HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-20-203 - Protected Downtown Cycling GridREPORT TO: Community & Infrastructure ServicesCommittee
DATE OF MEETING:December 7, 2020
SUBMITTED BY: Barry Cronkite, Director, Transportation Services,
519-741-2200ext. 7738
PREPARED BY:Darren Kropf, Active Transportation Planning Project Manager,
519-741-2200 ext. 7314
WARD (S) INVOLVED:Wards 9 & 10
DATE OF REPORT:November 27, 2020
REPORT NO.: DSD-20-203
SUBJECT: Protected Downtown Cycling Grid
___________________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
That a ProtectedDowntown Cycling Grid be installedthatincludes:
Separated bike lanes on Joseph Street(VictoriaStreetto QueenStreet), Ontario
Street (JosephStreetto KingStreet), Cedar Street North (ChurchStreetto
LancasterStreet), Duke Street East (Cedar Streetto FrederickStreet), Duke Street
West (VictoriaStreetto WaterStreet), Queen Street (Joseph Street to Church
Street)and Water Street North (JosephStreetto WeberStreet);
Neighbourhood bikeways on Breithaupt Street (KingStreetto MargaretAvenue),
Maynard Avenue (Margaret Avenue to Young Street), Chapel Street (EastAvenue
to LancasterStreet), Lancaster Street (FrederickStreetto WeberStreet), Church
Street (QueenStreetto MadisonAvenue), Madison Avenue(ChurchStreetto the
Iron Horse Trail), Benton Street (Iron Horse Trail to CourtlandAvenue), Water Street
(JubileeDriveto JosephStreet), David Street, Stirling Lane, Pandora Street (Stirling
Lane to DukeStreet), Waverly Road (Gage Avenue to Strange Street), and Duke
Street West (Victoria Street to Wellington Road); and
Boulevard multi-use trail on Margaret Avenue(VictoriaStreetto QueenStreet) and
Otto Street(QueenStreetto FrederickStreet);
That JosephStreet (Ontario Street to Victoria Street)be converted to one-way westbound
motor vehicle operation;
That Ontario Street (Charles Street to King Street)be converted to one-way northbound
motor vehicle operation;
That Cedar Street (Weber Street to Church Street)be converted to one-way southbound
motor vehicle operation;
That Duke Street East (Frederick Street to Cedar Street)be converted to one-way
eastbound motor vehicle operation;
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance.
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That Hall’s Lane (Ontario Street to a point 35 m west of Queen Street) be converted to
one-wayeastboundmotor vehicle operationand on-street parking be added to Hall’s
Lane(Ontario Street to a point 50 m east of Ontario Street);
That all streets includedinthe Downtown Cycling Grid be set to a speed limit of 40 km/h;
That the Uniform Traffic Bylaw be amended accordingly, and further;
That $1,000,000 of Federal Gas Tax funding be allocated to the Cycling Infrastructure
capital account in 2021 to help fund the construction of the Protected Downtown Cycling
Grid.
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS:
The purpose of this report is to seek council approval for the plan and implementation of a
continuous and protected Downtown Cycling Grid.
The key finding of this report isthat 2.8 km of separated bike lanes, 6.6 km of neighbourhood
bikeways and 0.6 km of multi-use trail can create a network of cycling that is attractive to all
ages and abilitiesand connects to popular trails like the Iron Horse Trail, Spurline Trail and
The Great Trail (formerly known as the Trans Canada Trail).
The financial implications are$5.9 million in one-timecapital costs and $240,000 in annual
operating costs.
Community engagement included1,253 residents during the final phase of consultation,
along with 3,200 residents for the Cycling and Trails Master Plan and 1,250 residents for
the formation of the Strategic Plan;
This report supports People-friendly Transportation by installing a continuous and protected
cycling network.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The installation of a Protected Downtown Cycling Grid(the grid)delivers on the Strategic Plan
goal of providing more People-Friendly Transportation optionsand addresses the immediate
priorities identified in the approved Cycling and Trails Master Plan.
With nearly 50% of the region’s carbon emissions coming from the transportation sector, cycling
is an important strategyfor meeting the city’s climate action goals. Cyclingis an affordable form
of transportation thathas been shown to generate economic activity byfreeing up disposable
income(compared to car ownership expenses)to spend at shops, restaurants and cultural
attractions. The on-going pandemic has created a cycling boom as people seek safe, outdoor
physical exercise and practical alternatives to transit and carpooling.
In total, the grid consists of10 km of facilities that willmake cycling safe, comfortable and
convenient for all ages and abilities, including:
2.8 km of separated cycling facilitiesthat create a grid of east/west and north/south
corridorsin and through the downtown;
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6.6 km of neighbourhood bikeways that willconnect surrounding neighbourhoods into the
downtown; and
A0.6 km multi-use trailthathelps to connect the Civic District, Spur Line Trail and Olde
Berlin Town neighbourhoodtothe downtown.
The downtown grid was identified as an immediatepriority in the Cycling and Trails Master Plan.
$5.9 million in capitalfunding is required and anticipated to be providedthrough a combination
of development charges, capital out of current, tax capital reserve and the Parking Enterprise.
Operating costs to maintain the physical infrastructure proposed is approximately $240,000
annually.A series of permanent counting stationswill be installed to measure use and evaluate
success of the projectover time.
BACKGROUND:
The installation of the grid meets many corporate objectivesrelated to expandedtransportation
choice, economic development and climate action targets, as well as responding to the on-going
pandemic.
Expanding transportation choices
Community demand forexpanded transportation choice was identifiedwhen People-friendly
transportation emerged as one of five key goals of the City’s Strategic Plan.
