Transportation Plan Report Back

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: November 20, 1997
Dept. File No. H193-35/4303-2
CC File No. 5560
TO: Standing Committee on Traffic and Transportation
FROM:General Manager of Engineering Services and Director of City Plans
SUBJECT:Vancouver Transportation Plan - Review of Action Items Scheduled For Completion Within Three Years
RECOMMENDATION
A.That the Action Items contained in Appendix A of this report be integrated into the work programs of Engineering and Planning.
B.That the General Manager of Engineering Services and the Director of Central Area Planning report back early in 1998 on options, timing and resources required to carry out a transportation and circulation plan for the downtown.
C.That the General Manager of Engineering Services, the Director of City Plans, and others as required, report back, at the appropriate time, on the resources and strategy for participating in the planning and implementation of the Broadway LRT.
D.That the General Manager of Engineering Services and the Director of City Plans report back early in 1998 on a Plan to collect data and monitor changes to the Transportation System.
E.That the General Manager of Engineering Services in consultation with the Director of City Plans, undertake a review of the opportunities for improving transit services in the City, in the context of possible opportunities offered by a new regional transportation authority.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council has adopted a Transportation Plan for the City. The Plan contains policies on all aspects of Transportation and includes many action items to be completed within 3 years, in the next 6 years, and within 7 to 20 years.
PURPOSE
Council approved a Transportation Plan for the City on May 27, 1997 and instructed staff to report back on the action items scheduled for completion "within 3 years" including priorities, resource requirements and timing. This report provides Council with information on those action items from the Transportation Plan that are, or will be included in 1998-2000 work plans.
BACKGROUND
On May 27, 1997 Council reviewed and adopted the draft Transportation Plan for the City. Specifically, Council approved the following recommendations:
A.THAT Council adopt the Transportation Plan, as amended, including the mode split targets which emphasise the need for increased provision and use of transit; limiting overall road capacity to the present level; maintaining an efficient goods movement network; traffic calming in neighbourhoods, and providing more comfortable biking and walking environments.
B.THAT Council instruct the General Manager of Engineering Services and the Director of City Plans to report back by September on a joint Engineering/Planning implementation program based on action items scheduled for completion "within 3 years", as outlined in Chapter 3 of the Transportation Plan; and to include priorities, resources and timing.
C.THAT Council instruct the General Manager of Engineering Services and the Director of City Plans to monitor implementation of the Transportation Plan and report to Council, prior to the next Capital Plan budget preparation, on initiatives to further the Transportation Plan.
D.THAT Council instruct staff to reference the Transportation Plan policies when reporting on transportation initiatives and the General Manager of Engineering Services and the Director of City Plans to report back, as required, with suggested amendments to the Transportation Plan to address new issues or reflect new Council policies.
This report deals mainly with Recommendation B.
INTRODUCTION
The Transportation Plan is an important policy document of the City that formally acknowledges how important a role transportation plays in the City. The Plan finally confirms certain transportation directions and priorities that have emerged over the recent past on such issues as transit and cycling and brings them together with new directions and priorities on such issues as local neighbourhood traffic calming and pedestrians. As well, the Plan challenges us to embark on a new way of dealing with the myriad of issues arising from transportation.
This report is the first of a series following the approval of the Transportation Plan in May of this year. Other reports will follow including one on how the City will monitor changes in the Transportation System (to see whether we are remaining consistent with the Plan), one on developing a more detailed Transportation Plan for the downtown and another on a new priority-based model to deal with neighbourhood traffic calming.
DISCUSSION
The Transportation Plan document is divided into three chapters. The first two set the context by outlining in broad terms how the City will accommodate, yet not be overwhelmed by, an ever increasing demand for transportation. Chapter 3 translates these fundamental directions into more specific principles, policies and action items that will guide, and be the basis for, future transportation decisions by the City and the proposed Regional Transportation Authority if it is approved and created.
A prioritization of work to be done was identified in Chapter 3 of the Transportation Plan by grouping the action items into three time frames: To be started or completed within 3 years; in 6 years; and in 7 to 20 years (see Appendix A).
