Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-13-017 - Draft Ontario Ministry of Transportation Cycling Strategy REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: February 25, 2013 SUBMITTED BY: Ken Carmichael, Interim Director of Transportation Services, ext. 7372 PREPARED BY: Josh Joseph, Transportation Demand Management Coordinator, ext. 7152 WARD(S) INVOLVED: All Wards DATE OF REPORT: January 15, 2013 REPORT NO.: INS-13-017 SUBJECT: Draft Ontario Ministry of Transportation Cycling Strategy RECOMMENDATION: That the comments and recommendations related to the draft Ontario Cycling Strategy be endorsed, as outlined in Infrastructure Services Department report INS-13-017; and further, That the proposed recommendations be submitted to the Province of Ontario for consideration as part of the Ministry of Transportation’s decision making process on the draft Strategy. BACKGROUND: The City of Kitchener has taken a strong leadership role for being the first municipality in Ontario to express written support of the recommendations identified in The Cycling Death Review: A Review of All Accidental Cycling Deaths in Ontario from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2010 by the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario. On August 27, 2012, City of Kitchener Council passed a resolution to support the Review’s 14 recommendations through official correspondence sent to the Ministry of Transportation. On October 9, 2012, the Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Transportation, provided a written response to Kitchener City Council which included the following statements: “Cycling is an important mode of transportation as well as part of a healthy and active lifestyle for many Ontarians. That is why my ministry is moving forward with updating our cycling policy and we are carefully reviewing all of the Coroner’s recommendations as part of that update.” On November 30, 2012, a draft Cycling Strategy was released by the Ministry of Transportation, the first update to such policy in over 20 years. Much has changed in the transportation landscape during this time period and there is a greater understanding among planners, engineers, health professionals, community members, and politicians that cycling supports many health, environmental, economic, and social policies and goals. 12 - 1 The draft Strategy describes in detail the government’s plan and priorities for promoting and encouraging cycling in the Province, and is divided into the following sections: ‘Section 1 – Context’ provides an overview of cycling in Ontario, highlights the benefits of cycling, and identifies actions taken by the Ministry and the Province in regards to infrastructure, safety, planning, and research. ‘Section 2 – A Cycling Strategy for Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation’ identifies a three- pronged approach to the cycling strategy and is divided into three sub-sections. ‘Section 2.1 – Enhancing Cycling Infrastructure in the Province’ includes o information on the identification of a province-wide cycling route network, infrastructure design, guidance documents, and access to funding for municipalities. ‘Section 2.2 – Enhancing Cycling Safety through Education and Legislation’ o highlights the importance of public education for cyclists and drivers and the Ministry’s role in updating the Highway Traffic Act to improve cycling safety. ‘Section 2.3 – Ensuring Relevancy through Monitoring, Researching, and o Coordinating’ references the Ministry’s role in reviewing the effectiveness of the Strategy to determine how it can be improved and updated. REPORT: The draft Strategy was posted for a 60 day public review and comment period which ended on January 29, 2013. However, the Ministry of Transportation clarified to staff that the City of Kitchener could submit comments after this deadline. The following comments have been prepared by staff in consultation with a variety of community stakeholders and organizations, identified in the ‘Community Engagement’ section of this report. Section 1 - Context Staff Recommendations Supporting Comments Transport Canada references a number of studies which found that one of the top reasons people cite for not cycling The Ontario Cycling Strategy is long travel distances. Land use planning has a strong should clearly align with other influence on the viability of cycling as a mode of provincial planning initiatives, transportation. Higher densities and mixed use planning including the Provincial Policy results in shorter trip distances and creates environments Statement (PPS) and the that are conducive to cycling. Aligning the Ontario Cycling Growth Plan for the Greater Strategy with other provincial policies and plans will ensure Golden Horseshoe. that future growth consistently supports cycling and other forms of active transportation. 12 - 2 Section 1 – Context (continued) Staff Recommendations Supporting Comments The draft Ontario Cycling Strategy mentions research The Ministry of Transportation conducted by the Ministry of Transportation to determine should develop a strong cycling usage rates among Ontarians. The Ministry of working relationship with the Transportation should involve municipalities in future municipal sector through research projects and/or other cycling related initiatives for enhanced communication and municipal comments, feedback, and/or partnerships, where collaboration with appropriate. A strong working relationship between municipalities. municipalities and the Ministry of Transportation will ensure a consistent and organized approach in promoting and encouraging cycling in Ontario. The previous bicycle policy was updated in 1981, 1992, and now in 2012. There are 11- and 20- year gaps in The Ministry of Transportation updating the bicycle policy. The Ministry of Transportation should establish a regular should establish a regular review schedule to ensure the review schedule for the Strategy is relevant and updated to keep pace with the Ontario Cycling Strategy. constantly changing transportation landscape in Ontario communities. Section 2 – A Cycling Strategy for Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation Section 2.1 – Enhancing Cycling Infrastructure in the Province Staff Recommendations Supporting Comments Complete streets are designed for all ages, abilities, and modes of travel, including walking, cycling, driving, and transit. Interest in the complete streets approach is growing The Ministry of Transportation across Canada. Over 