HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-10-14
CYCLING ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
OCTOBER 14, 2014 CITY OF KITCHENER
Cycling Advisory Committee met on this date commencing at 4:09 p.m.
Present: Councillor Y. Fernandes, Ms. M. Sehl, Ms. G. Mitchell, Ms. M. Generoux, Ms.
V. Van Cappellen, Messrs. Mark Parris, Mike Boos (Vice-Chair), Mike Arges, Tyson
Reiser, Terry Boutilier, Peter Dedes (Chair), L. Oakey, and P. Walberg.
Staff: Messrs. J. Joseph, J. Readman, and Ms. L. Nelson
Regrets: Messrs. S. Gibson, and W. Sleeth
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 9, 2014
Motion by Mr. M. Arges: That the minutes of the September 9, 2014 meeting be
approved.
Motion carried.
2. STAFF UPDATES
Nyberg Contraflow Bike Lane
Mr. J. Joseph provided an update that line painting work has been completed and curb
work is scheduled to be completed by end of October, 2014.
KCAC members discussed signage for the contraflow lane:
Signage is currently on Nyberg St only
City staff requested signage on Ottawa St S from the Region; Region is awaiting
updates to the Highway Traffic Act based to reflect OTM Book 18
recommendations prior to installing signage on regional roads.
Westheights Dr, East Ave and Pioneer Dr
Mr. J. Joseph provided an update that project planning is underway for these projects;
as City staff prepare plans, they will be forwarded to the I&T Sub-committee and plans
will be raised at KCAC meetings as needed.
Dero Fix-It Stands
Mr. J. Joseph provided an update that all three Fix-it Stands had been compromised
since installation. Staff replaced the tools, and air pumps will soon be replaced and are
equipped for winter, however replacement of missing parts will not continue if vandalism
of the Fix-it stands is ongoing. Staff will need to determine a long-term plan for public
provision of Fix-it Stands and seek KCAC input.
KCAC Member recommendations:
Consider thicker cables to discourage cutting off the tools
Relocate facilities to locations covered by CCTV cameras, or areas of high
pedestrian activity and public / civic surveillance
Relocate Market stand to King Street
Consider locating future stands at community centres and fire halls
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CYCLING ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
OCTOBER 14, 2014 CITY OF KITCHENER
PARTS TDM Strategy
Mr. J. Joseph provided an update that since approval of the PARTS TDM Checklist in
September, city staff have received multiple applications using the checklist to seek
parking reductions.
KCAC members questioned if any pushback occurred from the development industry.
Staff confirm that no pushback has occurred to date, as parking costs are high so
the Checklist may help reduce costs associated with development.
Staff acknowledge that at this time, provision of bike parking is optional as per
the TDM Checklist, but when mandatory bicycle parking is incorporated into
Zoning, city staff may see development pushback at that time
Batler Rd & Eckert Street
KCAC members request details on the service order for Batler Rd. & Eckert St.
ACTION ITEM: J. Readman to look into status of service order.
3. SUB-COMMITTEE UPDATES AND WORK PLAN PRIORITIES
Education, Safety & Promotion Sub-Committee
Mr. M. Arges provided an update on the Safety Checklist and Share the Space handout:
Pre-Ride Safety Inspection: to be printed at 8.5” x 11” and distributed at local bike shops,
community centres, student centres, clubs, and posted on the BikeKitchener website.
KCAC Member Discussion:
Does the info make everyday cycling look more complicated than it is? Many
people won’t carry all of the items listed on every ride.
The safety list is comprised of recommendations, users decide what to
o
bring on their bicycle rides
Consider hosting a bicycle maintenance 101 session to teach users how to check
over their bikes.
Highlight distribution of the safety inspection poster in early spring, around
“garage sale season” when people are most likely to purchase used bikes.
Travel Safe, Share the Space: to be printed as a postcard and distributed by police and
BIA Ambassadors during spring and summer months.
