Westmount Walking and Cycling Association

Westmount Master T&ATM Plan

WWCA Mission •  Improve liveability -Less traffic

-Walking -Cycling -Public transit

Master Plan •  Keen interest from outset

Presentation Overview Master Plan Issues •  Vision and Guiding Principles •  Reduce Traffic •  Promote -Walking

-Cycling -Public Transit

•  Street Layouts •  Process Management

Vision Future Westmount •  Densely populated urban community •  Human scale -most walk, cycle or PT

-fewer cars •  Network of safe and attractive -walking routes

-cycling routes •  Safe environment •  Presence of nature •  Active social life in public spaces

Negative Impact of Cars Health -Injury & death

-Respiratory disease -Obesity

Environment -Pollution Community -Danger, space, noise, visual Pocketbook -Taxes to fund -Roads

-Health care -Lost productivity

Shopping Street

Shopping Street

Dangerous Environment

Dangerous Activity

Two Visions

1 - Cope with dangerous environment

2 - Make environment safer

Community Life – Village Feel

Photo - Jan Gehl

Guiding Principles

•  Diminish traffic - reduce capacity

•  Promote walking – safe/attractive infra.

•  Promote cycling – safe/attractive infra.

•  Change attitudes and behaviour

•  User Hierarchy

Key Principle – User Hierarchy Weight Speed Momentum

Pedestrians 75 kg 5 kph 375 Cyclists 85 kg 15 kph 1,275 Car 2000 kg 40 kph 80,000

► Car - Hard shell

Momentum Pedestrian Cyclist Car (hard shell)

.

Vehicle Speed (kpm)

Fatality Probability

< 20 kph 5%

30 kph 40%

40 kph 80%

50 kph 100%

•  Pie chart to illustrate injuries/death

Presentation Overview Master Plan Issues •  Vision and Guiding Principles •  Reduce Traffic •  Promote -Walking

-Cycling -Public Transit

•  Street Layouts •  Process Management

Reduce Traffic •  Through traffic

•  In/out traffic

•  Local traffic

Through Traffic •  Over 50% of Westmount traffic (WWCA)

•  Over 50% of through traffic from far away

•  Alternatives exist

•  Through drivers less concerned about impact on community (speed, noise, etc.)

•  Incentive -efficient traffic flow (7 mins)

In/Out Traffic

•  For work, shopping, errands, activities

•  Population doubles during weekdays

•  Incentives: -Efficient traffic flow -Abundant free or low-cost parking

Local Traffic

•  For shopping, errands, activities,

•  Incentives: -Efficient traffic flow -Abundant free or low-cost parking

High-Volume Streets East-West •  Sherbrooke •  Ste. Catherine •  The Boulevard •  Westmount Ave •  Cote St Antoine

North-South •  Lansdowne •  Claremont •  Clarke

High-Volume Streets

Confusing Streets 2 or 4 lanes? •  The Boulevard •  Westmount Ave •  Cote St. Antoine •  Ste. Catherine

Problem •  Encourages aggressive driving

Major Projects MUHC -8,500 staff

-1,800 visitors -Open 2014

Turcot – 2012-2018

Recreation Centre – 2012-2013

•  Big impact on traffic •  Soon •  Defensive measures necessary

Incentives to Drive #1 – Efficient traffic flow

(7 minutes to cross Westmount) #2 – Abundant free or low-cost parking •  Reduce traffic → reduce incentives

#1 Incentive to Drive Efficient Traffic Flow

•  Traditional objective of Public Works -Key busy streets -Traffic lights, street design, etc.

•  Reduce traffic = Reduce capacity (“You build..) -Reduce car lanes -Reduce speed -Longer time to cross Westmount

•  Reduce capacity = Temporary congestion

•  Drivers adapt (short-term, long-term)

Traffic Reduction Measures •  Replace some car lanes with bike paths

-Reduce traffic capacity -Calm traffic -Promote cycling -Start with ‘confusing’ ½ lanes

•  Traffic light management •  Constraints, obstacles •  Speed cameras •  School corridors

#2 Incentive to Drive Free or Low-cost Parking

•  2 & 4-hour free – meters/permits in Lower Westmount

•  Meters - $ (change behaviour of affluent)

•  Resident permits - $ (affluent)

•  City employees - $, car pool, incentives

•  Recreation Centre -$ (affluent)

•  Enforcement

Presentation Overview Master Plan Issues •  Vision and Guiding Principles •  Reduce Traffic •  Promote -Walking

