Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-20-015 - 2020 Cycling and Trails Master PlanREPORT TO:Community & Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING:October 19, 2020 SUBMITTED BY:Niall Lobley,Director of Parks & Cemeteries, Barry Cronkite, Director of Transportation Services PREPARED BY:LizChristensen,Trails Project Manager WARD(S) INVOLVED:All DATE OF REPORT:October 6, 2020 REPORT NO.:INS-20-015 SUBJECT:2020 Cycling and Trails Master Plan ___________________________________________________________________________ RECOMMENDATION: That the Cycling and Trails Master Plan for the City of Kitchener be adopted as the guiding document for cycling and trails implementation; andfurther, That consideration of the recommendations and implementation of the plan be referred to departmental business plans and budget process. BACKGROUND: In 2010 Council adopted a Cycling Master Planfor Kitchener and in 2012 a Multi-Use Pathways and Trails Master Plan. Collectively, these two plans have guided and led significant enhancement and investment in laying a foundation for connecting residents and communities in Kitchener over the past decade. However,both plans are at the end of their implementation schedules.Due toemerging pressures within our community such as a growing need for equitable city development,accommodating population and employment growth and the need toreduce greenhouse gas emissions, Council directed staff to bring these two strategic documents into alignment. Byproviding mobility choices that support walking, cycling and rolling (including mobility devices, scooters and , the Citycan begin to address these pressures. This includesareview and update ofimmediate, short, medium and long-term objectives and a continued and sustained investment into a connected Kitchener. The City of Kitchener has made significant progress implementing on-street cycling routes and off-street trails. The City has an exiting network of pedestrian and cycling facilities, including more than 265 kilometers of off-street trails and over 80 kilometers of on-street cycling routes. *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 5 - 1 The 2020 Cycling and Trails Master Plan(CTMP)has been in development overthe past 18 monthswith support from aproject team made up ofstaff,Urban Systems, Dillon Consulting and 8-80 Cities. In addition to the project team, the Master Plan was supported by an internal technical working group, a community working group and a regional stakeholder group.The community working group volunteered a significant amount of time, through 10evening sessions and helped shape a plan that is meaningful for the community. As the community working group developed the CTMP the broader technical and regional stakeholder teams evaluated the project to ensure it was implementable. This breadth of knowledge and experiencedrawsfrom a range of community and municipal stakeholders throughout the Region of Waterloo. An extensive community engagement plan was implemented,whichdrew input frommore than 3,200 resident voices providing feedback through a series of engagement activities, each building on the lastto support the development of the CTMP. The plan was developed following the MasterPlan approach under the Province of the CTMP compliments and integrates with both Regional strategies for active transportation and trail development and addressescross-boundary connectivitywith the cities of Waterloo and Cambridge. The Cycling and Trails Master Plan was developed prior to the global COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has changed mobility patterns in cities across the world, with a steep and sudden decline in vehicle and transit use, along with a significant increase in active transportation.Expanded active transportation networks haveemerged as an effective tool for cities in their fight against COVID-19, supporting physical distancing requirements while encouraging regular daily physical activity. REPORT: VISION, GOALS and THEMES: As part of the development of the CTMP, the community working group developed a vision and strategic goals that, if adopted, will shape for the way in which the City views and improves active transportation. Further, the vision and goals will serve as the basis from which all on-street cycling routeand off-street trail improvements and investments are identified and prioritized.The Vision is:Trails and cycling will connect Kitchener and create a sustainable, safe, equitable, and healthy community for everyone year-round Three Goals are defined tohelp achieve the vision: Build more Connections Provide a Safe and High Quality Experience Create a Culture of Active Living 5 - 2 In order to deliver on the vision and stated goal, the CTMP includes three overarching themes; Connections, Experience and Culture. Each Theme has a series of Strategies developed to support it, and each strategy has a number of actions linked to that strategy. Connections: This theme is aimed to establish a network of on-street cycling routes and off-street trails that are comfortable, complete and connected. The intent is to create a network that is integrated with other mobility options such as transit, connected to neighbouring communities and aligned with facilitates on roads under the jurisdiction of the Region of Waterloo. 