This report focuses on those items the Plan recommends be started or completed in the next 3 years, ie, through to the end of 2000. The report also includes items from the 6 year time frame that are now recommended be started or completed in the next 3 years.
Resources and Timing
The implementation of the Transportation Plan will involve several City Departments, primarily Engineering and Planning. Engineering Services will have primary responsibility for implementing many of the action items dealing with traffic control, transit, goods movement, cycling and pedestrian improvements. Many other elements of the Plan,especially the development of a downtown transportation plan, planning for the LRT, integration of transportation and land use and overall monitoring will be coordinated with the Planning Department.
In late 1996, Engineering Services, particularly the Transportation Division, was reorganized to reallocate staff in a way to better reflect the issues and directions emerging from the then -draft Transportation Plan and Council priorities.
There are in the order of 17 professional and 40 support staff dedicated to working on transportation matters. Many are involved in customer service issues and annual work programs. However, we believe there are sufficient staff resources available within the Division to move the Transportation Plan forward in the manner and time frame Council and the Transportation Plan call for, at the same time, continuing to respond to public enquiries, complaints and suggestions.
The specific branches of the Transportation Division that will be involved in Transportation Plan matters are:
1. The Strategic Transportation Planning Branch responsible for long range transportation planning, transit planning, and transportation system monitoring.
2.The Neighbourhood Transportation Branch is responsible for local streets, neighbourhood traffic calming, and bike network planning and implementation.
3.The Parking Branch is responsible for planning and monitoring of parking off-street and on-street as well as reviewing and ensuring consistency of development applications from a transportation perspective.
4.The Traffic Management Branch is responsible for the day to day management and safety of the major street network including the traffic signal system.
5.The Greenways and Local Improvements Branch of the Streets Division is responsible for the planning and implementation of Greenways and other local street, lane and sidewalk improvements.
Engineering and Planning continue to discuss the specific areas Planning will be involved in the implementation of the Transportation Plan. Clearly, Planning will play a critical role in the linkage of land use and transportation. The CityPlan Neighbourhood Visioning Program, presently underway in Dunbar and Kensington Cedar Cottage, is the most important example. A high priority issue which emerged out of the Plan is the development of a new priority-based model to be used by Engineering in traffic calming neighbourhoods. Planning will be involved in developing this new model.
As well, the Neighbourhood Transportation Branch will continue to consult with the Bicycle Advisory Committee on prioritizing, developing and implementing future projects.
Engineering and Planning staff met in the summer to discuss the various action items. This review included the amount of effort (low, medium, or high) that might be required to initiate and/or complete the action items, relative priorities, and which action items are already scheduled work program items. Work programs were subsequently adjusted and work on a number of the action items is already underway and some action items have been completed. Appendix A itemizes each of the action items that will be undertaken over the next 3 years.
Except for three major action items (discussed below) the remaining items can be initiated and/or completed in the next 3 years with existing (mainly Engineering) staff resources.
Having said this, there are some timing and resource uncertainties. These are:
1.There are many important transit issues the City cannot proceed with independent of BC Transit or (if it is created) the new Transportation Authority. These include, for example, new Transit Service Design Guidelines, reviewing the City-wide transit route network and reviewing additional express routes in the City. Given the recent update on funding and governance, it is unlikely that significant transit planning (except for Broadway LRT) will happen before the status of the new Authority is resolved and it or an alternative structure becomes functional in 1999.
We have discussed with BC Transit those areas of common work and conclude Engineering Services has sufficient resources in 1998 to work in those areas BC Transit also intends to pursue in 1998. There is too much uncertainty beyond 1998 to determine with confidence what resources may be required to work with the new Transportation Authority. Staff will report back to Council if we were not able to adequately respond to transportation issues beyond 1998.