-Cycling -Public Transit

•  Street Layouts •  Process Management

Promote Walking

Promote Walking •  100 kms of sidewalks •  Risk = Cars = Intersections •  Reduce traffic •  Safety at intersections

-4-way pedestrian lights -Time to cross -Scramble crossings

•  ‘Safety Walk’ issues •  Wider ‘active’ sidewalks •  Network - attractive walking routes (map) •  Pedestrian streets

Presentation Overview Master Plan Issues •  Vision and Guiding Principles •  Reduce Traffic •  Promote -Walking

-Cycling -Public Transit

•  Street Layouts •  Process Management

Promote Cycling

Bike Paths •  Safe passage (for young teen)

•  Limit key risk - Collision with motor vehicles

•  Key requirement for mainstream cyclists

•  Westmount - 2 kms vs 100 kms sidewalks/roads

•  No safe links - home to work, shopping, schools, activities, etc.

•  Proposed network

Bike Path Network

de Maisonneuve Bike Path •  Key east-west commuting route (NDG, west.)

•  Nearly 2000/day in summer – capacity?

•  Safest route -Risk Evaluation Report -Few incidents

•  Bi-directional works – quiet

•  Issues -Residents – driveways, crosswalks -Cyclists – frequent stops

Lansdowne/Glen Bike Path

•  1st year – bollards added

•  Big volume increase

•  List of improvements - important

•  Consistent into SW borough

Cote St. Antoine Bike Path

•  Key upper-lower link

•  Current commuter route - risky

•  Connect to de Maisonneuve bike path •  Medium volume

•  Calm traffic

Sherbrooke & Ste Catherine BP

•  Overflow from de Maisonneuve

•  Less safe – needs better protection

•  Faster (fewer stops) – attract fast cyclists

•  Safe access to Victoria Village shopping

Winter Cycling de Maisonneuve Bike Path •  Key commuter route

•  Nov-Apr -Closed -Parking on path

•  Test last winter -Poor cleaning -100 determined cyclists

dM Bike Path – Open!

Winter Cycling •  Significant gains → year-round

•  Year-round commitment -Cyclist - No bus pass, no car -City -Dependable infrastructure -Fast snow clearing -No special equipment required

•  Limited gains if paths closed 5 months/yr

•  Fair weather friends?

Winter Cycling Montreal •  35 km Reseau Blanc •  20,000 winter cyclists

Copenhagen •  Bike paths cleared before car lanes •  Winter commuters

-80% of summer bike commuters -30% of total commuters

Snowplow/Sander

Brush/Salter – Protected Paths Photo – Mikael Colville-Andersen

You clean it – they’ll come

Bixi •  Rapid positive impact on cycling

-Convenient (poll – Why cycle?) -Chic/cool, clean, no parking/theft hassle -Safe – 5 accidents in 3.5 million rides -Draw mainstream to cycling -Downside - winter

•  Westmount -5 stations x 15 bikes -More stations to promote cycling

Recreation Centre Problem •  Most hockey players drive – equipment •  RC mission – activity •  Densely populated residential area

Solutions •  Ventilated lockers? •  Bike parking •  Expensive car parking

Bike Parking •  Theft deters potential mainstream cyclists

•  Parking needs -Apartment buildings -Commercial areas -Schools -Recreation centre

•  Mainstream parking – Europe, Japan

Recreation Centre

Selwyn House

Dawson College

Westmount YMCA

Japan Subway Station

Other Cycling Issues •  Green arrow traffic lights

•  Impact of Recreation Centre construction

•  Cycling to school

•  Sidewalk bulbs

•  Fewer stops and Idaho ‘Rolling Stops’ -Logic, compliance, resistance

Sidewalk Bulbs

Resistance to Cycling •  Highway Safety Code violations - not worse

•  Cause of serious injuries or death - minimal •  Pedestrian/driver violations – internalised

•  Bikes - New - taking acquired space from cars

•  Resistance to change

•  Easy target for general frustration

•  Acceptance will take time

Presentation Overview Master Plan Issues •  Vision and Guiding Principles •  Reduce Traffic •  Promote -Walking

-Cycling -Public Transit

•  Street Layouts •  Process Management

Promote Public Transit •  Not controlled by Westmount

•  Advocate for better service -Westmount -Communities west -Major projects affecting Westmount -Commuter trains -Turcot -Champlain Bridge

Presentation Overview Master Plan Issues •  Vision and Guiding Principles •  Reduce Traffic •  Promote -Walking

-Cycling -Public Transit

•  Street Layouts •  Process Management

Street Layouts

Actual and Proposed Layouts East-West •  The Boulevard •  Westmount Ave •  Cote St Antoine •  Sherbrooke •  Ste. Catherine

North-South •  Lansdowne

Sherbrooke St.

