March 7, 2000
To: Toronto Cycling Committee
From: Daniel Egan, Manager of Pedestrian and Cycling Infrastructure
Subject: Update on Toronto Cycling Master Plan Study
Recommendation:
It is recommended that this report be received for information
Discussion:
1. Tentative Schedule for Completion of Key Study Tasks
Following is the study schedule that the study team is working towards. There is still a considerable amount of work to be
completed in a relatively short period of time to meet this timetable. There may be a need for a special meeting of the
Cycling Committee in April or May to review sections of the draft Cycling Master Plan. In the event that we feel a special
meeting is needed, I will contact the Committee Chairs.
April 17 Present Draft Network Plan to Cycling Committee
April 18+ Second Series of Public Workshops on Draft Network Plan (6 Civic Centres)
Other public consultation as requested
May 15 Present Draft Report Recommendations to Cycling Committee
June 12 Final Report Completed
July 10 Report considered by Planning and Transportation Committee
August 1-3 Report considered by City Council
2. Draft Table of Contents
Attached as Appendix A is a draft Table of Contents for the Cycling Master Plan Report. I present this here to illustrate the
various cycling issues that the TCMP will address and to provide some advance notice on how the report may be
structured. This is still very draft -- there hasn't been a lot of discussion on this yet by the study team. I welcome any
comments on the scope, content and/or structure of the report.
3. Draft Network Objectives and Route Evaluation Process
This document (Appendix B) describes network goals and objectives and an evaluation process which have guided the
study team's work in evaluating candidate routes.
Contact:
APPENDIX A
DRAFT
TORONTO CYCLING MASTER PLAN REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS/OUTLINE
February 24, 2000
Recommendations
Executive Summary
1. Introduction
- Why we're doing a cycling master plan
- opportunities/challenges of New City
- Toronto in North American context.
4. Goal and Objectives
- link to Official Plan
- identify theme that links all program area
7. Cyclists and Cycling in Toronto
- summary of key findings of Decima survey
- other relevant data (collisions, bicycle volume trends, economic benefits data).
Suggested Format: The following chapters would deal with specific program areas and would have
three sections:
A. Introduction
- brief description of why this program is important
- program goals and objectives (tie in with theme linking all programs)
B. Existing Programs/Policies - brief description, including lead Departments and budget.
C. Recommendations for future work and priorities. These could fall into 4 (four) categories:
- maintain program at current level.
- modify program (either expand, reduce, eliminate).
- new program/policy and budget requirements (include implementation strategy here?)
- further detailed study.
5. Bicycle Network Plan
- Existing Network
- Network objectives
- Methodology for developing recommended network
- Route Selection and Evaluation Factors
- Design Issues - types of routes & typical cross sections
- trail-road intersections
- signage
- Recommended New Routes
- Implementation Strategy/Plan
- Maintenance of bicycle routes
- strategies to eliminate illegal parking in bicycle lanes (is this better in enforcement chapter?)
16. Bicycle Parking
- Post-and-ring program
- zoning by-law requirements
- bicycle rack performance criteria
- encouraging private sector bicycle parking
- Toronto Parking Authority
- Innovative bicycle parking programs - bicycle lockers, bike stations
- other end-of-trip facilities
24. Integration with Transit
- Bike and ride
- Bike racks on buses
- Bicycles on transit vehicles
28. Education and Promotion Programs
29. Enforcement
- HTA and municipal by-laws affecting cyclists (Appendix?)
- Enforcement policies & strategies for cyclists and drivers
32. City of Toronto as a Community Leader
- bicycle parking at all city workplaces
- encouraging bike to work trips
- use of bikes by City staff (Police, Ambulance, other)
36. Community Involvement
- role of the Toronto Cycling Committee
- public consulatation
39. Implementing the Bicycle Master Plan
- priorities
- costs
APPENDIX B
DRAFT
TORONTO CYCLING MASTER PLAN
DRAFT
BICYCLE NETWORK
OBJECTIVES AND ROUTE SELECTION/EVALUATION PROCESS
Vision Statement
· Double the number of bicycle trips made in the City of Toronto by the year 2010 by creating a network of safe,
comfortable and accessible on-street bicycle lanes and routes, and off-street trails to serve both utilitarian and recreational
cyclists.
Bicycle Network Objectives
· The network will be a grid of north south and east-west links, spaced approximately two kilometres apart. Where density
allows, this spacing may be decreased to accommodate areas with higher demand. This spacing will ensure that all
residents will be no more than a five-minute bike ride from the network. The routes will consist of a variety of designs,
including bike lanes, signed routes and off-road trails.
· For the on-street component of the network the priority is to identify streets which can accommodate bicycle lanes. Where
there are gaps in the grid of bike lanes greater than 2.5 km, signed bicycle routes will be identified to fill the gaps.
· The completed network will consist of direct and continuous routes providing safe and comfortable access for cyclists to
all parts of the city.
Key Factors for Identifying Candidate Routes for Bikeways
The selection of candidate routes will be based on the knowledge and experience of the study team, input from the cycling
community and consultation with other project stakeholders. Factors to be considered in the identification of routes will
include:
Connectivity/Continuity:
· routes that connect discontinuous sections of bicycle lanes and/or permit good connections between off-road routes.