40% of 17 municipalities studied should adopt a complete mention the term ‘Complete Streets’ in at least one of their streets approach for all official planning documents, identified through a gap construction projects to analysis conducted by the Toronto Centre for Active enhance safety for all road Transportation. The City of Kitchener will include a complete users, including cyclists; streets policy or equivalent in the city’s Transportation except where exclusion is Master Plan. Adopting a complete streets approach for warranted. provincial construction projects will align the Ministry of Transportation with the efforts of municipalities across Ontario and Canada. The draft Strategy states that the Ministry of Transportation The Ministry of Transportation will focus its cycling infrastructure improvements on closing should identify and establish a the gaps between existing cycling routes to create a province-wide cycling route provincial cycling network. The Ministry should continue with network to connect cycling this goal and identify opportunities for commuter, destinations to create recreational, and tourism cycling opportunities in commuter, recreational, and collaboration with relevant municipalities, partners and tourism cycling opportunities. stakeholders. 12 - 3 Section 2.1 – Enhancing Cycling Infrastructure in the Province (continued) Staff Recommendations Supporting Comments Funding for cycling infrastructure was identified as the number one way that the Ontario government plays a role in improving cycling infrastructure, as determined through a 2010 stakeholder survey conducted by Share the Road Cycling Coalition. A Canadian Journal of Public Health article entitled ‘Coming to Consensus on Policy to Create Supportive Built Environments and Community Design’ by Raine et al recognizes the role that active transportation The Ministry of Transportation serves in public health, and recommends stable funding for should establish a sustainable infrastructure promoting active transportation and and reliable cycling opportunities for recreation. The provinces of Quebec and infrastructure fund to British Columbia have existing policies and funding intended financially support municipal to promote and encourage cycling. Quebec has invested cycling infrastructure and over $200 million in initiatives including the 4300 km cycling programs. route – “La Route Verte”, launched in 2007. Bike BC is a $31 million investment the Province of British Columbia has made in building and improving cycling infrastructure in communities across the province. Although the draft Strategy mentions that cycling infrastructure is eligible for funding under the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative, a dedicated budget for cycling infrastructure and programs is ideal. The Ministry of Transportation The Ministry of Transportation is working in partnership with should provide updated and municipalities, engineers, planners, tourism organizations, improved technical and and the Ontario Traffic Council to update Ontario Traffic guidance documents, Manual Book 18: Bicycle Facilities. Book 18, and any future integrating the latest research technical and guidance documents, should be subject to a on local and global best regular review schedule to ensure that the latest best practices, and including practices, standards, procedures, guidelines, and guidelines for designing recommendations accurately reflect the changing cycling cycling infrastructure that can landscape in Ontario. be used by municipalities. 12 - 4 Section 2.2 – Enhancing Cycling Safety through Education and Legislation Staff Recommendations Supporting Comments As more children, youth and adults choose to ride bicycles for recreation and transportation reasons, there is a need to The Ministry of Transportation provide educational opportunities for Ontarians to learn and should provide financial and improve upon essential cycling skills. Cycling education administrative support for a programs are valuable in teaching cyclists proper riding province-wide cycling skills, bicycle maintenance practices, and important rights education program. and responsibilities as road users. At present, the Province of Ontario lacks a cycling education program that is widely available, accessible, and funded. 91% of Canadian children and youth are not getting the recommended levels of daily physical activity, as cited in the report entitled ‘Active Living, Children, and Youth: What is the Canadian evidence saying?’. In addition, the percentage of children who walk or cycle to school has declined over the past few decades. In 1971 for example, approximately 80% of Canadian children aged 7 and 8 walked to school. In 1998, only slightly more than a third of children aged 5 to 13 The Ministry of walked to school at least half the time (KinoQuébec, 2005), Transportation, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, should establish a road and cycling safety education program as part of the Ontario and in 2004, barely 14.5% of 6yearolds walked or biked to school curriculum. school (Desrosiers and Eid, 2007). In contrast, the European Cyclists’ Federation states that 49% of children in the Netherlands cycle to school and 37% walk to school. The Dutch Ministry of Education provides comprehensive traffic education as part of the primary school curriculum. As a result, Dutch children understand traffic rules and meaning of road signs at an early age, allowing them to safely participate in traffic as pedestrians, cyclists, or transit users. 12 - 5 Section 2.2 – Enhancing Cycling Safety through Education and Legislation (continued) Staff Recommendations Supporting Comments The Ministry of Transportation The Ministry of Transportation’s series of Driver Handbooks should update its series of should be updated regularly to focus on the importance of Driver Handbooks regularly to courteous driving, especially around pedestrians, cyclists, enhance the safety of all road transit users, and other motorists. Driver education courses users, including cyclists, and should ensure that training includes education on sharing ensure that Driver Education the road with cyclists, considering that cyclists are classified Courses reinforce the as vehicles under the Highway Traffic Act. Driver education importance of sharing the courses and exams should include specific material and road with cyclists. questions related to cycling. 