In March 2019, City Council approved a new zoning bylaw as part of the Comprehensive Review
of the Zoning By-law (CRoZBy) Projectthat changed the approach to on-site parking regulations,
such as minimum bike parking, no minimum automobile parking requirements in the Urban
Growth Centre, lower minimum automobile parking requirements for most uses,andupdated
shared parking.These measures were taken as part of a larger transportation demand
management strategy that aimsto reduce vehicle trips in the downtown and shift those trips to
alternative modes. A downtown cycling grid is needed to complement these zoning approaches
by providing that viable alternative (combined with walking and transit) to vehicle ownership.
Street right-of-way space is limited, especially in a downtown. Cycling can move 4.5 times more
people per square metre than motor vehicle lanes, making it an effective strategy to reducing
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vehicle congestion in downtown cores.The ION has spurred a development boom in the
downtown. An estimated 5,000 new residents will soon be living directly in the city’s core, many
of whom are looking for a lifestyle that is less dependent on a personal automobile.
The Cycling and Trails Master Plan identified downtown’s cycling potential as very high, given
population, land use, road network connectivity, road network density and topography (see
AttachmentA).With 61,600 residents living within a 15-minute bike ride of the downtown there
is significant latent demand for a Downtown Cycling Grid.
1
National Association of City Transportation Officials, “Designing to Move People.” https://nacto.org/publication/transit-
street-design-guide/introduction/why/designing-move-people/.
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Other Canadian municipalities have demonstrated that there is a direct correlation between
cycling ridership and the presence, quality and connectivity of bike infrastructure:
Calgary: After converting 2% of motor vehicle lanes in Calgary’s downtown to bike
2
infrastructure, cycling ridership increased by 40% to 17,000 trips per day;
Hamilton: Cannon Street’s bidirectional bike lanes increased cycling to up to 600 cyclists
per day in peaksummer months;
Edmonton: Installed 7.8 km of downtown cycling infrastructure and saw 100 times more
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cyclists, averaging up to 3,000 per day.
Toronto: Bloor Streetsaw 2.4 km of separated bike lanes installed, with ridership peaking
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to nearly 1 millioncyclists per year, including a 25% increase of entirely new cyclists.
It is clear through the experience in other municipalities that when destinations are safely
accessible by bike, people are more likely to choose cycling as a mode of transportation.
Active transportation and transit are complementary. The competitiveness of transit, compared
to driving, is enhanced when people can access transit stations quicker and from a farther
distance. When choice is available, the need to purchase a vehicle (or second, third, etc.) is
reduced.A safe and comfortable cycling network provides an enhanced “first-last mile”
connection totransit, maximizing the investment made in the ION.
Generatingeconomic developmentthrough cycling
The downtown cycling grid willprovide a new way for customers to access downtown
businesses. A study of Uptown Waterloo shoppers found 70% of shoppers travel by bicycle,
walking or public transit. The study also found that “cyclists make more frequent shopping trips
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than those arriving by car and spend at least as much overall as those who drive to shop.”
Along with being more frequent and loyal customers, cyclists have more disposable income
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because they spend less money on auto repairs, gas, insurance and car payments.
Following the installation of bike lanes on Bloor Street, Torontoin 2016, several studies were
conducted to assess the impact on local businesses. One prominent study found “no negative
2
City of Calgary. “Downtown Cycle Tracks.” https://www.calgary.ca/transportation/tp/cycling/cycling-route-
improvements/downtown-cycle-track-pilot-project.html
3
City of Edmonton. “One Year in: The Downtown Bike Network Interim report.”
https://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/The_Downtown_Bike_Network_Interim_Report.pdf
4
Cycle Toronto. “Nearly 1M cyclists per year on Bloor.” https://www.cycleto.ca/news/one-million-
cyclists#:~:text=between%20February%202018%20and%20February,the%20highest%20in%20North%20America.
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Spending habits and Transport Patterns: Cyclists’ Contributions to the Economic Vitality of Uptown Waterloo.” Dr. Markus
Moos, Dr. Jeff Casello, Geoff Chase, Mattea Lanoue. University of Waterloo. January 2015.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7RB3odHSRv_cXNaaUFPcHFTQUU/view
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Kelly Clifton. “Consumer Behavior and Travel Choices: A Focus on Cyclists and Pedestrians.” Portland State University:
2013. https://nacto.org/docs/usdg/consumer_behavior_and_travel_choices_clifton.pdf
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economic impacts associated with the bike lanes…Monthly customer spending and number of
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customers served by merchants both increased on Bloor Street.”
President and CEO of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association
(DVBIA)Charles Gauthier says “Having the option to take multiple modes of transportation
enhances the desirability of downtown as a place to live, work, and do business; it makesus
much more competitive and provides us with an advantage that other employment centres don’t
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necessarily have.”
Reaching carbon emissions targets
On June 24, 2019, Kitchener City Council unanimously voted to declare a climate emergency,
joining approximately 400 other Canadian municipalities in highlighting the urgent need for
strong action in addressing the threat posed by climate change. Transportation emissions are
by far the top source of emissions in the region (and in Canada) at 49%, which creates
considerable acute exposure to air pollution for community members. Shifting some trips from
motor vehicles to bicycles – especially those that are less than 5 km – is essential to reaching
climate action targets.In the short term, people will have more access to affordable, safe and
active transportation choices and as behaviours change, transportation emissions will decline.
Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of life, including transportation choice.In
Kitchener, trail counters have shown that cycling volumes have nearly doubled since 2019,
consistent with a cycling boom seen across the world. A shift away from public transit is
expected for at least the short to medium term, putting greater pressure on both vehicle and
active transportation networks.To compensate, cities around the world are investing in active
transportation to provide greater space for physical distancing required for essential trips and
provide a low-cost, safe and outdoors form of physical exercise.
REPORT:
Kitchener’s Downtown Cycling Grid is intended to createa grid of safe and connected bike routes
as identified in the CTMP.The CTMP recommends capitalizing on the demonstrated ridership
on the Iron Horse Trail, Spurline Trail and Great Trail(formerly known as the Trans Canada
Trail) toprovide safe cycling connectionsfrom surrounding neighbourhoods, tomajor
destinationsand public transit routesdowntown.See Attachment B for a network map of
proposed cycling facilities, and Attachment C for how the main cycling routes feed into the
downtown.
Akey design principle identified in the CTMP is to design for “all ages and abilities.” In
Kitchener’s Complete Streets Guidelines and Cycling and Trails Master Plan, all ages and
abilities design is described as separated bike lanes or cycle tracks, multi-use trails, and
7
Daniel Arancibia, Steven Farber, Beth Savan, Yvonne Verlinden, Nancy Smith Lea, Jeff Allen & Lee
Vernich (2019) Measuring the Local Economic Impacts of Replacing On-Street Parking With Bike Lanes, Journal of the
American Planning Association, 85:4, 463-481, DOI: 10.1080/01944363.2019.1638816
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https://bikehub.ca/about-us/news/people-on-bikes-are-key-to-downtown-business-growth
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neighbourhood bikewayson low volume streets (less than 500 motor vehiclesper day). Taken
together, these components create a seamless cycling experience across different
neighbourhoods and the downtown core.
Should the City approve the grid contained herein, the Regionwill also consider cycling
improvements on Duke Street between Water Street and Frederick Street. The introduction of
separated bike lanes would likely impact GRT bus routes and general traffic lanes, depending
on the bike and traffic measures that are proposed. Changes on the Region’s portion of Duke
Streetare subject to further consultation, with possible implementation in 2022-2023.Lastly, the
Region will be reconstructing portions of Benton Street and Frederick Street in the next two to
three years and will consider cycling improvements as part of those projects.
Separated bike lanes
Separated bike lanes provide a safe space for bicycles with a physical barrierseparating bicycles
and motor vehicles.They are most suitable on roads with high volumes of motor vehicles. In this
case, the barrier is proposed to be a poured in place concrete median.This type of median is
more dependable and long-lasting than pre-cast curbs or flex stakes, reducing long-term
maintenance costs. The bike lanes are bidirectional, meaning bikes travel in both directions on
one side of the street, which creates a comfortable riding environment with space to move
around debris or pass slower moving cyclists. Bidirectional bike lanes also optimize street space
in a constrained downtown environment and reduce maintenance costs.
Bidirectional bike lanes can create some safety challenges from unexpected turning movements
for bicycles as they interact with motor vehicles at driveways and intersections.The design of
the Downtown Cycling Grid is being done to current Transportation Association of Canada(TAC)
Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads and Ontario Traffic Manual (OTM) standards, as
well as best practices from other cities with bidirectional facilities, such as Ottawa, Hamilton,
Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria.
An important safety measure is to reduce speed limits to 40 km/h on these streets, to ensure
vehicles can see cyclists and stop on time. Advanced stop bars and dedicated bike signals can
also help improve bicycle safety at intersections.
Separated bike lanes are proposed on Joseph Street, Queen Street, Ontario Street, Cedar
Street, Water Street and Duke Street. Please see Attachment D for a graphic rendering
and detailed rationale behind the inclusion of each street for this facility type.
Neighbourhood Bikeways
Neighbourhood bikeways are quiet, local streets that can be enjoyed by cyclists without
designated spacein a “share the road” environment. In order to qualify as safe and comfortable
for all ages and abilities, streets must be below specific motorvehicle speeds (operating speeds
of less than 40 km/h) and motor vehicles volumes (less than 1,000 vehicles/day). For streets
that don’t already meet these conditions, newtraffic calming and traffic diversion treatmentscan
be applied, to improve comfort levelsfor the most vulnerable segments of the population that
choose to cycle.Since neighbourhood bikeways are typically not the most visiblestreets, an
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enhanced level of wayfinding (through sharrows and wayfinding signage) is provided to help
people navigate.
Neighbourhood bikeways are proposed on Breithaupt Street, Maynard Avenue, Chapel
Street, Lancaster Street, Church Street, Madison Avenue, Benton Street, Water Street,
David Street, Stirling Lane, Pandora Street, Waverly Road and Duke Street. Please see
Attachment D for detailed rationale behind the inclusion of each street for this facility
type, as well as the specific treatments that are needed for each street to meet the
neighbourhood bikeway standard.
Boulevard multi-use trail
Boulevard multi-use trails providetwo-way travel for both pedestrians and cyclists, in a shared
space in the boulevard.Typically, boulevard multi use trails are found in a suburban context due
to lower expected interactions between cyclists and pedestrians, though they can also be a
solution in constrained corridors. For Margaret Street and Otto Street, it was determined to be
the best solution in order to:
Maintain the existing grass boulevard, as required by the Civic Centre heritage plan;
Avoid re-routingexisting GRT transit route #4;
Minimize disruptionsto significant existing vehicle traffic; and
Minimize disruptions to Centre in the Square pedestrian and vehicle access.
Following consultation with affected property owners, city staff propose theremoval of the
westbound left-turn lane at Victoria Street and the on-street parking on Margaret Avenue, in
order to fit the trail without impacting front yards or private property trees. One remaining tree in
the boulevard would be removed.Please see Attachment D for a graphic rendering and detailed
rationale behind the inclusion of each street for this facility type.
