8 m1.8 –3.0m Cycling Share the road.Share the road. Cycle tracks or Cycle tracks, facilities Additional traffic Additional traffic separated bike separated bike calming/diversion calming/diversion or lanes.lanes or multi- if high priority bike lanes if high use trails. route.priority route. Motor Vehicle Up to 2,0002,000 –5,0005,000 –8,0008,000 –12,000 Volumes (AADT) Speed Limit40 km/h40 km/h40-50 km/h40–50 km/h Pavement width 7.0m7.0–12.8 m9.0 -14.6 m10.8 –19.0m (includes parking andon- road cycling facilitiesif present) Turning radius 6.0 m6.0 m6.0 m6.0m with Local/Minor Collector Turning radius 6.0 m6.0 m7.5 m8.0 m with Major Collector* Turning Radius 6.0 m6.0 m7.5 –8.0 m8.0 –10.0 m with Arterial*(if industrial, permit higher to maximum of 15.0 m) 2 - 53 Street classifications map 39 2 - 54 2 - 55 Section 3 Pedestrian design Walkingand rollingis the most common form of transportation in Kitchener. Every trip – including those involving cycling, transit or an automobile - begins and ends as a pedestrian. It is an essential part of healthy, active living, furthering equity among all abilities and socio-economic levels, and strengthening social connections between neighbours. A pedestrian is a person moving from place to place, either by foot or by using an assistive mobility device. Pedestrians include residents and visitors of all ages and abilities. In order to travel safely, conveniently, directly and comfortably, they require an urban environment and infrastructure designed 17 to meet their travel needs. Pedestrian design objectives 1.Prioritize safety. Pedestrians should be given the highest safety priority because they are the most vulnerable. Every street design process will first begin byconsidering the current and proposed context for vulnerable street users. 2.Design for accessibility. Pedestrians include the widest array of ages and abilities in the transportation mix. Features like appropriately wide sidewalks, curb cuts(or raised, fully flush crossings), tactile walking surface indicators, visually contrasting surface materials and amenities are essential to making the city accessible to all members of the community.Avoid curb-faced facilities. 3.Ensure direct, continuousand connected routes. As the slowest form of travel, pedestrians have the greatest sensitivity to route directness. Build missing links to ensure consistent and connected pedestrian infrastructure. 4.Provide sidewalks on both sides of the street. Ensure universal accessibility and convenience with pedestrian facilities on both sides of the street. The city’s Sidewalk Infill Policy(INS-15-035) provides further direction. 5.Create beautiful and enjoyable places. Pedestrians are most attuned to the streetscape environment and will be drawn to beautiful streetscapes that create enjoyable places.An attractive pedestrian realm increases quality of life, pedestrian activityand generates economic activity. 6.Make it comfortable. Apedestrian experience that avoids stressful interactions with other travel modes encourages more people to walk, whether for practical transportation efforts or as a healthy form of exercise and recreation.Shade and amenities significantly improve the pedestrian experience. 17 City of Kitchener. Pedestrian Charter (Kitchener,2017). 41 2 - 56 Pedestrian design features The design user 2 - 57 18 Sidewalk zones Sidewalks are typically constructed with concrete, though more decorative materials can be used to enhance the streetscape in high profile areas. The expected width of sidewalks is 1.8 m, with 2.0 m or higher encouraged in high pedestrian areas such as transit routes and stations, schools, business and retail centres. In constrained corridorsor to protect mature trees, 1.5 m wide sidewalks and/or alternative materials are acceptable. There are generally four zones inpedestrian infrastructure.The width required for each zone depends on land use and pedestrian activity levels. The frontage zoneincludes space for stopping, resting or window shopping. In a residential setting the zone is generally grass and appears as a reflection of a property’s front lawn, but is still within the municipal property limit. The pedestrian throughway zoneis an unobstructed path for pedestrian travel, a minimum of 1.8 m in low pedestrian areas and as high as 4.0 m in dense urban environments. In many residential neighbourhoods, the entire sidewalk is the throughway. Position the throughway at least 1.0 m back 18 Transportation Association of Canada. Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, 2017 Edition, Chapter 6: Pedestrian Integrated Design, 4-5. 43 2 - 58 from the curb to facilitate snow storageand buffer space. Keep the width of the pedestrian throughway zone consistent within each block. The boulevard/furniture zonemay include streetlights, fire hydrants, signs, trees, newspaper boxes, recycling and waste receptacles, bike racks, benches, and transit shelters. In dense urban environments, the furniture zone often includes designated areas for snow storage. In residential neighbourhoods, the boulevard zone is primarily grass and trees and does not include as many amenities as an urban context. The edge zoneincludes the curb and gutter and may also contain parking meters, car door swing paths and snow storage. Note: Multi-use trails – which accommodate both pedestrians and cyclists in a shared space – may be an alternative to sidewalks, primarily used where pedestrian volumes are low. More guidance on trails is provided in the cycling section. 2 - 59 Curb extensions Curb extensions, also known as bulb outsor narrowings, extend the sidewalk or curb line into the street. This shortens pedestrian crossing distance, provides a traffic calming effect and tightens turning radii to slow speeds and improves the ability of pedestrians and motorists to see each other and make eye contact before proceeding. Curb extensions are expected at most intersections – especially where on-street parking is present - and can also be used at mid-block crossings. Curb extensions are excellent locations for street trees or sustainableinfrastructure, provided it doesnot block sight linesof children and adults. When combined with a transit shelter, often referred to as “bus bulbs,” curb extensions can reduce the amount of time the bus requires to merge back into traffic, and can prevent 19 motorists from parking in the bus loading area. The width of the curb extension is as wide as possible without limiting the functionality of the motor vehicle lanes. The length of the curb extension is roughly equal to the width of the extension, and should be a gradually angled taper that accommodates snow clearing.No parking is allowed on the curb extension. Where on-street bike lanes are provided, ensure the design does not squeeze the cyclist into motor vehicle lanes. 19 National Association of City Transportation Officials. Urban Street Design Guide (New York: Island Press, 2013), 46. 45 2 - 60 Crosswalks Locate crosswalks to follow pedestrian desire paths. Align pedestrian crosswalks to minimize the crossing distance that vulnerable users are exposed on the roadway and maintain straight alignment with the throughway. Use curb extensions and vertical traffic calming measures to provide additional safety and comfort for pedestrians. All crosswalks are to be AODA compliant, including tactile walking surface indicators in the sidewalk and ramps at both ends. Ramps must be entirely contained within the crosswalk and should not be shared in two different directions. Ideally the ramps and surface indicators are located at right angles in the direction of the crosswalk, to discourage leading pedestrians into the intersection. Tighter curb radii can help but some streets may be too skewed to accommodate perfectly. The majority of crosswalks in Kitchener are painted horizontal lines. Ladder crosswalks can be used in high volume crossings, especially if vulnerable users (like children or older adults) are commonly present. Decorative or painted crosswalks can be used, in accordance with applicable policies. Use motor vehicle stop bars in advance of crosswalks, to reduce vehicle encroachment into the crosswalk, improve the driver’s view of pedestrians and provide a comfortable space for pedestrian crossing. 20 20 City of Calgary. Complete Streets Guide(Calgary, 2014), 29. 2 - 61 Raised crosswalks A raised crosswalk enhances a standard crosswalk by adding additional height and visibility of pedestrians, clearly demonstrating priority to pedestrian crossing and adding a traffic calming effect to motor vehicles. Combine raised crosswalks with Pedestrian Crossovers (PXOs) at mid-block locations, to grant the right of way to pedestrians. Use raised crosswalks at entrances to residential neighbourhoods or main street zones. Maintain a smooth crossing, level with the connecting sidewalks or trail. This may require additional attention to drainage and stormwater drain locations. 47 2 - 62 Pedestrian crossovers (PXOs) PXOs provide pedestrians with protected crossing opportunities by requiring motorists to yield to pedestrians within the crosswalk.The presence of a pedestrian in the crosswalk requires the driver of a vehicle approaching the crossover to stop before entering the crossover. The design, type and placementof PXOs in Ontariofollow the guidance set out in OTM Book 21 15. 21 Province of Ontario. Ontario Traffic Manual Book 15: Pedestrian Crossing Treatments (Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2016), 63. 2 - 63 Pedestrian refuge islands Pedestrian refuge islands, or medians, allow pedestrians to cross in two stages, rather than wait for gaps to clear in both directions. They can be especially helpful at mid-block locations tobreak up large blocks without controlled crossings such as stop signs, traffic lights, or pedestrian crossovers. The size of the refuge island should accommodate the volume of pedestrians (and the length of a bicycle with trailer if it is a shared crossing) expected to queue in the space. Islands should also be designed to be larger if the roadway is a high volume and high speed corridor, to help calm traffic and minimize the uncomfortable feeling of cars “whizzing by” in both directions. The preferred width is 2.4 – 3.0 m, with 1.8m being acceptable in constrained 22 scenarioswith only pedestrians crossing. Angle the island portion of the crossing to encourage eye contact between pedestrians and oncoming vehicles. Pedestrian amenities Urban and environmental factors are a critical component of the pedestrian user experience. Amenities can add significantly to a feeling of safety on a street, as well as encourage longer travel distances through rest areas and interesting streetscapes.Appropriate maintenanceand replacement costs shouldbe factored into the placement of all pedestrianamenities. Lighting should ensure photometric designmeets standards for the pedestrian scale, as per city lighting requirements. Heritage or decorative lighting can be used for greater streetscape appeal. Trees are encouraged to provide shade and comfort to pedestrians. Benches are important amenities to animate a street and provide comfort to pedestrians. Locations of higher priority include transit stops, older adultcentres, medical facilities, recreation facilities and shopping centres. Sidewalk patios contribute to a vibrant public realm and support commercial activity. Sense of place can be enhanced through features like public art, banner poles, hanging baskets and decorative elements (such as seasonal lights). Further direction provided in Streetscape Design. 22 NACTO, Urban Street Design Guide, 116. 49 2 - 64 Cycling design Cycling is one of the most efficient forms of transportation. It can be significantly faster and cover longer distances than walking, whilestill gaining all the health and exercise benefits of using human- powered travel. Many people are reluctant to cycle because they do not feel comfortable in mixed traffic with motor vehicles. A cyclist is similar to a pedestrian in terms of their vulnerability in a collision with motor vehicles, butrequires a unique set of design considerations due to their larger operating space and faster speeds. Cycling design objectives 1.Prioritize safety. This oftenincludes separation from motor vehicles and mitigating conflicts at intersections. 2.Design for all ages and abilities. Target the 60% of the population who is interested in cycling more but doesn’t because of 23 safety concerns. Cycling ridership will grow if a street that was previously uncomfortable for cycling becomes safer and more comfortable. Plan for growing numbers, not current cycling volumes. 3.Ensure direct and connected routes. Build missing links to ensure consistent and connected cycling networks, in accordance with the Cycling and Trails Master Plan. 4.Provide guidance. Anyone should be able to hop on a bike and use the city’s bike network, through intuitive design, signage and pavement markings. Because the cycling network incorporates both on- road cycling infrastructure and off-road trails, it is essential to provide wayfinding guidance for ease of navigation and a consistent cycling experience. 5.Make it maintainable. Accommodate maintenance equipment needs with sufficient space and snow storage areas to ensureregularmaintenancecan be provided. 6.Provide a comfortable experience. Provide smooth riding surfaces as much as possible, and ensure bike-friendly catch basins and maintenance holes. Cyclists should be able to complete their journey without having to dismount. 23 Province of Ontario. Ontario Traffic Manual Book 18: Cycling Facilities (Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2014), 12-13. 2 - 65 Cyclingdesign features The design user 24 Choosing the most appropriate type of bicycle infrastructure is based on a variety of factors, including land use, network connectivity, pedestrian volumes and crossings, motor vehicle volumes, motor vehicle speeds, andintersection design and function. Direction provided in this document is consistent with the most up to date version ofOTM Book 18: Cycling Facilities, and other industry standards. 24 TAC, Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, Chapter 5 – Bicycle Integrated Design, 7. 51 2 - 66 Cycle tracks Cycle tracks, also known as raised or boulevard bike lanes or bike paths, are located outside of the travelled portion of the roadway, and include barrier curb separation. Cycle tracks are attractive to all ages and abilities, due tothe strong separationfrom motor vehicles, and can take less right of way spacethan separated or buffered bike lanes. They can be considered wherever a standard bicycle lane is recommended, especially along higher speed and/or volume streets. 25 Desired width is 1.8 m, with 1.3 - 1.7 m being acceptable in constrained scenarios. Include a 1 m boulevard space for greater cycling comfort, to avoidfrequent and uncomfortable grade change (sometimes referred to as“roller-coastering”) at driveways and to provide snow storage space from both the road and the cycle track. If placed directly beside a sidewalk, provide a visual and tactile marking to warn visually impaired pedestrians if they are entering the cycle track.Width of the marking is at least 0.2 m and can consist of hatchedsidewalk (concrete) or interlocking bricks. If on a transit route, consider how to mitigate conflicts between pedestrians and transit loading/unloading, such as floating bus stops. Where space permits, the preference is to locate the cycle track behind the bus stop. Continue the cycle track through intersections, with crossrides and bicycle signals facilitating intersection movement.Plan for two stage left turns. Use the same pavement markings and signs as painted/conventional bike lanes, including 26 greenpaint to highlight major conflict points and elephants’ feetmarkings across driveways. Maintenance includesutility repair,street sweeping, snow removal and pothole repair. Main Street cycle track in Ottawa. 25 TAC, Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, Chapter 5 – Bicycle Integrated Design, 18. 26 Province of Ontario, OTM Book 18, 120. 2 - 67 Separated bike lanes Separated bike lanes provide space exclusively for bicycles and include a form of physical separation from the motorized portion of the roadway, such as bollards, curbs, planter boxes, raised medians or parking. The higher the level of protection from adjacent motor vehicles, the more attractive the bike lane becomes to all ages and abilities. Separated bike lanes are appropriate on roads with moderate to high motor vehicle volumes and speeds, and can have a higher capital and maintenance cost than other forms of cycling infrastructure. Desired width is 2.5 m for the bike lane and 1.0 m for the buffer, to facilitate passing in the bike lane and provide enough space for maintenance vehicles. Constrained scenarios can be 27 designed for 1.8 m bike lanes with a 0.3 m buffer. Restrict parking on approaches to intersections. For parking protected bike lanes, add islands at intersections to maintain a level of protection for cyclists when parking is not allowed. Plan in most cases for one way bicycle lanes on each side, but two-way bicycle operation is possible on one-way streets, especially in constrained scenarios. The type of separation depends on motor vehicle speed and volume in adjacent lane, presence of parking, available width, sightline requirements, drainage requirements, maintenance requirements and surrounding land use. Use the same pavement markings and signs as painted/conventional bike lanes, including green paint to highlight major conflict points and elephants’ feet markings across driveways. Plan for drainage from the motor vehicle lanes and separate bike lanes. Maintenance includes street sweeping, snow removal, pothole repair, underground utility repairs and catch basin cleaning. Separated bike lanes in Toronto. 27 TAC, Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, Chapter5– Bicycle Integrated Design, 16. 53 2 - 68 Boulevard multi-use trails Aboulevard multi-use trail (BMUT) provides two-way travel for both pedestrians and cyclists, in a shared space, adjacent to the roadway in the boulevard.Pedestrians and cyclists travel in the same direction, on the right side of the trail. BMUTs have popular appeal because a curb and green space, furnishing and/or buffered zone fully separates pedestrians and cyclists from motorized traffic. ABMUTis appropriate where there are minimal conflicts (such as intersections or driveways), low pedestrian and/or bicyclistvolumes and recreational uses are high. In most cases, that would include city arterial streets, though a BMUTmay be used on other street classifications that connect to an off- road trail, to provide a consistent experience from off-road trails to withinthe right-of-way. Since BMUTs are used by pedestrians as well as cyclists, they must meet all AODA requirements. The desired width is 3.6 - 4.0 m, especially if the BMUTis only on one side of the street, to accommodate one person cycling in one direction and two people walking abreast in the other direction. A lower limit of 3.0 m is appropriate in lower volume areas or if the BMUTis on both sides of the street. A maximum limit is 6.0 m. In constrained conditions, a 2.4 m width can be considered. Thedesired width of the buffer zone between the street curb and BMUTis 1.5 m. Curb faced BMUTs can be considered in constrained situations, but requires careful consideration of winter maintenance coordination between the road and BMUT and may requireadditional maintenance costs, due to the need for snow loading. The buffer zone can be grass or pavement/concrete, provided the material has a visual and tactile difference from the BMUT. Surface material preference is asphalt or like material. Concrete is discouraged due to its resemblance of a sidewalk (if concrete isdesired, it must have a higher use of pavement markings and signage). Unpaved surfaces (e.g. stone dust) are not appropriate for BMUTs in the right of way due to maintenance requirements. Multi-use trail on Strasburg Road, Kitchener. 2 - 69 Curb cutsat street crossings and transitions between on-road and off-road facilities is to be provided, with transitions as smooth as possible for accessibility purposes andto facilitate safe 28 and comfortablecrossings.Tactile warning plates to be provided where pedestrians cross. The combined crossride/crosswalk is to be provided at all intersections. Pavement markings include a solid, yellow centre line of 100 mm width, to separate 29 bidirectional travel.Use pedestrian and bicycle symbols and directional arrows at major 30 access points or street crossings,to make it clear to users which side of the pathway to be on and the direction to travel in. Use a dashed yellow line when pathways intersect.Stop bars to be placed where yield control is warranted. Use the Shared Trail signto indicate that users are expected to share the space and to notify 31 motorists of the presence of pedestrians and cyclists.It should be placed on the far side of intersections, pathway entrances and major decision points. Driveways are to be consolidated and narrowed as much as possible to limit conflicts between pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. Trail to cross driveways smooth and flush with driveway curbs interrupted by trail.Design driveways and intersections to reduce vehicle speeds when turning and place stop bars before the BMUTfor vehicles crossing over the trail.Elephants’ feet markings used across driveways. Streetname blades added to BMUT stop signs. Restrict access to motor vehicleswith entrance features, if necessary. Make sure the pathway user experience is not compromised, including wider users like strollers, bike trailers or cargo bikes. Grades on pathways should be limited to 5%, and cross-slopes should be 1to 2%, balancing the need for drainage and accessibility. Amenities include rest areas, benches, waste receptacles and bike parking. Maintenance considerationsinclude sweeping, winter snow clearingand underground utility maintenance. 28 Province of Ontario, OTM Book 18, 125. 29 OTM Book 18, p. 119. 30 Province of Ontario, OTM Book 18, 119. 31 Ibid., 117. 55 2 - 70 Neighbourhood bikeways Neighbourhood bikeways, also known as bicycle boulevards or bicycle priority streets, are quiet, local streets that can be enjoyed in a low-stress environment without designated space. Bicycles are assigned priority by applying additional speedand volume treatments to reduce the level of stress for cyclists. Design the street to reach low motor vehicle volumes (target of 500 per day) and low motor vehicle speeds (less than 40 km/h). Provide logical, direct and continuous routes to access desired destinations. Wider streets may provide more comfortable passing, but may also encourage higher speeds. 32 A road width of 6.0 – 7.0 m, with parking on one-side only, is preferred.Consider removing parking entirely for higher priority streets within the cycling network, to reduce cyclist stress and prevent dooring. Use wayfinding signs to guide cyclists through the network. Assign priority to cyclists through signage and pavement markings. At intersections, minimize stops at local street crossings by re-orienting stop signs, or using yield signs or traffic signals. At major road crossings,transition cyclists into the boulevard spaceto navigate the intersection separated from motorvehicles similar to cycle tracks. Reduce motor vehicle speeds through traffic calming measures. Lower motor vehicle volumes through traffic diversion elements that restrict movement for motor vehicles but maintain movement for cyclists and pedestrians. Treatments include diagonal diverter, directional closure, right in/right out island, raised median island or dead end 33 streets. These elements are ideal opportunities for green infrastructure or public art. Increased maintenance costs are expected with these treatments. Examples of traffic diversion techniques: 32 TAC, Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, Chapter 5 – Bicycle Integrated Design, 26. 33 Patterson, Brian and Sarah Freigang. “Bike Facilities Design Workshop.” Waterloo: Institute for Transportation Engineers and Urban Systems. September 21,2018, and National Association of City Transportation Officials. Urban Bikeway Design Guide. New York: Island Press, 2014. 2 - 71 34 34 National Association of City Transportation Officials. Urban Bikeway Design Guide. New York: Island Press, 2014. 57 2 - 72 Painted bike lanes Painted bike lanes, also known asconventional bike lanes, area designated space for exclusive use by cyclists. In most cases, a painted bike lane does not provide a level of comfort and safety to be appropriate for all ages and abilities, because it does not provide physical separation from motor vehicles. Painted bike lanes are used as a supporting feature of the cycling network to connect lower- density neighbourhoods to higher order cycling infrastructure. Variations of the painted bike lane include: Painted buffered bike lanes, to improve the level of comfort and safety, especially next to parked cars. Contraflow bike lanes, allowing cyclists to ride in opposite direction of motor vehicles on one- way streets. 35 Advisory bike lanes, providing a bicycle-priority area within a shared roadway environment. Design considerations: The desired width is 1.8 m, with additional space up to 2.0 m encouraged to enhance the cycling experience. In constrained scenarios, 1.5 m is acceptable. If providing a buffer, the width can vary between 0.5 m – 1.4 m. Typical placement is between the curb and parking, if present, though contextual factors related to parking occupancy/turnover, driveway frequency, and traffic speeds/volumes may switch that alignment. Provide additional space next to parking to eliminate risk of dooring. Use OTMBook 18 pavement markings and signs, including green paint, to highlight major conflict points. Maintenance includes underground utility repair, street sweeping, snow removal and pothole repair, which is typically provided by the same equipment servicing the adjacent motor vehicle lanes. Painted bike lane on Margaret Avenue, Kitchener. 35 Province of Ontario, OTM Book 18.JoeGilpin. “Advisory Bike Lanes in North America: Lessons Learned” (Alta Planning + Design, 2017). 2 - 73 Bicycle parking & bike sharing Every bicycle trip requires a convenient and safe place to park a bike. Bicycle parking is to be provided in the right-of-way along major corridors and destinations. Bicycle parking must not obstruct the pedestrian clearway. Place in locations of high visibilitynear desired destinationsto deter theft. Place on hard surfaces only. Bike racks should be designed toallow both the frame and at least one wheel of the bike to be secured with a u-style lock. For orderly parking, the rack should make at least two points of 36 contact with the bike. Preferred styles for the City of Kitchener include the inverted U, ring andpost, and the decorative bike. For higher volume bike parking, group several inverted U racks together. Long-term covered parking and/or secure parking is ideal next to major transit hubs and destinations. Bike sharing is an emerging mode of transportation offering convenient access to a bicycle (see Section 4). Provide space for bike sharing hubs or stations at major destinations. The size and layout of the stations will depend on the type of bike sharing system being offered.These locations should bereviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure they align with cycling demand. 36 Dero. “Pocket Guide to Bike Parking,” 2015. 59 2 - 74 Transit design Transit expands people’s access to the places they need to go throughout the city and contributes to an equitable, sustainableand efficient transportation network. Transit has the highest capacity for moving people in a limited space, meaning more of the street can be dedicated to other travel modes and vibrant public space. In Kitchener, transit services are provided by Grand River Transit (GRT) and the Region of Waterloo. This section provides some initial guidance for street designers. Designers must also fully coordinate with GRT staff, policies and guidelines to achieve a high quality transit street design. Transit design objectives 1.Provide safe and convenient active transportation access. Most transit trips start and end with walking or cycling. Pair transit stops with safe pedestrian crossings and cycling connections.Improve active transportation and public transit simultaneously. 2.Facilitate multimodal connections. Provide direct pedestrian access, bike parkingand/or micromobility stations to make it easy for people to combine transit with other travel modes.Consider vehicle drop-off facilities (i.e. park and ride lots) where appropriate, usually at major hubs outside of the urban core. 3.Include adequate space for transit amenities. Landing pads, seating and shelter provide important comfort to the transit experience, especially in varying weather conditions.Ensure there is sufficient space for the required amenities in street design. 4.Facilitate transit efficiency. On high- priority routes, bus bulb outs (or curb-outs) and queue jump lanes can speed up transit trips by prioritizing transit over other modes. 5.Design for all users. Universal accessibility of transit stops is required, according to the latest GRT standards and relevant legislation.Ensure facilities prioritizeaccess, comfort, wayfinding, and connectivity. 6.Create vibrant places.Transit attracts people, businesses and development. Integrate transit into the fabric of everyday life and design attractive public places. 