Report to/Rapport au :
Comité des transports
14 December 2009 / le 14 décembre
2009
Submitted by/Soumis par : Councillor Clive
Doucet
Contact
/ Personne-ressource : Councillor C. Doucet
(613) 580-2487, Clive.Doucet@ottawa.ca
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SUBJECT: |
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OBJET : |
NÉCESSITÉ DE créer DES VOIES CYCLABLES SÉPARÉES |
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Transportation Committee direct staff to undertake the
following:
1. Identify locations
of potential pedestrian/cyclist/vehicle conflict using available information
such as accident records and report back to Transportation Committee with a
plan on how to minimize collisions at these locations in time for consideration
as part of the 2011 Budget.
2. As
part of the above safety review, determine whether segregated bike lanes would
be appropriate in these locations to improve safety and promote cycling as a
mode of transportation.
3. Determine if Members of Council would
be interested in a delegation to Montreal, Burlington (Vermont), or the
Netherlands to observe and learn about cycling initiatives in these cities and
report back to Committee on the transportation and financial advantages of
investing in bicycle infrastructure as these cities have done.
RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité des
transports charge le personnel d’entreprendre ce qui suit :
1. désigner les emplacements de conflit
potentiel entre les piétons, les cyclistes et les automobilistes, à l’aide de
l’information disponible, comme les rapports d’accident, et remettre au Comité
des transports un plan indiquant comment limiter les collisions à ces endroits,
en temps opportun pour la préparation du budget de 2011;
2. dans le cadre de l’examen de sécurité
décrit ci-dessus, déterminer si des voies cyclables séparées seraient
appropriées à ces endroits afin d’améliorer la sécurité et de promouvoir le
vélo comme moyen de transport;
3. déterminer si les membres du Conseil
souhaiteraient déléguer des représentants à Montréal, Burlington (Vermont) ou
aux Pays-Bas, afin d’analyser la situation à ces endroits et de connaître les
projets de cyclisme qui y sont menés, et rendre compte au Comité des avantages,
en matière financière et de transport, d’un investissement dans une
infrastructure cyclable, comme ces villes l’ont fait.
BACKGROUND
This
report expands on the memo dated 26 October 2009 written by the General
Manager, Planning and Growth Management, and which was distributed to Council
as “Information Previously Distributed” on the Transportation Committee agenda
of 2 December 2009 (Document 3).
DISCUSSION
On
Sunday, 19 July 2009, five cyclists riding single file in a marked bicycle lane
on March Road were struck from behind by a motor vehicle, making it impossible
to escape injury. Ottawa’s reputation as a bicycle friendly city has been jeopardized by
this horrific accident.
In 2008, there were
292 collisions in Ottawa involving cyclists.
Of that number, 262 resulted in injuries. And, while Ottawa has an exceptional
recreational bicycle pathway network, only 2% of City streets have designated
bike lanes and less than a kilometre have segregated bike lanes. Cycling should be made safer for residents of
all ages and levels of ability.
CONSULTATION
Planning and Growth Management and Public Works comments
Staff have reviewed the summary of Ottawa Police records of reported collisions involving cyclists between 2006 and 2008. It has to be noted that since the Highway Traffic Act defines reported collisions as collisions having damage of $1,000 or more or where injury results, the available data may not be a true representation of all collisions involving cyclists. The collision records identify vehicle and cyclist actions and manoeuvres as well as cycling conditions at the time of the collision. Records indicate that approximately 65% of the locations, having more than one collision, are intersections where segregation is not possible.
Records also show that between 2006 and 2008, four locations were reported to have cyclist fatalities. Eleven mid-block locations and 12 intersections had three or more collisions. These locations are summarized in Document 1.
If approved by Council, it is proposed that a specialized In Service Safety Review be undertaken for the listed locations. Such a review involves conducting field checks, traffic flow analysis, reviewing geometric features, etc that require traffic engineering expertise in cycling facilities on/adjacent to roadways. This further includes a comprehensive review of the collisions that have occurred at the locations. The next step would be the development of a list of recommended safety strategies/countermeasures to address the identified issues. A prioritized benefit/cost analysis would be provided as part of this study to allow future decisions towards implementation.
The City does not currently have the
appropriate cycling safety expertise to undertake such an initiative. Therefore a Traffic/Transportation
Engineering Consultant with appropriate expertise would have to be retained to
undertake this review. It is anticipated
that such an initiative would take six months to complete.