5 - 3 Fig.1: Example of actions under Theme 1: Connections. Full details of actions under this theme can be found on page 41 of the Cycling and Trails Master Plan. Experience: This theme is aimed at improving the user experience by making cycling and trail use to be come more attractive and competitive ways to move around the city and they need to be as safe and convenient as possible. A key focus is to ensure that using trails and cycling routes in Kitchener to be easy, stress-free, and as seamless as possible. This can be done by providing bicycle parking, wayfinding and maintaining the network year-round. Providing a convenient and high-qualityexperience for people every time they use trails and cycling routes will help to make walking, rolling and cycling a more desirable transportation option. 5 - 4 Fig.2: Examples of Actions under Theme 2; Experience. Full details of actions under this theme can be found on pages 42 & 43 of the Cycling and Trails Master Plan Culture: This theme is aimed to support measures that can be done to encourage more cycling and trail use. This these is focused on the ways the City can work to create an active culture and increase and promotion of cycling routes and trails. From the Vision and Goals, a number of strategies and actions that are identified in each programming decisions as well as on-going resource requirements in support of cycling and trail use over the next 25+ years. The plan has been developed as a long-term plan 5 - 5 which will require financial investment, staff resources, and implementation strategy over the short, medium and long term. Fig.3: Examples of Actions under Theme 3: Culture. Full details of actions under this theme can be found on page44 of the Cycling and Trails Master Plan. IMPLEMENTATION The CTMPestablishes the context for investmentin trails and active transportation corridors and facilities over the next 25 years. However, the primary focus of the CTMP isonimmediate (over the next 3 years) and short-term(over the next 3-10 years) priorities, recommended in the first10years. Implementing immediate and short-termpriorities over the next 10 years wouldsee the City deliver; neighbourhood bikeways, bikelanes, separated cycling infrastructureand boulevard multi-use trails. This includes implementing a downtown gridof separated cycling facilities -use trails Improvements and upgrades to numerous walkwaysand trail crossings, safely connecting local communities 5 - 6 The creationofa city-wide network of cycling routes and trails that is comfortable for people of all ages and abilities including children, women and seniors. The CTMPinformsonstreet(cycling routes, neighbourhood bikeways and boulevard Multi Use Trails (BMUTS)andoff-streetfacilities(Multi Use Trails (MUTs) and other recreational trails),within Kitchener.The plan provides direction and enhances connections across the City,ensuring new communities are connected to an increased range of trail and transportation options. Investment in the immediate and short-termpriorities within theCTMPwillhelptopromote active transportation in the City and reduce automobile dependence and greenhouse gas emissions, provide more recreation and leisure options, improve public health outcomes and reduce future infrastructure demands.Additionally, The Implementation and administration strategy is action-oriented and recognizes the need to make early and on-going investments to build a culture for cycling and trail use in Kitchener. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: An effective and meaningful public engagement strategy iscritical to the development of any successfulMasterPlanned document.With that in mind, the process to develop the CTMP included considerable outreach toresidentsin their neighbourhoods, at events where they were most comfortable; multiplestakeholdersworkshops that encouraged participationand feedbackand regular community working group meetings to ensure that the master plan was representative of the Kitchener community.Engaging at local community events ensured that this strategy was informed by a broad cross-section of the community and not just those that are already engaged in cycling and trail activities. In order to connect with the community on a personal level, the consultant, staff team and community working group delivered a series of fun inclusive community engagement activities. Initial engagement of cycling routes and trails was conducted by the City over Workshop on, which consisted on ten bike rides and two walking tours across eight City Wards, with 138 participants of all ages groups including children. ENTRUST -To help guide the creation of the CTMP, a community working group was formed of thirteen invited members and eight members-at-large, including community members, stakeholders and