Improved transit within the City is central to the success of the Transportation Plan. As well, the City still has a number of transit improvements which BC Transit has yet to deliver. If it is approved it will be a year before the new Regional Transportation Authority is fully operational; this provides an opportunity for the City to be proactive and consider possible service requirements and responsibilities Vancouver may wish to request or assume under a new structure if one is implemented. A new regional transportation authority would present an opportunity for staff to review opportunities for improving transit services in the City and accordingly staff will report back on possible service requirements and roles for the City.
2.There is some uncertainty with the level of resources that may be necessary given the early stage in the development of some of the key action items that will be worked on jointly by Planning and Engineering.
Notwithstanding the 3 items discussed below, there are two major areas where Planning resources will be required on work program items initiated by Engineering. These are developing the new priority-based model for traffic calming in local neighbourhoods and participating in the public process around the review of building lines. Both can likely be done with existing Engineering and Planning staff resources. However, this assumes the initial work on building lines will be as a pilot project that will be used to gauge future resource requirements. Staff will be reporting to Council in 1998 with more detail on both the process to develop a new priority-based traffic calming model and on the review of building lines.
Other action items such as developing the next capital plan to reflect the new Transportation Plan directions and developing and integrating new bus shelter concepts can be done by existing staff.
There are 3 action items which are considered to be high priorities and will require significant additional staff and/or budget. These action items are:
1. Plan Monitoring. There are two components to monitoring: Gathering data about the transportation system and translating the data into a "report card" on how the transportation system is doing relative to the goals and targets of the Transportation Plan.
The financial and staff resources required to monitor the Plan will depend, in part, on information available from other agencies, the type and amount of data required, and level of sophistication Council wants. Therefore, it is recommended staff report back to Council on this matter.
2.Broadway LRT. The first phase of this project will be a major technical study that will determine whether construction of LRT should proceed. Many planning, engineering, and other department issues will need to be resolved and Council will likely want City resources dedicated to this study. Additional staff will be needed to undertake this work unless there is a change in priority to existing work programs and reallocation of staff.
The Province should be announcing this Project this year and a report to Council will be submitted once staff meet with the Province and BC Transit to confirm the work programs and necessary resources.
3.Downtown Transportation Plan. The Transportation Plan recommends a transportation and circulation plan for the Downtown be prepared. This includes a complete review of the downtown transit system, improved regional and airport linkages, a reassessment of the role(s) of the various downtown streets, route and destination signage, creation of pedestrian priority areas, a network of bike lanes on downtown streets and bridge crossings.
This study could potentially be completed in about a year. However, this would require a seconded-type team approach, similar to the development of the Transportation Plan, involving significant new Engineering and Planning resources, or deferral of other programs.
On the other hand, less resources would be required if discrete elements of a Plan were done in an orderly fashion over a somewhat longer period of time. For example, a review of the overall transit network of the downtown could be done first, if BC Transit were prepared to provide the necessary resources for the study. This could be followed, for example, by reviewing the network of pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle streets.
Staff will report back on this matter to allow a fuller discussion and to establish a work program.
CONCLUSION
The majority of Action Items that should be initiated and/or completed in the next 3 years can be completed with existing Planning and Engineering staff resources.
Staff propose to report back on three major Action Items that will require additional staff and/or funding or a significant reallocation of staff from existing work programs: plan monitoring, Broadway LRT, and the downtown transportation plan. This will allow Council an opportunity to make choices on how best to proceed on these items.
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ACTION ITEMS
ROAD NETWORK PROPOSALS
R1Complete Port Roadway
The Port Roadway is a multi- phase project that will be complete in the Fall 1999. It will provide for port related traffic (mainly trucks (delivery, service, etc) and employees) and is not meant as a by-pass road for commuter traffic to and from the downtown. The Port will manage the road and further discussions are necessary with the City on how to assure commuter traffic is kept on City streets.
The Port Roadway should allow some changes to the truck regulations on nearby City streets (Powell, Nanaimo, McGill) once the roadway is complete [See Action Item GM2 and GM11(Appendix A)]. These regulations will be reviewed in 2000, after the roadway is completed and truck volumes have readjusted.
R2Review building lines in the context of the Plan with a view to removing those that are unlikely to be needed, and adding others where priorities have developed.