Bike parking, bikeshareand alternative uses for bike lanes
A lack of safe, convenient bike parking options is a common theme heard by staff. The design
of the gridincludes space allocation for up to 178 new bike parking spaces. While some of that
parking will bebuilt initially for general use, a large portion ofthe spaces will ultimatelyfacilitate
the launch of a bikeshare program, another City of Kitchener strategic plan action item.A report
regarding Bikeshare will be brought forth by Transportation Services in 2021.
Pedestrian impacts
Overall, the Downtown Cycling Grid is a positive contribution to the pedestrian experience.
Studies demonstrate that 28% of cyclistscurrentlyride on the sidewalk while downtown.
Creating a grid of high-quality cycling infrastructure will reduce that number significantly.
Additionally, an improved pedestrian experiencecan be expected in areas wherecycling
facilitiesact as a buffer between motor vehicles and sidewalks.
Vehicle Lane Impacts
Adding all ages and abilities cycling infrastructure to the downtown cannot be implemented
without some impactsto the overall street transportation network. An independent traffic study
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was conducted to assess the impact on motor vehicle traffic and movementand can be found
at https://www.engagewr.ca/16695/widgets/65742/documents/44590. Thestudy determined
there is sufficient capacity within the transportation network to convert severalstreets to one-
wayoperation without creating undue congestion. It is anticipated that displaced traffic willbe
absorbed primarily on regional roads such as Charles Street, Weber Street and Frederick
Street/Benton Street. All signalized intersections are expected to remainoperating at acceptable
levels of servicewith negligible overall increased delay.
City staff reviewed multiple options toreducethe perceivednegative impacts to motor vehicles
as much as possible.,Changes necessaryto the motor vehicle networkto accommodate the
gridis as follows:
Joseph Street conversionto one-way westbound (from Ontario Street to Victoria Street);
Ontario Street conversionto one-way northbound (from Charles Street to King Street);
Cedar Street conversionto one-way southbound (from Weber Street to Church Street);
Duke Street East conversionto one-way eastbound (from Frederick Street to Cedar
Street); and
Through or turning restrictions, as described in the neighbourhood bikeways sectionof
Attachment D, at Madison/Courtland, Lancaster/Krug, Samuel/Chapel, Chapel/Simeon,
and Queen/Church.
In total, this equates to reallocating 4% of available road space from motor vehicles to bike lanes.
Dedicated space for motor vehicles would remain the largest use of downtown streets, at 55%
of available road space(the remaining portion includes sidewalks, seasonal patio space,
boulevards, trees, utilities, etc.).
Fire and emergency services have been consulted throughout the design of the Downtown
Cycling Grid. An emergency modelling exercise was conducted by Kitchener Fire to assess the
impact to response times of the new one-way operations, and they concluded they will be able
to meet their mandatory response times with the new operations. In the case of an emergency
vehicle using a one-way street with separated bike lanes, drivers will beencouraged to use the
gaps in the median for driveways and intersections to pull into the bikelanes and out of the way
of emergency responders. In addition, if a vehicle is blocking the one-way portion of the street,
the concrete median has been designed toallow emergency vehicles to drive over the median
and drive in the bike lanes if necessary.
Parking Impacts
City staff designed the grid to preserve as much on-street parking as possible, but a total of 24
spaces are proposed to be removeddue to design constraints:
3 spaces onDuke Street near Victoria Street;
3 spaces on Water Street between Duke Street and Weber Street;
7 spaces on Water Street between King Street and Duke Street;
9 spaces on Joseph Street next to the former Charles Street terminal; and
2 spaces on Duke Street between EbyStreet and Cedar Street.
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With an average occupancy of 54%, these are well-used spaces that service nearby businesses.
To offset this loss, staff is proposing:
Addition of 6 new spaces on Francis Street, pending Region of Waterloo approval;
Addition of 4 new spaces on Hall’s Lane, primarily for short-term pickup and deliveries.
This requires the conversion of Hall’s Lane to a one-way direction from Ontario Street to
a point 35 m west of Queen Street;
Highlight the recent addition of 15 new parking spaces on Bell Lanethrough wayfinding
signage from Water Street;
A downtown-wide parking wayfinding strategy to assist people in finding convenient
parking locations close to their desired destinations; and
Exploring public-private partnerships to provide public access to under utilized parking
lots.
Maintenance of the Downtown Cycling Grid
Roads and Traffic and Parks Operations staff have participated on the project team designing
the Downtown Cycling Grid, to identify design features that can be maintained cost effectively.
To ensure safe and year-round accessibility of the Downtown Cycling Grid, several maintenance
activities are needed, including snow plowing and treating, sweeping, asphalt repair, re-applying
pavement markings and sign replacement. The advantage of bidirectional bike lanes is that the
combined operating space for bikes can fit a standard pickup truck that is currently used to clear
snow from downtown laneways.
Construction
For most streets in the Grid, construction is expected to be short duration, limited to installation
of aconcrete median, minor adjustmentsto curbing at someintersections,redesignofsignal
operationsand new signage and pavement markings. This work can be staged by street to limit
construction impacts to businesses and properties.Further notices and consultation with
impacted business and properties will be conducted in the new year when constructionstaging
has been established.
In prioritizing the staging for construction, staff haveconsideredcapital costs, operating costs,
business impacts, volume of work and connectivity.
Monitoring & evaluation
Evaluating increased ridership in the downtown will be tracked using counters at sixentry points
to the Downtown Cycling Grid. A public facing counter is proposed for the intersection of Water
Street and King Streetthat will provide a real-time barometerof bike trips per year for the grid.