2 - 75 Transit design features The design user 61 2 - 76 Transit locations Bus stop locations are defined by their relationship to intersectingstreets. Generally, there arethree placement locations for stops: nearside, farside, and midblock. The most suitable position in any given case is dependent on a number of factors, including road classification, adjacent land use, pedestrian facilities and crossings, transfers between routes, suitability for a shelter, street parking, and more. 37 Consult with GRT for furtherguidance. Typical nearside bus stop 37 Grand River Transit. Bus Stop Zones Guidelines, July 2001. 2 - 77 Typical farside bus stop 63 2 - 78 Typical mid-block bus stop 38 38 These images are sourced from GRT’s 2001 Design Guidelines, which is currently under review. 2 - 79 Transit stops and amenities Transit stops are more than a place to wait. They can be designed to improve transit speeds and enhance the sustainability and accessibility of the streetscape with green infrastructure and well- designed public spaces. Dimensions for facilities provided in this section should beused as guidelines only, and more context-specific guidance should be sought from GRT when designing stop amenities. Design transit stops to be highly visible from all directions of the street, with prominence given to route identification. Parking is prohibited within 30 m on either side of a bus stop and may be signed that way. Provide a concrete landing pad at all transit stops, to ensure safe and convenient boarding and alighting areas, and to facilitate snow clearing and improve aesthetics. Landing pads should generally be 9.5 m in length to accommodate both the front and rear doors of a bus. Shelters provide some protection from the weather and a comfortable environment for waiting. Where possible, place shelters behind the sidewalk to improve safety, visibility, and snow clearance (unless using a floating bus stop integrating dedicated bicycle facilities). Provide two openings in the shelter, where feasible, to reduce entrapment areas. Ensure ads do not block the view of an approaching bus for peoplewaiting. Benches improve the waiting environment. Place the bench so that the passenger will be facing the direction the bus is coming from, if there is sufficient width to accommodate bench access by those with mobility devices. Seating should also be provided within shelters. Stops on frequent and/or busy routes may have a display showing real-time departure information. This is especially important if the stop is served by multiple routes. This will require an underground electrical connection. Add public art and enhanced landscaping to improve aesthetics and enjoyment of the public space wherever possible. Ensure the full transit stop area is well lit. 65 2 - 80 Transit curb-out Transit “curb-outs” or “bus bulbs” provide a loading area for the bus that extends past on-street parking lanes. This means fewer parking spaces need to be removed to accommodate the bus as compared to the provision of bus bays (which require extra space for entry and exit tapers), while still providing the bus with adequate space to serve passengers. “Curb-outs” allow the buses to board and alight passengers from the travel lane, removing the requirement for the bus to merge back into vehicle traffic, and saving time for transit vehicles. Typical “curb-out” bus stop 2 - 81 “Floating bus stops” On streets with both transit and dedicated cycling facilities, the design and location of transit stops can influence the safety and efficiency of both travel modes. In traditional design, buses enter into a bike lane to board passengers, causing stress for cyclists and a “leap-frog” effect as cyclists and buses pass and catch up to each other repeatedly. This may still be necessary in some street designs, but a “floating bus stop” can address these challenges where permitted by the cross-section of the roadway. A floating bus stop is a concrete platform built between a cycling facility and the roadway. Cyclists are directed behind the bus stop, reducing or eliminatingmost conflicts between buses and cyclists. Floating bus stops can also benefit pedestrians, as the floating bus stop doubles as a pedestrian 39 refuge, which, if designed efficiently, can shorten crossing distances. 39 Picture and description from AC Transit. Multimodal Corridor Guidelines. 2018. 67 2 - 82 Shared cycle track stops Where constraints do not allow for a floating bus stop, a shared stop can be used. In this case, a cycle track (or separated bike lane) runs alongside the boarding area, rather than running behind the boarding area. Buses do not enter the cycle track – instead, bicyclists can ride through the boarding area when no transit vehicles are present, but must yield the space to boarding and alighting passengers when a bus or streetcar light rail vehicle stops. Design details, pavement markings and 40 signage instruct the cyclist to yield to pedestrians accessing the bus. Shared cycle track stop in Toronto. 40 Share the Road Coalition. “Ontario Bike Summit.” Toronto, April 1, 2019. 2 - 83 Motor vehicle design Motor vehicles provide movement of people and goods, facilitate emergency servicesand provide maintenance services.Types of motor vehicles include personal vehicles, taxis, ridesharing and larger classes of vehicles that deliver essential services to the community. Fire and emergency services respond quickly to communities in need. Maintenance vehicles keep streets functioning through all four seasons, while maintaining critical underground and aboveground infrastructure that delivers many vital services to the community. Trucks facilitate goods movement within and between cities. Traffic calming to slow speeds is ahigh priority for motor vehicle design, to improve safety for all users. In addition, decades of planning around the automobile have created an overreliance on single occupancy vehicle travel, causing congestion, pollution, costly infrastructure, greater risk to vulnerable road users, reduced viability of other travel modes and inequitable access to services within a city. Balancing out the transportation mix is consistent with the city’s Integrated Transportation Master Plan, especially in reducing the prevalence of single occupant vehicles. Motor vehicle objectives 1.Design for safe speeds. Managing speedsis the highest priority of street design for motor vehicles, enhancing the safety of both motorists and vulnerable road users. Higher speeds increase stopping distances and decreasethe severity of collisions. 2.Set context-sensitive speed limits. Consider the surrounding land uses, street functions and interaction with vulnerable road users when determining speed limits.Incorporate passive traffic calming features, like narrow lanes, curb extensions and trees, to minimize the need for more aggressive features like speed humps. For streets with a posted speed limit of 50 km or less –which includes the 41 majority of streets in Kitchener – the design speed should equal the posted speed. 3.Accommodate the needs of large vehicles. Ensure trucks, emergency services and operations vehicles can operate effectively, while maintaining a balance for managing speeds and providing enough space for effective design for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users. This is often achieved by setting appropriate design vehicles and control vehicles to guide the design process. 4.Consider induced demandwhen determining capacity. Some level of congestion is expected for any thriving, urban environment. Research has determined that expanding motor vehicle lanes and roads is not an effective measure to curbing congestion, but actually increases the prevalence of single occupant vehicles, causing greater congestion and often degrading quality alternatives (walking, cycling and transit). 41 Transportation engineering design has traditionally designed streets to have a design speeds of 10 km/h or more higher than the actual postedspeed, to provide a buffer in case of human error. In urban environments, many cities are finding this practice to increase speeds and reduce safety. Movements like the Safe Systems Approach and Vision Zero are providing research to justify a design speedbeing equal to the posted speed for speeds less than 50 km/h. Cities that have adopted this approach include the City of Edmonton and the City of Toronto. 69 2 - 84 5.Optimize use of street space. Use the narrowest land and pavement width possible, based on design vehicle and control vehicle requirements. Reallocate overbuilt or unused road space to other travelmodes, placemaking, boulevardsand green infrastructure. Motor vehicle features The design user A variety of motor vehicles use the roadway.Additional design vehicles found in Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, Section 2. 42 City of Kitchener grader 42 City of Toronto.Toronto Complete Streets Guidelines Edition 1. Volume 1. 2017, 136. 2 - 85 City of Kitchener tandem snow plow 71 2 - 86 City of Kitchener tracklesssnow plow 2 - 87 Vehicle lanes Vehicle lanes serve vehicular movement, including through and turn movements. Lane widths have an impact on driver behavior and travel speed. Lane widths must balance the safety and comfort of all road users. Use the narrowest lane width possible. For streets servicing transit, the desired lane width is 3.3 m and should not exceed 3.5 m. For streets without transit and little truck traffic, the desired lane width is 3.0 m. Width of turn lanes is 3.0 43 m. On streets with multiple lanes in the same direction, the curb-side lane can be up to 3.5 m wide to accommodate large vehicles, buses and trucks, with the inside lane being 3.0 m. Local streets and collector streets can include parking within one lane of travel, to minimize pavement width and assist in traffic calming. A barrier curb and gutter is used at the outer edges of each street, except in woonerf or green street scenarios. Other factors that may impact the selection of lane width include available right of way, land use, street classification, travel mode prioritization, collision history, parking, utility installations, snow storage, and topography. Also consult the cross-sections in Section 2. 43 These widths are consistent with. For roads with a design speed of 60 km/h or less – the majority of streets in Kitchener – TAC recommends lane widths as low as 2.7 m in constrained areas and up to 4.0 m, with 3.0 m to 3.7 m being most recommended. TAC, Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads,Chapter 4, Cross-section elements, 9. 73 2 - 88 Traffic calming Traffic calming includes a range of strategies to manage vehicle speeds and volumes. The city’s traffic calming policy directs how the city retrofits a street for slower speeds when it is not up for reconstruction in the near future. The following principles apply to new roads or full road reconstructionof Local Streets, Minor Collector Streets and identified Major Collector Streets: Integrate traffic calming into a street design, to ensure target traffic speeds are realized and to avoid costly retrofits in future years. Measures to slow speeds include narrow lanes, trees, chicanes, curb extensions, speed humps, traffic circles, raised crosswalks/crossrides, and raised intersections. These measures may divert traffic to higher volume roads as well. Measures to lower traffic volume include raised medians, right-in right out islands, full closures, intersection channelization, directional closures and diverters. Break up long stretches of straight roadways with a variety of traffic calming elements. The maximum length without some form of trafficcalming should be 120 - 150 m. Mature trees have been proven to provide a traffic calming impact. Consider how to accommodate the needs of emergency services and operations vehicles Consider how to avoid negative impacts to cycling comfort or transit. If designed correctly, a new or rebuilt street should not require more aggressive traffic calming elements like speed humps or other vertical measures, which can have negative impacts to cycling, emergency services, and operations vehicles. 44 44 BrianPatterson and Sarah Freigang. “Bike Facilities Design Workshop” (Waterloo: Institute for Transportation Engineers and Urban Systems), September 21,2018. 2 - 89 The City of Kitchener’s Love My Hood resident-led traffic calming programcan improve safety, slow traffic, add beauty and bring neighbours together.Types of projects include painted crosswalks, intersection murals, planter boxes or “pop-up” measures – all led by groups of residents dedicated to making their neighbourhood even better. Consult lovemyhood.ca/trafficcalming for more information. Emergency services The space and operational needs of first responders, such as fire, paramedics and police, are important factors in the design of a street. Fire trucks have the largest emergency response vehicle. Improving safety on city streets is a primary goal of Complete Streets, reducing the number and severity of collisions that emergency services need to respond to. Collaborative efforts between staff and emergency services are essential in meeting mandated response times. Maintenance Streets and related utility services require regular maintenance to function reliably and efficiently. Roadway design must consider the space and operational needs of snow plows, graders, sweepers, leaf collection, utility trucks and more. Parking Parking serves an important need for motorists and persons with disabilities. Parking can be provided on-street or in designated lots or garages. Consideration needs to be given to how the parking supply mightencourage greater automobile use. Provide accessible parking spaces in dense urban environments. The width of an on-street parking space is 2.4 m, not including the width of the gutter. The length is 6.0 m. Provide a hard surface boulevard where parking use is high. Restrict parking at intersections to improve sightlines and visibility of pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. Fill the space with a curb extension, pedestrian amenities or green infrastructure. 75 2 - 90 Intersection design Intersections provide transitions between different streets, allowing navigation through the street network. They often serve as meeting places for neighbourhoods or the city as a whole and attract commercial and cultural activity. Intersections are also the site of “conflicts” between travel modes as each person navigates the intersection according to their own specific travel path. Providing effective design guidance to navigate these conflicts is essential to improving road safety for all users. In Kitchener, all signalized intersections are managed by the Region of Waterloo. This section provides some initial guidance for street designers. Designersmust also fully coordinate with Regional staff to achieve high quality intersections. Intersection design objectives 1.Prioritize vulnerable users. Pedestrians and cyclists are most at risk in high-conflict areas. All design features should be weighed against the impact on vulnerable users. Accessibility features, such as tactile walking surface indicators, are expected.Assign priority to pedestrians and cyclists, through design cues, maintaining separation through intersectionsand assigning the right-of-way. 2.Balance comfort and convenience of all travel modes. In many cases, what may be advantageous for one travel mode at an intersection may come at the expense of other travel modes. View the function of an intersection through the lens of each travel mode in order to understand the trade-offs a design may have.While not desired, if signals require a button or sensor, provide visual guidance onhow to trigger the light. 3.Maximize visibility. Maintain sightlines and foster eye contact between different users. Where pedestrians and cyclists are sharing a space, separate them at intersections to encourage clearer visibility and predictability. 4.Reduceturnspeeds. The severity of collisions is strongly correlated to vehicle speeds. Reduce turning radii, avoid right turn channels, use narrow lane widths and integrate traffic calming features into intersection design. 5.Maintain consistencyandfosterpredictable movements. If each travel mode has a dedicated space on the street, that space should continue through the intersection to encourage predictable movements among all travel modes. Consistent widths are also important for maintenance vehicle access and to minimize snow windrows. Use pavement markings to guide users in a predictable manner. 6.Accommodate large vehicles appropriately. Establish a “design vehicle” and “control vehicle” to determine appropriate curb radii. 2 - 91 Intersection design features Design vehicle and control vehicle In the past, many streets and intersections were designed to accommodate the largest possible vehicle on the road. This often leads to higher motor vehicle speeds of the most common type of vehicle – passenger cars. Today, focus has shifted to maximizing safety for a wide variety of road 45 users, through the adoption of a “design vehicle” and a “control vehicle.” The “design vehicle” is the most common vehicle to be using the street. It should be able to navigate an intersection with relative ease, but at reduced speed facilitated by the intersection’s design. Curb and turning radii are selected based on the design vehicle’s characteristics, as well as street context. The width of travel lanes are based on the design vehicle as well. The “control vehicle” is an occasional or infrequent user of the street. It should also be able to navigate an intersection but may have less space to maneuver or require the space in adjacent motor vehicle lanes. Encroachments into a second receiving lane are expected, and encroachments into the opposing travel lane may be tolerated for the occasional large vehicle at a low volume intersection. 46 Advanced stop bars should be used in these scenarios. 47 This table defines the default design vehicles and control vehicles on City of Kitchener streets. The individual characteristics of each street should be weighed to determine if this classification is appropriate. 45 Patterson and Friegang, “Bike Facilities Design Workshop.” 46 TAC, Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, Chapter 2 – Design Controls, Classification and Consistency, 34. City of Edmonton. Complete Streets Design and Construction Standards(2018), 17. 47 Vehicle classes identified byTAC, Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, Chapter 2 – Design Controls, Classification and Consistency, 34 and based on City of Edmonton, Complete Streets Design and Construction Standards, p. 42. 77 2 - 92 Street Design Control vehicleControl vehicle allowable classificationvehicleencroachments LocalPassenger City of Kitchener snow Must maneuver within hard carplowsurfaced areas and avoid any vertical obstacles. Encroachment into (unmarked) opposing lanes permitted to pass parked vehicles or at intersections. Minor Passenger City of Kitchener snow Must maneuver within hard Collector carplowsurfaced areas and avoid any vertical obstacles. Encroachment into opposing lanes permitted to pass parked vehicles or at intersections. Major Passenger Grand River Transit bus, Encroachment into adjacent lanes CollectorcarCity of Kitchener snow in same directionpermitted at plowmajor intersections. Encroachment into opposing lanes at minor intersections permitted. Arterial (Main Passenger Grand River Transit bus, Encroachment into adjacent lanes street carCity of Kitchener snow in same directionpermitted at scenario)plowmajor intersections. Encroachment into opposing lanes at minor intersections permitted. Arterial Grand River Medium single-unit Encroachment into adjacent lanes (Thoroughfare Transit bustruck, heavy single-unit in same directionpermitted at scenario)truckmajor intersections. Encroachment into opposing lanes at minor intersections permitted. Arterial Heavy WB-19 Tractor-Encroachment into adjacent lanes (Industrial single-unit semitrailer truck, WB-20 in same directionpermitted at scenario) truckTractor-Semitrailer, A-major intersections. Encroachment Train Double, B-Train into opposing lanes at minor Doubleintersections permitted. Additional guidance: A minimum 6.0 m clear width is required to accommodate Fire Trucks on all city streets. This can include the width of opposing lanes and parking lanes on local streets. Stop barsshould be set backwhere any control vehicle encroaches into opposing lanes. Right turn lanes should generally be avoided, as they increase pedestrian crossing distance, the size of intersection and the likelihood of conflicts between motorists turning on red and pedestrians crossing on green. In particular, right-turn channelization should be avoided because they create additional conflict points with vulnerable users, at higher motor vehicle speeds. Restrict parking at corners. 2 - 93 Corner radii Intersection corners have a significant impact on comfort and safety of all street users. Larger radii are less safe for bicycles and pedestrians because they allow for higher vehicle speeds through the turn 48 and result in larger crossing distances. Generally, streets should be constructed withthe smallest corner radii possible, toslow vehicle speeds, create more compact, pedestrian-scale intersections and allow right angled placement of tactical surface indicators. The selected radii should facilitate the frequent user, yet still accommodate the infrequent user, based on the design vehicle and control vehicle guidance. 49 48 Kendra K. Levine, Curb Radius and Injury Severity at Intersections(Berkeley: Institute of Transportation Studies Library, 2012), 2. 49 City of Calgary, Complete Streets Guide, 77. 79 2 - 94 Preferred turning radii: LocalMinor CollectorMajor CollectorArterial Turning radius 6.0 m6.0 m6.0 m6.0 m with Local/Minor Collector Turning radius 6.0 m6.0 m7.5 m8.0 m with Major Collector Turning Radius 6.0 m6.0 m7.5 –8.0 m8.0 –10.0 m with Arterial These preferred radii act as a starting point for street design. Additional street context should be considered, including intersection angle, elevation, vehicle speeds and volumes, sight triangles, type of pedestrians and cyclist facilities, etc.Primarily industrial streets may use a turning radii up to 15 m. These turning radiiwereselected based on analysis of comparable Canadian cities and industry guidance through TAC, NACTO and ITE. In addition, the corner radius may not be the same as the effective turn radius, especially when parking lanes or bike lanes are present. In this case, the corner radius can be even smaller than the preferred radii identified in the previous chart. 50 50 City of Edmonton, Complete Streets Design and Construction Standards, 118. 2 - 95 Combining crossings for pedestrians and cyclists A crosswalkprovides a space for pedestrians to cross at intersections. Cyclists are required to dismount and walk through crosswalks, but generally will not and the design should anticipatethis behavior.Where a crossride is provided in place of a crosswalk, a cyclist may ride their bicycle within 51 the crossing without dismounting. Three options to facilitate safe crossing for pedestrians and cyclists are available. Widening the sidewalk, cycle track or trail on the approach to the intersection may be needed to accommodate these treatments. The combined crosswalk/crossrideis usually the preferred treatment, comprised of “elephant’s feet” markings with “zebra stripe” markings inside, and is most suitablefor low volumes and mid-block locations. Pedestrians are intended to make use of the central area, and cyclists to use the outer parts. A bicycle symbol and arrow for the outside area is preferred to make it clear where to be and in what direction. 52 51 Province of Ontario, OTM Book 18, 159. 52 Based on Ibid., 160. 81 2 - 96 The asymmetrical separated crosswalk/crossrideis appropriate for many signalized intersections, and some all way stop controlled intersections, especially where cycle tracks and sidewalks are side by side. This consists of “elephant’s feet” markings on one side and “zebra stripe” markings on the other. The zebra stripes and elephant’s feet should be aligned with the appropriate facility—typically the “zebra stripes” with the sidewalk and the “elephant’s feet” with the cycle track. Use bicycle symbols and arrows to clearly delineate where users should ride. 53 53 Based on Ibid., p. 159. 2 - 97 The mixed crosswalk/crossrideis to be used at driveways of major destinations (e.g. shopping centres, major workplaces). It can also be used in constrained scenarios, but only as a last resort. It is comprised of “elephant’s feet” markings with pedestrian, bicycle and arrow symbols inside. 54 Green paintcan be used in a combined or asymmetrical crosswalk/crossride where bikes have a designated area to pass. Mid-block trail crossings Where off-road trails cross a street, options include curb extensions, speed tables, PXOs, refuge islands, or signals. Design detailsfor each treatmentweredescribed previously. Additionally, general principlesto consider when constructinga mid-block crossing include: If the trail does not include a yellow centre line, it must be painted at all street crossing approaches, for 10 metres length, to organize pedestrians and cyclists and provide greater visual awareness of the pathway crossing to motorists. Off-road trails that are not lit should have additional lighting at street crossings to provide greater visibility to pedestrians and cyclists. Assign priority to pedestrians and cyclists, through design cues and the right-of-way. Provide signage and visual cues to drivers to notify of a trail crossing. 54 Ibid., p. 160 83 2 - 98 Separated cycling intersections Separated cycling intersections maintain the high level of comfort and safety for cyclists found with separated bike lanes or cycle tracks through an intersection. They provide dedicated space to accommodate left, through and right turns in a low-stress manner. Crossrides identify the path of travel and corner safety islands provide a physical barrier when cyclists are waiting to cross, while encouraging eye contact with motorists. For left turns, a cyclist proceeds through the intersection in 55 two stages. Bicycle signal phases and bicycle actuation can be incorporated into the design. Painted bike lanes or bicycle boulevards can be transitioned into a separated intersection by 56 transitioning into short, separated bike lane segments upstream of the intersection.This is especially important when lower motor vehicle volume streets intersect with higher volume streets. 57 55 TAC, Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, Chapter 5 – Bicycle Integrated Design, 53-54. 56 Joe Gilpin, Nick Falbo, Mike Repsch and Alicia Zimmerman. “Evolution of the Protected Intersection: Lessons Learned” (Alta Planning + Design, 2015), 7. 57 Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide (Boston, 2015), 69. 2 - 99 58 A rendering of a separated intersection. 59 A separated intersection in Vancouver. 58 Gilpin, Falbo, Repsch and Zimmerman. “Evolution of the Protected Intersection.” 59 Small Places, Kathleen Corey and Brian Bould. https://www.tcat.ca/crossing-the-danger-zone-intersections- and-cyclists/Burrard and Pacific Street, Vancouver 85 2 - 100 Roundabouts A roundabout is a circular-shaped intersection in which motor vehicle traffic flows through the intersection in a counter clockwise direction. Roundabouts should not be confused with traffic circles. The primary purpose of roundabouts is to facilitate movement between intersecting streets, while the primary purpose of traffic circles is to slow traffic on a particular street. Roundabouts canreduce the severity of collisions, but also pose accessibility challenges and are often a high-stress experience for pedestrians and cyclists. Further researchand discussion is needed in the transportation industry to develop “complete roundabout” design guidelines that adequately address the safety, comfort and convenience of all four travel modes equally. 2 - 101 Streetscape design Some streets are designed to move people from point A to point B, while other streets are designed as a public space that encourages people to linger and enjoy a sense of place. These two functions – movement and place –are present in every street design, but maybe prioritized or balanced differently depending on the streetscape. Streets typically represent the largest area of public space a community has, and a large portion of people’s daily lives are conducted in the context of a street. From parades to protests, fromwindow shopping to street parties, streets are critical public spaces that form lasting memories and add to the richness of our community. Streetscape design objectives 1.Embrace local contextand engage the community. Respect and respond to existing and planned land uses and buildings. Add unique elements that speak to the history and culture of a particular street, neighbourhood or community group. Incorporate residents’ ideas and empower communities to animate streets through art, pop- ups, street parties and gatherings. 2.Create vibrant gathering places. Encourage gathering and social interaction, using attractive, durable materials, street furniture, trees, and greenery.The most common examples of placemaking are the sidewalk café or patio, art installations, local food markets,food trucks or little libraries. 3.Create flexible space. Encourage different uses for different parts of the day or seasons, such as parking that can be converted to patio space in the summer. 