Building lines have historically been established to preserve the long term street right-of-way that will be required to accommodate the future widening of a road, to provide sidewalks or landscaping or to protect views. New building construction is not allowed between the building line and the adjacent property line. Over time, new developments are set back from the building line, thus allowing space for the City to construct roadways, widen sidewalks, etc.
Changes to building lines require an amendment to the Zoning and Development By-law and hence a public hearing. A public process in advance of the public hearing would also be required.
It would require significant staff resources to complete the review and public process of all the building lines in the City in the three year time frame. Therefore, it is proposed that staff initially report back to Council on the existing building lines in the City along with the details of a pilot project that will review in detail an individual transportation corridor or portion of a corridor. The results of the pilot project would then be used to help determine how future work should proceed on this item. The Transportation Plan Team has recommended the building lines on 41st through Kerrisdale be reviewed initially. However, the residents of SW Marine Drive have indicated SW Marine Drive should be reviewed initially because of the restrictive nature the building line has on future development options.
R4Begin a review of queue jumpers which do not increase road capacity but favour selected modes.
The development of Queue jumpers for selected modes is already underway. BC Transit in consultation with the City is reviewing their potential as part of the Richmond RapidBus project and the #99 B-Line express bus route along Broadway to UBC.
BC Transit has identified a number of other potential Q-jumpers in the City which will be reviewed and implemented as time (City and BC Transit) and funding permit. The City will be implementing a Q-jumper on McGill as part of the Port Roadway construction.
R5Begin to further improve the pedestrian environment through reduced wait time at signals, improved crossings, identifying pedestrian routes, etc.
This action item refers to improvements to the pedestrian environment within commercial districts located mainly on arterial streets and on pedestrian routes that exist and are evolving within the City. The wait time at many traffic signals has already been reduced. A City-wide review of wait times at all signals is currently underway and will be reported to Council in early 1998. Pedestrian crossings of streets that are transit routes will be improved with the gradual implementation of bus bulges. Other pedestrian improvements could be implemented through local improvements within commercial business districts and/or the CityPlan visioning program currently underway.
R6Intersection improvements, such as left turn bays, may be required to improve safety at some intersections. These will be designed so as not to increase capacity and wherever possible will be accommodated within existing road width.
The Transportation Plan further concludes that increased transportation demand be met by the existing road network, that any changes to the network be designed with no increase in road capacity, that impacts on neighbourhoods are minimized and that the proposed change is the most cost effective.
Maintaining and improving road safety is a very important responsibility of the City. Reducing accidents results in reduced societal costs in many areas, particularly reduced health care costs. As importantly, at the personal level, accidents can have very tragic consequences. A safe street system can reduce these as well.
R7Stricter speed limit enforcement on major routes.
The Police Department will be reporting back on a program of additional enforcement in problem areas in the City.
TRANSIT PROPOSALS
T1Request BC Transit to review with the City the route structures and service.
The success of the Transportation Plan is largely dependent on the success of the Transit System to accommodate future increased transportation demand results from population growth and forced reallocation of trips from Single Occupant Vehicles through TDM measures.
Staff have met with BC Transit and both agree this review should be done. A number of elements should be reviewed including the existing route network, allocation of service hours, use of other types of transit service, express services, etc.
This review will not likely be initiated until 1999 as BC Transit does not have the staff resources to undertake the study in 1998. Their focus will be in reviewing where additional transit resources should be allocated to reduce crowding and passups and in reviewing the Richmond transit network as part of the Richmond-Vancouver Rapid Bus Project. As well, the review would likely proceed more effectively with the new Regional Transportation Authority.
T2Pilot program for bus bulges and improved boarding and waiting areas.
Bus bulges have been proposed as a way to speed up bus service by allowing buses to stop in the moving lane. This would save some time by eliminating the need for bus drivers to wait before pulling into the traffic stream. Bus bulges also reduce the walking distance across streets, provide additional sidewalk space for shelters, transit information and pedestrian waiting space.