Thiscounter will assist in communicating the use of the separated bike lanes to the public.
Along with ridership, safety for all road users is another critical point of evaluation.The design
of the Downtown Cycling Grid is being done to current TACand OTMstandards. Following two
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years of full implementation, city staff propose hiring a 3party evaluator to conduct a safety
audit. The City of Edmonton took a similar approach following the installation of their cycling grid
and determined several safety improvements based on observed user behaviour.
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STRATEGIC PLANALIGNMENT:
This report supports People-friendly transportation:Transform how people move through the
city by making the transportation network safe, comfortable and connected.
Action item:Install a continuous and protected cycling network that connects adjacent
neighbourhoods to the downtown by 2022.The design of the grid also positions the city to
achieve the additional action item to encourage and incentivize alternative modes of
transportation by developing and subsidizing a bikeshare program by 2021.
The downtown cycling gridalso contributes to the city’sstrategic plan goal ofEnvironmental
Leadershipand the Community Climate Action Plan emission reduction targetsin the
transportation sector.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Capital
Capital costs for the entirety of the Downtown Cycling Grid are estimated to be $5.9M.
Transportation already has an allocation of just over $1M to install this infrastructure with another
$3.9M budgeted between 2021-2023. This leaves a funding shortfall of $1M to complete the
project by 2023. The recommendation of this report includes allocating $1M of Federal Gas Tax
funds to the Downtown Cycling Grid project. Finance staff have confirmed there are sufficient
funds in the reserve to make this allocation.
Budget breakdownBudgetEstimate
Contract administration& consultant fees$867,000
Construction management staff time$730,000
2021 Phase 1:$2,158,000
Water Street separated bike lanes
Joseph Street separated bike lanes
Queen Street separated bike lanes
Cedar Street separated bike lanes, Lancaster Street
diversion & Chapel Street diversion
All neighbourhood bikeway signage and markings
2022 Phase 2:$1,372,000
Margaret Avenue multi-use trail
Otto Street multi-use trail
Ontario Street separated bike lanes
Madison/Courtland diversion
Francis Street & Hall’s Lane parking
2023 Phase 3:$773,000
Duke Street West separated bike lanes
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Budget breakdownBudgetEstimate
Duke Street East separated bike lanes
Total$5.9 Million
Operating
The Cycling and Trails Master Plan identified approximate operating costs for separated bike
lanes at $60,000/km. To provide an enhanced level of service similar todowntownpedestrian
and road level of service, - andanticipating significant snow loading due to limited snow storage
areas – staff are proposing an additional $20,000/km premium be added to that amount. For the
almost 3 km of separated bike lanes, operating costs would be $240,000 per yearat full build
out, which includessnow plowing and treating, sweeping, asphalt repair, re-applying pavement
markings and sign replacement.Given this is a new type of cycling facility, it is recommended
that operational costs related to the grid bereviewed on an annual basis and adjusted as
necessary. Given the timing of construction, only a small portion of operating funds will be
required in 2021 andwill be accounted for within the existing operating funding. Additional
annual operating funding of $240,000 will be referredto 2022 budget deliberations.
The one-way operation on Cedar Street is expected to significantly simplify access to the
Kitchener Market garage on market days, as vehicles will be turning right in and right out of the
garage. Staff will assess new conditions to determine if the traffic control police officer can be
removed, thus savingoperating costs for the Kitchener Market.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Three phases of community engagement have shaped the vision and design of the Downtown
Cycling Grid.
PhaseTimingCorporate ResidentsKey outcome
Strategyengaged
One2018-Strategic Plan1,250A cycling network that is protected and
2019continuouswasidentified as a community
priority.
Two2018-Cycling and Trails 3,200The city-wide cycling network was
2019Master Plandeveloped, including the downtown
streets thatresidents identified as most
ideal for cycling upgrades. The
implementation plan positionsthe
Downtown Cycling Grid as the first
priority.
ThreeFall 60% Proposed 1,253Majority of respondents supported a
2020Drawingsbidirectional, protected bike lane design
and the overall network, with some key
changes to minimize localized impacts
(as described below).
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TOTAL RESIDENTS ENGAGED5,703
Due to the on-going pandemic emergency, thethirdphase of engagement was conducted
primarily online, with extra one-on-one conversations by staff to reach out to most impacted
stakeholders.
INFORM – This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the
council / committee meeting.The final phase of engagement was promoted through:
Kitchener Life
Social media
Bike Kitchener newsletter
Neighbourhood association newsletters and social media
Street sign boards on streets included in the grid
Trail sign boards on major trails within a 20-minutebike ride to downtown
Mailing to residents directly impacted by the gridat the beginning of the consultation
phase
A second mailing to notify impacted residents of the staff report going to council
CONSULT – A total of 1,253 residents provided input during the final phase of consultations:
Engage Kitchener online survey - 932
Direct comments via email//phone - 66
Businesses – 58
o Developers - 7
o Employers – 3
o Retail/restaurant – 28
o Services – 13
o BIA Board members - 7
Open Houses - 38
Neighbourhood and community groups – 87
o Olde Berlin and Central Frederick Front Yard Garden Tours – 25
o Victoria Park Neighbourhood Association – 14
o Market Lofts and King East Neighbourhood Association – 6
o Olde BerlinNeighbourhood Association - 18
o UxWaterloo Meetup – 24
o Mount Hope Breithaupt Park Neighbourhood Association – TBD (Scheduled Dec.
