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HomeMy WebLinkAboutKCTAC Minutes 2020-03-10 CYCLING AND TRAILS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES CITY OF KITCHENER March 10, 2020 The Cycling and Trails Advisory Committee met on Tuesday March 10, 2020, at 4 pm. Present: D. Brotherston, M. Clark, V. Hand, S. Powell, M. Rodrigues, K. Wagler, Councillor S. Marsh, G. Piccini. Staff: D. Kropf, Active Transportation Planning Project Manager L. Christensen, Multi-Use Pathways & Trails Project Manager I. Balaban, Traffic Technologist B. Cronkite, Director, Transportation Services 1. Remembering Walter Waganka With sadness, the committee learned of the passing of committee member Walter Waganka. Walter was known for building strong personal connections, helping out as needed, and had a passion for education. The committee suggested ideas for honouring Walter:  Re-naming a trail or portion of a trail in Walter’s honour, such as Delta Street. B. Cronkite advised we would need to consult city naming policies;  Walter was passionate about safety and had a vision for a bike rodeo to teach kids how to bike safely. The committee could host a rodeo in his honour;  Donate to Ukrainian Church or Heart and Stroke Foundation; and  Donate to Cycling into the Future. The committee decided to spend more time thinking about these options and decide at a future date. 2. Delta Street I. Balaban shared that Delta Street is scheduled for a full reconstruction of underground services in 2021. With very low vehicle volumes and parallel alternative routes, the street is considered redundant for the purpose of moving motor vehicles. City staff is considering converting the street to a green space with a trail for pedestrians and cyclists, improving the connection between the Iron Horse Trail and Rockway Gardens. The project would also include a short boulevard multi-use trail on Sydney Street to connect to Nyberg Street and the end of the Iron Horse Trail. A public open house is being held on March 31, 4-7 pm at Rockway Community Centre, 1405 King St E, Kitchener. All committee members expressed support for the proposal. Comments focused on the design of the trail, including:  Protect and plant more trees, edible trees; CYCLING AND TRAILS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES CITY OF KITCHENER March 10, 2020  Separate bikes and pedestrians;  Lighting;  Seating areas;  Orient redevelopment to the trail with intentional pedestrian/cyclist entrances  Proper connections with crossrides to create a seamless experience; and  Involve Rockway Centre attendees to participate in extra plantings. B. Cronkite noted it is cheaper to rebuild a trail than a road, so additional amenities may be possible, but will be explored at a future date. Councillor Marsh asked if we have engaged the property owners. B. Cronkite responded that they have not yet, but there are no addresses off Delta so they will have access through Sydney or Charles. D. Brotherston asked if there is a plan to convert Floral Cres. in the future as well. B. Cronkite responded there are no plans for Floral at this time. Delta is coming up now because it needs underground reconstruction. G. Piccini moved the following motion: “That the committee supports the redevelopment of Delta Street into a multi-use trail, as presented.” Seconded by M. Clark. Carried unanimously. 3. 2020 Staff Work Plan D. Kropf and L. Christensen presented an overview of projects city staff are working on in 2020, for information purposes. Projects to be completed in 2020 include:  Cycling and Trails Master Plan  Bikeshare/Micromobility Feasibility Study  Iron Horse Trail – Crossings at Victoria St and West Av, pedestrian lighting, line painting, seating and garbage cans between Glasgow and John, and wayfinding.  Traynor Avenue Trail – paving from Courtland Ave to Wilson Ave. Trails will become winter maintained.  Replacing pedestrian bridges in Victoria Park, Lynnvalley Park, Vanier Park  Shoemaker Greenway – new trail from Homer Watson to Borden Parkway, alongside naturalization of creek.  Wilson Avenue – proposed boulevard multi-use trail from Wabanaki to Goodrich.  Secure bike parking at Duke Ontario and Kitchener Market garages  Mill Street (Ottawa to Courtland) – boulevard multi-use trail as part of full street reconstruction CYCLING AND TRAILS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES CITY OF KITCHENER March 10, 2020  Mill Street (Stirling to Ottawa) – painted bike lanes as part of full street reconstruction  Stirling Avenue (Greenbrook to King) – painted bike lanes, as part of street reconstructions and repainting. This includes a two stage queue box at Mill and Stirling.  