city staff. The community working group meet 9 times during the project on a monthly basis and provided continuous input on key decision as the CTMP wasdeveloped. From the beginning the community working group was instrumental in the development of the visions and goals. The group provided a close review of all elements of the proposed network. The feedback received was invaluable towards providing a more inclusive, made-in-Kitchener approach to the development of the cycling and trails network as well as the strategic and implementation aspects of the CTMP. 5 - 7 CONSULT -Throughout the process the project teamengaged with over 3,200 residents. A public launch event was held at the annual 2019 Neighbours Day celebrationwith interactive family-friendly activities. Over the summer in 2019 the project team and community working group attended nine public events throughout the community. The pop-ups were designed to be engagingand interactive using a range of activities to collect input. The project team hosted a public design lab workshop where approximately 70 people participated in exploring the design of cycling facilities and trails. Thousands of comments were received by residents about their issues, challenges, and priorities for cycling and trail use. This data was then carefully incorporated into the CTMP to inform the strategies and actions. The consultant and staff also meet with various advisory committees throughout the City. The CTMP was presented tothe Downtown Action and Advisory Committee, Cycling and Trails Advisory Committee, Kitchener Youth Action Council, Environmental Committee and Grand River Accessibility AdvisoryCommittee. INFORM of the council / committee meeting. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: The development of the Cycling and Trails Master Plan supports the theme of People Friendly Transportation withinthe City of Kitchener Strategic Plan 2019 2022. Specifically,it provides the framework and guidance for two of the strategic actions within the Strategic Plan: Install a continuous and protected cycling network that connects adjacent neighbourhoods to the downtown by 2022. Improve connectivity and year-round maintenance to multi-use trails and pathways as prioritized through the Cycling and Trails Master Plan with an initial target of providing year-round access to a minimum of an additional 3 km of existing trails by 2022. In addition, the CTMP contributes toward equity, climate and sustainability objectives, particularly helping to create a community that allows for increased active transportation thereby lowering community dependence of personal motor vehicle travel, increased personal independence for all ages and abilities, and lower community Greenhouse Gas (GHG)emissions, contributing toward community-basedclimate action goals. Lastly, active transportation and access to recreational facilities such as trails, is one way inwhich Kitchener can help support economic development (Vibrant Economy). 5 - 8 Increasingly, companies and skilled labour are looking to locate or expand their businesses in communities that offer a variety of transportation modes and specifically all ages and abilities biking and walkingfacilities. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: At full implementation(in the 25+ year time horizon)the CTMP identifies approximately $80M of capital investment in cycling and trails across the City of Kitchener with an associated additional operating cost of approximately $3.5M. Staff have focussed on implementation of the immediate and short-termpriorities over the next ten years, aligned with the capital budget program cycle. These priorities reflect approximately $24M of capital investment. The 10 year capital forecast already allocates $17M towards cycling and trails via tax and development charge supported budget lines, leaving$7M remaining that would need to be addressed through future budget processes or external grant funded opportunities. Operatingcostswill increase as capital projects are implemented,up to an estimated th $1.7Mimpactannually in the 10year.Any increases that are not supported by growth increases to operating budgets will be referred to future budgets. Appendix A Summary ReportAttached Appendix B Network Map-Linked Appendix C Connections Report-Linked Appendix D Experience Report-Linked Appendix E Culture Report-Linked Appendix F Engagement Report-Linked Appendix G Implementation Report-Linked ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Denise McGoldrick, General Manager, Infrastructure Services, Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services 5 - 9 5 - 10 5 - 11 5 - 12 5 - 13 5 - 14 5 - 15 5 - 16 5 - 17 5 - 18 5 - 19 5 - 20 5 - 21 5 - 22 5 - 23 5 - 24 5 - 25 5 - 26 5 - 27 5 - 28 5 - 29 5 - 30 5 - 31 5 - 32 5 - 33 5 - 34 5 - 35 5 - 36 5 - 37 5 - 38 5 - 39 5 - 40 5 - 41 5 - 42 5 - 43 5 - 44 5 - 45 5 - 46 5 - 47 5 - 48 5 - 49 5 - 50 5 - 51 5 - 52 5 - 53 5 - 54 5 - 55 5 - 56 5 - 57 5 - 58 5 - 59 5 - 60 5 - 61 5 - 62 5 - 63 5 - 64 5 - 65 5 - 66 5 - 67 5 - 68 5 - 69 5 - 70 5 - 71