5)
Advisory committees – 65
o Environmental Advisory Committee – 8
o Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee – 18
o Downtown Action and Advisory Committee – 15
o Mayor’s Advisory Council for Kitchener Seniors – 11
o Kitchener Youth Action Council – 6
o Cycling and Trails Advisory Committee - 7
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The Cycling and Trails Advisory Committee passed a unanimous motion that “the committee
supports the Downtown Cycling Grid as presented.”
What we heard
In the online survey, 74% of respondents supported the introduction of bidirectional, separated
bike lanes to the streets identified in the grid. 20%of respondentswere against this proposal
and 6% were neutral. Detailed surveyresponses can be found at
https://www.engagewr.ca/16695/widgets/65742/documents/43933 .
Common themesexpressed inthe surveyin support of the project included:
Downtown is the right place for an ambitious cycling project;
Separation will make it safer for less confident people to ride downtown, especially
families;
Excellent start to improve cycling in the city;
Desire to build it everywhere;
Right streets proposed for upgrades, since theyare not the main driving routes anyway;
Could help get bikes off the sidewalk; and
Neighbourhood bikeways are a great idea, if there is effective traffic calming and plenty
of wayfinding signage.
Common themesexpressed in the surveyagainst the proposal included:
Don’t see enough bikes to justify the spending and impact to drivers;
Only support cycling if it doesn’t take space away from cars;
Question the need for concrete barriers, which could create conflicts with emergency
vehicles, deliveries and waste removal trucks;and
Why not start smaller and build from there?
Other themesexpressed in the surveyincluded:
Important to maintainprotection through intersections to make it safe for everyone;
Appreciate more bike parking but theft is still a deterrent to biking downtown;
Pedestrians, especially those with mobility challenges, do not want to share a space with
cyclists who move too quickly(cited as a pro for separated bike lanes and a con for the
multi-use trail on Margaret/Otto); and
How will you know if this is successful?
In one-on-one conversations with business owners, several themes emerged:
Cycling can contribute to an urban lifestyle that is attracting people to downtown;
Enhanced cycling helps to provide lower-cost alternatives to motor vehicles and can
reduce parking requirements;
Downtown developers are having no issues selling units with little to no parking;
Long-term trend is clearly towards less car dependence. In the meantime,staffneed to
manage that transitioneffectivelyto keep current customers who are still car dependent;
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Increase in deliveries, logistics and food delivery needs to be considered in all road
projects;
Is there enough cycling demand to justify a project of this scale?;
Any loss of parking is a concern for businesses that rely on customers driving in; and
One-way street operation may make it more confusing for people to drive downtown.
While staff havetried toaddress many concerns raised by businesses, it is worth noting that the
business owners on Ontario Street (between King Street and CharlesStreet) anticipate a
considerablenegative effect to their businesses. They cited that as a result of the pandemic,
many customers arealreadydoing short visits for quick retail transactions and any change to
the road operation or parkingof Ontario Streetcouldfurtherdeter customers. They also indicated
that deliveries, loading and food delivery app transactions also require convenient and efficient
parking accessin that area.Affected business ownerson Ontario Streetrequested more time to
recover from the pandemic and current construction (related to underground servicing) before a
project of this magnitude is considered.These concerns can be addressed between Charles
Street and King Street by adding parking and loading zones to Hall’s Lane. However, further
analysis and business engagement is needed to determine a potential solution for the block
between King Street and Duke Street. As a result, this block has been removed from the
Downtown Cycling Grid. Additionalresearch and options will be explored and brought back to
City Council in as afuture phase, following further business engagement.
The open houses were attended by a mix of residents and business owners, who noted:
This is an ambitious and exciting project for the downtownthat provides greater cycling
connectivity;
Traffic calming on streets like Lancaster is supported, and not just by those who bike but
also families walking children to school;
Winter maintenance of the grid is important for people whowant to bike year-round;
Loss of parking can hurt businesses and alternatives need to be in place before removing
spaces; and
A variety of property and neighbourhood specific questions, that staff have investigated
further.
The neighbourhood consultations werearranged to address specific comments and concerns
within various neighbourhoods, including:
Victoria Park residents had significant concerns related to traffic impacts on adjacent
streets to the grid. Residents felt the proposed cul-de-sac at Water Street and Jubilee
Drive would increase traffic on adjacent streets such as Frank’s Lane and Heins Avenue
and that a larger traffic management plan is needed for the neighbourhood.
Olde Berlin Town and Margaret Avenue residents had concerns related to front yard
impacts, maintaining trees and the Heritage character of the neighbourhood and safety
challenges sharing a trail between cyclists many vulnerable pedestrians (kids, seniors)
currently using the sidewalk. While the loss of parking was not preferred, many residents
acknowledged it was a lesser priority than the other critical issues just described.
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The Market Lofts and King East Neighbourhood Association raised concerns regarding
access to their properties and loss of parking, especially foraccessibility challenges,
deliveries and visitors. Drivers have been observed going the wrong way down the current
one-way portion of Duke Street.
Staff responses to theconsultation
Following analysis of all comments, staff identified severalchanges tothe design of the
Downtown Cycling Grid and related actions that can help to address the concerns raised.
Design change or action itemRationale
Change the direction of one-way Improved access to Kitchener Market garageand
operation on Duke Street to EBmakes it possible to maintain 3 parking spots next
(Frederick towards Cedar).to the Market Lofts.
Change the direction of one-way Limit potentialspill-over to side streets in Victoria
operation on Joseph Street to WBPark.
(Ontario towards Victoria).
Add parking on Francis StreetandAdd up to 10 spaces to compensate for 24 lost
Hall’s Lane.Improve wayfinding to spaces. Wayfinding signs would improve
parkingeverywhere, and especially awareness of 15 spaces recently added on Bell
to Bell Lane.Lane.