KCAC Member Discussion:
Also consider handing out the checklist at major intersections (ie. near the
universities) or at Pay ‘n’ Display kiosks in parking lots.
Consider combining both documents into a double-sided, tri-fold brochure;
consider using COK Communications and graphic design team
Consider creating a video on how to lock your bike (could be a project for 2015)
Graphics should be prepared for distribution by March or April, 2015.
The Education, Safety & Promotion Sub-committee Work Plan is included in Appendix A
to these Minutes.
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CYCLING ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
OCTOBER 14, 2014 CITY OF KITCHENER
Infrastructure & Technical Sub-committee
The Infrastructure & Technical Sub-committee Work Plan is included in Appendix A to
these Minutes.
Planning, Evaluation, and Governance Sub-committee
Ms. V. Van Cappellen provided an update on the KCAC Report Card. The Sub-
committee is working to produce its final report, drat text is available for member review
and comment. The report analyzes City of Kitchener responses in comparison with other
reference communities, and refers back to the Kitchener Cycling Master Plan’s (CMP)
goal to more than double the number of trips by bicycle every 3-5 years.
A summary of the process was provided: a Report Card with an easy to understand
grading system (A-F) was developed with questions under the following categories:
Enginering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation & Planning. The
Report Card was distributed to various municipalities. The analysis and comparisons
conducted will effectively gauges Kitchener’s progress and can guides the development
of better cycling policies. The Report Card is intended as a biennial survey, with the next
iteration completed in August 2016. This year’s survey will serve as the benchmark data.
In summary, Kitchener achieved higher scores than other Ontario municipalities, but did
not surpass Groningen, Netherlands.
Deadlines for the project were highlighted:
PEG Sub-committee to distribute draft report to KCAC members for an in-depth
review to ensure the report is complete, accurate and quantitative
The last KCAC meeting is to be held Tuesday November 11, 2014. PEG Sub-
committee will need KCAC approval on this date, prior to submission to City
Council
The report must be delivered to the City’s Communications team to prepare the
final report and graphics
Present the report to City Council in February 2015
KCAC member discussion:
Will the names of other Cities be included, or left anonymous?
Report Card questions were intended to measure City progress against
o
the American League of Bicyclists standards, rather than as a benchmark
against other municipalities.
Comparator cities were intended to validate Kitchener’s results.
o
Kitchener does not compare to Groningen, a mature cycling community,
o
but the analysis can point to these differences.
When reaching out to respondent municipalities, KCAC did not state that
o
the information provided would be contained in a publically available
document. Therefore, in summarizing points, use language such as
“comparing to other Canadian municipalities”, without naming them.
The Planning, Evaluation & Governance Sub-committee Work Plan is included in
Appendix A to these Minutes.
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CYCLING ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
OCTOBER 14, 2014 CITY OF KITCHENER
4. KITCHENER BICYCLE ACCOUNT & REPORT CARD
Ms. L. Nelson provided an update on the Kitchener Bicycle Account to be prepared by
City staff. A general outline of the report and the data to be included within was provided
including four main sections:
1. Community Outreach
2. Cycling in Kitchener
3. The 5 E’s of Cycling
4. Upcoming Projects
The requirements in the Bicycle Account Guidelines by the American Leage of Bicyclists,
were summarized, including how these requirements would all be integrated within
Kitchener’s Bicycle Account. General requirements included reporting on the following:
Bicycle mode share
Bicycle counts
Average bicycle trips
Bicycle collision data
The municipal bicycle network
Public provision of bicycle parking
Planned / current bicycle projects.
5. STAFF REPORT ON MID-BLOCK TRAIL CROSSINGS
Mr. P. Dedes provided an update on the I&T Sub-committee’s comments on Mid-Block
Trail Crossings. The I&T offered the following recommendation for the KCAC to
consider.