Should Council direct staff to proceed with this initiative, staff would prepare a study Terms of Reference (TOR) and a cost estimate for Committee and Council approval.
It should noted that several of the locations that are noted to have had cyclist fatalities or more than three collisions between 2006-2008 are slated for cycling safety improvements should funding in the draft 2010 Capital budget be approved.
With respect to the final recommendation, staff currently have not budgeted any funds for the travel of Members of Council to these destinations. Should there be an interest in pursuing this by Members of Council staff will bring forward a report and an estimated cost. It should be noted that as part of the review of new pedestrian and cycling opportunities that will be availed through the implementation of the Downtown Ottawa Transit Tunnel project, an international Peer Review panel will be incorporated into the process to provide a critical third party review of the proposed revised cycling and pedestrian network and an overview of worldwide best practices in the provision of cycling facilities.
LEGAL/RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS
Since
the recommendations reflect a modification by the Councillor and staff of the
resolution in the Notice of Motion, there are no legal/risk management
impediments to the implementation of this Report's recommendations.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Financial implications will be brought forward as part of the study’s Terms of Reference for Council approval.
Should Members of Council wish to travel to visit the locations addressed in the third recommendation of this report, a report will be prepared for Committee’s consideration detailing the anticipated cost of this endeavour.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 – Summary of locations detailing cyclist fatalities or more than three collisions
Document 2 – Notice of Motion as originally submitted 26 August 2009
Document 3 – Downtown Urban Design Strategy (DOUDS) Mobility Overlay (ACS2009-ICS-PGM-0212-IPD)
DISPOSITION
City staff to respond to the direction of Committee and Council.
Document 1
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City of
Ottawa - Locations with cyclist fatalities or more than 3 collisions (2006 -
2008) |
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Fatal Collision |
Location |
From or At |
To |
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Fatal |
ABBEYHILL
DR |
EAGLESON
RD |
SURREY
LANE |
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Fatal |
CARLING
AVE WB |
BOYCE
AVE |
SCRIVENS
ST |
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Fatal |
OTTAWA
RIVER PKWY |
RIVER
ST |
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Fatal |
RIDEAU
ST |
RIDEAU
PL |
WURTEMBURG
ST |
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Collision Count |
Midblock
Location |
From |
To |
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4 |
BANK
ST |
BILLINGS
TRANSIT |
RIVERSIDE
DR |
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4 |
RIDEAU
ST |
WILLIAM
ST |
SUSSEX
DR |
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4 |
BANK
ST |
ALTA VISTA DR |
WALKLEY
RD |
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3 |
INNES
RD |
INNES
RD |
ANDERSON
RD |
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3 |
BANK
ST |
COOPER
ST |
LISGAR
ST |
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3 |
PRINCE
OF WALES DR |
DYNES
RD |
MEADOWLANDS
DR |
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3 |
PRINCE
OF WALES DR |
FISHER
AVE |
NO
NAME |
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3 |
BANK
ST |
GROVE
AVE |
OSSINGTON
AVE |
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3 |
BANK
ST |
EVANS
BLVD |
RANDALL
AVE |
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3 |
MONTREAL
RD |
AVIATION
PKWY |
RUE
DEN HAAG DR |
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3 |
ST.
PATRICK ST EB |
COBOURG
ST |
VANIER
PKWY |
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Collision Count
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Intersection |
At |
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6 |
HWY
417 |
MAITLAND
AVE |
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6 |
MONTREAL
RD |
VANIER
PKWY |
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4 |
ELGIN
ST |
LAURIER
AVE |
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4 |
HAWTHORNE
AVE |
QUEEN
ELIZABETH DRWY |
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3 |
BOOTH
ST |
OTTAWA
RIVER PKWY |
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3 |
CATHERINE
ST |
HWY
417 N-W RAMP AT O'CONNER ST |
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3 |
CLARENCE
ST |
DALHOUSIE
ST |
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3 |
CONROY
RD |
JOHNSTON
RD |
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3 |
NCC
SCENIC DRIVEWAY |
ISLAND
PARK DR |
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3 |
INNES RD |
LANTHIER DR |
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3 |
KING
EDWARD AVE |
ST.