4.Incorporate equity. Diverse ages, abilities and ethnicities experience a streetscape differently, requiring intentional thought on how all users can be welcomed on a street. 5.Consider personal safety. Utilize crime prevention through environmental design techniques to foster safe streetscapes. Streetscape design examples A rainbow crosswalk at Joseph Street and Gaukel Street fosters an inclusive community. 87 2 - 102 Photo credit: Zac Jolliffe. A weekly pop-up farmers market attracts more shoppers to Belmont Village. Photo credit: Zac Jolliffe. Every Neighbours Day – the second Saturday in June in Kitchener – residents of the Westmount neighbourhood throw a street party. 2 - 103 Photo credit: Laura McBride. Little libraries are becoming a common feature of residential streets, bringing neighbours together around the love of reading. Photo credit: Zac Jolliffe. A large mural on Charles Street, led by Neruda Arts, adds colour and energy to the street. 89 2 - 104 Sustainableinfrastructure design Sustainableinfrastructure refers to features that enhance environmental sustainability and help the city reach its sustainability goals and policies. The City of Kitchener views environmental leadership as a key strategic focus, with the goal of achieving a healthy and livable community by proactively mitigatingand adapting to climate change, conserving natural resourcesand protecting air and water quality. Climate Action The widespread scale and complexity of climate change poses considerable environmental, economic and social risk to cities. As global surfacetemperatures continue to rise from human induced climate change, cities are leading the way in combatting this prevailing challenge. The City of Kitchener’s vision for the Corporate Climate Action Plan is to lead by example with action on climate change to reduce corporate greenhouse gas emissions and promote inclusive environmental sustainability and 60 resilience. Design every street to maximize low-carbon modes of travel. Reduce the heat island effect, create carbon sinks and incentivize electric vehicles. With transportation emissions accounting for 49% of 61 total emissions in Waterloo Region in 2015,everystreet project is an opportunity totransform the city’stransportation systemto be more sustainable and achieve climate action goals. Photo credit: Brynn Dolfi 60 City of Kitchener, Kitchener, Changing for Good: Our corporate climate action plan for sustainability (Kitchener, 2019). 61 Climate Action Waterloo Region,“Our Progress, Our Path: An Update on Waterloo Region’s Community Carbon Footprint” (Kitchener, 2015). 2 - 105 Urban Forestry It’s hard to imagine a vibrant, caring and innovative city without picturing trees. Trees are a key element of a living city andplay a role in filtering the air, enhancing public spaces, providing shade on a sunny dayand creating habitat for birds and other creatures. In the street context, a high quality, urban canopy on a streetenhances the pedestrian realm with much needed shade and improved aesthetics. A high quality treecanopyalso increases property values and commercial sales. Follow urban forestry best practices, protect existing trees and plant trees at appropriate intervals along streets based on tree stature and soil volume requirements.Complete streets should ultimately meet the requirements ofKitchener’s Sustainable Urban Forest Strategyand other policies to achieve a high quality, urban canopy on a street. Photo credit: Brynn Dolfi 91 2 - 106 Low impact development Kitchener’s approach to stormwater management focuses on runoff prevention, preservesand acknowledges the benefits provided by natural systems, recognizes rainwater as a resourceto be managed rather than a waste and uses ‘green’ stormwater infrastructure approaches incombination with conventional stormwater managementapproaches to better and more efficiently manage 62 stormwater and improve the environment. Integrating traditional stormwater management (SWM) controls and low impact development (LID) into a street’s design provides an opportunity to enhancestreet aesthetics, mitigate and adapt to climate change and reduce heat island effects.Examples include bioswales, flow-through planters, 63 pervious strips, pervious pavement, exfiltration trenches, and centre boulevards.Ideal locations include traffic calming elements, like curb extensions and traffic circles, transit waiting areas, parking lay-bys and boulevards. Complete streets should ultimately meet the requirements ofKitchener’s Integrated Stormwater Master Plan, Asset Management Strategyand other related policies and strategies. LID is a prominent feature in Guelph Street, with each parking bay providing additional stormwater absorption. 62 City of Kitchener, Integrated Stormwater MasterPlan(Kitchener, 2016). 63 NACTO, Urban Street Design Guide, 67. 2 - 107 Maintenance& utilities design A Complete Street is one that is maintainable over the long term and through all four seasons.Streets also carry many utilities that provide services to the communitysuch as hydro, water, sanitary and communications.Underground utilities carry away stormwater runoff to prevent flooding on the street surface. The City of Kitchener has established a corporate asset management strategy to manage the City’s assets, incorporating all aspects of asset maintenance and service delivery. The design models and process for these guidelines should take into account an asset management approach of lifecycle management, related to attainable levels of service. The objective of the strategy is to use risk management concepts to provide an optimal balance between the needs and costs for repairing, replacing and upgrading assets with the affordability to do so. This section provides initial guidance. Complete streets designs should be fully coordinated with the appropriate maintenanceand utilities staff and organizations to ensure a highly functioning streetthat meets attainable levels of service. Mandated legislative requirementsdictatelevels of maintenance for roadways andseparation requirementsbetween various utilitiesand must be adhered to. Ensure the Asset Management Division is included in the design and planning with involved asset categoriesto consider asset inventory, attributes, inspection programs and how that relates to lifecycle and work management. Maintenance and utilitiesdesign direction 1.Utilize the boulevard space for snow storage. Where 1 m boulevards are not possible, accommodations for snow loading may berequired.In constrained main street scenarios, consider designating snow storage space at appropriately spaced intervals. 2.Consider the impact of traffic calming elements on snow removal, especially the path of windrows. 3.The preferred positioning for utility poles, signal poles and light standards is in the boulevard between the sidewalk and the roadway. 4.The preferred location for gas mains is beneath a soft surface area. 5.Watermains, storm sewers and sanitary sewers are typically located beneath a motor vehicle travel lane. 6.Consideration should be given to mitigating conflict between tree roots and underground utilities. 7.Locate utilities underground when feasible, to provide an enhanced streetscape experience. 8.If utilities or hydro poles need to be relocated as part of a street design, coordinatewith utility providersat least a year in advance, and two years in advance is preferred. 9.Plan for the full life cycle of a street and related infrastructure. 93 2 - 108 Temporary conditions design Construction, events and other activities can create temporary conditions that require accommodations to maintain some level of service during the disruption. Include accommodations for pedestrian walkways, cycling infrastructure, transit stops and routes and motor vehicle lanes through construction and work zones in all construction plans. Full guidance for street closures is provided in the City of Kitchener Municipal Code, Chapter 890 Street, Work Permit and related resources. Temporary conditions design objectives 1.Provide clear and consistent communication to all street users. Post messages and signage relevant to each mode of travel, placedwhere clearly visible from the path of each travel mode. Provide advance warning of disruptions or detours, especially for pedestrians and cyclists who have the most sensitivity to route directness. 2.Maintain accessibility during mid to long term construction. When roadwork or asphalt paving is paused for a season or more, maintain accessibility with temporary ramps, pavement markings or signage. 3.Maintain access or provide detour alternatives during construction. Facilitate the safe and continuous movement of people on their chosen travel modeby providing equal accommodations for each mode of travel. 2 - 109 Smart streets design Kitchener has always had a reputation for being a community with foresight. Innovation is not what we do- it's who we are. We constantly strive to introduce new ways of thinking and doing to improve the lives of citizens. Technology, innovation and data are transforming the transportation sector. New forms of mobility (see Section 4) are offering new ways of getting around, while smart technologies enhance individuals’ travel experience while provided new knowledge for effective transportation planning. Smart streets design objectives 1.Collect data for all travel modes. Be able to compare data and time segments across each travel mode.Tube-based counters, visual sensorsand other technology can provide criticaldata for street design and help to evaluate the performance of a street. 2.Prepare fornew forms of mobility. Create multi-functional space that may serve one need now, but could serve another need in the future. 3.Utilize the city’s street light narrowband network. Sync data collection systems with the street light network for time and cost savings.The City of Kitchener has converted over 16,000 street lights to LED fixtures that include adaptive controls (smart sensors) that make-up a city wide narrowband network. These streetlights will transform everyday experiences - from simple things like the ability to brighten and dim the lights to more advanced uses like improved navigation for emergency services, making gas meter data available in real-time and monitoring sound pressure levels across the city. 4.Prioritize safety and vulnerable users in autonomous vehicles. Automated vehicle technology holds many promises for cities, but the potential benefits of automation are not guaranteed. Achieving these benefits is not a given, but will require important deliberation and collaboration among a variety of community stakeholders. Potential benefits of autonomous vehicles include: •Decreased right of way space for travel and parking, compared to traditional vehicles •Move more people with fewerpersonalvehicles •Time of day management •Manage traffic gaps 64 •Rebalancing the right-of-way 64 National Association of City Transportation Officials,“Blueprint for autonomous urbanism,” Module 1, Fall 2017. 95 2 - 110 2 - 111 Section 4 A “complete street” is constantly evolving. When the term first appeared a street was considered completewhen it included high design standards for each of the four travel modes – pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motorists. Today, a street cannot claim to be complete without equal attention to green infrastructure, a sense of place and social equity.Several new trends are also emergingsuch as mobility hubs, micromobility and curbside management. Mobility hubs Hubs are the points of connection in a city’s transportation network. Today, people are frequently living multi-modal lives – meaning they usea combination of walking, cycling, transit and the automobile to get around. It’s becoming more common for people to combine travel modes within a single trip - bikes and trains, driving and busing, walking and bikesharing, etc. The options may be endless, but only if the connections between the different travel modes foster seamless transitions. Mobility hub objectives 1.Minimize distance. Follow desire lines, especially for pedestrians. 2.Reduce conflict among travelers. Provide careful consideration on where modes intersect and how to make smoothtransitions. 3.Provide amenities. If a wait is involved in a transition, improve comfort through amenities. Provide additional placemaking elements, like art or public seating, to make the hubs not just a connecting point between travel modes, but a meeting place for the community. 4.Giveinformation. Whether on the streetscape, online or mobile, provide ways for people to understand the options available to them. 97 2 - 112 65 Typical small-scale mobility hub. 65 Kate Whitfield, Kirk Paulsen, Laura Hagerman and Ezra Lipton, “CITE Complete Streets Workshop” (Ottawa: Institute of Transportation Engineers and Alta Planning+ Consulting, October 23, 2018), 20. 2 - 113 Curbside management As cities grow and intensify, curbside areas become highly contested, with many functions desiring space and access to the curb.Pedestrian functions, separated bike lanes, micromobility and green infrastructure all require curbside space, plus passengercars, delivery vehicles, andbuses compete for limitedcurb space to access shops,restaurants, housing, offices,and community facilities. Curbside management design objectives 1.Create flexible spaces. Encourage the same space to be used differently according to times of day or seasons. Mornings may emphasize freight deliveries stock stores, then the lunch rush brings people to street cafes, with the eveningemphasizing moving people at they grab dinner or drinks, pick- 66 up children, orhead to evening events. 2.Provide designated delivery and ridesharing drop off locations. Limit the frequency of blocked motor vehicle lanes by designating areas identified exclusively for freight deliveries and/or short-term drop off and pick-ups often facilitated by ridesharing services. 3.Manage parking proactively. Use variable pricing to influence on and off peak periods.Curbside uses should seek to balance parking needs with the demand for other uses such as seating, greenscape, and 67 bicycle parking. 68 66 NACTO. “Blueprint for autonomous urbanism.” 67 City of Boston, Boston Complete Streets Guidelines, 212-213. 68 Whitfield, Paulsen, Hagerman and Lipton, “CITE Complete Streets Workshop.” 99 2 - 114 Micromobility Micromobility includesforms of personal transportation that are built for one passenger at a time. They may be entirely rider-powered or have electric power sources, such as an electric throttle or an electric-assist system.The most common forms of micromobility used today are the bicycle, e-bikes, e-cargo delivery vehiclesand e-scooters. The adoption of micromobility is rapidly growing with the entrance of privately operated sharing companies. Bike-sharing is quickly becoming common in small, mid-size, and large cities in North America. A bike-sharing system consists of a fleet of user-friendly, durable bikes. Theyare either docked at stations or parked by users at destinations, in the case of dockless bike-sharing. Bike-sharing offersa relatively inexpensive and quick extension to a city’s public transportation system.Modern bike- sharing systems use one of three types of technology: dock-based bike-sharing, dockless bike- sharing, lock-to bike-sharing (i.e., hybrid system). E-bike-sharing functions similar to bike-sharing, but an electric assist significantly extends the range of vehicles and improves accessibility for people of varying abilities. All models require the rider to pedal the bicycle in order to receive an “assist” from the electric motor. Many bike share providers offer a mix of bicycle and e-bike vehicle fleets. Legislation in the Province of Ontario is under review to better clarify the expected functions, behaviours and street design guidance for micromobility. Micromobility design objectives: 1.Pair stations with transit. Micromobilty plays an important role in the “first and last kilometre” that every transit trip is paired with, providing access to transit more quickly and from longer distances. 2.Locate stations in high demandareas. High employment,residential,and commercial locations are ideal.However, e-bikes can be located in less dense areas that are farther from major destinations. Ensure good visibility to increase awareness of the program. 3.Locate next to all ages and abilities bicycle facilities. Safe and comfortable bicycle facilities are needed to encourage high ridership. 4.Protect the pedestrian realm. Use frequently spaced and easy to identify, designated areas for storage to ensure vehicles do not obstruct the pedestrian throughway. Stations can be used to add to the visual appeal and sense of place of a street. Consider placing stations in a parking spot rather than sidewalks. 2 - 115 101 2 - 116 2 - 117 Section 5 Kitchener’s Complete Streets scorecard A Complete Streets approach uses every street reconstruction project as an opportunity to make improvements. A key tool to assist in applying Complete Streets principles to every project is the Complete Streets scorecard. It will be used on everystreet reconstruction, early in the design stage. The scorecard has several purposes: Encourage a culture shift in support of the Complete Streets vision Put a stronger emphasis on sustainable modes of transportation and other street uses Assist in prioritizing different street elements, especially when constraints require difficult trade-offs The scorecard will be used by several audiences. AudienceHow they’ll use the scorecard City staff Compare “before and after” scenarios for various (often project managers/project street designs, in order to determine the best possible teams)designprior to reconstructing a street. Corporate Leadership TeamUtilize a consistent benchmark to evaluate overall progress towards the Complete Streets Vision. City Council Understand highest benefit streets to allocate funding to, and communicate to constituents the benefits of proposed street designs. Residents Understand why certain changes are proposed for their street and the benefits it can bring to the community. 103 2 - 118 How the scorecard works The scorecard assists a project manager and project team in comparing before and after scenarios. Step 1.Assess the current state During the project initiation phase, the project team will conduct the “before” scoring by answering all questions in the criteria and tallying up a current score. In the narrative section, the team identifies strengths and challenges of the current street design. Step 2.Identify opportunities The project team identifies potential upgrades that canstrengthen the overall score. Step 3.Complete interim design(s) The project manager and/or designer determines the impactof the proposed upgrades, identifying constraints that may be required. At this point, several options may be available, and each option is given a score. Step 4.Identify capital and operating costs of proposed designs All viable design options are assessed for the capital and operating costsassociated. Step 5.Finalize design The final design is selected, balancing available resources with the goal of maximizing the score of a street. 2 - 119 Scorecard criteria Note: There are two separate set of criteria for local / minor collector streets and major collector / arterial streets. Local streets and minor collector streets criteria PEDESTRIAN: What makes a street safe, comfortable and convenient for a pedestrian? No level Very Poor Acceptable Expected Exceeds Notes of poor level of level of level of expectations service level of service service service provided service Notes 012345 Facility on Facility on No one side one side Facility on Facility on dedicated with with both sides both sides pedestrian minimum minmum with min with min m on both sides facility is 1.5m 1.8m 1.5m width1.8m width present widthwidth Curb face 0.3 m 0.3 - 0.5 m 0.6 - 0.9 m 1.0 -1.5 m or less than boulevardboulevardboulevardboulevardboulevard 0.3m Trees Trees Trees every 20 - Trees every Trees every every 11-Trees every 10 greater 40 m on 11-20 m on 10 m on 20 m on m on both sides than every one or both sides of one side of one side of street 40 mboth sides streetstreet of street of street Qualifying Longest Longest crossings: Longest Longest Longest Longest distance distance crosswalk, distance distance distance distance between between signalized between between between between pedestrian pedestrian crossing, PXO, pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian crossings crossings curb crossings > crossings 151 crossings crossings < 100 251 - 300 201 - 250 extensions/raised 300 m- 200 m101 - 150 mm mmcrossing, refuge island Average Average Average Average Average length of length of length of length of length of Average length If refuge island pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian of pedestrian present, use the crossings crossings crossings crossings 7.1 - crossings crossings <6 mlongest leg for >109.1 -10 m8.1 - 9.0 m8.0 m6.0 -7.0 mscoring 105 2 - 120 CYCLING: What makes a street safe, comfortable and convenient for a cyclist? Notes 012345 750 - 1000 750 - 1000 501 - 750 501 - 750 >1000 vehicles/day, vehicles/day, vehicles/day, vehicles/day, < 500 vehicles/dayparking both parking one parking both parking one vehicles/day sidessidesidesside > 50 km/h 46-50 km/h 41-45 km/h 36-40 km/h 31-35 km/h operating operating operating operating operating operating speedsspeedsspeedsspeedsspeedsspeeds Signage, If street is pavement identified as markings, high priority Signage, Intersection in Cycling Signage, pavement treatments, and Trails Signage, pavement markings, No cycling Traffic Master Plan, SignagePavement markings, Intersection facilitiescalming, this markingsIntersection treatments, Traffic additional treatmentsTraffic diversion (or criteria is calming dedicated applied. cycling facility) TRANSIT: What makes a street safe, comfortable and convenient to access transit? Exclude category if street does not to include transit service. This category is not intended to assess transit service levels. 012345 Average Average Average Average Average Average distance from distance from distance from distance from distance from distance from pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian crossings to crossings to crossings to crossings to crossings to crossings to transit stops transit stops transit stops transit stops transit stops 51 transit stops 250+201 - 250 m151 -200 m101 -150m- 100 m<50 m Pedestrian Pedestrian No pedestrian facilities on facilities on one facilities to both sides side leading to transit stopsleading to transit stop transit stop Transit shelter with seating Stop marker Transit shelter Stop marker and landing Stop markerand landing pad with seating and landing padpad, bike rack with benchand landing pad and waste receptacle 2 - 121 MOTORIZED VEHICLES: What makes a street safe, comfortable and convenient for a motorist? Notes 012345 5.5 -5.8 or 6.0 - 6.4 or 6.5 - 6.9 or No motor <5.5 or > 8.6 7.0 m 8.0 - 8.5 m 7.6 -7.9 m 7.0 - 7.5 m vehicle m pavement pavement pavement pavement pavement facilitywidthwidth widthwidthwidth Local 2,001 - Local: > Local: 1,501 - Local: 1,001 - Local: 500 - 2,500 Local: < 500 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 vehicles/day. vehicles/day. vehicles/day. vehicles/day. vehicles/day. vehicles/day. Minor: Minor: Minor: > Minor: 8,001 Minor: 5,001 Minor: 2,000 11,001 - <2,000 14,000 - 11,000 - 8,000 - 5,000 14,000 vehicles/day vehicles/dayvehicles/day.vehicles/day.vehicles/day vehicles/day. No One Two Three additional additional additional additional Only score if turn lanes at turn lane at turn lanes at turn lanes at volumes intersectionsintersectionsintersectionsintersectionswarrant Continuous Continuous < continous parking on parking on Continuous No on-street parking on both sides, one side (can parking on parkingone side with fully be two sides shared lanededicated alternating) 2.4 m space GREEN: What makes a street sustainable? 012345 Trees every 20 - Trees greater Trees every 11-Trees every 11-Trees every 10 Trees every 10 40 m on one or than every 40 20 m on one 20 m on both m on one side m on both sides both sides of mside of streetsides of streetof streetof street street > 30 m 25 –30 m21 –25 m16 –20 m11 –15 m10 m imperviousnessimperviousnessimperviousnessimperviousnessimperviousnessimperviousness 1 - 20 % of 21 - 40% of 41 - 60% of 61 - 80% of 81-100% of No LID featuresROW serviced ROW serviced ROW serviced ROW serviced ROW serviced by LIDby LIDby LIDby LIDby LID SENSE OF PLACE: What makes a streetrecognizable, unique and enjoyable? Exclude category if land use does not encourage placemaking. 012345 Rank the street's uniqueness, its contribution to community building and its suitability to neighbourhood context. Features that score positively include neighbourhood specific signage, entrance features, post top lighting less than 6.5 m tall, painted murals/crosswalks, public art, parklet (parking spot converted into a park), heritage/history interpretive panels, enhanced landscaping or planters, wayfinding, woonerf, resident-led or proposed placemaking, matures trees, public seating, etc. 107 2 - 122 Major collector streets and arterial streets criteria PEDESTRIAN: What makes a street safe, comfortable and convenient for a pedestrian? No level Very Poor Acceptable Expected Exceeds Notes of poor level of level of level of expectations service level of service service service provided service Notes 012345 Facility on Facility on No one side one side Facility on Facility on dedicated Sidewalk 1.8+ m with with both sides both sides pedestrian or wider on minimum minmum with min with min facility is both sides 1.5m 1.8m 1.5m width1.8m width present widthwidth Curb face 0.3 m 0.3 - 0.5 m 0.6 - 0.9 m 1.0 -1.5 m or less than boulevardboulevardboulevardboulevard boulevard 0.3m Trees Trees Trees every 20 - Trees every Trees every every 11-Trees every 10 greater 40 m on 11-20 m on 10 m on 20 m on m on both sides than every one or both sides of one side of one side of street 40 mboth sides streetstreet of street of street Qualifying Longest Longest crossings: Longest Longest Longest Longest distance distance crosswalk, distance distance distance distance between between signalized between between between between pedestrian pedestrian crossing, PXO, pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian crossings crossings curb crossings > crossings 151 crossings crossings <100 251 - 300 201 - 250 extensions/raised 300 m - 200 m 101 - 150 m m m m crossing, refuge island Average Average Average Average Average length of length of Average length If refuge island length of length of length of pedestrian pedestrian of pedestrian present, use the pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian crossings crossings longest leg for crossings > crossings 10.0 crossings 16.6 - 19.8 13.3 - 16.5 mscoring 19.9 m- 13.2 m6.7 - 9.9 m mm 2 - 123 CYCLING: What makes a street safe, comfortable and convenient for a cyclist? 012345 1.8 m painted 1.5 m cycle 2.2 - 3.5 m No dedicated 1.5 - 1.8 m bike lane with -track or 2.1 m separated bike cycling facility is painted bike 0.3 - 1.5 m use pathseparated bike lane or 1.6 - 1.8 presentlane painted bufferlanem cycle track TRANSIT: What makes a street safe, comfortable and convenient to access transit? Exclude category if street does not to include transit service. This category is not intended to assess transit service levels. 012345 Average Average Average Average Average Average distance from distance from distance from distance from distance from distance from pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian pedestrian crossings to crossings to crossings to crossings to crossings to crossings to transit stops > transit stops transit stops transit stops transit stops 51 transit stops 250201 - 250 m151 -200 m101 -150 m- 100 m<50 m Pedestrian Pedestrian No pedestrian facilities on facilities on one facilities to both sides side leading to transit stopsleading to transit stop transit stop Transit shelter with seating Stop marker Transit shelter Stop marker and landing Stop markerand landing pad with seating and landing padpad, bike rack with benchand landing pad and waste receptacle 109 2 - 124 MOTORIZED VEHICLES: What makes astreet safe, comfortable and convenient for a motorist? Notes 012345 2.7 m lane No motor 2.8 - 2.9 m or 3.0 - 2.9 m or 3.1 - 3.2 m or widths or > 3.3 - 3.4 m vehicle 3.9 - 4.0 m 3.7 -3.8 m 3.5 - 3.6 m 4.0 m lane lane widths facilitylane widthslane widthslane widths widths Major: Major: Major: 9,501 Major: 8,001 Major: > 12,501 - 11,001 - Major: < - 11,000, - 9,500, 14,000, 14,000, 12,500, 8,000, Arterial: Arterial: Arterial: > Arterial: Arterial: Arterial: 15,001 - 12,001 - 2\\42,000 21,000 - 18,001 - <12,000 18,000 15,000 vehicles/day24,000 21,000 vehicles/day vehicles/dayvehicles/day vehicles/dayvehicles/day Only score if No One Two Three volumes additional additional additional additional warrant. turn lanes at turn lane at turn lanes at turn lanes at Include dual intersectionsintersectionsintersectionsintersections left turns. Continuous Continuous parking on Continuous parking on Continuous < continous one side (can parking on one side (can parking on No on-street parking on be both sides, be two sides, parkingone side with alternating), fully alternating), with shared shared lanewith fully dedicated with shared lane dedicated 2.4 m space lane 2.4 m space 2 - 125 GREEN: What makes a street sustainable? 