Funds exist in the budget and so appropriate locations will be identified and reported to Council. Future reports will provide information on bus bulges on 10th at Sasamat and on the Main Street corridor.
In addition, staff have met with BC Transit and proposed that bus bulges be part of a broader transit corridor improvement that might include combined regular and express services and a reduced number of bus stops.
T3Request BC Transit to improve service to Downtown South, False Creek North, Fraser Lands and the Airport and to implement a Downtown looped service.
All these proposals have been, or will soon be implemented. Council has recently approved new bus routes in False Creek North/Downtown South (already implemented), in Fraser Lands (implemented in December) and a restructuring of West End routes (alreadyimplemented). In addition, as part of the development of a downtown transportation plan, all transit routes within the downtown and Central Area will be reviewed. It is recommended separately that staff report back on the development of a downtown transportation plan.
T4Participate in planning of the Broadway LRT, including the feasibility of extensions to UBC and the downtown.
Staff recommend this be the subject of a report back when the Project Director and work plan are announced. Similar to SkyTrain, this will be a high level of effort by Planning and Engineering.
T5Examine the feasibility of extending the False Creek trolley to Stanley Park.
This study is underway.
T7Request BC Transit examine the expansion of express bus routes.
A comprehensive study of express bus routes will be undertaken in the review of transit routes in the City (T1). In the meantime, four initiatives are underway:
1. The Broadway Express service (99 B-line) was initiated during the term of the Transportation Plan.
2.Vancouver-Richmond RapidBus along Granville.
3.Staff have proposed reviewing a selected transit corridor that would include a combined regular and express bus service (See T2).
4.Staff have discussed with BC Transit the possibility of rerouting an existing Richmond express service via Cambie (rather than Granville) that would provide local service between major transfer points along Cambie.
T8Request BC Transit initiate a pilot mini-bus service in City neighbourhoods.
Council has previously requested BC Transit do this. This will become an active review item when BC Transit revisits the small bus program and/or as part of the review of the Service Design guidelines. If Council wishes to pursue this item independent of BC Transit then it should be done in the context of a new funding and government arrangement where mechanisms may exist to potentially draw on Regional Transportation Authority funds.
T9Request BC Transit review the fare structure for trips within the downtown as a way to increase transit ridership.
BC Transit is reviewing this matter now and the results will be reported to Council in 1998. This will also have to be tied into the Downtown Transportation Plan.
T10Request BC Transit adopt a U-Pass system for UBC and other major employers and institutions.
The Official Community Plan for UBC has been approved. UBC has committed to implementing a U-Pass type system in consultation with BC Transit. The U-Pass has been successful at the University of Washington and could be at UBC too. However, implementation at UBC will depend on upon the allocation of sufficient resources by UBC and BC Transit.
The implementation of a similar type pass with other major employers and institutions in the Region would require additional resources, and could be included in the TDM measures being coordinated by the GVRD. Staff will monitor the implementation of the UBC U-pass and report back to Council on the details and success of this program at UBC prior to expanding it.
T12Request reform of transit governance to be more responsive to needs of areas of ridership concentration.
The negotiators for the Province and the GVRD have completed their discussions and the proposed arrangement is being reviewed by the Regional cities. Engineering and Finance will be reporting to Council on this matter soon. Guaranteed revenue sources for transit vehicle acquisitions, allocation of transit service in the Region and accountability are three of many important issues the City needs to be comfortable with before supporting the new arrangement.
CYCLING PROPOSALS
C1Implement a network of painted bike lanes on the downtown peninsula
This is a six year item that staff will be recommending be brought forward and be included in the Downtown Transportation Plan (Item D1 and D4 and Recommendation B of this report)
C2Review existing bikeways for possible improvements such as more appropriate positioning of signal push buttons, improved lighting, better pavement maintenance, etc.
Staff reported to Council on this action item on July 29, 1997, at which time Council allocated $30000 for a comprehensive review of all existing bikeways. This review includes gathering "after" bike counts to measure ridership changes along all existing routes. The 1997 data collection will be complete in November.