PATRICK ST |
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3 |
MACKENZIE
AVE |
RIDEAU
ST |
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Document 2
NOTICE
OF MOTION
Transportation Committee 26 August 2009
Whereas on Sunday
July 19, 2009, five cyclists riding single file in a marked bicycle lane on
March Road were struck from behind by a motor vehicle, making it impossible to
escape injury;
Whereas Ottawa’s reputation as
a bicycle friendly city has been jeopardized by this horrific accident;
Whereas in 2008 there were 292
collisions in Ottawa involving cyclists, and of that number 262 resulted in
injuries;
Whereas while Ottawa has an
exceptional recreational bicycle pathway network, only 2% of city streets have
designated bike lanes and less than a kilometre have segregated bike lanes;
Whereas cycling should be made
safer for residents of all ages and levels of ability;
Be it resolved that City staff
identify high risk city routes as per accident date, including all those which have
seen cycling fatalities, and bring forward a priority investment plan for
creating segregated bike lanes to provide physical separation from motorized
traffic along these routes.
Document 3
M E M O /
N O T E D E S E R V I C E
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To /
Destinataire |
Chair and
Members of Transportation Committee/Président et membres du Comité des transport |
File/N° de
fichier: ACS2009-ICS-PGM-0212 |
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From /
Expéditeur |
John L. Moser
General
Manager/Directeur général, Planning and
Growth Management Department/Service d’Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance |
Contact
Person/Personne ressource : Richard Kilstrom, Planning and Growth
Management/Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance (613)
580-2424 x 22653, Richard.Kilstrom@ottawa.ca |
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Subject /
Objet |
Downtown Ottawa Urban Design Strategy (DOUDS) – Mobility Overlay/ Stratégie
d’esthétique urbaine dans le centre-ville d’Ottawa (SEUCVO) – Renforcement de
la mobilité |
Date : October 26,
2009 Le 26 octobre
2009 |
The purpose of this memorandum is to advise Council of the commencement of work on a mobility overlay for the Downtown Ottawa Urban Design Strategy (DOUDS), and secondly how this work will address direction given by Council during approval of the Cycling Plan with respect to the study of segregated bicycle lanes in the downtown core.
DOUDS was approved by Council in 2004 as an action-oriented strategy to improve urban design and the public realm in the core of Canada’s capital. It contains some 40 strategies that could be addressed over two decades. Council initiated its first DOUDS steps with its approval of the award-winning Escarpment Area District Plan in 2008.
As part of the Downtown Ottawa Transit Tunnel project (DOTT), Planning and Growth Management staff have established an Urban Design Working Group with their counterparts at the National Capital Commission with the goal of determining how the interrelationships between pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motorists can be improved in the downtown core once the project is implemented. With three underground LRT stations and a reduction in the number of surface buses from approximately 2600 to 600 daily, the opportunities for improving the downtown street environment are unprecedented.
To examine these possibilities, the Working Group will lead the creation of a mobility overlay for DOUDS. This overlay study will examine whether or not one-way streets can be restored to two-way traffic, as well as identify requirements to widen sidewalks and provide cycling lanes separated from regular traffic. It is anticipated that as the on-street environment improves for pedestrians and cyclists, opportunities will also improve for downtown LRT stations to attract more riders walking or cycling to and from the stations.
When Council approved the Cycling Plan in July 2008, the downtown component of the plan was conceptual in nature as neither the Transportation Master Plan nor the downtown tunnel alignment yet had been approved. It is anticipated that the DOUDS Mobility Overlay will refine the conceptual cycling routes, and in particular examine the appropriate locations for east-west segregated cycling routes per Council direction. The study will also examine similar opportunities for north-south segregated cycling routes. While the study work is ongoing a pilot project featuring east-west segregated cycling lanes in the downtown core will be implemented in 2010.
This study will be led by Richard Kilstrom, Manager, Policy Development and Urban Design. Integral to the success of this initiative will be public consultation and building upon the success of the Transportation Master Plan process, wherein a peer review panel of experts from other cities will be engaged.
Should you have any questions regarding this memorandum please contact Richard or myself.
Original signed by
Richard Kilstrom
John L. Moser
General Manager
cc: John Jensen, Director, Rail Implementation
Richard Kilstrom, Manager, Policy Development and Urban Design
Vivi Chi, Manager, Transportation Planning
Kevin Guerin, Manager, Rail Implementation Communication and Outreach
Phil Landry, Manager, Engineering Technical Services
Alain Gonthier, Manager, Asset Management
Dana Collings, Program Manager, Urban Design/Community Design
Mona Abouhenidy, Program Manager, Transportation Strategic Planning
Jean-François Trépanier, Executive Vice-president of Operations, National Capital Commission