012345 Trees every 20 - Trees greater Trees every 11-Trees every 11-Trees every 10 Trees every 10 40 m on one or than every 40 20 m on one 20 m on both m on one side m on both sides both sides of mside of streetsides of streetof streetof street street > 30 m 25 – 30 m 21 – 25 m 16 – 20 m 11 – 15 m imperviousnessimperviousnessimperviousnessimperviousnessimperviousnessimperviousness 1 - 20 % of 21 - 40% of 41 - 60% of 61 - 80% of 81-100% of No LID features ROW serviced ROW serviced ROW serviced ROW serviced ROW serviced by LIDby LIDby LIDby LIDby LID SENSE OF PLACE: What makes a street recognizable, unique and enjoyable? Exclude category if land use does not encourage placemaking. 012345 Rank the street's uniqueness, its contribution to community building and its suitability to neighbourhood context. Features that score positively include neighbourhood specific signage, entrance features, post top lighting less than 6.5 m tall, painted murals/crosswalks, public art, parklet (parking spot converted into a park), heritage/history interpretive panels, enhanced landscaping or planters, wayfinding, woonerf, resident-led or proposed placemaking, matures trees, public seating, etc. 111 2 - 126 Implementation & evaluation plan Realizing the Complete Streets vision will require strategic efforts on behalf of city staff, city council, industry partners and the entire community. A detailed action plan will make the Complete Streets vision a reality. This plan is based on guidance from other cities and the National Complete Streets 69 Coalition who reviewed the best policies of 2018. Alignment with city strategies 1.Coordinatewith the Urban Design Manual. The Urban Design Manual sets universal design expectations that apply to all of Kitchener and are relevant to all geographies and building typologies. City staff in Transportation and Planning divisions have been working collaboratively throughout the development of the Urban Design Manual, to ensure the visions align and there is a consistent approachto street- oriented development. 2.Update the Development Manual. The Development Manual provides technical standards for new development. The cross- sections and design guidance provided in Complete Streets will be integrated into the next update of the Development Manual, requiring all new development to meet the Complete Streets vision. 3.Conduct an Official Plan amendmentand integrate into Planning policies and secondary plans. ThisComplete Streets documentsetsa higher standard for street design than Kitchener’s current Official Plan requires. An update to the Official Plan will strengthen the policy support for the Complete Streets vision and provide an opportunity to include more context-sensitive street classifications, such asthe introduction ofa Main Street classification. 69 Natash,Riveron, “The Best Complete Streets Policies of 2018” (Washington DC: Smart Growth America and National Complete Streets Coalition, 2018). 2 - 127 Change management 4.Conduct annual staff training sessions. Empower current and new staff across all divisions – especially Transportation,Roads & Traffic, Operations,Engineering, Planning and Economic Development – with the knowledge they need to work towards the Complete Streets vision. 5.Establish a Complete Streets corporate committee. Consisting of management from Development Servicesand Infrastructure Servicesdivisions and external stakeholders the committee will meet twice a year to monitor progress, troubleshoot challenges and review emerging trends. 6.Review equipment requirementsand operational changes required to maintain Complete Streets. Much of the city’s current existing fleet contains large vehicles developed during an era of continued road expansion. Sourcing smaller equipment and reviewing operational procedures 70 is necessary to properly maintain complete streets in an urban environment. 7.Integrate the scorecard analysis into every street reconstruction design process. Establish clear timelines for using the scorecard, so that opportunities for upgrades are identified early in a design process. 8.Review warrant requirements for PXOs and signalized trail crossings. The transportation industry has long relied on warrants – based especially on pedestrian and cyclist counts – to justify placement of PXOs and signalized trail crossings. These warrants put vulnerable users in the situation of having to cross at potentially dangerous locations in order to justify safety improvements. Some cities have begun identifying alternative warrant 71 requirements.In collaboration with the region and other municipalities, city staff will investigate and collate these alternatives and develop a safe, consistent and equitable alternative to traditional warrant requirements. 9.Work with the Region and other municipalities to develop “complete level-of-service” measurements for signalfunction andprioritization. In many cases at signalized intersections, what is good for one mode of travel can have negative impacts on another, making it essential that level-of-service metrics capture all modes of travel equally. Many cities are developing complete or multi-modal level-of-service 72 guidelines,with an emphasis on protecting vulnerable users.City and regional staff can draw on these industry best practices to create updated standards for signalized intersections. 70 Jonah,Chiarenza, Margo Dawes, Alexander K Epstein, Ph.D., Donald Fisher, Ph.D., Katherine Welty, “Optimizing Large Vehicles forUrban Environments: Downsizing” (New York: National Association of City Transportation Officials, 2018.) 71 AngieSchmitt, “Seattle Tosses Out Rulebook to Protect Pedestrians,” (Streetsblog USA, February 5, 2019), https://usa.streetsblog.org/2019/02/05/seattle-tosses-out-the-rulebook-to-protect-pedestrians/. 72 City of Ottawa,“Ottawa’s Multi-Modal Level of Service (MMLOS) Guidelines,” Ottawa, 2015. 113 2 - 128 Community engagement 10.Develop and hostcommunity engagement pop-up workshops. Residents are critical in realizing the Complete Streets vision, bringing their own ideas, expertise and perspectives to street designs. A pop-up workshop kit would engage residents on the Complete Streets vision, why it matters, and the benefits it can bring to their neighbourhood. The pop-up workshop would be hosted in neighbourhoods where significant changes to street layout are expected in the next 2-3 years. 11.Work with residents to pilot a woonerf. Create an evaluation matrix and conduct significant community engagement to determine the best application for retrofitting a local, residential street into a woonerf. 12.Communicate the Complete Streets vision during street reconstruction public engagement. Describe the benefits of a Complete Streetto community membersthrough consistent branding, information boards, brochures, dedicated webpage, etc. Street design applications 13.Develop a standard drawing for raised pedestrian/cyclistcrossings. Providing raised crossings increases visibility and demonstrates priority for vulnerable users, especially at mid-block trail crossings and as gateways to residential neighbourhoods or main streets. A standard drawing is needed that maintains smooth and flush crossings for pedestrians and cyclists, while also integrating stormwater management, utilities, year-round maintenance, etc. 14.Integratepedestrian and bike facilities at bus stops. Working with GRT, research and install bus stop upgrades that create separated space for pedestrians, cyclists and transit boarding. 15.Establish fund or mechanism to fill network gaps caused by construction limits. Many street reconstructions are set based on underground servicing needs, sometimes causing gaps of just a block or two between the reconstructed segment and nearby active transportation facilities. A mechanism is needed to expand the project limits to include active transportation connections within the scope of the project. 16.Create a new Green Street cross-section for environmentally sensitive areas. Working with stormwater management staff and consulting experts, develop a cross-section for green streets, to be included in the Development Manual update. 2 - 129 Data collection, monitoring and evaluation 17.Expand use of active transportation counting technologies. Gathering and analyzing data is essential to street design. Most forms of data collection rely heavily on motor vehicle traffic analysis, with little sophistication and reliability of active transportation data. Through the use of camera-based and traditional counting technologies, city staff will be able to make improved, data-driven decision-making in street designs. 18.Monitor maintenance and life-cycle aspects of Complete Streets. Continually gather data and assess howComplete Streets are maintained, with the goal of determining an operational cost for individual streets.Review data related to work activities specific to Complete Street infrastructure toprovide lifecycle information in alignment with current levels of service. 19.PrepareComplete Street reports. At the end of each construction year, city staff will prepare a report of all new streets that have incorporated Complete Streets elements, including their scores before and after construction based on the Complete Streets scorecard. It can be common for residents to express concerns related to proposed changes to street design, but generally city staff hear positive feedback after changes have been made. Every three years, a satisfaction survey will be distributed to all residents living on a street that was reconstructed with significant design changes. 20.Monitor progress, update the documentand return to City Council in 2024. City staff will document portions of the Complete Streets documentthat can be updated, report on progress and make further recommendations to City Council in 2024. 115 2 - 130 2 - 131 Section 6 Community engagement The City of Kitchener and its people have never viewed change as a negative thing. We don’t fear or resist change, butrather, we embrace it. We are resilient and see change as an opportunity – for growth, development, and prosperity. Change to us means a better city – a vibrant, innovative and caring city, achieved through continuous progress. The desire for change in our transportation network has been growing in our community.We are ready to beleaders of change and we recognize that our strength comes from our willingness to adapt - to continuously reimagine, rethink, and reshape how we do things. We are deliberate, strategic, and forward thinking in our approach. Together, weconfidently adapt tochange, because we know we are changing for the good. Community engagement forComplete Streets was conducted by students in Wilfrid Laurier University’sCMEG 305 CommunityEngagement and SE 330BSocial Innovation in the City classes, for the purpose of informing the city’s development of Complete Streets. The students’ full report is available through city staff. A public comment period on the draft Complete Streets guidelines also gathered important feedback. Community engagement methodology A variety of engagement tactics were conducted to reach a broad cross-section of our community and hear from a variety of perspectives. Engagement approachNumber of participants Keystakeholder interviews3 Online survey230 Street team in-person surveys56 Design charrettes53 Total339 117 2 - 132 Engagement analysis Stakeholder interviews In stakeholder interviews with a landscape architect, a PhD candidate who assisted the City of Ottawa with a Complete Streets project and the owner/operator of a bike shop in downtown Kitchener, the most common theme was the importance of designing streetsto encourage alternative forms of transportation, primarily walking and cycling. Online and in-person surveys Feedback on 10 Complete Streets principles proposed by city staff found: A majority of respondents indicated that the principles are understandable, will create a vibrant community, and are a priority for them 13% of respondents found the principles too vague and hard to understand In response to the question “what makes a great street?” responses found: 48% of respondents described streets that are safe and comfortable for walking and either gave high priority to pedestrians or were closed to cars entirely Canadian examples included Queen St. (St. Mary’s, Ontario), Main St., Hess Village (Hamilton, Ontario), Yonge St., Bloor St. (Toronto, Ontario), Maisonneuve Blvd., (Montreal, Quebec), Sparks St. (Ottawa, Ontario), King St. (Waterloo, Ontario) Kitchener examples included King St., Belmont Ave., Mill St., Greenbrook Dr., Ira Needles Blvd., Fischer Hallman Rd., Manitou Dr. The identification of some major arterial roads that are primarily designed to move high volumes of vehicles demonstrates that some members of the public put a high value on direct and convenient automobile travel. In response to a question about feeling unsafe on a street, common responses included: Close calls while riding bikes, walking at night, and in roundabouts. Intersections can feeldangerous to both cyclists and pedestrians Traffic speed was mentioned in 35% of responses. A commonly cited solution was separated bike lanes, not only to make streets safer and encourage greater use by cyclists, but also to separate automobiles from cyclists and keep traffic flow constant. Survey respondents aremost interested in these features when creating “streets as places:” Trees and greenery Public seating areas Wider sidewalks 2 - 133 Design Charrettes The design charrettes were conducted with different groups of peopleat three locations: general public (Joseph Street), Trinity Village Retirement Community (Connaught Street/Traynor Avenue), and Wilson Avenue Public School (Wilson Avenue). Participants provided feedback via the complete streets game (an activity which involved writing or drawing the mode of transportation participants used to get to the charrette), the walk-about (where participants explored different areas of the street and reflected on their experience with the street, its strengths, and where there is room for improvement), and workshopping ideas (where participants voted for their most liked and most disliked street features). Participants shared their priorities for street design improvements. Case Study 1: Joseph Street -Pedestrian safety -Pedestrian accessibility -Street beautification Case Study 2: Connaught Street and Traynor Avenue -Trees and greenery -Benches -Wider sidewalks and lighting -Separated bike lanes Case Study 3: Wilson Ave -Traffic calming -Separated bike lanes -Public seating and beautification 119 2 - 134 Laurier students’ recommendations Based on community feedback, Laurier students recommend that the Complete Streets principlesbe made more understandable by simplifying wording and eliminating redundancies or by including comprehensive descriptions, and detailed visual aids. The recommendations for street design include traffic calming, lower speed limits and adding features such as wider sidewalks, separated bike lanes, trees and greenery, benches, and better lighting. 2 - 135 Public comment period A draft of these Complete Streets guidelines was posted for comment and discussion. Engagement approachNumber of participants Online survey198 Open house at Breithaupt Centre17 City advisory committees50 Direct phone calls and emails6 271 Total Major themes from comments included: Support for improving accessibility for all abilities; Concerns about costs, especially related to wider sidewalks; Support for narrower vehicle lanes if it leads to reduced speeds. Concerns narrower vehicle lanes maysqueeze cyclists even more, cause congestion or reduce parking availability; Support for an emphasis on cycling infrastructure that is safe and comfortable for all ages and abilities, especially children. The most common concern related to this item was that barriers for separated bike lanes be full barriers and not just roll curbs. Strong affirmation for the cycle track placement of cycling infrastructure, supported by both people who bike and those who drive; Support for more trees in the street right of way. However, a significant portion of respondents did not want to see expanded tree capacity come at the expense of safe active transportation facilities or street motor vehicle volume; A recognizable minority was not in support of the vision and proposed changes of Complete Streets, identifying concerns related to motor vehicle safety, convenienceand congestion; Questions about if and how active transportation can be supported during winter; Desire to see solutions implemented in the interim on streetswith known safety concerns, and not just wait many years or decades until reconstruction; and Encouragement to see Complete Streets implemented effectively and funded adequately. Overall, through the online survey, 70% of respondents indicated they werehappy with the direction the city is taking, 15% were neutral and 15% were unhappy. 121 2 - 136 People-friendly transportation Our streets shouldbe safe, connected, and inclusive – meaning that whether you’re eight or you’re eighty, you can move through Kitchener by any form of transportation. Kitchener’s visionis tomake every street in Kitchener safe, comfortable and convenient for all. Together, we can make change – for the good. 2 - 137 Glossary Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA):Provincial legislation and associated regulations that set requirements and provide standards for making the built environment accessible to all Ontarians. Active Transportation: All types of human-powered transportation, primarily includingwalking, cycling,or using a wheelchair. Asymmetrical crosswalk/crossride:A road crossing treatment that provides designated space for pedestrians and cyclists side by side. Autonomous vehicle:A vehicle that is capable of sensing its environment and moving with little or no human input. Bike sharing:A fleet of bikes available for public use with designated pick-up locations across the city. Bioswale:Bioswales are vegetated, shallow, landscaped depressions designed to capture, treat, and infiltrate stormwater runoff as it moves downstream. Boulevard:The space between the asphalt roadway and sidewalk. Boulevard multi-usetrails:A facility designated exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists to share within the boulevard area of the right of way. Buffer: A spatial or physical separation. Catch Basin: A chamber that receives stormwater, traps sediment and channels stormwater into the storm sewer via a pipe called a catch basin lead. Climate action: Projects and programs that create greenhouse gas reductions. Combined crosswalk/crossride:A road crossing treatment that provides designated space for pedestrians and cyclists, with cyclists crossing on the outside of pedestrians. Complete Street:A street designed to be safe and comfortable for all, regardless of age, ability or mode of transportation. Control vehicle: An occasional or infrequent user of a street, that is typically a larger size of vehicle. Conventional transit:Typically a bus route with frequent stops. Corner (Turning) radii/radius:The path of travel for motor vehicles dictated by the curb alignment. Crossride:A part of the roadway specifically intended as a crossing for cyclists. This is indicated by signs, pavement markings, and a traffic signal if the crossing is signalized. Cyclists do not need to dismount to use this crossing. Cross-section: A view of a street, typically including widths of various street features. 123 2 - 138 Crosswalk: A part of the roadway specifi-cally intended as a crossing for pedestrians. This is indicated by signs, pavement markings and a traffic signal if the crossing is signalized. Cul-de-sac: A street closed at one end, typically with a turning circle. Curb extensions:An extension of the sidewalk or curb line into the street. Curb: The edge of the pavement that clearly defines the edge to vehicle operators. Curbside management:Strategiesto maximize the space and access providing by curbs, typically in dense urban areas. Curvilinear streets: Streets with frequent use of curves and cul-de-sacs. Cycle tracks:A dedicated cycling facility located outside of the travelled portion of the roadway, typically next to the sidewalk. Cycling: The use of a bicycle to get around for transportation or recreation purposes. Cycling facilities: Types of street design features that are intended for the use of people cycling. Design speed:A selected speed used to determine the various geometric features of a street. Design vehicle: The most common vehicle to be using the street. E-bike: A bicycle with a battery powered pedal-assist that gives a boost to the cyclist while pedaling. Edge zone: The curb and gutter next to the roadway. Electric scooter:A battery-powered two wheeled vehicle for a single person. Elephant’s feet: A type of pavement marking to draw attention to cycling and trail crossings at intersections and driveways. Emergency access trails:A secondary access to streets with a single entry, for emergency vehicles. Farside bus stop: A bus stop located past an intersection. Flex bollard: A type of construction material anchored into pavement or curbs to guide motor vehicle movement. Floating bus stop: A sidewalk platform built between a bicycle facility and the roadway Frontage zone: The part of the sidewalk adjacent to properties. Green street:A type of street design that has a lower impact on the environment. Intersections:Theplace where two streets intersect. Level of service: A measure used to describe how well a street is functioning for particular types of movement, typically using an A, B, C, D, E, F, scale. Low impact development (LID):A design approach to manage stormwater runoff using green or natural infrastructure. 2 - 139 Maintenance Hole: A surface access point on the street or boulevard that connects to underground utility for repair, inspection, and other maintenance operations. Micromobility: Personal transportation devices that are built for one passenger at a time. Midblock bus stop:A bus stop located between intersections. Mixed crosswalk/crossride:A road crossing treatment that is a shared space between pedestrians and cyclists. Mobility:The ability to move between locations within a city. Mobility hub:Centres designed to maximize connections in a transportation network and transitions between different travel modes. Motor vehicles:A vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine or electric battery. Motorist: A person operating a motor vehicle. Nearside bus stop:A bus stop located before an intersection Neighbourhood bikeways:Streets designated as a cycling priority route on quiet, local streets that can be enjoyed by all ages and abilities without designated space. Painted bike lanes:A designated space on the roadway for exclusive use by cyclists, indicated by paint. Parking bay / parking lay-by:A designated area at the side of the road for the purpose of parking motor vehicles. Pavement marking:Painted designs applied to a street, trail or sidewalk to provide guidance on path of travel and behavior, often combined with signs and traffic lights according to provincial and federal guidance and legislation. Pedestrian: A person moving from place to place, either by foot or by using an assistive mobility device. Pedestrian Crossovers: A type of road crossing that gives pedestrians the right of way, requiring motorists to yield. Pedestrian refuge islands:Raised medians in the centre of a roadway, allowing a pedestrian to cross one direction of motor vehicle traffic at a time. Pedestrian throughway zone:An unobstructed path of travel for pedetrians. Pedestrian-oriented (Pedestrian-scale):A street that has been designed around the viewpoint and needs of a pedestrian. Placemaking:The process of creating vibrant public places for people to enjoy, with attention to local context, history, culture and community engagement. Posted speed:The speed limit that is posted on a street that all motorists are legally bound to follow. 125 2 - 140 Public realm: The space around, between and within buildings that are publicly accessible, including streets, squares, parks and open spaces Queue jump lanes:Street lanes for the exclusive use of transit vehicles. Raised crosswalks: An enhanced form of crosswalk through elevating the crossing. Rapid transit: A form of transit that facilitates direct, high-speed movement, typically with low stop frequency. Right of way:Indicates who should go first in conflict situations between road users, often defined legally through federal and provincial legislation. Right of way: The area of land acquired for or devoted to the provision of a street, sidewalk and/or accompanying amenities. Roundabout: A circular intersection used as an alternative to signalized intersections. Separated bike lanes:A designated space on the roadway for exclusive use by cyclists, including a form of physical separation from motorized portion of the roadway, such as bollards, curbs, planter boxes, raised medians or parking. Separated cycling intersections: A designated space for cyclists facilitating intersection movement, physically separated from motor vehicle traffic. Sidewalks:A designated space for pedestrians. Smart streets:Streets that incorporate data collection and technology to improve the user experience. Stormwater:The accumulation of rain water during and after a rainfall. Stormwater management:Strategies to preserve and protect the environment and stormwater in an urban environment. Street classification:A category assigned to a street in order to clarify the street’s intended role, function and design in the transportation network. Streetscape: The visual and felt environment of a street, as influenced by the natural and built environment. Tactile Walking Surface Indicator (TWSI):A metal plate that is integrated into the sidewalk and includes miniature raised domes that are cane detectable for visually impaired pedestrians. Target speed: The speed road designers intend for motor vehicles to drive at. Temporary conditions:Disruptions to a street’s usual function, most often caused by construction or special events. Traffic calming: A range of design strategies to manage vehicle speeds. Traffic circle: A traffic calming feature to slow motor vehicles on a particular speed. Traffic diversion: A range of design strategies to manage vehicle volumes. 2 - 141 Traffic speed: The speed at which vehicles are travelling on a particular street. Traffic Volume:The number of vehicles on a particular street. Transit: The movement of people facilitated by publicly operated buses, trains or other forms of transportation. Transit Curb-out:A loading area designated for public transit that extends past parking lanes. Two stage left turns:An intersection feature for cyclists to make a left turn one leg at a time, to avoid merging into the left turn lanes for motor vehicle traffic. Urban forestry: All trees on public and private lands within a city. Wayfinding signs: Signs that provide direction and guidance to help people navigate through the city. Woonerf:A “living street” that uses a shared space environment to design the street to be a public space for people’s everyday use. 127 2 - 142 Works Cited and Consulted AC Transit. Designing with Transit: Making Transit Integral to East Bay Communities. 2004. AC Transit. Multimodal Corridor Guidelines. 2018. Ambulatory Emergency (2013-2017), Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH ONTARIO, Date Extracted: October 24, 2018. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities.Fourth edition. Washington, DC, 2012.http://imentaraddod.com/wp- content/uploads/2017/07/AASHTO-GBF-4-2012-bicycle.pdf. Belton K, Pike I, Heatley J, Cloutier E. The Cost of Injury in Canada.; 2015. http://www.parachutecanada.org/downloads/research/Cost_of_Injury-2015.pdf. Accessed October 29, 2018. California Department of Transportation. 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Lavery, Elnaz Haj Abotalebi. “Shaping Hamilton with Complete Streets.” Hamilton: McMaster Institute for Transportation and Logistics, 2015. Gatien, A. and Mas Baghaie, A. Improving Active Transportation and Public Transit Integration: A Guidebook for Policy and Planning. The Centre for ActiveTransportation at Clean Air Partnership, 2019. Gemmill I, Arra I, Carew M, et al. Preventing Road Traffic Deaths and Injuries: Position Paper Road Safety Working Group, COMOH. https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.alphaweb.org/resource/resmgr/COMOH_Section/6.4_MVC_Repo rt_050615.pdf. Accessed October 17, 2018. Gilpin, Joe. “Advisory Bike Lanes in North America: Lessons Learned.” Alta Planning + Design, 2017. Gilpin, Joe, Nick Falbo, Mike Repsch and Alicia Zimmerman. “Evolution of the Protected Intersection: Lessons Learned.”Alta Planning + Design, 2015. https://altaplanning.com/wp- content/uploads/Evolution-of-the-Protected-Intersection_ALTA-2015.pdf. Grand River Transit. Bus Stop Zones Guidelines. 2001. Health Canada. “Active Transportation, Health and CommunityDesign: What is the Canadian evidence saying?” Planning Healthy Communities Fact Sheet Series, 2018. Institute of Transportation Engineers. “Curbside Management: City of Toronto Case Study.” Toronto, 2017. 2 - 145 Institute of Transportation Engineers. “Designing Walkable Urban Thoroughfares: A Context Sensitive Approach.” Washignton DC, 2010. Levine, Kendra K. Curb Radius and Injury Severity at Intersections. Berkeley: Institute of Transportation Studies Library, 2012. Louch, Hugh,Brad Davis, Kim Voros, Kristen O’Toole, and Sam Piper. “Innovation in Bicycle and Pedestrian Counts: A Review of Emerging Technology.” Alta Planning + Design, 2016. https://altaplanning.com/resources/innovative-counting-technologies/. Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide. Boston, 2015. https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2017/11/08/SeparatedBikeLaneCover_Intro_TOC.pdf National Association of City Transportation Officials. “Blueprint for autonomous urbanism.” Module 1, Fall 2017. National Association of City Transportation Officials. “Don’t give up at the Intersection: Designing All Ages and Abilities Bicycle Crossings.” 2019. National Association of City Transportation Officials. Global Street Design Guide. New York: Island Press, 2016. National Association of City Transportation Officials. Urban Bikeway Design Guide. New York: Island Press, 2014. National Association of City Transportation Officials. Urban Street Design Guide. New York: Island Press, 2013. Niagara Region. Niagara Region Complete Streets Design Guidelines: Niagara Region Transportation Master Plan.Niagara, 2017. Ontario Mortality Data (2011-2015), Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH ONTARIO, Date Extracted: March 14, 2019. Parachute Canada. Public Policy Overview. http://www.parachutecanada.org/policy. Accessed October 29, 2018. Patterson, Brian and Sarah Freigang. “Bike Facilities Design Workshop.” Waterloo: Institute for Transportation Engineers and Urban Systems. September 21,2018. Province of British Columbia. British ColumbiaActive Transportation Design Guide. 2019. Province of Ontario. “Part 4.1 – Design of Public Spaces Standard (Accessibility Standards for the Built Environment).” A Guide to the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2014. Province of Ontario. O. Reg. 239/02 Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways. Toronto, May 3, 2018. Municipal Act, 2001, S.O.2001, c.25. https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/020239. 131 2 - 146 Province of Ontario. Ontario Traffic Manual, Book 7: Temporary Conditions. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2014. Province of Ontario. Ontario Traffic Manual Book 15: Pedestrian Crossing Treatments. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario,2016. Province of Ontario. Ontario Traffic Manual Book 18: Cycling Facilities. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2014. Province of Ontario. APlace to Grow: The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.Toronto, 2019. https://files.ontario.ca/mmah-greater-golden-horseshoe-place-to-grow-english- 15may2019.pdf. Public Health Agency ofCanada. Designing Healthy Living: The Chief Public Health Officer’s Report on the State of Public Health in Canada 2017.; 2017. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/chief-public- health-officer-reports-state-public-health-canada/2017-designing-healthy-living/PHAC_CPHO- 2017_Report_E.pdf. Accessed October 17, 2018. Regional Municipality of Waterloo Transportation and Environmental Services Department. 2016 Collision Report; 2016. https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/living-here/resources/Roads-and- Traffic/Collision-Reporting/Annual-Collision-Report-2016.pdf. Accessed October 29, 2018. Region of Waterloo. “Construction and Design Standards: Drawing 224.” Kitchener, 2019. https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/doing- business/resources/Documents/2019_Unit_Price_Contract_- _Supplemental_General_Conditions_Standard_Specifications.pdf Region of Waterloo. Context Sensitive Regional Transportation Corridor Design Guidelines. 2013. Region of Waterloo. “Light Rail Transit Study – Safety Assessment of Pedestrian / Trail Crossings at Borden Avenue.” 2015. Riveron, Natash. “The Best Complete Streets Policies of 2018.” Washington DC: Smart Growth America and National Complete Streets Coalition, 2018. Sansone C, Sadowski J, Chriqui JF. “Public Health Engagement in Complete Streets Initiatives: Examples and Lessons Learned.” Chicago, IL: Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago. Available: https://go.uic.edu/CompleteStreetsPH. April 2019. Schmitt, Angie. “Seattle Tosses Out Rulebook to Protect Pedestrians.” Streetsblog USA, February 5, 2019. https://usa.streetsblog.org/2019/02/05/seattle-tosses-out-the-rulebook-to-protect- pedestrians/. Shade Working Group of Waterloo Region. “Shade Design Fact Sheet.” https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/health-and- wellness/resources/Documents/ShadeDesign_FS.pdf Share the Road Coalition. “Ontario Bike Summit.” Toronto, April 1, 2019. 2 - 147 Seskin, Stefanie, Hanna Kite, Laura Searfoss. “Evaluating Complete Streets Projects: A guide for practitioners.” Washington DC: AARP, The National Complete Streets Coalition and Smart Growth America, 2015. The Centre for Active Transportation. “Complete Streets for Canada.” https://www.completestreetsforcanada.ca/ Toronto Centre for Active Transportation. Complete Streets by Design: Toronto streets redesigned for all ages and abilities.2012. Transportation Association of Canada. Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads, 2017 Edition. U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. “Achieving Multimodal Networks: Applying Design Flexibility & Reducing Conflicts.” 2016. Whitfield, Kate, Kirk Paulsen, Laura Hagerman and Ezra Lipton. “CITE Complete Streets Workshop.” Ottawa: Institute of Transportation Engineers and Alta Planning + Consulting, October 23, 2018. York Region. Shade: A Planning Guide.https://www.york.ca/wps/wcm/connect/yorkpublic/1d88a347- bbb4-41ef-9173-9153cb658578/c5++shadebookletweb.pdf?MOD=AJPERES. 133 2 - 148 2 - 149 COMPLETE STREETS KITCHENER STREETS FOR ALL Community edition Design for safety Improve transportation choices Advance sustainability 1 2 - 150 Section 1: Kitchener’s visionfor Complete Streets A comprehensive Complete Streets approach uses every roadway (re)construction project as an opportunity to improve the design and functionality of a street for all users. Vision Every street in Kitchener is safe, comfortable and convenient for all. Design goals To achieve thevision, the city hasthree design goals for every street to prioritize: design for safety, improve transportation choice and advance sustainability. Design for safety Kitchener’s streets will embrace designs thatprotect the most vulnerable road users - pedestrians and cyclists. Regardless of street classification, priority is given to the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, public transit users and motorists, in thisorder. Kitchener’s streets emphasize slower speeds through street design that makes it natural and intuitive for people to drive at safer speeds. This approach means that Kitchener’s streets will embrace designs that protect the most vulnerable road users - pedestrians and cyclists. Improve transportation choices Kitchener’s streets willprovide connected networks with direct routes to major destinations for all modes of transportation. Streets should be designed to make it possible for individuals to choose between different forms of transportation, depending on their unique needs. Planning for intermodal connectivity –meaning the ability to transition between different types of travel within a single trip – makes walking, cycling and public transit even more attractive and viable. Payingcareful attention to the little details that can take away the stress of travelingis key.In doing so, the citycanmaximize the comfort and attractiveness of those travel options. Advance sustainability Kitchener’s streets willadvance our economic and environmental performance. Vibrantand activestreetscapes attract businesses, talent and investment through lively shopping districts, stress-free commutingoptions and efficient movement of goods and people.Complete streets make it easy for individuals to choose low energy and low carbon modes of transportation; helpingto address climate change. Urban forestry and stormwater management can also be enhanced through street design and contribute to the city’s corporate environmental goals. 2 - 151 Design principles Complementingthe design goals are several design principles that foster a holistic approach to street design. Each principle acts as an important “lens” in which to view street design. Foster a sense of place Kitchener’s streets are part of unique neighbourhoodswith places to gather, celebrate,and connect with neighbours. They oftencontain vibrant greenery, beautiful art andpractical amenities. Some streets can also be heritage landscapes. Encourage social connectionsand equity Kitchener’s streets encourage people to connect and build relationships. Balanced and well-designed streetscan improveequity among all ages, genderidentities, abilities, ethnicities, incomes,sexual identitiesand underrepresented populations. Promote healthy lifestyles Kitchener’s streets encourage physical activity, improve mental health, reduce stress, protect air quality and provide more options to access nutritional, health and support services. Deliver services Kitchener’s streets provide a connected corridor for service delivery. Streets ensure that emergency vehicles are able to respond quickly, andsupportsnow removal activities, garbage collection and other municipal services.Streets contain the veins and arteries of the citywith services like hydro, stormwater, sanitation and water. Plan for all seasons Kitchener’s streets support peoplein getting around by all formsof transportation through all seasons. Designing with operational considerations in mind helps the city meet or exceed legislated or mandated requirements for maintenance, through things like understanding where snow can be stored, how maintenance vehicles can access services and howseasonal maintenance can occur. Prepare for temporary conditions Kitchener’s streets provide accommodations or signed detour routes that maintain a high level of service for pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motor vehicles during temporary closures forconstruction or special events. 3 2 - 152 Section 2: Street Classifications Every street can be a complete street, while maintaining or enhancing its unique character. There are a variety of ways to make a street more complete, depending on thefunction and context. The City of Kitchener’s Official Plan maintains a hierarchy of streets to ensure the desired movement of people and goods within and through the city. Four types of streets make up Kitchener’s street system: Local Streets, Minor Neighbourhood Collector Streets, Major Community Collector Streets and Arterial Streets. Each street classification has different functions and capacities, including types of active transportation facilities and expected motor vehicle volumes and speeds. In addition, Scenic Heritage Roads, which possess unique historical significance, are protected in accordance with the city’s Official Plan and heritage conservation policies. An integral part of a transportation network is established through a working partnership with other levels of government. The Region of Waterloo’s street classification systemfacilitates movement between municipalitiesand townshipsin Waterloo Region. Major highways are planned and maintained by the Province of Ontario. Streets perform both a mobility function and a place function. Depending on the local context, some streets will prioritize moving people and goods while some will prioritize attracting people, encouraging them to enjoy all that a street has to offer. Note: All cross-sections are for illustrative purposes only. Exact conditions may vary depending on street context and constraints. 2 - 153 Local streets Local Streets provide access to properties and are not intended to carry high volumes of through motorized traffic. Examples of local streets include Cotton Grass Street, Brock Street and Tanglewood Avenue.Local streets are the most common form of street in Kitchener,making up 72% ofthe city’s overall road network. Local streets prioritize activeneighbourhood life and social interactions between neighbours going for walks, sitting on their front porch, orat a neighbourhood street party. Preferred cross-sectionfor local streets (18.0 m Right-of-Way) Pedestrian View Cyclist and motorist view 5 2 - 154 Minor neighbourhood collector streets Minor neighbourhood collector streets prioritize active neighbourhood life, multi-modal connections and facilitate movement within neighbourhoods. Examples of minor collector streets include Driftwood Drive,Manchester Road and Bechtel Drive. Minor collector streets connect local streets to higher order streets and primarily accommodate residential land use. Commercial and retail land uses canbe expected in proximity to significant intersections.These streets may mark the entrance to a neighbourhood, with urban design features that celebrate the neighbourhood’s unique identity. Preferred cross-section for minor collector streets (20.0 m ROW) Pedestrian view Cyclist and motorist view 2 - 155 Major community collector streets Major community collector streetsbalance the mobility of people between neighbourhoods with land accesses. Examples of major collector streets includeGuelph Street, Westheights Drive,andWilson Avenue. These streetsfacilitate movement from local and minor collector streets to higher order streets while providing a high-level of streetscape appeal for businesses, homes and other properties located along the street. Preferred cross-sectionfor major collector streets (26.0 m ROW) Pedestrian and cyclist view Motorist view 7 2 - 156 Arterial streets Arterial streets provide mobility for people and goods throughout the city while also providing a positive image of the city and fostering economic development. Examples of arterial streets include King Street, Strasburg Road and River Road.These streets carry high volumes of all modes of movement, including pedestrians,cyclists, transit, motor vehicles and freight vehicles.Arterial streets often provide the most direct and convenient access to major destinations in the city, making it essential that all four travel modes are balanced effectively. Preferred cross-section for main street scenarios(30.0 m ROW) This cross-section is used in highdensity, pedestrian-oriented, commercial urban centres. Pedestrian and cyclist view Motorist view 2 - 157 Preferred cross-section for thoroughfare arterials (30.0 m ROW) This cross-section is used in high density, mixed use corridors. Pedestrian and cyclist view Motorist view 9 2 - 158 Section 3: Street design Pedestrian design Walkingand rollingis the most common form of transportation in Kitchener. Every trip – including those involving cycling, transit or an automobile - begins and ends as a pedestrian. Sidewalk zones Raised crosswalks The pedestrian throughway is an unobstructed A raised crosswalk enhances a standard path for pedestrian travel, a minimum of 1.8 m crosswalk by adding additional height and wide. visibility of pedestrians. Pedestrian crossovers (PXOs) Curb extensions PXOs provide pedestrians with protected crossing opportunities by requiring motorists to Curb extensions, also known as bulb outsor yield to pedestrians within the crosswalk. narrowings, extend the sidewalk or curb line into the street, to shorten crossing distance and calm traffic. Pedestrian amenities Amenities can add significantly to a feeling of Pedestrian refuge islands safety ona street, as well as encourage longer Pedestrian refuge islands, or medians, allow travel distances through rest areas and pedestrians to cross in two stages, rather than interesting streetscapes. Examples include wait for gaps to clear in both directions. pedestrian-scale lighting, benches, trees, art, hanging baskets and patios. 2 - 159 Cycling design Cycling is one of the most efficient forms of transportation. It can be significantly faster and cover longer distances than walking, while still gaining health benefitsof using human-powered travel. Cycle tracks Boulevard multi-use trails Cycle tracks, also known as raised or Aboulevard multi-use trail provides two-way boulevard bike lanes or bike paths, are located travel for both pedestrians and cyclists, outside of the travelled portion of the roadway, adjacent to the roadway in the boulevard. and include barrier curb separation. Neighbourhood bikeways Neighbourhood bikeways, also known bicycle priority streets, are quiet, local streets that can Separated bike lanes be enjoyed in a low-stress environment without Separated bike lanes provide space designated space. exclusively for bicycles and include a form of physical separation from the motorized portion of the roadway, such as bollards, curbs, planter boxes, raised medians or parking. Painted bike lanes Painted bike lanesarea designated space for exclusive use by cyclists. In most cases, a painted bike lane does not provide a level of comfort and safety to be appropriate forall ages and abilities. 11 2 - 160 Transit design Transit expands people’s access to the places they need to go throughout the city and contributes to an equitable, sustainableand efficient transportation network. Transit has the highest capacity for moving people in a limited space, so more of the street can be dedicated to otheruses. In Kitchener, transit services are provided by Grand River Transit (GRT) and the Region of Waterloo. buses and cyclists. Floating bus stops also Transit locations benefit pedestrians, as the floating bus stop Bus stop locations are defined by their doublesas a pedestrian refuge, which can relationship to intersectingstreets. Generally, shorten crossing distances. there arethree placement locations for stops: nearside, farside, and midblock. Transit stops and amenities Transit stops can be designed to improve transit speeds and enhance the sustainability and accessibility of the streetscape with green infrastructure and well-designed public spaces. Transit curb-out Image source: AC Transit. Multimodal Corridor Guidelines. 2018. Transit “curb-outs” or “bus bulbs” provide a loading area for the bus that extends past on- Shared cycle track stops street parking lanes. “Curb-outs” allow the buses to board and alight passengers from the A cycle track (or separated bike lane) runs travel lane, removing the requirement for the alongside the boarding area, rather than bus to merge back into vehicle traffic, and running behind the boarding area. Cyclists can saving time for transit vehicles. ride through the boarding area when no transit vehicles are present, but must yield the space to boarding and alighting passengers when a bus or streetcar light rail vehicle stops. Image source: Grand River Transit. Bus Stop Zones Guidelines, July 2001. “Floating bus stops” A floating bus stop is a concrete platform built between a cycling facility and the roadway. Cyclists are directed behind the bus stop, reducing or eliminating most conflicts between 2 - 161 Motor vehicle design Motor vehicles provide movement of people and goods, facilitate emergency servicesand provide maintenance services.Types of motor vehicles include personal vehicles, taxis, ridesharing and larger classes of vehicles that deliver essential services to the community. Vehicle lanes Traffic calming Lane widths have an impact on driver behavior Traffic calming includes a range of strategies and travel speed andmust balance the safety to manage vehicle speeds and volumes. and comfort of all street users, by using the narrowest lane width possible. For streets servicing transit, the desired lane width is 3.3 m and should not exceed 3.5 m. For streets without transit and little truck traffic, the desired lane width is 3.0 m. Emergency services The space and operational needs of first responders, such as fire, paramedics and police, are important factors in the design of a street. Fire trucks have the largest emergency response vehicle. Improving safety on city streets is a primary goal of Complete Streets, reducing the number and severity of collisions thatrequire emergency services. Collaborative efforts between staff and emergency services are essential in meeting mandated response times. Maintenance Streets and related utility services require regular maintenance to function reliably and efficiently. Roadway design must consider the space and operational needs of snow plows, graders, sweepers, leaf collection, utility trucks and more. Parking Parking serves an important need for motorists and persons with disabilities. Parking can be provided on-street or in designated lots or garages. Consideration needs to be given to how the parking supply mightencourage greater automobile use. Image source: Brian Patterson and Sarah Freigang. “Bike Facilities Design Workshop” (Waterloo: Institute for Transportation Engineers and Urban Systems), September 21, 2018. 13 2 - 162 Intersection design Intersections provide transitions between different streets, allowing navigation through the street network. They often serve as meeting places for neighbourhoods or the city as a whole and attract commercial and cultural activity. Intersections are also the site of “conflicts” between travel modes as each person navigates the intersection according to their own specific travel path. Providing effective design guidance to navigate these conflicts is essential to improving road safety for all users.In Kitchener, all signalized intersections are managed by the Region of Waterloo. Design vehicle and control vehicle Corner radii In the past, many streets and intersections Largerradii are less safe for bicycles and were designed to accommodate the largest pedestrians because they allow for higher possible vehicle on the road. This often leads vehicle speeds through the turn and result in to higher motor vehicle speeds of the most larger crossing distances. Streets should be common type of vehicle – passenger cars. constructed with the smallest corner radii Today, focus has shifted to maximizing safety possible, generally 6 – 8 m. for a wide variety of road users. Separated cycling intersections Combined crosswalk/crossride Maintain comfort and safety for cyclists through Pedestrians are intended to make use of the an intersection. Crossrides identify the path of central area, and cyclists use the outer parts. travel and corner safety islands provide a physical barrier. For left turns, a cyclist proceeds in two stages. Separated crosswalk/crossride Appropriate for signalized intersections and all way stops, especially where cycle tracks and sidewalks are side by side. Image source: Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide(Boston, 2015), 69 2 - 163 Sustainableinfrastructure design Sustainableinfrastructure enhancesenvironmental sustainability and helpsthe city reach its sustainability goals and policies. The City of Kitchener aims to achieve a healthy and livable community by proactively mitigatingand adapting to climate change, conserving natural resources and protecting air and water quality. Climate actionLow impactdevelopment Design every street to maximize low-carbon Kitchener’s approach to stormwater modes of travel. Reduce the heat island effect, management focuses on runoff prevention, create carbon sinks and incentivize electric preservesand acknowledges the benefits vehicles. provided by natural systems, recognizes rainwater as a resourceto be managed rather than a waste and uses ‘green’ stormwater infrastructure approaches incombination with conventional stormwater management approaches to better and more efficiently managestormwater and improve the environment. Urban forestry It’s hard to imagine a vibrant, caring and innovative city without picturing trees. Trees are a key element of a living city andplay a role in filtering the air, enhancing public spaces, providing shade on a sunny dayand creating habitat for birds and other creatures. 15 2 - 164 Section 4: Emerging trends Acompletestreetis constantly evolving, with several new trends emerging. Mobility hubs Micromobility Hubs are the points of connection in a city’s Micromobility includesforms of personal transportation network. Today, people are transportation that are built for one passenger frequently living multi-modal lives – meaning at a time. They may be entirely rider-powered they use a combination of walking, cycling, or have electric power sources, such as an transit and the automobile to get around. electric throttle or an electric-assist system. The most common forms of micromobility used today are the bicycle, e-bikes and e-scooters. The adoption of micromobility is rapidly growing with the entrance of privately operated sharing companies. Image source: Kate Whitfield, Kirk Paulsen, Laura Hagerman and Ezra Lipton, “CITE Complete Streets Workshop” (Ottawa: Institute of Transportation Engineers and Alta Planning + Consulting, October 23, 2018), 20. Curbside management As cities grow and intensify, curbside areas become highly contested, with many functions desiring space and access to the curb. Pedestrian functions, separated bike lanes, micromobility and green infrastructure all require curbside space, plus passenger cars, delivery vehicles, andbuses seek use of limitedcurb space to access shops, restaurants, housing, offices,and community facilities. 2 - 165 Section 5: Making it happen Kitchener’s Complete Streets scorecard A Complete Streets approach uses every street reconstruction project as an opportunity to make improvements. A key tool to assist in applying Complete Streets principles to every project is the Complete Streets scorecard. It will be used on every street reconstruction, early in the design stage. The scorecard has several purposes: Encourage a culture shift in support of the Complete Streets vision Put a stronger emphasis on sustainable modes of transportation and other street uses Assist in prioritizing different street elements, especially when constraints require difficult trade-offs The scorecard will be used by several audiences. AudienceHow they’ll use the tool City staff Compare“before and after” scenarios for various (often project managers/project street designs, in order to determine the best possible teams)designprior to reconstructing a street. Corporate Leadership TeamUtilize a consistent benchmark to evaluate overall progress towards the Complete Streets Vision. City Council Understand highest benefit streets to allocate funding to, and communicate to constituents the benefits of proposed street designs. Residents Understand why certain changes are proposed for their street and the benefits it can bring to the community. How the scorecard works The scorecard assists a project manager and project team in comparing before and after scenarios. Step 1.Assess the current state Step 2.Identify opportunities Step 3.Complete interim design(s) Step 4.Identify capital and operating costs of proposed designs Step 5.Finalize design 17 2 - 166 Implementation & evaluation plan Realizing the Complete Streets vision will require strategic efforts on behalf of city staff, city council, industry partners and the entire community. A detailed action plan will make the Complete Streets vision a reality. 11.Work with residents to pilot a Alignment with city strategies woonerf. 1.Coordinatewith the Urban Design Manual. 12.Communicate the Complete Streets vision during street reconstruction 2.Update the Development Manual. public engagement. 3.Conduct an Official Plan amendment Street design applications and integrate into Planning policies 13.Develop a standard drawing for and secondary plans. raised pedestrian/cyclistcrossings. Change management 14.Integratepedestrian and bike 4.Conduct annual staff training facilities at bus stops. sessions. 15.Establish fund or mechanism to fill 5.Establish a Complete Streets network gaps caused by corporate committee. construction limits. 6.Review equipment requirementsand 16.Create a new Green Street cross- operational changes required to section for environmentally sensitive maintain Complete Streets. areas. 7.Integrate the scorecard analysis into Data collection, monitoring and every street reconstruction design evaluation process. 17.Expand use of active transportation counting technologies. 8.Review warrant requirements for PXOs and signalized trail crossings. 18.Monitor maintenance and life-cycle aspects of Complete Streets. 9.Work with the Region and other municipalities to develop “complete 19.PrepareComplete Street reports. level-of-service” measurements for signalfunction andprioritization. 20.Monitor progress, update the documentand return to City Council Community engagement in 2024. 10.Develop and hostcommunity engagement pop-up workshops. 2 - 167 Section 6: Changing Kitchener – for the better People-friendly transportation Our streets shouldbe safe, connected, and inclusive – meaning that whether you’re eight or you’re eighty, you can move through Kitchener by foot or wheels.Kitchener’s visionis tomake every street in Kitchener safe, comfortable and convenient for all. Together, we can make change – for the better. Liability statement Kitchener’s Complete Streets guidelines are based on recent experiences designing and constructing streets and extensive consultation with city divisions, agencies, the public, councillors, industry and community stakeholders, as well as best practices from local, provincial, national and international sources. It integrates and builds upon the latest available city policies, standards and guidelines. It is consistent with other provincial, federal and nongovernmental organizations, including the Ontario Traffic Council (OTC), Transportation Association of Canada (TAC), Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) and other sources. These guidelines also work within existing Provincial and Federallegislation pertaining to street design and operations, such as the Ontario Highway Traffic Act and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. The Guidelines are based on the principle that all streets are different, and that no single design solution exists. A street’s design will be tailored for the particular needs and opportunities created by local context, existing and future uses and users and dimensions of each street. Street design is an evolving practice. In the coming years, design strategies used elsewhere, and technologies that do not yet readily exist in Kitchener, will affect how we design our streets. Street designers should stay up-to-date on the latest best practices. 