Thank you for the…

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments on the MTO Discussion Paper on Cycling Initiatives under the Climate Change Action Plan. Staff from the Region of Peel have reviewed the discussion paper, and have provided coordinated responses to the discussion questions on the proposed plan, as detailed below.

Plan to Improve Commuter Cycling Networks
•What infrastructure should be prioritized to make cycling in Ontario safer and more convenient to support commuter cycling between residential communities, major transit stations, employment areas and other destinations travelled to on a frequent basis?

oSeparated/protected bike lanes provided as a minimum grid throughout municipalities on arterials and collector roads
oBicycle-specific infrastructure at intersections and other locations where bicycle routes cross major roads
oIdentify gaps in existing cycling and active transportation infrastructure systems in order to plan, design and build linkages to form a more complete and connected network
oWiden or retrofit bridges to accommodate bicycle facilities, such as where they intersect with MTO highway interchanges
oCommunity bike sharing programs
oBike repair stations at major hubs such as GO stations, post-secondary schools, major employment areas and growth centres
oPromotion and education programming to maximize the impact of new bicycle facilities, and to educate drivers to increase acceptance of sharing the road and avoiding conflicts with cyclists
oMulti-use trails where appropriate, such as along arterial roads, hydro corridors, railway corridors, and river valleys
oIntegration and prioritization of cycling access routes into transit station/hub design, along transit corridors, and as part of transit oriented development

•What evidence can demonstrate the impact of cycling infrastructure investments on the number of cyclists and on GHG emissions?
oBike counters with public displays when new separated cycling infrastructure is installed
oCoordination with cycling/walking tracking apps
oTransportation Tomorrow Survey
oCordon Count program
oLevel of Service indicators that consider Active Transportation, such as surveys and other methods to assess perceived comfort & safety.
oAir quality modeling
oMore detailed air quality and emissions tracking at a local & corridor level
oReduced Vehicle Kilometres Traveled (VKT)
oOther surveys or means to collect information about trip length and purpose, in order to identify shorter trips with a higher likelihood of mode-shift to cycling

Local Cycling Infrastructure
•For local cycling networks, what types of cycling infrastructure would best support commuter cycling between residential communities, major transit stations, employment areas and other destinations travelled to on a frequent basis?

oBike lanes, both on-street and separated, depending on context
oTraffic calming on local and collector streets
oBicycle-specific infrastructure at intersections and other locations where bicycle routes cross major roads
oMulti-use trails where appropriate, such as through parks and natural areas
oCommunity bike sharing programs
oBike repair stations at community hubs such as schools and community centres
oMarketing and education programming to maximize the impact of new bicycle facilities

Provincial Cycling Infrastructure
•What types of cycling infrastructure on provincial highways would best support commuter cycling between residential communities, major transit stations, employment areas and other destinations travelled to on a frequent basis?

oWiden, retrofit or introduce new design treatments to bridges to safely accommodate bicycle facilities, such as where they intersect with MTO highway interchanges
oAdd paved shoulders and multi-use trails with sufficient space for cyclists adjacent to rural highways as appropriate
oAt provincial car pool lots, add bike parking racks/lockers, and ensure there are safe, separated cycling connections to these locations
oAvoid locating cycling facilities too close (within 200 metres) to high-use limited-access provincial highways with known high levels of air pollution

Bicycle Parking
•What types of bike parking facilities (e.g., bike racks, lockers, fee-based enclosures) are needed to support cycling for commuting and other frequent trips?

oA variety of parking facilities are needed, depending on the land-use context and trip purpose (i.e. short stay of 1-3 hours, vs. long-stay of 4+ hours)
oProviding appropriate space, systems and permitted times to allow passengers to board transit vehicles with their bicycles, particularly GO Trains and Rapid Transit Vehicles, would help limit the need for new bike parking infrastructure, and allow people to travel by bike for the first and last mile at both ends of their trips.
o

•What types of government-owned, publicly accessible facilities should have bike parking?
oAll facilities that are destinations for the public or employees should include appropriate bike parking for the location trip and purpose.
o

•What types of transit or transportation stations should have bike parking to support improved cyclist access (e.g., GO Stations, LRT stations, bus terminals)?
oGO stations
oRapid transit stations
oBus terminals
oMajor bus stops on busy transit routes
oViaRail stations

•What types of private facilities could potentially be eligible to receive provincial funding for bicycle parking facilities?
oWork sites / major employers
oTourism and recreation facilities
oMajor retail/commercial destinations
oPublic institutions, i.e. colleges, universities, hospitals
oSchools
oHigher-density developments
oPlaces of worship

[Original Comment ID: 202337]