metrolinx green paper 6: roads and highways
TRANSCRIPT
DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
Green Paper #6Roads and Highways
February 22, 2008
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
Outline
BackgroundExisting SystemIssuesOptions for Action: Trends, Incremental, BoldNext Steps
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
1943
Our New Roads and Highways Vision…
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
1966
Our New and Improved Roads and Highways Vision…
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
Our New(er) and (More) Improved Roads and Highways Vision…
2004
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
GTHA Major Road Network
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
GTHA Reliance on Roads and Highways
HOV (Driver + Passenger)30%
Drive Alone49%
Walk/Cycle/Other9%
Bus/Streetcar7%±
Transit 12%
Subway/SRT4%±
GO Rail1%
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
Existing Roads and Highways
Extensive gridBackbone of the existing transportation system95% of 12 million daily trips (including transit) depend on road systemCongestion limiting our competitivenessLimited opportunities for expansion
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
Severe Road Congestion in 2031 Without Intervention
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
GTHA Road NetworkThe GTHA transportation network shapes the way our communities grow and are designedThe road system we have today is a major part of our transportation system and has tended to foster an over reliance on a car culture and car-oriented neighborhoods, because of a lack of other optionsThe trend is slowly changing and in the future the emphasis will be on “multi-modal” transportation corridors fully integrated as part of a sustainable transportation systemThe GTHA road network’s key function is mobility for people and goods
……(continued)
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
GTHA Road Network (cont’d)The existing peak period network is overloaded with single occupant vehicles (+ 90% of car travel on freeways)Continued growth in GTHA population and employment will result in increased congestion without a change in how, when and how often people and goods are movedResponse requires:• An integrated transportation network• Management of travel demand to best match available
system capacity; and• Increase in the people and goods carrying capacity of the
road network.
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
Some Key Issues for Roads and HighwaysImproved transportation information systemsHOV network on existing roads and highwaysGoods movement bottlenecksGaps in systemConsideration of road pricing scenarios to manage demand
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
Improved Transportation InformationNeed to provide choices• More transit opportunities
Easily accessible travel information to aid in making those choices• Internet, telephone • Real-time advisories• Information available at all major decision points
• Mobility hubs
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
Planned / Proposed HOV Lanes in GTHA
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
HOV Lanes on Regionally Significant RoadsIncluded in several municipalities and municipal transportation plansMTO has significant HOV plans for 400 series highwaysGood starting pointsNo broad network strategyCoordination required
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
Goods Movement
Need to move goods more efficiently • Limits in the peak hours• May need restrictions
Moving people from single occupant cars onto transit frees up road capacity for goodsGoods movement bottlenecks and missing system links will and are being addressed
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
Gaps in Regional ConnectivitySome road discontinuity or gaps• Potential impact on transit service coverage
May be caused by • Environmental or physical impediments• Jurisdictional or funding impediments• Community impacts
Example• Taunton Road – Steeles
• Durham transit to York transit and TTC connections
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
Road Pricing to Manage DemandVarious road pricing mechanisms will be considered to manage demand including:• Variable Pricing / Dynamic Tolling based on
congestion for an individual facility• HOT Lanes / Managed Lanes• Congestion Pricing• Environmental / Emissions Pricing• Distance-based Pricing
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
Scenarios for GTHA Roads and HighwaysTrends• Limited HOV lanes based on widening existing roads• Limited transit priority continues (signal priority, queue jump)• Tolling restricted to Hwy. 407• Improved active transportation facilities
Incremental• Progress towards all transportation facilities being fully
integrated and priorities assessed within common set of criteria and funding tools
• Better coordination and increased transit and HOV priority including conversion of some general purpose lanes
• More facilities employing transportation pricing• Limiting goods delivery during peak periods• Investigation of “clean air corridors” for smog days
………(continued)
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
Scenarios for GTHA Roads/Hwys (cont’d)Bold• Full coordination and integration of the prioritization
and design of all transportation facilities based on a common set of criteria and funding tools
• Move to “complete” streets• Increased HOV and dedicated transit lanes with
higher-speed higher-order transit on regional roads/arterials
• Comprehensive transportation pricing strategy to guide demand
• Restrictions on goods movement and delivery in congested area combined with distribution centres
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
Three Lenses for Testing AlternativesPeople Environment Economy
Jobs / EconomyAestheticsNoiseCommunitiesHealth & Safety
Fuel UseEmissionsCarbon FootprintUrban Sprawl
EmploymentCongestionEfficiencyAdaptability
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
Objectives for GTHA Roads and HighwaysThe RTP will seek to influence the roads and highways of the GTHA in a manner that:• optimizes the utilization of existing infrastructure;• meets the long-term needs of GTHA travelers;• maximizes the capacity of that infrastructure to move people
and goods;• enhances the modal choices offered GTHA travelers;• supports government land use policies;• reduces the environmental impact of road transportation;
and• provides a safe, pleasant, convenient, and attractive
experience for all road users.
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DEVELOPMENT OF A REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE GREATER TORONTO AND HAMILTON AREA
Next StepsPublic input and dialogueIntegration of roads and highways with complementary issues of transit, goods movement, etc.Development and assessment and of best long range plan and policy alternatives