That City Council approves the staff plan INS-14-022 with respect to mid-block mixed-
use trail crossings with the following recommendations:
1. Explore reducing costs to the City by omitting rigid bollards
2. Clarify granting right-of-way to pedestrians and cyclists
3. Identify a protocol for refuge islands
KCAC member discussion:
To clarify item 3 above, Book 18 identifies multiple cases for the use of refuge
islands. The I&T Sub-committee identified a protocol for when they would be
recommended, which included an analysis of the number of lanes and traffic
volumes to determine if a mid-block crossing is optimal.
To clarify the form of the “rigid” bollard, it would take the form of a removable
bollard with an increased height of 3 feet (from 2 feet).
The KCAC Recommendation would apply to all mid-block crossings; any existing
gates would be opened during retrofits as per an established priority network.
Priority networks will be established by the upcoming Cycling and Trails Advisory
Committee to identify high-risk areas.
Could consider using the PING Street app to identify and record priority
o
locations
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CYCLING ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
OCTOBER 14, 2014 CITY OF KITCHENER
Motion by Ms. M. Sehl: That the KCAC recommend City Council approve the staff plan
INS-14-022 with the recommendations from the I&T Sub-committee, with a change in
wording from “rigid” to “removable” bollard.
Motion carried.
6. COMMENTS ON CYCLEON STRATEGY
Mr. J. Joseph introduced Ontario’s Cycling Strategy to KCAC members, identifying that
comments on the strategy must be submitted to the Environmental Registry by October
31, 2014. Specific questions asked of respondents were related to awarding provincial
funding to municipalities for cycling infrastructure and education and training programs.
General KCAC member comments:
Prioritize funding for mid-block crossing projects that run parallel to a roadway
Consider joint proposal with the tri-cities and the Region for upgrading the Trans-
Canada Trail as a highly visible project for the province.
Provide assistance to municipalities to update existing plans and policies in
accordance with Book 18, for changes to infrastructure standards
The Action Plan supports learning through elementary and secondary schooling;
ensure the province is maintaining and incorporating this into curriculum.
Motion by Mr. T. Boutilier: That the KCAC delegate to the I&T and ESP Sub-committees
to provide comments directly to the province on cycling priorities, and that City staff
submit their own formal response to the CycleON strategy.
Motion carried.
ACTION ITEM: City Staff will submit a formal response with comments, having engaged
the Cycling Advisory Committee in a collaborative process.
ACTION ITEM: I&T Sub-committee to respond directly to the province on funding for
cycling infrastructure
ACTION ITEM: ESP Sub-committee to respond directly to the province on funding for
cycling training and education
7. OTHER BUSINESS
KCAC members request updates from staff on the following:
1. Recommendations to Council on the By-law change for e-bikes
Region has received the materials from KCAC on the By-law change.
2. Rivers Street pedestrian bridge project
Location needs a bike ramp on the stairwell; staff and KCAC members
should consider locations all over the City for new infrastructure; KCAC to
determine a priority listing
3. Pioneer Drive pilot project (green paint) Next year’s project. When does it start?
Resurfacing planned to occur in 2 years’ time; plans to be prepared in
2015 and repainting to occur with resurfacing in 2016.
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CYCLING ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
OCTOBER 14, 2014 CITY OF KITCHENER
ACTION ITEM: Mr. J Joseph to resend map of potential stairwell and bike ramp
locations to KCAC to determine priorities.
Mr. M. Boos provided an update about Manitou Drive bike facilities: the plan was passed
unanimously by Regional Council and is planned for construction in 2016.
Downtown Cycling Network
Driver education program occurred at the Kitchener Market last month. Additional ideas
for education and marketing of the bike boxes:
Refer public to bike box videos
Feature the bike box in 2015 Bike Month information and events
KCAC members ask if education programs will be associated with all future
infrastructure projects. City staff are currently planning the spring and summer; any
ideas or comments for the upcoming spring and summer season events and education
programs are welcomed by City staff.
KCAC recommendations for bike box education:
Info signs are currently located at the bike boxes.
Need continued driver training programs such as provincial training or training
provided by motorist service providers (ie. car dealerships to provide local driving
and infrastructure information).