· routes connecting major destinations such as civic centres, shopping facilities, service facilities, TTC and GO stations,
major employment centres, locations of natural and cultural interest, universities, secondary schools, libraries, parks and
tourist destinations.
· routes that cross major barriers in the City such as expressways and 400 series freeways, rail corridors, ravines and valley
lands.
· routes that connect to networks beyond the boundaries of the City such as in adjacent municipalities, the Trans Canada
Trail, the Waterfront Trail, and the Provincial Cycling Route Network.
· routes that provide links to other transportation systems, especially public transit.
Directness:
· direct routes, free from frequent delays and devoid of obstructions that adversely affect safety or convenience.
(Maintaining momentum is important to cyclists. Taxing physical exertion is required to re-accelerate a bicycle.
Experienced cyclists will not willingly detour more than a few blocks in urban areas in order to follow a designated bike
route, even if it has been specifically improved.)
· routes with traffic controls compatible with cycling, such as traffic signals at major road crossings and few stop signs in
the direction of travel.
Safety:
· routes that have potential to offer a safer and more comfortable cycling environment than the existing road network.
· routes that cross arterials at signalized intersections.
Key Factors for Evaluating Candidate Routes
In addition to the above cycling specific factors, the evaluation will also assess and evaluate the feasibility and ease of
implementation for the candidate routes. Critical factors that may affect implementation include the following:
Roadway Characteristics/Operation:
· ability of the existing cross-section to accommodate bike lanes taking into consideration pavement width, traffic volumes
(AADT), parking demand and the number of traffic lanes.
· impact of bike lanes on the existing roadway levels of service for transit and automobiles.
· impact of bike lanes on on-street parking, particularly in residential and business districts.
· opportunities to provide bicycle lanes through future/planned capital projects.
Other Factors:
· adjacent land use type and density.
· highly visible routes that others will see and will be tempted to try as well. A network of bikeways completely on remote
back streets is undesirable.
· level of existing and/or projected cycling activity (where this information is available).
Route Selection and Evaluation Approach
1. Identify all routes that could potentially serve cyclists' primary access needs.
Map candidate routes in the City for review based on directness, continuity, and connectivity (to other on-street and
off-street routes, major destinations, transit, etc).
Data Sources: - existing routes, lanes, trails, etc.
- public workshop suggestions
- cycling committee map
- previous requests
- consultant team and staff suggestions
Tasks 2, 3 and 4 to be performed separately for each Transportation District.
2. Perform Preliminary Evaluation of Candidate Routes
Evaluate the candidate routes using the following methodology:
Eliminate road sections with 'fatal flaws'. These would typically be those having one or more of the following:
- streetcar tracks, on-street parking and a road width of less than 15 metres
- full expressway interchanges
Identify candidates which could incorporate bicycle lanes by referring to the attached table:
DRAFT
| Minimum Roadway Width |
On-Street parking? |
Maximum AADT |
| 9.4 |
No |
20,000 |
| 11.7 |
One side |
20,000 |
| 14.0 |
Both sides |
20,000 |
| 15.8 |
No |
40,000 |
| 18.1 |
One side |
40,000 |
| 20.4 |
Both sides |
40,000 |
If there are gaps greater than 2.5 km in the bicycle lane grid identified in b), identify possible signed routes or off-street
trails which fill the gaps.
Identify other routes which should be included in the network because:
- they provide a connection to existing trails
- they provide a connection to a major destination (e.g. regional shopping centre)
Identify barriers/concerns for all of the routes identified in b), c), and d).
3. District Review Meeting with Traffic, Parks and Planning Staff
Special emphasis to be given to:
- recording District staff concerns and opportunities w.r.t. routes
- identifying other issues not yet included in the evaluation
- confirming or modifying the preferred routes
- identifying key issues to be investigated in ground proofing trips.
4. Groundproofing
Conduct field investigations of the routes identified in Task 3. Typically this will involve confirming data, filling gaps in
the data, resolving design issues, and identifying obstacles/opportunities which were raised in the previous steps. Critical
locations will be photographed.
Prepare District maps and memo describing recommended routes, forwarded to District and other staff for review.
Additional meetings, as necessary, scheduled with District staff to resolve outstanding issues.
5. Recommended Route Network and Implementation Plan
After Task 4 is complete for all of the Districts, (including follow-up consultation with District staff where necessary) the
Steering Committee will review:
- a map showing all candidate routes
- a map showing the recommended network
- an implementation strategy and detailed route ranking, costs and timeline
- Public Workshop agenda and summary of display materials
6. Public Consultation
Present draft network and implementation strategy to Cycling Committee.
Conduct 2nd series of public workshops, three in District 1 and one in each of the other Districts.
Letters to Councilors re: routes in their wards (new ward boundaries?)
Put recommended network on City's web site?
Present recommended network to resident's groups, BIA's etc., as requested.
7. Revise Network and Implementation Plan based on Public Consultation
Conduct additional field investigations as required.
Prepare a technical memorandum assessing and recommending any changes to the network and implementation plan.
Steering Committee meeting to review the Consultant's recommendations and identify a Final Network for presentation to
senior staff.