19 2 - 168 2 - 169 Complete Streets Guidelines Peer Review Report Prepared for the City of Kitchener September 10, 2019 Submitted by The Centre for Active Transportation at Clean Air Partnership 1 2 - 170 Contents Preface .................................................................................................................................. 3 Background ....................................................................................................................................3 Project Scope .................................................................................................................................3 Corporate Profile and Relevant Experience .....................................................................................4 ................................. 5 Complete Streets policy based on ten elements of an ideal Complete Streets policy ......................................................................................................................... 6 3. Revew of Complete Streets Guidelines in Similar Cities ....................................................... 7 Selection criteria for similar sized cities ...........................................................................................7 Similar Sized Cities Selected ............................................................................................................8 Implementation Examples ..............................................................................................................9 Best Practice Review .................................................................................................................... 10 Pedestrian Crossovers ......................................................................................................................................... 10 Curb Radii ............................................................................................................................................................ 10 Accomondating Fire Trucks ................................................................................................................................. 11 4. Section-by-nes ..................... 12 Section 1: Vision ............................................................................................................................................ 12 Section 2: Street Classifications ................................................................................................................ 12 Section 3: Street Design ............................................................................................................................... 12 Section 4: Emerging Trends........................................................................................................................ 13 Section 5: Making it Happen ....................................................................................................................... 13 Section 6: Changing Kitchener for the better ...................................................................................... 14 5. Analyze guidelines to identify potential gaps and areas of strength/weakness ................. 14 Areas of Strength ......................................................................................................................... 14 Areas of weakness........................................................................................................................ 14 6. Recommendations ........................................................................................................... 15 Appendix A: The Centre for Active Transportation Team Bios ............................................... 16 2 2 - 171 Preface Background The City of Kitchener Integrated Transportation Master Plan Healthy Kitchener (June 2013) makes frequent reference to Complete Streets, while also stressing the need for a standalone Complete Streets policy. A Complete Streets approach accommodating all modes and users is an integral part of the active transportation section of the TMP. Official Plan: A Complete & Healthy Kitchener (approved by the Region of Waterloo on November 19, 2014), a Complete Streets policy is included within the Parks Strategic Plan and Leisure Facilities Master Plan and some additional direction is provided about creating safe streets within the Integrated Transportation Systems section. In 2019 the City of Kitchener strengthened its commitment to Complete Streets by developing a new set of Complete Streets guidelines including an implementation plan for integrating the guidelines into the A draft of the guidelines was provided to TCAT on July 29, 2019. The final version is expected to be submitted for City Council approval on Oct 23, 2019. The City of Kitchener commissioned TCAT to provide guidelines. 0±®©¤¢³ 3¢®¯¤ TCAT will: 1.Review relevant Complete Streets background policies from the City of Kitchener 2.Analyze policies based on key themes (e.g. Elements of a Complete Streets policy) Conduct a review of 2-3 3.Complete Streets guidelines to assemble examples of best practice and areas of key concern. These guidelines could be a standalone document or incorporated into a m guidelines will have some or all of the following criteria present: a.Complete Streets b.Canadian municipality c.Mid-sized municipality of similar size (population up to 1 million) and similar climate (e.g. winter) to Kitchener d.Include specific guidance for areas of key concern (e.g. curb radii, PXOs, facilitating emergency services, etc.) e.Direct use of latest and best design criteria f.Demonstrate good track record of implementation (e.g. specific Complete Street case studies), ideally a city that has been using their guidelines for a minimum of 2-3 years 4.Complete Streets Guidelines 5.Analyze guidelines to identify potential gaps and areas of strength/weakness 6.Prepare short report summarizing key findings, providing recommendations for any changes in policies and guidelines based on best practice review, and possibly providing an endorsement. 3 2 - 172 Corporate Profile £ 2¤«¤µ ³ %·¯¤±¨¤¢¤ Clean Air Partnership (CAP) is a registered charitable organization, established in 2000, with an accomplished track record in working with partners to improve air quality, minimize greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the impacts of air pollution and climate change to improve community health and resiliency. Located in Toronto, CAP works with communities across Ontario and employs a range of tools to achieve results, including research, participatory planning, policy initiatives and training events. Its Clean Air Council is a network of 28 municipalities and health units that work collaboratively on the development and implementation of clean air, climate change, sustainability and resilience actions. The Centre for Active Transportation (TCAT) is a project of CAP, launched in 2006, with the core mission of advancing knowledge and evidence to build support for safe and inclusive streets for walking and cycling, as modes of transportation that contribute to clean air, vibrant cities and a healthy population. TCAT is at the forefront of knowledge generation in active transportation and Complete Streets with a highly-regarded track record of conducting leading-edge research and policy analysis. TCAT provides professional services to municipalities to advance safe and active streets for all, through: 1) informed decision making, 2) engaged communities, and 3) prepared professionals. Since 2009, TCAT has played a Complete Streets leadership role in Canada to build momentum and focus community and government interest in Complete Streets. In 2012, TCAT launched the Complete Streets for Canada -Complete Streets policy, design, case studies, and research. The website (with a new and improved design launched in 2019) provides the necessary knowledge base and policy framework for municipalities to move toward streets that provide equitable access to all modes of travel. With the help of student interns and volunteers, TCAT continues to track, document, and research Complete Streets policy and best practice across the country. In addition to the website, TCAT has taken on a range of other Complete Streets projects: Between 2010 and 2015, TCAT hosted six international Complete Streets Forums, bringing together Complete Streets experts and practitioners. In 2013, TCAT worked on a team commissioned by Toronto Public Health to identify and assess published evidence for how specific street design choices influence health outcomes. This work influenced the development of Complete Streets Guidelines and TCAT Director Nancy Smith Lea was on the Ci Committee (2015-2016). TCAT led the development of a series of research publications about Complete Streets including Complete Street Transformations (2016), Complete Streets Catalogue & Evaluation Tool (2015), and Complete Streets by Design (2012). In 2015, TCAT was commissioned by the Grey Bruce Health Unit to develop a Complete Streets Policy & Implementation Guide for Grey and Bruce Counties. In 2018, TCAT released the Complete Streets Game 2.0 (the beta version was released in 2013), a fun, interactive capacity-building workshop tool that helps groups understand the size and scale of different modes of transportation and work collaboratively to re-imagine their local street as a Complete Street. See team bios in Appendix A. 4 2 - 173 1. Complete Streets background policies The City of Kitchener has demonstrated an interest in Complete Streets policy dating back to 2013, as follows: 1.Integrated Transportation Master Plan: makes frequent reference to Complete Streets, while also stressing the need for a standalone Complete Streets policy. The TMP specifically recommends that a Complete Streets policy be developed and included within: a new sidewalk infilling policy "based on the principle of 'Complete Streets'" in order to ensure there are no gaps in the sidewalk network (1, 63) a revised Urban Structure Nodes and Corridors framework to "provide a balanced and safe environment for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and transit-users alike" (36) "the Official Plan, Zoning Bylaw and Development Manual to ensure there is clarity regarding what the City requires in terms of transportation and circulation features as part of development applications" (95) 2.Official Plan: A Complete & Healthy Kitchener includes a Complete Streets policy embedded within the Parks Strategic Plan and Leisure Facilities Master Plan: Complete Streets, linked open spaces, multi-use -C.1.12). While Complete Streets policy language is not included within other sections of the plan that apply more directly 3.A Sidewalk Infill Policy (2015) requires sidewalks on both sides of the street, with warrant criteria outlining when exceptions may be made. A Complete Streets rationale is provided for the new policy within the staff report. 4.Complete Streets Complete Streets Kitchener: Streets for All provides: a vision for Complete Streets in Kitchener a set of three design goals for every street to prioritize (design for safety, improve transportation choice, advance sustainability) a set of six design principles (foster a sense of place, encourage social connections and equity, promote healthy lifestyles, deliver services, plan for all seasons, prepare for temporary conditions) existing policies that serve as key tools to implement Complete Streets (2014 Official Plan, 2013 Transportation Master Plan, 2010 Cycling Master Plan, 2012 Multi-use Pathways and Trails Master Plan, 2017 Pedestrian Charter, 2015 Sidewalk Infill Policy, 2016 Ontario Growth Plan) a set of standard and preferred alternative design objectives for Kitchenstreet classification types (local, minor collector, major collector, arterial) a set of design objectives for 10 different function types (pedestrian, cycling, transit, motor vehicle, intersection, streetscape, sustainable infrastructure, operations & utilities, temporary conditions, smart streets) a set of design objectives on three emerging trends (mobility hubs, micromobility, curbside management) a Complete Streets scorecard 5 2 - 174 an implementation plan results of a community engagement process (key stakeholder interviews, online survey, street team in-person surveys, design charrettes) to get input into the development of Complete Streets guidelines for Kitchener. 2. Complete Streets policy based on ten elements of an ideal Complete Streets policy As noted above in Section 1, the City of Kitchener has several existing official documents that reference Complete Streets and there are two related policies that have been adopted: Complete Streets policy direction in the Parks Strategic Plan and Leisure Facilities Master Plan. However, as the policy is embedded within a recreational context only, it is not directly applicable to transportation decisions about the street network, which is the purpose of a Complete Streets policy. The Sidewalk Infill Policy (2015) is not a Complete Streets policy per se, but rather the impetus for it was to incorporate a Complete Streets approach to provide a safer pedestrian environment (aka the requiring of sidewalks on both sides of every street). By its nature, the policy is specific only to pedestrian infrastructure, and as a result does not provide direction on designing streets to be safer for everyone, as a Complete Streets policy does. Notably, though, the sidewalk policy incorporates one of the ten ideal elements of a Complete Streets policy which is to set out clear, accountable expectations pertaining to the granting of exceptions to the policy. The draft Complete Streets Kitchener guidelines (2019) is also not a Complete Streets policy per se, and tation of complete transportation networks. However, the guidelines were developed in alignment with the ten elements of an ideal Complete Streets policy as identified by the National Complete Streets Coalition: 1.Vision and intent: Complete Streets Kitchener t clearly indicates that every roadway reconstruction is an opportunity to improve the design and functionality of a street for all users and contains three design goals to prioritize to assist in prioritization: 1) design for safety, 2) improve transportation choice, and 3) advance sustainability. 2.Diverse users: Prioritizing safety for the most vulnerable road users (pedestrians and cyclists) is at the forefront of Complete Streets Kitchener, as is the importance of connected networks with direct routes to major destinations for all modes of transportation. 3.Commitment in all projects and phases: The guidelines put an emphasis on roadway reconstruction, whereas maintenance and ongoing projects are not highlighted. 4.Clear, accountable expectations: The guidelines provide a comprehensive and detailed implementation and evaluation plan based on guidance from other cities and the National Complete Streets Coalition. A list of 21 action items is included within five sub-categories: 1) Alignment with city strategies, 2) Change management, 3) Community engagement, 4) Street design applications, and 5) Data collection, monitoring and evaluation. However, the guidelines do not include any direction regarding if and when exceptions to Complete Streets may occur, or a process for how to handle those exceptions. 5.Jurisdiction: The guidelines address coordination between government departments, specifically 1) collaboration between Transportation and Planning divisions on the Urban Design 6 2 - 175 Manual, Official Plan amendment, and otherplanning policies and reviews, 2) the creation of a corporate committee consisting of management from Development Services divisions and external stakeholders to monitor the program, and 3) working with the Region and other -of- prioritization. 6.Design: The street design section of the guidelines uses the latest and best design criteria and guidelines for all modes (e.g. Book 18, NACTO, TAC). Instructions are provided for establishing clear timelines for using the scorecard analysis so that upgrades are identified early in the design process. 7.Land use and context sensitivity: The guidelines take into consideration the surrounding recommended update to the Development Manual and the Official Plan and integration with the Master plan, subdivision, site plans, and secondary plans. 8.Performance measures: Monitoring and evaluation of the guidelines are proposed to be conducted via an annual Complete Streets report using the scorecard, the collection of new active transportation data using counting technologies, and an update to Council in 2024. 9.Project selection criteria: Specific criteria to encourage funding prioritization for Complete Streets implementation is not included. However, the guidelines recommend that a fund be established for active transportation connections that are considered out of scope for many street reconstructions. 10.Implementation steps: The guidelines include a detailed implementation and evaluation plan including 21 action items. However, while a report-back to Council is recommended within five years (by 2024), no other timelines are currently provided. Timelines would be a helpful addition to the implementation plan, as would a separate motion from Council directing staff to incorporate the guidelines into any street reconstruction or new build. 3. Revew of Complete Streets Guidelines in Similar Cities - by-step selection methodlogy, and our findings for best practices in key areas of concern including pedestrian crossings, curb radii, and accomondation of fire trucks. 3¤«¤¢³¨® ¢±¨³¤±¨ ¥®± ²¨¬¨« ± ²¨¹¤£ ¢ities Our team proposed the following selection criteria for conducting a peer review of 2-3 Complete Streets guidelines to establish examples of best practice and areas of key concerns. These guidelines could be a lan. The goal was that the selected guidelines will have some or all of the following components: Complete Streets Canadian municipality Mid-sized municipality of similar size (population under 250,000) and similar climate (e.g. winter) to Kitchener Include specific guidance for areas of key concern (e.g. curb radii, PXOs, facilitating emergency services, etc.) Direct use of latest and best design criteria Demonstrate good track record of implementation (e.g. specific Complete Street case studies) 7 2 - 176 Our search methodology to identify 2-3 similar sized cities with Complete Streets guidelines was as follows: 1.Consult wikipedia to compile list of Canadian cities and city regions with population between 1 100 000 - 400 000. 19 cities found. 2016 City Province Population London Ontario 383,437 Victoria British Columbia 335,696 Halifax Nova Scotia 316,701 Oshawa Ontario 308,875 Windsor Ontario 287,069 Saskatoon Saskatchewan 245,181 St. CatharinesNiagara Falls Ontario 229,246 Regina Saskatchewan 214,631 St. John's Newfoundland and Labrador 178,427 Kelowna British Columbia 151,957 Barrie Ontario 145,614 Sherbrooke Quebec 139,565 Guelph Ontario 132,397 Abbotsford British Columbia 121,279 Kingston Ontario 117,660 Kanata Ontario 117,304 Trois-Rivières Quebec 114,203 Moncton New Brunswick 108,620 ChicoutimiJonquière Quebec 104,222 2.Eliminate cities whose the working language is French. 15 results remain. 3.Perform Google search: Complete Streets (design / policy / guideline). Of the 19 cities of similar size to Kitchener in Canada, the search returned three results: London (2018), Saskatoon (2017), Niagara Region (2017) 4.Search for implementation examples in each of the selected cities using results from the Complete Streets for Canada database where possible. Examples of implementation can be recently completed, approved, or ongoing projects that reflect guidance from their respective design guidelines. 5.Search for whether specific areas of concern were addressed: pedestrian crossovers (PXOs), fire trucks, and curb radii. Page numbers addressing key areas are referenced and summarized in this report. Similar Sized #¨³¨¤² 3¤«¤¢³¤£ Following the above methodlogy, the Complete Streets guidelines of three cities and regions are included in our review: 1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_100_largest_population_centres_in_Canada#By_population_rank Acceesed 10 August 2019 8 2 - 177 Saskatoon London Niagara Region In addition, this review also uses supporting sections on pedestrian crossings, fire trucks, curb radii from a larger city that has specific guidance in these areas. Calgary )¬¯«¤¬¤³ ³¨® %· ¬¯«¤² Below are selected examples where Complete Streets have been implemented in our selected similar sized cities. City Description Image London Snapshot of intersection along Colborne Street. Pedestrian crossing clearly marked. Flexi-post separate bike lane from traffic and green paint continue through intersection. Also note bike box on Colborne St. Source: Google Street View London New installation of King Street cycle track in London following completion of award- winning Complete Streets guidelines. Source: City of London Niagara Niagara Region is constructing a four metre Region wide asphalt multi-use path along the south side of Sir Isaac Brock Way between Schmon Pkwy. and Hwy. 406 in the City of Thorold and the City of St. Catharines. Source: Niagara Region 9 2 - 178 Saskatoon Intersection of 3rd Ave. N. and 23 St. E. displaying bicycle features. Green paint indicates bike position in intersection and bike box provided for two-stage left turn. Source: Google Street View "¤²³ 0± ¢³¨¢¤ 2¤µ¨¤¶ Pedestrian Crossovers Highlights from Complete Streets Kitchener Guidelines Emphasizes the importance of short crossing distances Curb extensions to be used with crosswalks where possible Raised crosswalks recommended on certain street typologies Pedestrian refuge islands recommended at mid-block uncontrolled crossings Refers to OTM Book 15 for further guidance on Pedestrian Crossovers (PXOs) Highlights from guidelines of similar sized cities City of London (88) gives option for PXO or pedestrian refuge islands for their Civic Boulevards and Main Streets City of London (106) gives example of rapid flashing rectangular beacons City of London (30, 112) gives specific guidance for pedestrian and cyclist movements at PXO near roundabouts Various design guidelines give direction on which street typologies are suitable for mid-block crossings, and for minimum intersection spacing to warrant a mid-block crossing for each street typology Recommendations for Kitchener PXOs may be more effective using a combination of pedestrian crossing features in conjunction with PXO lighting and signage. Crossing features mentioned elsewhere in the report include: short crossing distances, curb extensions, raised crosswalks, and refuge islands The design guidelines should define where PXOs are to be used in terms of street typology and intersection spacing Protected bicycle infrastructure with sufficient buffer space can offer a waiting area for pedestrians to negotiate with cyclists and motorists separately Curb Radii Highlights from Complete Streets Kitchener Guidelines Target curb radii provided for each street typology Freight and emergency vehicles considered for arterial streets, with guidance for different radii depending on intersecting street typologies Gives guidance for curb radii when describing intersection design and extensively describes the use of design vehicle and control vehicle Uses 6.0 m as preferred turning radii for most streets, and only larger as needed 10 2 - 179 Describes difference between corner radius and effective radius Highlights from guidelines of similar sized cities City of London (104) recommends against right turn channels City of London (45, 50) suggests curb aprons can be used to provide extra space for the turning sweep of larger vehicles ct on the operation City of Calgary (79) provides lookup table of recommended turning radii in relation to different street typologies The Complete Streets guidelines of similar sized cities do not provide ranges, lookup tables, or formulas for curb radii Recommendations for Kitchener Where appropriate, protected cycling infrastructure at intersections reduce the effective turning radius compared to bike lanes. This can be integrated into future bicycle infrastructure designs. Truck aprons are mentioned once in the Kitchener document. May be effective to mention throughout document if this point is important. Guidance may be needed in relation to right turn channels While standard curb radii are 1015 feet (3-4.5 metres), many cities use corner 2 radii as small as 2 feet (0.6 metres). Accomondating Fire Trucks Highlights from Complete Streets Kitchener Guidelines Fire truck dimensions given in draft guidelines alongside car, bus, and truck dimensions Makes the link between reducing collisions using Complete Streets design and reducing the number and severity of collisions that emergency services have to respond to (48) Minimum 6.0 m clear width is needed to accommodate fire trucks on all city streets Fire trucks can serve as the control vehicle where using a smaller design vehicle is appropriate Highlights from guidelines of similar sized cities City of London (44) points out that emergency vehicles can use bus-only lanes when needed e an undue negative impact on emergency services' response times or demand for left turns into / City of London (94) states that for neighbourhood connectors, the needs of emergency vehicles should be considered but also balanced against the benefits of managing motor vehicle speeds and volumes in residential areas ay be minimized by choosing the 2 https://nacto.org/publication/urban-street-design-guide/intersection-design-elements/corner-radii/ 11 2 - 180 smallest design vehicle possible, allowing vehicles to cross-over beyond the nearest receiving Note: Fire departments in the City of Hamilton and City of Toronto have recognized that smaller fire trucks better meet urban needs and are in the process of adding smaller fire trucks to their 3 fleet. Recommendations for Kitchener 6.0 m clear zone could be reduced if streets are one-way or if streets are designed with the possibility that fire trucks may cross over to opposing lanes Bus-only lanes may benefit emergency response times On local streets, a trade-off will need to be made between emergency vehicle speeds and street design, keeping in mind that slower speeds may reduce the number of collisions in the first place. 4. Section-by-Section Review Complete Streets Guidelines This section provides a chapter-by-chapter analysis e Street Guidelines using the similar cities as best practice references where applicable. Page references are provided matching the July 15, 2019 draft version of the Kitchener Complete Streets Guidelines document. Section 1: Vision Complete Streets Kitchener the design and functionality of a street for all users and contains three design goals to prioritize to assist in prioritization: 1) design for safety, 2) improve transportation choice, and 3) advance sustainability. Section 2: Street Classifications The four-tier classification of streets is consistent with other Complete Streets guidelines in classifying here the 3D graphic is essential to communicating the pedestrian-centric design of the woonerf concept. This section could benefit from: Map of street classifications in the city, if readily available. See example City of Saskatoon (36) The pictures (to be added) should illustrate a variety of land-use environments within each e their dual function as connectors while providing access to shopping malls, gas stations, and residential buildings. Pictures can illustrate various sub-environments. Consider: illustrating the land uses and travel modes that are targeted for each street type. See example from City of Saskatoon (23) Section 3: Street Design Excellent demonstration of a user-centered approach to street design, and the illustrations of the 3 See City of Hamilton press release here and City of Toronto council minutes here 12 2 - 181 The in the document. For example, pedestrian refuge islands can be seen as an extension of the ic at a time, reducing stress. Similar arguments can be made for PXOs, curb extensions, crosswalks, and others. Examples would be useful to illustrate how various treatments can be combined. For example, raised crosswalk with PXO or cycle track clear zone combined with sidewalk clear zone. Ideally, all bicycle facilities should be designed to be low-stress, high quality routes that are safe and comfortable for people of all ages and abilities, but different bicycle facilities can also be for slower cyclists and cargo bike users, whereas painted bike lanes accommodate faster travel by more confident and vehicular cyclists. Transit facilities will benefit by designing in conjunction with pedestrian facilities. For example, PXOs, refuge islands, and curb bump-outs will allow pedestrians to cross the street to catch buses going the other way. The draft guidelines (46) Note that cyclists are considered a vehicle under the Highway Traffic Act, and as such vehicle lanes, regardless of whether or not there is separate bicycle infrastructure, also serve cyclists. Parking on sidewalk level may enhance the streetscape, lending unused parking spaces to pedestrian use as an extension of the sidewalk. Example: Bernard Ave in Kelowna, BC Section 4: Emerging Trends The emerging trends focuses on mobility hubs, micromobility, and curbside management. These trends highlight important issues and pose open questions for cities as technology develops. Mobility hubs: Objectives 1 (minimize distance) & 3 (provide amenities) can be considered land- use objectives that will require higher intensity land-use to achieve. Objectives 2 (reduce conflict among travelers) & 4 (provide information) can also be . Micromobility: Bike-sharing systems (including e-bikes) are most effective when paired with rapid transit with longer stop spacing to increase catchment area compared to walking. For a compact city like Kitchener, micromobility options can be used for the entirety of commutes. Curbside management is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate that parking is often not the most effective use of curbside space. Cycle tracks offer curbside access without creating additional conflict between cyclists and drivers. Section 5: Making it Happen This section contains a five-step scorecard which is a useful tool for the project management team to operationalize the principles within the guidelines and to evaluate the street before and after changes have been made to improve the level of service for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. The scorecard can place stronger emphasis on the placemaking function of local streets by making "what makes a street recognizable, unique and enjoyable?" a mandatory scoring component. This section also provides a comprehensive and detailed implementation and evaluation plan based on guidance from the National Complete Streets Coalition. A list of 21 action items is included within five sub-categories: 1) Alignment with city strategies, 2) Change management, 3) Community engagement, 4) Street design applications, and 5) Data collection, monitoring and evaluation. 