Transportation Committee

 

 

 

 

 

TO:

Mayor and Members of Council

 

 

 

 

FROM:

Alan Brown, Director of Engineering

 

 

 

 

PREPARED BY:

Arup Mukherjee, Manager of Transportation

 

 

 

 

DATE OF MEETING:

2004-Apr-26

 

 

 

 

SUBJECT:

YRTP Quick Start Programme

 

 

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATION:

 

That the report dated April 26, 2004 entitled “YRTP Quick Start Programme” be received;

 

That the proposed routes and stops as identified by YRTP be endorsed by Council subject to the following conditions:

·        Heritage style shelters as approved by Town staff be constructed in Heritage areas

·        Signal timing changes for transit signal priority at local road intersections be developed in consultation with Town staff to ensure minimal impact to residents

·        Modifications to Town of Markham roads to accommodate the Quick Start Programme be subject to Town staff approval

·        YRTP advise adjacent property owners prior to proceeding with construction

·        Town staff continues to work with YRTP to finalize details for the launch of the Quick Start programme expected in the Fall of 2005;

 

And that Mary-Frances Turner, Executive Co-ordinator of YRTP and Kees Schipper, Commissioner of Transportation and Works of the Region of York be advised accordingly.

 

 

PURPOSE:

 

This report seeks Council endorsement of YRTP’s Quick Start programme and particularly the proposed routes and stops within Markham. 

 

 

 

 

BACKGROUND:

 

In June 2002, the Region of York formed a public private partnership to plan, design and build the rapid transit plan as identified in the Region’s Transportation Master Plan.  One of the first priorities of the partnership is to complete the Environmental Assessments for each of the four transit corridors along Yonge Street, Highway 7, Vaughan North-South link and the Markham North-South link.  These various EA studies for future full system rapid transit are underway and are expected to be formally submitted to the Ministry of Environment this Fall.  Staff will report back to Committee on these EA Studies.

 

It was recognized that the implementation of the full system rapid transit project would take several years after approval by the Ministry of Environment due to the confirmation of funding and the detailed design and construction of the infrastructure.  As a result, YRTP has proposed an early introduction of rapid transit service identified as Quick Start.  A summary of the Quick Start programme is included in Attachment 1.

 

An overview of the Quick Start programme was presented to Markham’s Transportation Committee on January 27, 2003, September 29, 2003 and March 29, 2004.  YRTP has been working with staff and other stakeholders to finalize details for the routes and stops. 

 

OPTIONS/DISCUSSION:

 

Definition and Purpose of Quick Start

Quick Start includes a number of elements associated with the Region’s emerging rapid transit system such as new buses and stops.  However, Quick Start will not run in a segregated right-of-way and priority for transit vehicles will be provided by minor intersection improvements and a transit signal priority system.  The Quick Start programme does not require Environmental Assessment approval and all minor intersection improvements must be accommodated within the existing right-of-way.  The key objectives of the Quick Start programme include:

 

  • Demonstrate early success by improving speed and reliability of transit service
  • Establish a market for the future full system rapid transit
  • Begin influencing land use to support transit
  • Establish the presence of rapid transit stops for future potential permanent station locations

 

Elements of Quick Start

The Quick Start programme will include a package of rapid transit elements including state-of-the-art vehicles, distinctive stops, frequent service, intersection improvements, and modern fare collection system and passenger information services.  These elements will combine to provide a distinct yet complementary service to the current YRT system and will ultimately offer commuters a higher level of service.  The vehicles will be the same ones that are to be deployed as part of the initial full system bus rapid transit.  These new buses will provide more comfort in the form of improved ride quality, interior design and will include front-loading bike racks.  Key intersections will be improved specifically to reduce delays for buses.  Special transit signals will be introduced as a part of the initial system of bus rapid transit.   Stops will provide distinctive shelters including heritage designs where applicable.  Each stop will be equipped with real time information advising customers when the next bus will be arriving.  Fare collection will be based on the GO transit model of proof-of-payment thereby reducing the amount of time a bus is stopped.

 

Quick Start Routes

One of the primary objectives of the Quick Start programme is the early introduction of the rapid transit system to influence land use and establish a presence for the full system.  In this regard, it was determined that Quick Start would operate along all four rapid transit route corridors.  Actual routing is based on a review of existing and future road links, intersection operations, existing and future development, and other transit services such as GO, YRT and TTC.  Based on this review, Attachments 2, 3 and 4 identify the proposed routes and stop locations.  YRTP will present an overview of the 3 routes in Markham at the committee meeting.

 

Yonge Street Corridor

In Markham, this corridor extends from Highway 7 to Steeles Avenue.  In Thornhill, the staff had already been working on the Thornhill Yonge Street Study to identify built form and streetscape plans in the village of Thornhill to enhance and vitalize the area.  Rapid transit was seen as an important element of the overall area plan and staff worked closely with YRTP to ensure the integration of the Quick Start program does not compromise the future plans for integration of the full system in this area. 

 

Highway 7 Corridor

In Markham, this corridor extends from Yonge Street to the Markham Stouffville Hospital.  With the exception of Markham Centre, the corridor remains on Highway 7.   In Markham Centre, the alignment of Quick Start is dependent upon the construction of Enterprise Boulevard that is expected to be completed by early 2005.  The completion of this roadway will provide opportunities for stops to integrate with the new YMCA, the GO Station, Motorola, IBM and future development of residential and employment uses as part of the Remington plan, as well as  the planned high school.

 

Markham North-South Link

In Markham, this corridor extends from Highway 7 to Steeles Avenue.  The section along Warden Avenue will improve transit service for the commercial uses near 14th Avenue, (i.e. American Express, Novopharm, etc.).  The portion along Denison Road will improve transit service for the industrial/commercial lands west of Warden Avenue.  Finally the portion along Esna Park Drive will improve transit service for Liberty and IBM located at 3600 Steeles Avenue.  City of Toronto and TTC have agreed in principle about access to the Don Mills station.  YRTP and Regional staff are still in discussions with City of Toronto and TTC to finalize details for the routes and stops.

 

 

 

 

 

Current Status and Next Steps

YRTP has submitted detailed drawings to staff for review.  Staff is in the process of providing comments.  Utility relocations for the stops are expected to start in May.  Attachment 5 provides further details on the current status of the project.

 

 

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

There are no financial implications to the Town.

 

 

 

ATTACHMENTS:

 

Attachment 1 – Quick Start Summary

Attachment 2 – Routes

Attachment 3 – Stop locations

Attachment 4 – Stop locations

Attachment 5 – Project Status

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alan Brown, C.E.T.

Director of Engineering

 

Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.

Commissioner of Development Services

 

 

P:\Development\Engineering\REPORTS\2004\April\Quick Start_Endorsement.doc