The review also includes an evaluation of the effectiveness, permeability, and frequency of traffic calming measures, road surface conditions, parking conditions, motor vehicle volumes and speeds, regulatory and route signage, and other factors that may impact the use of the bikeways. The Off-Broadway, Cypress, and Ontario bikeways are already undergoing this review. A status report will be brought forward to Council presenting the status of ridership in the Bike Network and on the results of the specific route reviews for Off-Broadway, Cypress and Ontario bikeways in the Spring of 1998. In this status report will be included a plan for reviewing the remaining Bikeways in the Network.
C3Provide painted bike lanes on selected arterials
Although this is a six year item, the City installed its first painted bike lane on SW Marine Drive in the summer of 1997. However, due to the civic labour dispute, the road markings for this lane were not completed and are scheduled to be completed this Fall, as soon as weather and crew schedules permit. Further, the City will be adding high profile painted bike lanes on sections of Burrard Street and Cornwall, along with other bike improvements, as part of the modifications south of the Bridge, now scheduled for construction in the Spring of 1998. It is proposed that staff monitor and evaluate these two trial bike lane locations and report back to Council in the Winter of 1998.
C4Paint Bicycle logos on the pavement of existing bikeways at all major intersections and on every second block in between.
The implementation plan, designs and budget for this item are currently being prepared. Staff will be presenting options for enhancing the effectiveness of this action item, which may include recommendations with regard to road marking material, logo location and frequency, additions to route signage both on local streets and at arterial intersections, and possible changes to existing road signage to heighten the visibility and acceptance of the bike routes, such as different street sign blades. A demonstration project on a section of an existing bikeway is being implemented in December 1997. Staff will monitor and evaluate the demonstration project and report to Council on a plan for the entire Network in January 1998.
C5Request BC Transit install bike racks on all city buses.
This is a six year item being brought forward. Staff have already requested BC Transit pursue this. Staff are currently working with BC Transit on the possibility of implementing a pilot project on certain buses and routes in Vancouver.
C6Install bike racks on each block of commercial frontage and at major bus stops.
This is a six year item that is being brought forward. A report will be prepared for Council in 1998 to begin this program as soon as possible.
C7Improve information about benefits of cycling, and review by-law standards.
This is a six year item already being worked on. A report to Council recommending amendments to the Street and Traffic By-law will be brought forward soon. The amendments will complement recent changes to the BC Motor Vehicle Act. Subsequent reports will be brought forward to Council as this work is addressed.
C8Complete the bikeway network outside the CBD within 3 years.
This is a new action item added by staff and not specifically identified in the Transportation Plan. A status report will be brought forward in 1998 on the City’s Bike Network, including a 3 year action plan.
NEIGHBOURHOOD AND PEDESTRIAN PROPOSALS
NP1Reduce speed limits on residential streets to 40 km/h.
Staff have already begun work on this item, including speed data collection and analysis, a review of legal requirements and potential pilot applications. A preliminary report will be brought forward to Council in 1998. This item has been assigned a high priority within the 3 year plan.
NP2Reduce waiting times for pedestrians at traffic signals.
Review of signals underway. The planned upgrade of the traffic signal computer system will enhance our ability to respond to this.
NP3Initiate new public process for traffic calming projects based on priority of needs across the City.
Work on this item will begin in 1998 including a report to Council. Depending on the scope of the review and the degree of public involvement in the review, additional resources may be required.
NP4Review building lines (See R2)
NP6Adopt criteria for designating pedestrian priority areas. Initiate a pilot project.
There may be an opportunity to initiate a pilot project as a result of, and as part of, one of the two CityPlan visioning projects currently underway. A report could be brought forward to Council in 1998.
NP7Initiate traffic calming on selected collector streets with less than 10,000 vehicles/day. These would include low volume secondary arterials proposed for redesignation as collector streets.
Although this is a 6 year item, staff may be able to bring reports forward to Council within 3 years as opportunities arise, subject to local studies.
NP8Improve pedestrian spaces
This will be incorporated into future street work.
NP9Expand the City’s traffic calming program to include a greater range of measures.