Franklin Street (Trafalgar to Ottawa) painted bike lanes  Dutch inspired roundabout at Strasburg and Huron  Pedestrian-first Gaukel Street  Update of the Bike Map  Summer events  Bike Check  Delta Street – reconstruction and convert to multi-use trail  Downtown cycling grid – initial design work for future construction  Fergus Ave – initial design work for future street reconstruction G. Piccini noted the refuge island at the Iron Horse Trail has been a really positive addition. In relation to the Traynor Trail, D. Brotherston suggested staff work with property owners to formalize as many informal paths as possible from the backs of buildings. M. Rodrigues encouraged more engagement with residents who live there. K. Wagler suggested prominent signage on the outside of the new secure bike parking buildings, to increase visibility for new users. Staff acknowledged the need to be more proactive in bringing designs to this committee. 4. Franklin Street D. Kropf shared that the city's 2010 Cycling Master Plan identifies on-road bike lanes for Franklin Street. A recent road reconstruction added bike lanes between Weber Street and Trafalgar Avenue. City staff is proposing the installation of bike lanes in 2020 between Trafalgar Avenue and Ottawa Street North. A public open house is behind held on Tuesday March 10, 4-7 pm at Stanley Park Community Centre. M. Rodrigues asked what the intersection with Ottawa Street looks like. D. Kropf responded the region has approved a bike box. D. Brotherston asked if bike lanes are planned for Franklin from Weber to Wilson? D. Kropf responded there are no imminent plans but they are proposed in the Cycling and Trails Master Plan. CYCLING AND TRAILS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES CITY OF KITCHENER March 10, 2020 D. Brotherston moved a motion: “That the committee supports the plan for bike lanes on Franklin, as presented.” Seconded by V. Hand. Carried unanimously. 5. Advisory Committee Meeting Report M. Rodrigues attended an all-advisory committee meeting hosted by Compass Kitchener. Committees shared what they are up to and discussed how to collaborate. Most committees had heard about the master plan and offered support for safer pedestrian and cycling safety. The senior’s advisory committee member was very eager to see ways to encourage more seniors to bike and share their input on the master plan. The accessibility advisory committee member was really interested in enhancing tactile strips to include guidance and wayfinding and was disappointed to see this wasn’t include in Complete Streets Guidelines. M. Rodrigues shared the committee is considering expanding its scope. There was strong support by others, with encouragement to identify pedestrians in the title and/or have a stronger scope for pedestrian safety. Another meeting will be hosted in the fall. 6. CAN-Bike Safety Courses D. Kropf introduced CAN-BIKE, a national program that fosters bicycle safety and recreation. Covering four skill levels, CAN-BIKE offers riders the confidence to bike on and off-road and in urban areas as their main mode of transportation. The City of Waterloo is offering a variety of CAN-Bike courses this spring and summer, which are available to Kitchener residents as well. Committee members are encouraged to sign up and share the opportunity with others. S. Marsh asked if some courses could be held in Kitchener in the future. D. Kropf responded that a certain number of registrants are required to host the courses, so coordination with the City of Waterloo would be key to avoid spreading people too thin. 7. Cross-jurisdictional collaboration S. Marsh asked committee members to share their experience living in a city with multiple cities, townships and region. Responses included:  Multiple points to get information, such as bike maps or trail locations;  Healthy competition between municipalities encourages everyone to do better;  Crossing regional roads is a challenge; CYCLING AND TRAILS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES CITY OF KITCHENER March 10, 2020  No one knows the difference between city or regional roads;  Different priorities between corporations;  Quarterly meetings between committee could help to better coordinate;  Multiple points of contact;  Master plan processes are all separate; and  Different design standards. The committee agreed to discuss again in future meetings. Meeting adjourned at 6:05 pm.