71% of respondents in a 2010 stakeholder survey conducted by Share the Road Cycling Coalition cited public awareness and promotion campaigns as a critical instrument for the Ontario government to include in its overall efforts to encourage cycling. Localized cycling campaigns, such as The Ministry of Transportation the City of Kitchener’s 2012 Bike2 Work Challenge, are should establish provincial excellent tools that can change attitudes and perceptions cycling campaigns focused on towards cycling as a mode of transportation. Province-wide improving public attitudes and cycling campaigns would serve to enhance localized perceptions towards cycling, campaigns and have a greater impact on Ontario’s attitudes in consultation with towards cycling. If the Province of Ontario is to become municipalities, cyclists, more bicycle friendly, a change in perceptions and attitudes bicycle retailers, business is necessary and will lead to a higher level of respect for all improvement areas, and local road users, including motorists, transit users, pedestrians, politicians. and cyclists. In the Netherlands, a country with the world’s highest cycling rates, 86% of people have a positive opinion of the car and 84% of Dutch have a positive opinion of the bicycle, as identified in an article by Fiets Beraad, a center of expertise on bicycle policy. 12 - 6 Section 2.3 – Ensuring Relevancy through Monitoring, Researching and Coordinating Staff Recommendations Supporting Comments TheCycling Death Review: A Review of All Accidental The Ministry of Transportation Cycling Deaths in Ontario from January 1, 2006 to should regularly review and December 31, 2010by the Office of the Chief Coroner for update the Highway Traffic Ontario examined 129 cyclist fatalities, all of which were Act to improve cycling safety deemed preventable. The Review calls for 14 and undertake a consultative recommendations to be implemented by various provincial process for implementing the agencies in order to create a safer environment for cyclists recommendations identified in in Ontario. The Ministry of Transportation should address the Chief Coroner of Ontario’s these recommendations as actionable items in the Ontario Cycling Death Review. Cycling Strategy and clearly identify processes for implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. The City of Copenhagen, Denmark has an ambitious goal of increasing their cycling mode share to 50% of all trips to work or educational institutions by 2015, and has processes in place to monitor and evaluate this goal. Every two years, the City of Copenhagen, conducts a bicycle account to The Ministry of Transportation assess the city’s progress in regards to its cycling objectives. should establish clear goals, The bi-annual document is seen as a vital planning tool objectives, and mode share which provides an overview of improvements made for targets as part of the Ontario cyclists, and closely monitors cycling mode share targets, Cycling Strategy, in addition levels of safety, and more. The Ontario Cycling Strategy to providing municipalities requires achievable goals, strategies for implementation, with provincial guidelines for and measureable outcomes in order to encourage cycling monitoring and data collection and improve the safety of cyclists in the Province. In purposes. addition, provincially established guidelines for monitoring and data collection will be useful in gathering meaningful information that is replicable and uniform across Ontario municipalities. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: This endeavour aligns with many elements of the City of Kitchener’s Strategic Plan, including: Leadership and Engagement: By providing comments and recommendations on the Strategy and involving community members, the City of Kitchener is taking an active leadership role in shaping the future of cycling in the Province of Ontario. Quality of Life: Promoting and encouraging cycling both locally and provincially will lead to an improvement in quality of life through reduced traffic congestion, improved air quality, and providing residents with more opportunities for physical activity. Environment: Cycling is a sustainable mode of transportation that emits zero greenhouse gas emissions. By supporting cycling at the local and provincial level, the City of Kitchener is taking an active role in becoming more environmentally friendly. 12 - 7 Diversity: The City of Kitchener is committed to providing residents with equitable access to the social, economic, and cultural fabric of civic life. Cycling as a mode of transportation provides current and future residents of Kitchener and Ontario with an affordable and accessible way to get around. Development: The Strategic Plan specifically mentions supporting transportation alternatives and developing communities that are safe and connected. Cycling is a sustainable transportation alternative that complements and supports people-friendly development. Dynamic Downtown: The City of Kitchener’s vision for a vital and lively downtown will rely on more residents traveling by foot, bicycle, or public transportation. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: There are no costs to the City of Kitchener for submitting comments and recommendations on the Draft Ontario Ministry of Transportation Cycling Strategy. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: The following departments, committees, stakeholders, and organizations were solicited for feedback on this report and/or provided staff with a copy of their own submissions for information sharing purposes: Transportation Services, City of Kitchener Planning Department, City of Kitchener Engineering Department, City of Kitchener Economic Development, City of Kitchener Cycling Advisory Committee, City of Kitchener Active and Safe Routes to School Committee, Region of Waterloo Climate Action Waterloo Region, Transportation Task Force Share the Road Cycling Coalition Ontario Public Health Association (OPHA) Various municipalities across Ontario The cycling advisory committee provides advice to council and staff on the design, development and delivery of bicycle policies, programs and facilities to promote and enhance cycling in the th city. At the February 12 2013 meeting of the Kitchener Cycling Advisory Committee, the following motion was passed: That the report (INS 13-017) prepared by J. Joseph and viewed by the Kitchener Cycling Advisory Committee on February 12, 2013, be endorsed. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Jim Witmer, Interim Deputy CAO Infrastructure Services Department 12 - 8