DSD-19-235 - Complete Streets - Laserfiche WebLink

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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