This is a new item that was identified in the Transportation Plan but was not included as an action item. Staff are currently reviewing new traffic calming measures and will be bringing one or more reports forward to Council in 1998/1999 with specific pilot proposals.
DOWNTOWN PROPOSALS
D1Prepare a transportation and circulation plan for the Downtown, including a complete review of the Downtown transit system to improve service and choice, improve regional connections and airport links, evaluate alternative transit vehicles (such as mini-buses), establish priorities for "Great Streets", improve route and destination signage, create pedestrian priority areas and implement bike lanes on streets and bridge crossings and street improvements.
The development of a downtown transportation plan is a high priority. However, sufficient staff resources do not exist to do this study in the next year. It is recommended staff report back to Council in early 1998 on options, timing and resources required to carry out a downtown transportation plan.
Note: Various "Downtown" Action Items (Appendix A) will be integrated into the review of the downtown transportation plan.
D7Encourage car co-ops and possibly car rental agencies in the downtown.
Council recently approved a car co-op in the West End and Kitsilano. Further proposals would be reported to Council. UBC, as part of the implementation of its Transportation Plan will be considering car co-ops. Downtown car agencies will be reviewed as they are proposed, within the context of the Central Area Plan.
D9Remove truck routes in Yaletown.
This will be reported to Council in early 1998.
D10Through traffic at Highway 99 to be directed via the Second Narrows Bridge. Improve route signage.
Discussions will be initiated in 1998 with the Ministry of Transportation and Highways, the Police, Tourism Vancouver and adjacent municipalities on this matter.
GOODS MOVEMENT PROPOSALS
GM1Complete the upgrade of the Port Road (See R1)
GM2Reduce trucks in the McGill-Nanaimo Corridor
This will be reviewed upon the completion of the Port Roadway in 2000.
GM3Improvements for Knight Street
This is a 6 year action item that is being brought forward. The "whole route analysis" will be completed in the next year.
GM4Improve functioning of Downtown commercial lanes
Access to commercial lanes, particularly in the downtown is a real problem because of overuse and misuse. Staff are presently reviewing various pricing mechanisms including in-vehicle parking meters (IVPM) as a way to improve the function of commercial lanes .
GM5Continue to protect industrial lands for servicing the Downtown and other City businesses.
GM9Post engine brake prohibition signs on City truck routes and enforce.
The understanding is that only problem areas will be identified and signed, not a widespread program of signing throughout the City. This can be completed next year, with existing staff and budget levels.
GM10Strictly enforce speed restrictions
The Police will be reporting back on a program of additional enforcement in problem areas of the City.
FUNDING PROPOSALS
F1Through negotiations with the Province, establish a stable and adequate source of revenue for transit funding in the Region.
This is a high priority item. Staff are presently reviewing the proposed arrangement agreed to between the Provincial and Regional negotiators and will report to Council in January 1998.
F2Review priorities for City expenditures in the Capital Plan and Budget.
The existing capital plan and budget will be reviewed as part of the 1998 budget process and a more major and comprehensive review of future projects will be done as part of the preparation of the 2000-2003 Capital Plan.
MONITORING OF THE PLAN
Monitoring of the Transportation Plan will be important. Understanding how various elements of the City Transportation Plan, the Regional Transport 2021 Strategic Transportation Plan, and BC Transit’s 5 and 10 year Plans are progressing will help determine how future transportation decisions are made. Various elements of a monitoring and reporting program are contained in the Transportation Plan (Action Items M1-M7).
Monitoring will be on-going and will require progress reports back to Council at various times on different elements. The level of staff effort and budget can range from medium to very high. This level will be determined, in part, by what information is available from the GVRD and BC Transit and what level of staff resources and budget Council wishes to allocate to this.
Staff will be reporting back early in the new year on a monitoring program.
Transportation Plan
Implementation Program for 1998 to 2000
Project Schedule
INTRODUCTION
The project schedule containing the full list of major initiatives contained in Chapter 3 of the Transportation Plan is on file in the City Clerk's Office.
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