13 2 - 182 However, the guidelines do not include any direction regarding if and when exceptions to Complete Streets may occur, or a process for how to handle those exceptions. Exceptions from similarly sized cities are based on right-of-way constraints, and this guideline can include additional factors such as street characteristics, funding, and community advisement. A report-back to Council is recommended within five years (by 2024), but no other timelines are currently provided. Section 6: Changing Kitchener for the better This section explains how community engagement has been performed for the current design manual, which may be suited to an appendix. We recommend including process-focused guidelines in its place: A process guide for how the community should be consulted for specific Complete Streets projects and timelines for this process A guide on how the community should be consulted about future updates to the Complete Streets guidelines and timelines for this process Defining the objectives of community consultation in relation to Complete Streets design 5. Analyze guidelines to identify potential gaps and areas of strength/weakness !±¤ ² ®¥ Strength Inclusion of woonerf concept as a design alternative can be leveraged to enhance the character and safety of residential areas with frequent pedestrian activity Simplified street typologies give clear direction to how existing and future streetscapes can be enhanced according to the character of the built environment Sixty-four references from a diversity of local and international sources to support design recommendations in this guideline Includes most elements of the ten elements of an ideal Complete Streets policy, especially focusing on design best practices Presents comprehensive design guidance especially when compared to Complete Streets guidelines of similar sized cities Innovative user-centered design approach mirrors the structure of well-known guidelines such as the London Streetscape Guidance and CROW Design Manual for Bicycle Traffic Extensive and well-documented community engagement process with input from a diversity of users !±¤ ² ®¥ ¶¤ ª¤²² For clearer communication, more graphics and visual examples can be given to support the following elements: woonerfs and transit facilities Ambitious implementation plan includes a long list of specific items and short-term objectives, though lacking timelines on when they will be accomplished Report back to council is recommended within five years, and this can be complemented by recommending shorter-term, more specific implementation plans that are reviewed every year to track progress and make adjustments as needed A map illustrating the location of current street typologies will highlight opportunities for interventions based on the current layout of the city 14 2 - 183 6. Recommendations Guidelines, we recommend the following steps to be taken: 1.Incorporate Complete Streets policy language into the next Official Plan update within the sections of the plan that pertain most directly to streets and include direct references to this design guideline where appropriate 2.Include Complete Streets policy language within the next Transportation Master Plan update and include direct references to this design guideline where appropriate and to other applicable policy documents (i.e. Official Plan) 3.Use every opportunity when a new plan or policy is being adopted to reinforce the City of 4.Continue to foster collaboration between planning, design, and transportation staff, using Complete Streets as a tool to improve both the transportation system and the quality of the built environment 5.Incorporate timelines for the 21 action items within the implementation and evaluation plan 6.Consider including guidance within the implementation and evaluation plan regarding if and when exceptions to Complete Streets may occur, and a process for how to handle these exceptions. 7.On a five- practices from national and international innovations in street design 8.Celebrate the completion of each Complete Streets project by clearly documenting and highlighting the benefits to the community 9.Provide training opportunities for staff and contractors involved in street design and delivery 10.Seek Council support for incorporating the Complete Streets Kitchener guidelines, including the implementation and evaluation plan, into any street reconstruction or new street build. Instilling the Complete Streets Kitchener guidelines into daily practice is an opportunity to improve the of all road users are considered. In conclusion, the City of Kitchener has demonstrated an interest in Complete Streets policy dating back to 2013. In 2019 Kitchener strengthened its commitment to Complete Streets by developing a set of - referenced and in-depth document that highlights how best practices in Complete Streets design can be an ideal Complete Streets policy as identified by the National Complete Streets Coalition, and use the most recent and best design criteria for making streets safe, comfortable and convenient for all. 15 2 - 184 Appendix A: The Centre for Active Transportation Team Bios Nancy Smith Lea, MA Nancy Smith Lea is the Director of TCAT. She has decades of project management experience and specialized knowledge in applied research and policy analysis specific to Complete Streets, safe and inclusive streets for walking and cycling. Nancy has published several articles and led numerous research projects aimed at improving understanding and conditions for active transportation. In 2011, Nancy was women city builders. In 2018, she was featured in LocalLove.ca as one of eight top women change makers in Toronto working hard to make the city a better place. Also in 2018, Nancy received a Wheels of Change award presented to TCAT at the Ontario Bike Summit from the Share the Road Cycling Coalition in the category of Community Collaboration for their important role in the success of the 2016- 17 Bloor Street Bike Lane Pilot Project. Complete Streets work since 2009. She was the conference director for six international Complete Streets Forums, held annually between 2000 and 2005, bringing together Complete Streets experts and practitioners. In 2013, Nancy worked on a team commissioned by Toronto Public Health to identify and assess published evidence for how specific street design choices influence health outcomes. This work Street Guidelines. Complete Streets Guidelines Stakeholder Advisory Committee (2015-2016). Nancy has led the development of a series of publications about Complete Streets including Complete Street Transformations (2016), Complete Streets Catalogue & Evaluation Tool (2015), and Complete Streets by Design (2012). In 2015, she was commissioned by the Grey Bruce Health Unit to develop a Complete Streets Policy & Implementation Guide for Grey and Bruce Counties. In 2018 she led the development of the Complete Streets Game 2.0, an interactive tool to help community members work together to redesign their streets. She is currently a collaborator on the Complete Streets -2022). She is regularly invited to speak at Complete Streets work and has lectured at the University of Toronto, Ryerson University and York University. George Liu, MES Pl., Ph.D. Candidate George is a PhD researcher studying the design of cycle highways in the western European context through the lens of user experience. He is cross-appointed at Eindhoven University of Technology and University of Amsterdam as part of the The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research funded Smart Cycling Futures project. Previously, he studied at the University of Toronto in Human Factors Engineering and worked at U of T to analyze cycling patterns in suburban communities and evaluate the effectiveness of cycling programs. George holds a Master in Environmental Studies (Planning) degree from York University and an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Toronto. He is co- organizer of the annual international Cycling Research Board conference and leads monthly bicycle infrastructure learning tours in the Dutch city of Eindhoven. George offers expertise in: User-centered design of bicycle infrastructure Shared space traffic environments Application of Complete Streets, Vision Zero & Sustainable Safety principles Designing for e-bikes and micro electric vehicles Bicycle and pedestrian wayfinding 16 2 - 185 Complete Streets: Community EngagementReport April 2019 Wilfrid Laurier University CMEG305/SE330B By: Morgan Gracey, Scott Hutter, Elie Jahshan, Jenna Maingot, Sabrina Moyer Connor O’Brien, Kiera Quarrington, Tristan Stephen, Thurka Subendran 2 - 186 Contents Background........................................................................................................................................ 2 Summary of Research........................................................................................................................... 3 Complete Streets Approaches in Canadian Cities............................................................................ 4 Consultation Methodology............................................................................................................................ 7 Engagement approach and participants............................................................................................ 7 Key-Stakeholder Interviews............................................................................................................... 7 Online and In-Person Surveys........................................................................................................... 8 Design Charrettes............................................................................................................................10 Consultation Analysis ...........................................................................................................................14 Interview Analysis............................................................................................................................14 Survey Analysis...............................................................................................................................14 Case Study Analysis ofDesign Charrettes....................................................................................................23 Case Study 1: Joseph St.................................................................................................................23 Case Study 2: Connaught Street and Traynor Avenue...................................................................26 Case Study 3: Wilson Avenue.........................................................................................................28 Overall Complete Streets Recommendations................................................................................................29 Improve Complete Streets Principles..............................................................................................29 Street Design Recommendations....................................................................................................29 Acknowledgements..................................................................................................................................32 References...........................................................................................................................................33 1 2 - 187 Background In early 2019, the City of Kitchener partnered with Wilfrid Laurier University ɦ s CMEG 305 andSE330Bclasses to conduct community engagement on the topic of Complete Streets. This report, prepared by Laurier students, provides a summary of research, engagement tactics, analysis and recommendations for the city to consider in the creation of new Complete Streets guidelines. Complete Streets for Canada defines Complete Streets as “streets that are designed to be safe for everyone: people who walk, cycle, take transit, or drive, and people of all ages and abilities”(Complete Streets for Canada, 2019). Like most cities in Canadaover the past several decades, streets in Kitchener have been mostly built to prioritize motor vehicles. However, the city is currently developingComplete Streets principles in order to begin working towards redesigning streets to accommodate all users and provide transportation choices in a safe and comfortable manner. The City has developed 10 principles to guide the designing process of Complete Streets, which include: ɭ 宀 Prioritizing safety of vulnerable users ɭ 宀 Providing transportation choices ɭ 宀 Improving comfort ɭ 宀 Delivering services ɭ 宀 Fostering a sense of place and social connections ɭ 宀 Improving health ɭ 宀 Generating economic development ɭ 宀 Strengthening environmental sustainability ɭ 宀 Planning for all seasons ɭ 宀 Preparing for temporary conditions 2 2 - 188 These principles summarize the goals of Complete Streets, however, it is unlikely that all 10 principles will be met equally.Thus, the priorities of the community and those who use the street must be determined in order to create an effective street design. With these 10 principles in mind, as well as the need to get community input, we,a group from Laurier’s Community Engagement class, carried out extensive primary and secondary research to gather information about Complete Streets and the priorities and experiences of Kitchener residents. Using what we learned we have come up with various proposals and recommendations for how to effectively design streets in Kitchener with all users in mind. The following report explores in detail our research and engagement process. Then, following an in- depth analysis of the data collected we outline the various recommendations for designing effective complete streets. Summary of Research The modern Complete Streets idea cannot be attributed to a single event or municipality. Instead, it has been a philosophy that has evolved from communities of people who seek to improve road safety for all users. In December 2003, the phrase “Complete Streets”was used for the first time by the American Bikes and League of American Cyclists to describe inclusive transportation planning for pedestrians, cyclists, public transit riders, motorists and other road users (Dodson, Langston, Cardick, Johnson, Clayton & Brownson, 2014). Since 2003 the movement has gained significant traction with approximately 1,400 policies implemented across the United States that resemble some form of complete streets theory (Complete Streets for Canada, 2019). The impact of themovement in Canadian cities is also growing with over 80 cities taking a Complete Streets approach, and over 20 cities adopting formalized Complete Streets guidelines or policies. Waterloo,London, Mississauga, Markham, Guelph, Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, Saanich and Edmonton are examples of communities that have done this with varying degrees of success (Complete Streets for Canada, 2019). Along with providing greater transportation choices, Complete Streets aims to create public spaces that facilitate interaction and contribute to a community’s social, civic and economic life (“Streets as Places Toolkit”, 2015). In order to create such streets as public spaces, planners must consider transportation modes as well as other uses for streets such as sidewalk cafés, street furniture, trees, utilities, and stormwater management (City of Toronto, 2019). In addition 3 2 - 189 to creating public spaces where people spend time, Complete Streets also improve public health by promoting physical activity and reducingtraffic related injuries and contribute to the resilience of a city to climate change by integrating green infrastructure (City of Toronto, 2019; Schneider, 2018). One of the most important aspects of creating an effective street is the process of community engagement which allows people to express their priorities for street design (Dodson et al., 2014). Another important aspect of Complete Streets is that the performance of the street is evaluated based on the availability of transportation options, economic impacts, sense of place, safety, comfort and convenience. Also, it is important to take note of any lessons that are learned in order to consider these in future projects (Smart Growth America, 2015; City of London, 2018). Complete Streets Approachesin Canadian Cities Although the basic philosophy of Complete Streets is universal, each city develops its own policies regarding street design based on the needs of the community. Various cities in Canada have developed principles for designing Complete Streets, which often emphasize safety, increase transportation choices, create a sense of place and ensure environmental sustainability. London prioritizes pedestrians In London, Ontario, key policy priorities for Complete Streets include prioritizing pedestrians, considering all users and functions and engaging residents and stakeholders in the design and decision-making process (City of London, 2018). The City of London has engaged in a complete streets program to achieve four key objectives which include improving health and activity levels, reducing traffic congestion, and supporting the character of London’s neighbourhoods (City of London, 2018). The City also outlines design guidelines and considerations for each realm of the street. These considerations include the pedestrian realm, cycling facilities, transit facilities, the motor vehicle realm, green infrastructure, and utilities and municipal services (City of London, 2018). In general, the policies focus on the movement of people rather than just the movement of vehicles as well as the importance of creating strong and healthy neighbourhoods. 4 2 - 190 Edmonton’s equitable street use Similarly, Edmonton, Albertais another Canadian city that has adopted Complete Streets policies and principles. Edmonton has principles that declare that streets must be of “equitable use, flexible in use, simple and intuitive to use, as well as have perceptible information, tolerance for error, \[and\] low physical effort”(“Complete Streets for Edmonton”, n.d., p. 15). Additionally, these principles include that Complete Streets accommodate to the needs of the present and future, contribute to environmental sustainability and are vibrant and attractive in order to contribute to improved quality of life. Edmonton also adopted a Vision Zero policy as a part of the global initiative to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities due to traffic collisions (“Complete Streets for Edmonton”, n.d.). Mount-Saint Hilaire transit hub Additionally, Mount-Saint Hilaire, Quebecdecided to build a residential development around a train station that connects the community to Montreal (Transport Canada, 2012). As a result, housing values in the arearose 30-40% and annual ridership at the previously unused train station increased by almost 30,000 (Transport Canada, 2012). The idea of building around a transit hub can be compared to Downtown Kitchener (DTK) as the city plans to implement their new transit hub at King and Victoria. Much of the development on DTK streets are already more complete than their prior versions, meaning they now have certain features and amenities that cater to all transportation method types. As Kitchener continues to create economic opportunities around the new transit hub, Mount-Saint Hilaire, Quebec will be an important model. Saanich transit pass incentives Another example that Kitchener can learn from is Saanich, British Columbia. The municipality added complete street features to a heavy retail/condominium area to entice more local commerce/street use (Transport Canada, 2012). The town also granted a 2-year bus pass to residents of certain condominium buildings during this period (Transport Canada, 2012). While Kitchener looks to create a more complete downtown the idea of transit pass incentives could create excitement around prioritizing public transit as their main method of transportation. Markham pedestrian community Markham, Ontario is also an example of a community that has implemented Complete Streets. The city developed municipal guidelines to turn Markham Centre into a more walkable community (Transport Canada, 2012). These developments included efficient street networks, 5 2 - 191 better street landscaping, and connections to different trails/pathways in the area (Transport Canada). As Downtown Kitchener plays host to many festivals throughout the year, it would be wise to include streetscape changes that have the potential for connectivity with other streets. An example is turning a small side street into a pedestrian only area where residents could flow freely from businesses and more major roads without feeling unsafe. Toronto Complete Streets Policy Furthermore, in 2014, Toronto amended its official plan to include a Complete Streets Policy based on a comprehensive review and public consultation. Sixteen new street types were created and chosen based on the combination of the two fundamental roles that the street plays, mobility and placemaking (Toronto Complete Streets Guidelines, 2017). According to Toronto’s Complete Streets Guidelines, it aims to: provide a clear street design process that enables collaboration on city street projects; encourages every opportunity to apply city complete streets guidelines, and to provide city and agency staff, consultants, private developers, and community groups with information on how to design streets that meet city-wide objectives (Toronto Complete Streets Guidelines, 2017). There are a number of obstacles that can impede accomplishing these objectives, such as finding clarity in the guidelines so that staff can be trained properly in serving modules and collecting data on all users and transportation modes on various streets. Toronto plans to apply its Complete Streets guidelines through a number of project-based approaches: major plans including transportation master plans and avenue studies; revitalization and business improvement area projects; and finally though small-scale ventures such as new bicycle or pedestrian lanes and more beautiful and accessible streetscapes. Toronto’s Complete Streets Guidelines aim to create streets for people, placemaking and prosperity. When considering the prosperity objective, Toronto wants to implement infrastructure that can support organic growth (Toronto Complete Streets Guidelines, 2017), which is an important form of economic and social sustainability that is well documented in the urban planning realm (Greenburg, 2012). For example, places such as College Street and John Street in Downtown Toronto have seen economic influx by replacing vehicular lanes with patio seating and bike parking (Complete Streets Overview, 2017). Toronto is emerging as a leader in the Complete Streets movement and their understandable and effective guidelines can act as a model for Kitchener’s Complete Streets framework. 6 2 - 192 Consultation Methodology Engagement approachand participants A variety of engagement tactics were conducted to reach a broad cross-section of our community and hear from a variety of perspectives. Engagement approachNumber of participants Key StakeholderInterviews3 Online survey230 Street team in person surveys56 Design Charrettes53 Total339 Key-StakeholderInterviews Among the stakeholders interviewed were: a landscape architect and a PhD Candidate at Wilfrid Laurier University who both assisted the City of Ottawa with a Complete Streets Project, as well as the owner/operator of a bike shop in downtown Kitchener. Part of our process of choosing our key stakeholders was looking into individuals that had significant experiencing working with Complete Streets approaches, community engagement or conceptual design. 7 2 - 193 Online and In-Person Surveys Our consultation methodology consisted of creating a survey that was delivered to Kitchener residents online and in-person. Both of these strategies used a combination of questions that explored 10 pre-identified design principles, demographic information (i.e. age group, area of residence), and specificquestions about bettering streets in Kitchener. Our 10- 15 minute online surveys were posted on the Engage Kitchener website and used during our in-person surveys, called street teams. The primary purpose of the survey was to help rank the importance of various complete streets components. The city’s proposed Complete Streets principles were evaluated on the basis of whether they were: clear and easy to understand, of high priority and positively contributed For the street team surveys,we used feedback and answers from the to a vibrant community. online survey to expand on questions that were close-ended, this time asking an open-ended 8 2 - 194 question on the same topic to get more in-depth information. We then went out to various locations in Kitchener to completein-person surveys. The purpose of completing the street team surveys was to consult the community on their experiences of different street types and complete streets in general. Street team locations were selected to hear from a variety of street users, modes of transportation and geographic areas of the city. We conducted street team surveys at each the following locations: • Café O• Steve Scherer Fairway Auto Mall • Recycle Cycles• Lions Arena Country Hills • Iron Horse Trail• Highland Hills GRT iXpress Stops 9 2 - 195 Design Charrettes We also used the design charrettes approach to conduct consultations and hear from residents.We conducted design charrettes at three locations with three different streets offocus. These streets were selected by the City of Kitchener in order to reach different demographics, including children, older adults and the general public. With the exception of Joseph Street, these streets are also up for reconstruction in the coming years, so there is an opportunity to apply what was learned in the engagement to future road designs. The locations and streets of focus were the following: 1.44 Gaukel: Joseph Street 2.Trinity Village Care Centre: Connaught Street and Traynor Avenue 3.Wilson Avenue Public School: Wilson Avenue 10 2 - 196 The design charrettes were split up into two or three sessions at each location with three distinct sections: the complete streets game, the walk-about and “workshopping”ideas. The Complete Streets Game The first session began with an activity which involved writing or drawing the mode of transportation participants used, to get to the charrette. We facilitated a 5-minute discussion on these answers to allow participants to reflect on their own travel habits. Then, splitting the participants up into small groups we played the complete streets game and allowed each group to build their own street according to different specific right of ways (ROW). The first 10 minutes all groups built their own street witha 26m ROW. Then the groups were given the task of designing a streetscape with a reduced ROW that was representative of the respective streets of focus. The ROW given to the groups for the second round of the game ranged from 19m to 12m, depending on the street. This approach allowed participants to visualize their preferences and better understand space constraints. The Walk-about Following thiswas the walkabout portion of the charrette where we split the community members into groups and explored different sections of the street. Participants observed the street and reflected on their experience of it. Afterwards, participants were prompted to share their opinions of the current state of streets, along with identifying the strengths and improvements. 