Change the traffic diversion at Maintain direct access from Frederick to
Samuel/Chapel to a no-straight NB. businesses on Samuel Street while still
discouraging NB traffic displaced from Lancaster.
Makes for an easier cyclist transition fromfuture
neighbourhood on Samuel Street to Chapel Street
bikeway.
Remove parking on Margaret Makes it possible to build a 3.0 m wide trail in a
Avenue between Queen Street and way that eliminates front yard impacts and
Maynard Avenue.reduces tree loss to one.
Remove Water Street cul-de-sac Conduct further analysis and community
from scope of this projectand defer engagement for a possible future phase project.
to a future phase.
Remove Ontario Street separated Conduct further analysis and business
bike lanes from King Street to Duke engagement to determine if a better supported
Street from scope of this projectand solution can be found.
defer to a future phase.
Install a series of bike counters.Measure ridership over time to justify the use of
continued cycling infrastructure investment.
Share the final traffic study publicly.Study has been attached to this staff report to
show the methodology behind the conclusion that
existing vehicle capacity existson adjacent roads.
PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES:
City of Kitchener 2019-2022 Strategic Plan
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INS-20-015Cycling and Trails Master Plan, October 19, 2020
DSD-19-049New Zoning By-law (Stage 1) Comprehensive Review of the Zoning By-law
(CRoZBy) Project
DSD-19-234Complete Streets, October 21, 2019
CONCLUSION:
The Downtown Cycling Grid deliverson a key priority of the City’s Strategic Plan. Just like the
IonLRT significantly reshaped the downtown, this project will transform how people move
around by making it safe, comfortable, and convenient for people of all ages and abilities to
bike. Cycling has been shown to generate economic activity for small businesses, assist with
physical distancing for transportation needs during the pandemic and reduce carbon
emissions. The Downtown Cycling Grid connects to popular trails such asthe Iron Horse Trail,
SpurlineTrail, and the Great Trail, creating a new way for people to access all that downtown
has to offer.
APPROVEDBY: Justin Readman, General Manager, Development Services
ATTACHMENTS:
A.The Market for Active Transportation
B.Downtown Cycling Grid Map
C.Downtown Cycling Grid in relation to cycling routes into the downtown
D.Street renderings and rationale
E.Traffic study:https://www.engagewr.ca/16695/widgets/65742/documents/44590
F.Engagement survey results:
https://www.engagewr.ca/16695/widgets/65742/documents/43933
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AttachmentA: The Market for Active Transportation
“An analysis was conducted to identify areas with the greatestopportunity to increase the
number of cycling trips…based on several factorsincluding road network connectivity, road
network density,land use mix, population and employment density, andtopography.The
neighbourhoods with the highestpotential are the Downtown Core, Civic Centre, Auditorium,
Central Frederick, King East, Eastwood, Victoria Park, and K-W Hospital.” City of Kitchener,
Cycling and Trails Master Plan(2020), p. 13.
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AttachmentB: Downtown Cycling Grid Map
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Attachment C: Downtown Cycling Grid in relation to cycling routes into the downtown
City of Kitchener, Cycling and Trails Master Plan: Connections Report(2020), p. 9.
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Attachment D: Street renderings and rationale
Separated bike lanes
Joseph Street
Joseph Street separated bike lanesconnect to the Transit Hub Trail, Water Street separated
bike lanes, Victoria Park’s trail network, Ontario Street separated bike lanes and Church Street
neighbourhood bikeway. The Joseph Street corridor provides access to the King Victoria Transit
Hub, the soon-to-expanded health sciences campuses of the University of Waterloo and tech-
oriented employment lands at the Tannery and surrounding repurposed buildings. There are
significant development opportunities along Joseph Street, with underutilized surface parking
lots and the decommissioned Charles Street terminal. Much like the Ion LRT spurred certain
kinds of development along its corridor, the separated bike lanes can help to shape that
development to one that is active, vibrant and people-friendly.
Queen Street
The short connection of separated bike lanes on Queen Street is primarily intended to connect
Joseph Street’s separated bike lanes to the neighbourhood bikeway on Church Street, as well
as existing painted bike lanes on Queen Street. This route also brings riders within one block of
the Queen ION station. In the future, the painted bike lanes could be converted to separated
bike lanes, but staff felt doing so now was less likely to generate new cyclists given the absence
of cycling facilities farther down Queen Street.
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Ontario Street
Ontario Street separated bike lanesprovide another cross-town connection in the middle of the
grid, providing access to major employment offices, multi-residential buildings and retail-oriented
businesses. A future phase will consider improved cycling options from King Street to Duke
Street, pending further business consultation.
Cedar Street
The Cedar Street separated bike lanes provide the best connection to the ION, passing directly
beside the Kitchener Market station, while also servicing retail businesses and the Kitchener
Market. It is noted that a significant hill is located along Cedar Street. While not ideal for some
cyclists, a growing use of e-bikes and e-scooters is expected to help deter the negative impacts
of significant elevation changes.
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Duke Street
The Duke Street corridor has the potential to provide the longest, most direct and most
comfortable cycling route across the downtown, feeding the Frederick and Kitchener City Hall
Ion stations, as well as the King Victoria Transit Hub. Duke Street is a mixed-use corridor with
all types of land use, most notably the Wilfrid Laurier and Conestoga College campuses,
Downtown Community Centre and the soon-to-be-tallest building in Kitchener at the corner of
Duke Street and Frederick Street. The Duke Street separated bike lanes between Victoria Street
and Water Street are the only portion of the city-owned grid that contains a bus route. With
excess road space to utilize, the city’s first “floating bus stop” will be introduced, creating an
island for pedestrians to board the bus that is outside of cycling operating space. This also
eliminates the need for the buses to enter the bike lanes, which can reduce cyclist safety and
comfort.