Sherbrooke St. •  Heart of Westmount •  Flagship change for improved liveability •  Provincial highway •  Adjacent boroughs

Space Now Proposed Pedestrians 35% 45% Cyclists - 20% Drivers 65% 35%

de Maisonneuve

de Maisonneuve Model Residential Street •  Low traffic •  Bike path •  Green, shade in summer •  Attractive to walk or ride •  Copy – Lansdowne, Cote St Antoine Potential Improvements •  Park extension greenway •  Local traffic only •  Fewer stops for cyclists

Presentation Overview Master Plan Issues •  Vision and Guiding Principles •  Reduce Traffic •  Promote -Walking

-Cycling -Public Transit

•  Street Layouts •  Process Management

Process Management

Task vs Process

Successful Master Plan

•  Step 1 – Good plan

•  Step 2 – Well managed implementation

Informed Management •  Quantify objectives (amount, time)

•  Schedule implementation

•  Monitor performance

•  Report

•  Adjust accordingly

Plan Objectives - Traffic

•  Realistic

•  Non-threatening to Westmount residents

-Through -50% -In/out -35% -Local -25%

Quantify – Motor Vehicles Objectives 2012 2013 2014 Total vehicles/day 50k 40k 30k Through traffic -25% -50% In/out traffic -20% -30% -35% Time to cross West. 4 min 6 min 8 min Average car speed 40kph 38kph 35kph Medical injuries/yr 20 15 10 Measures Car lanes/bike paths 90k/10k 80k/20k Free parking spaces 5k 4k 3k Parking meter rates $3/h $4/h $5/h

Quantify - Cycling

Objectives 2012 2013 2014 Cyclists/day – summer 2k 3k 4k Cyclists/day – winter 0.5k 1k 1.5k West. cyclists/day - summer 0.5k 1k 1.5k Medical traffic injuries/yr 10 8 6 Measures Bike paths 10k 20k # public bike parking spaces 300 400 500 # Bixis 60 75 90

Quantify - Walking

Objectives 2012 2013 2014 Pedestrians/day – Sher. St 2k 3k 4k Medical traffic injuries/yr 10 8 6 Measures Traffic measures # pedestrian lights 8 9 10

Quantify – Transportation

Possible single measure for overall performance:

•  Transportation footprint?

Implementation Schedule (Phase to limit opposition)

Walking Cycling Driving Process 2012 2 pedest. lights

Install CSA bike path

Eliminate 1 lane on CSA

Confirm support

1 scramble crossing

50 new parking meters

Issue new ATM mandate

2013

Current Institutional Culture •  Education, training, historical mandates

-Efficient traffic flow -Protect pedestrians -No cyclists (recreation?)

•  Cycling knowledge gaps (winter cycling, safety, path design, signs)

•  ATC, PW, PS

Future Institutional Performance •  Objective -Reduce traffic

-Promote commuter cycling

•  Need new mandates, instructions, training (draft ATC mandate)

•  Promote active transportation by staff -Objectives, monitoring, reporting, adjustment

Safety •  All users disobey Highway Safety Code

•  Promote Code to all (education, enforce)

•  But - Injury and death - collisions with vehicles

•  Rather than focus on behaviour to cope with dangerous environment, make environment safer

•  Focus on motor vehicles

Responsibility Legislation

•  Injury responsibility based on weight

•  Heavy = Guilty

•  Leads to safer driving

•  20 European countries

•  Westmount should advocate

Adjacent Boroughs

•  Westmount affects neighbours, vice-versa

•  Benefits to cooperate and coordinate

•  Stronger advocacy voice -Sherbrooke St transformation -Impact of MUHC and Turcot

Citizen Participation

•  Residents experience traffic 24/7

•  Without citizen participation -Missed opportunities -Wasted resources

•  Cultural change required

Communications Programme •  Plan will affect all residents

•  Anticipate opposition to specific measures -Traffic congestion -Parking (residents and merchants)

•  Confirm citizen support •  Phased implementation

•  Continuous marketing during implementation -Greater good -Highlight gains

The Prize •  Long way to go -Safe environment

-Fewer cars -Safe walking -Mainstream cycling

•  Traffic Plan - 1st step (Protection → Comfort → Delight)

•  Adapt European experience •  Westmount brand - attract young families •  Potential model N. American community •  Legacy for our children

Westmount Walking and Cycling Association

September 2011

Comments/Questions?

Maps - Roger