11 2 - 197 “Workshopping” Ideas Finally, the last section of the design charrettes was used as a way to establish the community’s preferences (i.e. likes and dislikes) of specific design aspects. We did this by creating a ‘dotmocracy’activity where we chose images that illustratedsome of the ideas of the participants. Fourdesign principles that were distinguished as being of high priority among the 10. Participants were prompted to identify using green stickers which amenity/feature they wanted to see more of and marking with red stickers the amenity/feature they wanted to see less of. Some of the Improvementideas included: Prioritize safety of vulnerable users Traffic calming curb extensions Segregated bike lanes 12 2 - 198 Increased lighting Curb cutouts / Tactile Plates Voice activated crossing Provide transportation options Segregated bike lanes Maintain use of sharrows Improve connectivity to major destinations Increase parking supply Add cross rides Improve user comfort Places to rest — i.e Benches Wider sidewalks Bike benches More trees/increase shade Wayfinding signs Improve bus stops Foster a sense of place and social connections Add more greenery Woonerf (“Living Street”emphasizing shared space and pedestrian priority) Enhance Victoria Park & trailhead entrancefeatures Increase public art Create things to do at key gathering places Painted games on sidewalks 13 2 - 199 Consultation Analysis Interview Analysis It is important during the engagement and design process that there is a critical view of previous and pre-existing designs and approaches. As well, consultation with various city groups and community members is necessary to get information about the needs and experiences of all people. One way to achieve effective engagement is by bringing research to the community, asking people what they want to see and ensuring they feel heard. We found common themes highlightingwhat was important to communities in each of the interviews. Designing streets to encourage alternative forms of transportation was often discussed. The bike shop owner described streets as being “car-centric”where cyclists and pedestrians were “second-hand citizens to roads.”A change of attitudes and“making it more challenging to drive”were identified as key ways that streets can be improved to encourage alternative transportation. As well, walking and cycling must be presented as legitimate forms of transportation, by making them equally as comfortable and convenient as automobile use. Overall, the interviews played a fundamental role in introducingeffective processes for carrying out complete streets projects with the community. The interviews also gave us sufficient information about various concerns about alternative modes of transportation and how they can be addressed. Survey Analysis There wasa total of 286 survey respondents. The majority of survey participants were aged 30 to 54, followed by participants in the age ranges of 55 to 64, 18 to 25, 65 and above, and finally under 18. The majority of respondents, 158 of 286 in total, regularly use motor vehicles, with walking being the second most common form of transportation. Only 25 participants use public transit, and more people actively use bikes and walking as their main mode of transportation over public transit. 14 2 - 200 Survey results: age chart 15 2 - 201 Survey results: transportation use chart 16 2 - 202 Survey results: distribution of survey participants by location Distribution of Survey Participants by Location 10% 20% Other 13% Wards 1, 2 Wards 3, 4, 5, 6 Wards 9, 10 20% Wards 7, 8 37% Complete Streets Principles A majority of respondents indicated that the principles are understandable, will create a vibrant community, and are a priority for them. However, 13% of survey participants said in the comments that the Complete Streets principles are too vague and hard to understand. The principles do not have any description of what they specifically aim to accomplish, nor is there an explanation how the principles will actually affect the street. The principles are therefore understandable, but do not provide enough information on what they aim to accomplish. 17 2 - 203 The principles that were harder to understand generally received higher disagreement from participants. Some principles were harder to understand than others, primarily Deliver Services, Generating Economic Development, Improve Comfort andImprove Health.Deliver Services was unclear for some participants. In Generating Economic Development, two participants have related this to increased truck traffic, while one person said that it is redundant because it is inevitable that economic development will increase when foot traffic and other modes of active transportation are increased. Another participant said that this principle can be approached to provide car users more priority. Improve Comfort is not specific enough, it can mean many different things when considering street design, such as benches to even type of material used on the ground. There are general clarification problems with Improve Health, many participants commented that it can mean anything. What Makes a Street Great? Question 14 asked respondents to “Identify a street that works well.”The most popular answer related to the pedestrian realm, with 48% of respondents described streets that are safe and comfortable for walking and either gave high priority to pedestrians or were closed to cars entirely. Specific examples that were listed many foreign streets, many of which are located throughout city centers in Europe, with King Street and Belmont Avenue being the most popular example in Kitchener. Below is a list of streets within Canada and within Kitchener specifically that were mentioned by participants in the Complete Streets Survey: Canadian Streets Queen St. (St. Mary’s, Ontario) Main St., Hess Village (Hamilton, Ontario) Yonge St., Bloor St (Toronto, Ontario) Maisonneuve Blvd., (Montreal, Quebec) Sparks St. (Ottawa, Ontario) King St. (Uptown Waterloo, Ontario) Kitchener Streets King St. Belmont Ave. 18 2 - 204 Mill St. Greenbrook Dr. Ira Needles Blvd. Fischer Hallman Rd. Manitou Dr. In general, streets that people identified as working well were pedestrian centric and provided separated space to use alternative forms of transportation, especially walking or biking. However, the identificationof some major arterial roads that are primarily designed to move high volumes of vehicles demonstrates that some members of the public put a high value on direct and convenient automobile travel. Safety and Accessibility Question 13 on our survey asks “Please describe a time when you experienced or witnessed a “close call”, or felt unsafe or uncomfortable on a street in Kitchener. Why did you feel this way? Did some aspect of the street design contribute to your negative experience?” Major themes of this question included close calls while riding bikes, walking at night, and in roundabouts. Many respondents highlighted times when they had nearly been struck while riding their bicycle. It is repeatedly noted that people believe that others do not understand the proper use of bike lanes from a driver’s perspective. Cars tend to ignore the use of sharrows, and dominate them with speed. As a result of the unconnected bike paths, and people afraid to use the sharrows, cyclists are taking to the sidewalks. It was mentioned by a few people that as a pedestrian, cyclists can be dangerous to someone using the sidewalk. In addition to this, it was mentioned many times that intersections are dangerous to both cyclists and pedestrians. One person mentioned that “Cycle tracks serve little purpose if the most dangerous part of a journey (the intersection) is ignored”.Walking at night also came up as a concern, rather than a “close call”. No one was actually hurt or injured, although they felt as if their overall safety was at risk when outside in the evening.Some respondents suggested increased lighting to ensure a greater ‘eyes on the street’feel. Roundabouts are also a theme of concern. 19 2 - 205 Many respondents stated that there is a lack of yield to pedestrians from cars at the crosswalks within the roundabouts. Motorists are aware of other cars, and often overlook pedestrians. Additionally, safety in terms of speeding cars was a common theme throughout many survey responses. Among survey responses, traffic speed was mentioned in 35% of responses, often in the context where such speed resulted in respondents feeling unsafe on streets. The following quotes from survey responses highlight how speeding traffic contributes to unsafe streets: Drivers drive very fast, so I feel unsafe, the speed should be limited. ”It's horrible cycling on wide streets, because the design encourages cars to exceed speed limit. As well, some respondents stated that they like streets with slower traffic speeds and traffic calming amenities. For instance one respondent stated, “They were open to cars and small vans for deliveries to shops and for accessible individuals, but through traffic was extremely limited, and speeds were low.” Although much of the survey was focused around pedestrian/cyclist safety, some results showed that respondents were concerned about the flow of traffic on city streets. Traffic flow and overall efficiency of vehicular movement was mentioned by respondents 18 different times throughout the survey, expressing the desire for streets that keep traffic moving at a steady pace. A commonly cited solution was separated bike lanes,not only to make streets safer and encourage greater use by cyclists, but also to separate automobiles from cyclists and keep traffic flow constant. Pedestrian Comfort and Enjoyment The survey results highlight that pedestrian comfort on streets is a high priority for Kitchener residents. For instance, 215 survey respondents stated that street amenities such as trees and greenery would make them feel more comfortable and spend more time on streets. As well, many people want to see public seating (180 respondents) and wider sidewalks (164 respondents) along their streets. Other options some respondents mentioned included pedestrian-only roads and better lighting. These amenities and aspects of a street would entice them to spend time on a street rather than to just use the street to travel from point A to point B. The amenities mentioned above contribute to a sense of place on the street. Finally, some 20 2 - 206 interesting outliers mentioned include having garbage cans, wifi and washrooms to improve street use and pedestrian comfort. In general, most survey respondents emphasized that they want streets that prioritize pedestrians over motor vehicles. When commenting about safety amenities that would make them spend more time on a street, respondents said: “Narrowed lanes to naturally encourage slower vehicle speeds would make streets more comfortable to be on. Trying to spend time beside a wide road with fast moving vehicles (regardless of posted speed limit) is less than desirable “streets where motor vehicles are not permitted are more comfortable to spend time on.” “I really like the prioritizing of road users starting with pedestrians first and motor vehicles last.” 21 2 - 207 Streets as places 22 2 - 208 Case Study Analysis of Design Charrettes Case Study 1: Joseph St. Our design charrette at 44 Gaukel Street provided an opportunity for community members to give their opinions on a case study, in this case,possible future transformations of Joseph St. Our team ɦ s main focus during this process was Joseph ɦ s strengths and weaknesses as identified by the 15 community members present. 23 2 - 209 Pedestrian Safety As far as safety was concerned, most people identified Joseph as a safe street with few concerns about using it, even at night. The only concern that was discussed regarding safety was at the section of Joseph west of Victoria where the Region plans to connect the Iron Horse Trail to the site of the new transit hub at King and Victoria. The area is quite secluded andcommunity members rose concerns about the safety of using such a trail at night. The main suggestion that participants gave in fixing this issue was for the city to put an emphasis on redevelopment opportunities to bring more people to the space, as well as great lighting in the area during future changes. Another potential solution that was discussed was implementing (an) ‘emergency help’ button(s) along the trail, however this was debated among community members for fear of slow response times and misuse of the service. 24 2 - 210 Pedestrian Accessibility Accessibility on Joseph street was found to be fairly good by community members on the walk about. Many felt able to walk the street with moderately sized sidewalks on both sides. The only part of Joseph that raised any sort of concern over accessibility was again the dead end portion west of Victoria. Due to the street’s small ROW in this sectionof Joseph (11m) the options for pedestrian accessibility are limited. The current streetscape includes a fairly narrow stretch with no sidewalks for pedestrians. The participants that saw this portion of Joseph on the walk about discussed at length the idea of trying to make the area more pedestrian friendly. With plans for the multi-use pathway coming through the area in the near future one of the ideas discussed by community members was to make this stretch of Joseph pedestrian/cyclist only. What was agreed upon was that this section of Joseph St. needed a great deal of work to become more accessible for pedestrians and cyclists. During the dotmocracy activity, maps were included to allow for people to express which elements should be placed in areas along Joseph Street. Items that were mentioned included the implementation of trees on one side of the street and more wayfinding signs along both Water St. and Joseph St. for connectivity to the Iron Horse Trail. It was also mentioned that if there was onelarger sidewalk along the south side of Joseph, a greater sense of place would be introduced as the park would be more accessible and become a more meaningful place to community members. Street Beautification The feedback we received on the beautificationof Joseph St. was not as extensive as feedback regarding safety and accessibility but there were some comments on improving the number of trees and plants. During the dotmocracy activity all participants enjoyed the idea of trees, however they thought that the use of greenery should remain on Joseph’s south side to better blend the streetscape into the park. Some of the red dots, indicating negative feelings, showed that the city should not implement more parking within Downtown Kitchener as it would only increase the number of people that drive within the city. Other opinions noted that participants did not like the idea of using a road for activities like yoga because the space is too temporary. The introduction of benches closer to the Tannery was another suggestion that could create a sense of place within the downtown. It was also mentioned that the introduction of a woonerf would greatly increase the use of Joseph St. between the new Iron Horse Trail connection 25 2 - 211 and Victoria St. A woonerf is a “living street”that prioritizes pedestrians and where devices to slow traffic such as shared space,traffic calming, and low speed limitshave been installed (Giallo, 2013). This would be a space mostly for pedestrians and could create a more welcoming environment. It was noted during the charrette, that participants were already using the space as a pedestrian only zone by walking in the middle of the street. It is not a street that is heavily used for mother vehicles, and would be great space for a woonerf. Overall much of Joseph St. was found to be accessible and safe by community members at our first design charrette meeting. The main stretch that was identified as needing work in both safety and accessibility categories was the dead end section of Joseph west of Victoria. Case Study 2: Connaught Street and Traynor Avenue 26 2 - 212 Currently, both Connaught and Traynor have a 19m Right of Way. There is one bus stop on the streets as well as an elementary school, church and park entrance. The residents of Trinity Village Care Center use the streets to access Fairview Mall and as an opportunity for exercise. The street has no bike lanes, no tactile plates, and crosswalks that are not well marked. There is a sidewalk on both sides of the road and trees and greenery on the street. After our design charrette with residents of the Care Center these were the main recommendations they had. Trees and Greenery During the design charrettes participants often prioritized greenery and trees along the streets. They identified the trees currently on the street as a clear strength that should be kept. As well, they wanted to see greenery and trees on the street as a spot for shade where they can rest and as a separation between the street and sidewalks. Participants also expressed clear fear of cyclists, both as pedestrians and drivers. One participant described how she is always afraid of not hearing or seeing cyclists coming up behind her while walking and driving. As a result, when given the option they wanted wider and segregated bike lanes. However, when choosing between bike lanes and parking, all the participants expressed that street parking was more important and useful for them. Benches Many of the participants expressed a need for benches along the streets, so that they could spend more time outside walking as they would have a spot to rest if they got tired. Most of the participants expressed that they often used the sidewalks for exercise and socialization and adding in benches would entice them to use the street more often. Wider Sidewalks and lighting Smooth and wide sidewalks are especially important for the participants because they identified that having wide and even sidewalks make them more accessible, especially for those with walkers or in wheelchairs. Good lighting along the street was also highlighted by the group as being essential for making a street where they would feel safe. The participants liked the neighbourhood little library idea, however, they stated that street art and painted crosswalks could be distracting and they preferred clear white lines for crosswalks. In general, the participants wanted to see more pedestrian friendly amenities on the street, but still highlighted the importance of driving on the street to get to farther locations. Accessible streets and feeling safe walking and driving on the street were most important for all of the participants. 27 2 - 213 Separated Bike Lanes The final request the participants had for creating a street that felt safe and accessible was to create separated bike lanes from the sidewalk and street. They expressed a concern for safety when bikers sped past them on sidewalk or road to close then they were driving. Having separated bike lanes they said would encourage they to use the sidewalk without fearing being hit from behind or knocked off balance. Case Study 3: Wilson Avenue The final set of design charrettes were conducted with students in a grade 5/6 class at Wilson Avenue Public School in order to gain insight about the students’priorities and experiences on Wilson Avenue. Currently Wilson Ave. has a 19m Right of Way and is frequently used by cars to access the community center, school, park and surrounding neighbourhood. There is also on street parking, bike lanes and 3 bus stops along the span of the street that we focused on. There are sidewalks on both sides of the street, however they end abruptly on one side. The main priority for the students was safety when walking, riding a bike or playing as well as having art and greenery along the street and garbage bins to decrease litter. During the design charrette sessions the students expressed that they wanted more trees and greenery on the street to make it look nicer and more inviting. They also stated that trees and greenery would provide more shade on the street during the summer. The students also continuously pointed out that the sidewalks were too small and wanted wider and smoother sidewalks. Traffic calming The students described wanting amenities that would make cars go slower so that they would feel safer walking or riding their bikes on the street. Some ideas they came up with were speed bumps or traffic lights. The painted crosswalks the students helped install was very important to the students and they would like to see it redone when Wilson Avenue is reconstructed. Separated bike lanes The students expressed that separated or protected bike lanes would also help them feel safer whenriding their bikes to school or to the park. Biking to school and around the neighbourhood was something that many of the students did. However, many felt unsafe biking on Wilson Avenue due to cars parked on the bike lanes and speeding cars on the road. Many 28 2 - 214 students described times they had close calls or felt unsafe because they were riding their bike and a car got too close. Public Seating and Beautification The students also mentioned that having benches at the bus stops and having benches with places to leave your bike would be very helpful for them. During the walk-about many also pointed out the garbage along the street and wanted to see garbage, recycling and compost bins along the street and especially in the park. Overall Complete Streets Recommendations Improve Complete Streets Principles Based on analysis of survey results and case-studies, we recommend that the City of Kitchener improve the Complete Streets principles. The major problems with the current principles are understandability and specificity. Principles can become easier to understand by providing comprehensive descriptions of what they exactly aim to achieve, or by using more informative language accompanied by visual aids. They can also become more understandable by simplifying wording or removing overlapping principles. Toronto’s “People, placemaking, and prosperity”are an example of understandable and short principles that can be further broken down into a number of other principles. Therefore, Kitchener can enhance their Complete Streets principles by either providing more informative descriptions of each principle, or by removing or simplifying principles. Street Design Recommendations Wider Sidewalks Streets that prioritize pedestrians was a common request consistent across all engagement methods. Wider sidewalks allow for a more natural flow of pedestrians and make navigation by individuals in a wheelchair or with a stroller more manageable. Researchsuggests that to accommodate all users, sidewalks must be 1.8 meters wide (Cummins, 2018). Extra room on sidewalks has also been proven to increase economic value of 29 2 - 215 a neighbourhood as pedestrian friendly areas as people are willing to pay more for walkable neighbourhoods (Eyler, Brownson, Bacak, & Housemann, 2003). Another benefit was a decrease in crime rate as the more walkable a neighbourhood is the more people are out which means more surveillance over the neighbourhood (Eyler, Brownson, Bacak, & Housemann, 2003). Walking is one of the easiest ways to get the recommended amount of daily physical exercise, which improves physical and mental well-being (US Department of Transportation, 2013). Separated bike lanes Cyclist and pedestrian safety isa common concern among many people due to a lack of bike infrastructure, inconsistent bike infrastructure or inadequate bike lanes. We recommend that separated bike lanes are implemented on streets wherever possible to ensure the safety of cyclists and pedestrians and improve the flow of traffic on streets. Separated bike lanes would increase the safety for bikers, pedestrians and motorists. It would increase connectivity in the city and encourage more people to bike as a way to gain physical activity. Studies have also shown that bike lanes have wide individual and community benefits. The first and main reason for separatedbike lanes is to protect bike users and reduce collisions. A recent study shows that separatedbike lanes increase safety and reduce injuries by 89% (Cast, 2018). The second reason to implement separatedbike lanes is to increase the safety and walkability of the street for pedestrians. Separated bike lanes discourage bikers from using sidewalks. Additionally, bike lanes encourage more biking throughout the city and biking in downtown increases storefront shopping because it is much easier for people to stop in to a store when they are on their bike versus driving a car. The final reason for adding separatedbike lanes is that it promotes biking as a safe mode of transportation. If people feel that biking is a safe option for themselves or their family,they may choose it over driving. Bike lanes therefore increase the health of the community and diversifies the transportation options. Traffic Calming and Slower Speeds We recommend that the city continues to implement traffic calming and slower speeds on streets. These improvements will help address the safety concerns due to speeding cars that was expressed on multiple occasions throughout our engagement. 30 2 - 216 Greenery Having street trees will increase safety by acting as a barrier between cars and the sidewalk, contribute to improved aesthetics of the street and will have various individual and community benefits. Trees also add property value, increase a community’s sense of place and encourage people, especially the elderly population, to walk. Furthermore, according to The Heart Foundation, street greenery can, Create a safety barrier between pedestrian and cars Reduce the temperature in its shade by up to 10 degrees Increase nearby property value by up to 30% Promote a communities physical, psychological, cognitive and social health. The Heart Foundation also estimates that trees increase property value by $3.81 per 1$ spent (Street trees and planting, n.d.). Research also shows that street trees contribute the health and longevity of older age groups because they encourage strolling outside and provide spots of shade for them to rest (Dover, 2015). The City of Toronto has developed a green streets initiative to add more trees, green walls and greenery to their streetscapes. This was done because it mitigates the urban heat island effect, manages stormwater runoff and enhances water quality, and increases air quality (Green Streets, n.d.). Street Benches & Lighting Implementing benches and seating along streets in Kitchener was identified as an important amenity for the community. Residents clearly stated that benches at bus stops were especially important to increase comfort and make themmore likely to use public transportation. Benches and seating along a street have important community and individual benefits. Benches allow people to find a sense of belonging, which is linked to higher life satisfaction and can have a positive effect on health and wellbeing (Radhika & Rishbeth, 2015). Public benches also allow people to participate in society, which is especially important for those at the margins of society (Radhika & Rishbeth, 2015). Research shows that benches encourage local walking 31 2 - 217 and allow people to spend longer outside, which improves physical and mental health and is especially important for older people and people with disabilities (Radhika & Rishbeth, 2015). As well, benches are an important social resource as they are free and flexible places to spend time and are good for socialization (Radhika & Rishbeth, 2015). Putting benches along Kitchener’s streets would encourage greater use of the street for pedestrians, encourage physical activity and help create a sense of place and belonging in the neighbourhood. We also recommend that lighting is improved on streets to help with feelings of safety on the street and attract more people to use streets at night. Lighting was a common topic discussed in both the survey responses andthe design charrettes. Acknowledgements Thank you to the City of Kitchener for partnering with the CMEG-305 and SE330 at Wilfrid Laurier University and providing our teams with the unique opportunity to engage and make a difference within our local community. We have gained invaluable experience and knowledge through this process and have enjoyed working collaboratively on this project throughout the semester. We hope the insights and research included in this report is useful in implementing more complete streets within the City of Kitchener and look forward to seeing future complete street additions. 32 2 - 218 References Anderson, R. (2018). Most Public Engagement Is Worse Than Worthless. Strong Towns Brownson, R. C., Baker, E. A., Housemann, R. A., Brennan, L. K., & Bacak, S. J. (2001). Environmental and policy determinants of physical activity in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 91(12), 1995-2003. Cast, T. (2018, June 27). Benefits of Adding Protected Bike Lanes That May Surprise You. Retrieved fromhttp://www.terracastproducts.com/4-benefits-adding-protected-bike- lanes-may-surprise/ City of Guelph .“Streetscape Manual.”Downtown Streetscape Manual & Built Form Standards, City of Guelph, 23 July 2014, guelph.ca/wp- content/uploads/Section_2_Streetscape_Manual. City of London. (2018, August). London Complete Streets Design Manual(Rep.). 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