Arvin Prasad, Commissioner of Development Services, introduced the item advising that at the June 21, 2021, Development Services Committee meeting Council deferred consideration of the proposed Active Transportation Plan to a workshop. The presentation being provided today is part of this workshop. The proposed Active Transportation Master Plan is a guiding document for active transportation infrastructure, policy and programing within the City.
Frank Clarizio, Director of Engineering, provided a presentation on the proposed Active Transportation Master Plan. Mr. Clarizio advised that staff are asking that Council endorse the plan in principle, and that the implementation funding of the Active Transportation Master Plan be assessed and included as part of the current Development Charges By-Law update as appropriate.
Ziggy Petch, IBI Group, presented a jurisdictional comparison of walking and cycling.
The following deputations were made on the proposed Active Transportation Master Plan:
- Peter Miasek spoke in support of the proposed Active Transportation Master Plan, noting that endorsing the plan in principle does not commit Council to any financial obligation, as individual projects would be approved through the City’s budget process. Mr. Miasek advised that other levels of government are supportive of active transportation and offer funding to support the initiative, such as funds are available through the National Active Transportation Fund. Mr. Miasek compared the high cost of adding one km road to the cost of adding one km of active transportation facilities. Mr. Miasek encouraged Council to endorse the proposed Active Transportation Master Plan in principle.
- David Rawcliffe, Chair of the Cycling & Pedestrian Committee, advised that the proposed Active Transportation Master Plan will create a framework that will help guide the City’s active transportation projects. Mr. Rawcliffe noted that individual projects will still need to be approved by Council. Mr. Rawcliffe noted the important role active transportation plays in addressing issues related to climate change, public health, and adapting to new types of devices like e-scooters and e-bikes.
- Steve Glassman spoke in regards to the importance of having an Active Transportation Master Plan that helps prioritize projects from an academic perspective and cited some recent research in the Toronto-area.
- Amit Arora noted that it is vital that the City have an Active Transportation Master Plan that guides active transportation investment. Ms. Arora read a letter from her 4th grade daughter asking the City to make improvements that would make cycling safer, easier and more enjoyable so that children can ride their bikes to school or to a friend’s house.
The Committee discussed the following relative to the Active Transportation Master Plan:
- Noted the importance of connecting Markham’s active transportation system, emphasizing the importance of connecting it with transit to limit short car trips;
- Advised that there are plans to connect the Rouge National Urban Park trails with Markham’s trail system, and that it will likely include a new lake to lake trail;
- Questioned how the placing of cycling facilities on roads will impact traffic congestion, and parking;
- Expressed concern regarding approving the Active Transportation Master Plan without all the supporting information (e.g. how e-scooters and e-bicycles will be addressed and, how the plan will impact traffic congestion and parking);
- Noted the importance of implementing and moving forward with Markham’s Active Transportation Master Plan even if a complete set of information is not available, recognizing that Markham’s trail system will be developed overtime and that adjustments to the plan can be made as new information becomes available;
- Suggested that the Active Transportation Master Plan should be regularly updated, and that it should include targets that can be adjusted;
- Noted the progress the City has achieved to date with respect to developing its trail system, and that residents from other municipalities also enjoy Markham’s trails;
- Noted that active transportation facilities need to be designed to minimize conflicts between pedestrians, cyclists, e-scooters and e-bikes, and motorist;
- Expressed concern regarding the cost of implementing the Active Transportation Master Plan;
- Discussed the cost and usage of building new roads versus the cost and usage of building an active transportation network;
- Expressed concern regarding the cost of building active transportation facilities relative to the usage;
- Noted that important role active transportation will play in addressing traffic congestion in areas planned for higher density (i.e. Markham Centre, and Langstaff);
- Noted that the majority of traffic congestion occurs on Regional roads and that the Region has approved a 1% tax increase to be put towards road improvements;
- Noted that the Development Services Sub-Committees can be used to address issues related to the implementation of the Active Transportation Master Plan, if approved by Council;
- Recognized that multi-use pathways may not be ideal, but that they are the safest option in some places where there is not enough room for separate cycling and pedestrian facilities;
- Noted that the City’s Operations Department should be involved in the discussions regarding the proposed Active Transportation Master Plan, such as including Operations in discussions regarding the winter maintenance of the active transportation network.
Staff provided the following responses to inquiries from the Committee:
Loy Cheah, Senior Manager of Transportation, advised that advancements in technology with respect to e-bikes and e-scooters supersede the work that was done on the proposed Active Transportation Master Plan. York Region conducted a study on the feasibility of bike-share services in the past, but the study is now out-of-date. Staff are researching the issues related to these devices and are exploring how they can be programed under the plan. A framework for addressing e-bikes and e-scooters will be brought back to the Development Services Committee in the future.
Mr. Clarizio explained that the proposed Active Transportation Master Plan looks at keeping vulnerable road users safe, and at creating a network for active transportation. Mr. Clarizio advised that staff design cycling and pedestrian facilities to maximize safety and to minimize conflicts. Mr. Clarizio noted that there are many factors that affect the participation in active transportation including, the availability of safe facilities; the connectivity of the active transportation network; awareness of active transportation options; and the density of the area. Mr. Clarizio advised that cyclists and pedestrians become the most vulnerable road users when dedicated facilities do not exist.
Mr. Clarizio also advised that Markham’s roads are generally wider than Toronto roads, which permits for cycling facilities to be added without reducing lanes, therefore, minimizing the impact on traffic congestion. Mr. Clarizio explained that Council will have the opportunity to address any loss of parking or impact on traffic congestion when approving the design for each individual project.
Staff agreed to reach out to Amit Arora regarding her cycling safety concern to see if it can be addressed.
The Committee requested that this item be brought forward to Council for its consideration on November 23rd, rather than on November 9, 2021.