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Water Street
Water’s Street separated bike lanesprovide a cross-town connection between the SpurlineTrail
(currently terminates at Weber Street and Water Street) and Victoria Park and the Iron Horse
Trial. In addition, it provides access to major employment offices and King Street’s many
businesses and services.
Neighbourhood Bikeways
The Breithaupt Streetneighbourhood bikeway provides a connection to the Spurline Trail and
the King Victoria Transit Hub, as well as significant tech employment offices. Motor vehicle
volumes and speeds are already at the desired level, so the only physical changes to this street
are a reduced speed limit and enhanced wayfinding.
The Duke Street Westneighbourhood bikewayprovides an access point from the Breithaupt
neighbourhood into the separated bike lanes on Duke Street. Metrolinx is planning to close the
at-grade road crossing of the tracks in the future, but an active transportation over or under pass
is expected to keep this active transportation corridor. Pedestrian and cycling access from Duke
Street to the King Victoria Transit Hub is also being considered by the Region of Waterloo. In
the meantime, Duke Street would have enhanced wayfinding and a speed limit reduction to
facilitate cycling into the downtown.
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The Maynard Avenueneighbourhood bikeway connects a proposed multi-use trail on Margaret
Avenue to the contraflow bike lane on Young Street connecting into the downtown.The only
physical changes to this street are a reduced speed limit and enhanced wayfinding.
The Chapel Streetneighbourhood bikeway is an alternative to adding bike lanes on Krug Street
between East Avenue and Lancaster Street, which was ruled out in previous years due to
significant tree impacts. While current traffic volumes and speeds are at an acceptable level, a
traffic diverter is proposed at Chapel and Simeon to ensure displaced traffic from Lancaster
Street does not use Chapel or Simeon as an alternative:
Reorienting stop signs from Chapel Street to MernerStreet is also proposed to reduce the
amount of delay caused to cyclists who have been rerouted from the more direct route on Krug
Street.
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The Lancaster Streetneighbourhood bikeway continues the alternative bike route to Krug Street
by returning cyclists from Chapel to Krug/Cedar. In the other direction, cyclists can connect to
the Otto/Margaret trail and Spurline Trail to Waterloo. Lancaster Street is currently a high traffic
street (4,400 vehicles/day), with speeds also above the requiredthreshold at 45 km/h. A
redesigned intersection at Lancaster, Krug and Weber streets would remove the option for motor
vehicles to access Lancaster Street from Krug Street and reduce volumes and speeds to the
requiredthresholds that are safe and comfortable for cycling.
In addition, this will improve the walking environment for families heading to Suddaby Public
School, as well as remove a high-risk intersection at the junction of Lancaster, Krug and Weber,
due to the awkward geometry and sight lines of the intersection. The displaced traffic is expected
to use Weber Street instead. To ensure it does not take the adjacent side streets, a “no-straight
northbound” diverter is proposed at Chapel and Samuel, as well as the aforementioned diverter
at Chapel and Simeon.
The Church Streetneighbourhood bikeway is already functioning as a bike route but needs some
enhanced wayfinding to assist cyclists to their destination. To reduce motor vehicle volumes at
one end and assist with the connection to the Queen Street separated bikelanes, a no-entry
condition for motor vehicles is created from Queen onto Church Street. Motor vehicles can
access that block of Church Street from Frederick Street instead.
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The Madison Streetneighbourhood bikeway is intended to connect the Iron HorseTrail to the
Kitchener Market Ion station and Kitchener Market district. Motor vehicle volumes (1,700/day)
and speeds (46 km/h) can be reduced through a “right-in, right-out” diverter at the intersection
of Madison Street and Courtland Avenue. This will divert traffic to nearby Stirling Avenue.
The Benton Streetneighbourhood bikeway between Courtland Avenue East and Bruder Avenue
connects the Iron Horse Trail to a trail connection at the end of Mitchell Street, as well as potential
cycling routes on the Region’s portion of Benton Street. A reduced speed limit and wayfinding
are the only physical changes proposed for this street.
The Water Streetneighbourhood bikeway provides a direct connection to the separated bike
lanes on Water Street and Joseph Street. This portion of Water Street already functions as a
bike route, with additional wayfinding being proposed. Motor vehicle volumes are higher than
preferred at 1,500 vehicles/day. A future phase will consider traffic volume reduction measures
that fit with the surrounding neighbourhood and Victoria Park.
The David Streetneighbourhood bikeway provides a connection from the Iron Horse Trail to the
separated bike lanes on Joseph Street and Ontario Street. Enhanced wayfinding and a reduced
speed limit are the only changes proposed.
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The Stirling Lane and Pandora Streetneighbourhood bikeways are intended to connect the
existing Duke Street contraflow bike lane and recently installed bike lanes on Stirling Avenue
that serve Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute. Enhanced wayfinding and a reduced speed
limit are the only changes proposed.
The Waverly Roadneighbourhood bikeway connects the Transit Hub Trail from Raddatz park to
Cherry Park. Enhanced wayfinding and a reduced speed limit are the only changes proposed.
Boulevard multi-use trail
Margaret Avenue and Otto Street
Amulti-use trailon Margaret Avenue and Otto Street is intended to provide safer access to the
Spurline Trail, Suddaby Public School, the Young Street contraflow lane into the downtown
and the Kitchener Public Library (via Roy Street).
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