8. ADJOURNMENT
Motion by Ms. Y. Fernandes That the meeting be adjourned at 5:40 p.m.
Motion carried.
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APPENDIX A
SEPTEMBER 9, 2014 CITY OF KITCHENER
SUB-COMMITTEE WORK PLANS FOR KITCHENER CYCLING & TRAILS ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
Safety, Education & Promotion Sub-committee
The following are items that the committee feels are important and should have priority
for implementation for new Cycling & Trails Advisory Committee.
1. Select a chairperson
2. Implement a meeting schedule
3. Maintain and organize the "Councillor's Ride" and use throughout the city. To be
done on at least a yearly basis. Point out "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" of
the new and old of the cycling infrastructure. This should be treated like a
working ride for the Council and not a meet and greet for the public. Members of
city staff could attend if need be. Ride to be conducted in late May to mid-June of
each year.
4. Survey the new council for their feelings on cycling, and spending on cycling
infrastructure. Should be done as soon possible into the new term. Survey should
be multiple choice and not more one page on both sides and follow up with a
face to face meeting. Collate survey results for report to Cycling and Trails
Advisory Committee.
5. Complete Safety checklist(s) and print in time for distribution for the next cycling
season.
6. Complete Safety Checklist for Kids in 2015.
7. Help recruit students and instructors for CAN BIKE to get certified. Encourage
local residents to take the course(s).
8. Create a video and or postcard on "How to Lock Your Bike".
9. Encourage the creation of a "Bike Registry"
10. Create information pamphlet on "Trail Etiquette"
11. Liaise with other committees, members of the public, and cycling groups.
12. Liaise with new committee on the content of the annual report to Council.
13. Members should become familiar with the City of Kitchener Cycling Master Plan,
City of Kitchener Trails & Multi use Pathways Master Plan and Transport
Ministry's Book 18.
14. Make recommendations for safety, education and promotional ideas to Council.
Infrastructure & Technical Sub-committee
1. Elect a chair
2. Fix meeting dates
3. Downtown bicycle network. Explore opportunities with the Region of Waterloo to
develop segregated/separated infrastructure.
4. Monitor infrastructure approvals as outlined in Cycling Master Plan, and Trails &
Multiuse Pathways Master plan.
5. Ensure city staff compliance with Westheights Road separated cycling proposal.
6. Ensure city staff compliance with the way-finding and signage project, liaise with
regional counterparts to unify standards
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APPENDIX A
SEPTEMBER 9, 2014 CITY OF KITCHENER
7. Monitor completion of trail network from Sydney to Wabanaki, including Manitou
underpass and other related trail improvements
8. Look for quick wins in filling the gaps in the trails network
9. Identify opportunities for segregated bikeways on city and regional roads working
in conjunction with both the City of Kitchener and the Region of Waterloo.
10. Ensure compliance with the milestones outlined in the bicycle priority network
plan
11. Continue monitoring and advocate for completion of the remaining top 5 priorities
from the last two years: Margaret Avenue bike lanes, Victoria - West - Iron Horse
Trail crossing, Courtland - Stirling - Iron Horse Trail crossing, all mid-block trail
crossings.
12. Familiarize yourselves with the City of Kitchener Cycling Master Plan, the City of
Kitchener Trails & Multiuse Pathways Master Plan and OTM Book 18.
Planning, Evaluation, and Governance Sub-committee
Activity: Completion of Report Card – Schedule / Key Dates:
1. Issue invitations to reference communities to encourage participation (June
2014)
2. Initiate analysis for City of Kitchener (June 2014)
3. Complete analysis for City of Kitchener (July 2014)
4. Receive feedback from reference communities and integrate findings with those
from Kitchener (August 2014)
5. Verify and summarize findings and update KCAC (September 2014)
6. Initiate layout/graphic design of report to Council (September 2014)
7. Review/edit first draft or report to Council and prepare presentation (October
2014)
8. Submit report to Council and presentation to KCAC for approval (November
2014)
9. Submit report to Council and presentation to Council (January 2015)
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