Magazine - Summer 2021

A SEMI-ANNUAL PUBLICATION OF THE ONTARIO TRAFFIC COUNCIL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 EDITION MULTI-MODAL TRANSFORMATION REFOCUSED TEMPORARY HOSTILE RESTAURANT VEHICLE PATIOS MITIGATION THE EARLY DAYS PROTECTING OF ASE SCHOOL ZONES CURB IN THE MANAGEMENT POST-PANDEMIC MTO 2020-21 CONFERENCE UPDATE

Ontario Traffic Magazine is published for The Ontario Traffic Council 3100 Garden Street, PO Box 80030 RPO Rossland Garden, Whitby ON L1R 0H1 Ph: 647-346-4050 traffi[email protected] I www.otc.org BOARD OF DIRECTORS Adam Bell PRESIDENT TMIG (The Municipal Infrastructure Group Ltd.), a T. Y. Lin Company Heide Schlegl VICE PRESIDENT Town of Milton Nelson Cadete TREASURER City of Brampton Manoj Dilwaria SECRETARY City of Thorold Peter Sejrup DIRECTOR Peterborough Police Services Sheyda Saneinejad DIRECTOR City of Toronto John Crass DIRECTOR Jeffrey Smart DIRECTOR Tacel Ltd. OTC STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | Geoff Wilkinson MEMBERSHIP & EVENTS COORDINATOR | Aswathy Prathap All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the association. 02 Ontario Traffic Magazine

Contents President’s Message 04 06 10 Temporary 06 12 Restaurant Patios 19 27 Simplifying the process 30 The Early Days 10 03A Semi-Annual Publication of the Ontario Traffic Council of ASE 12 19 Point, Click, Enforce 22 Curb Management Changing Priorities Multi-Modal Transformation Refocused MTO 2020-21 Conference Update OTC Transportation 25 Planning Awards Professional of The Year Award Project of The Year Award Honourary Appointments 26 Membership Life Membership Hostile 27 Vehicle Mitigation Strategies Protecting 30 School Zones in the Post-Pandemic Promoting better behaviours

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE President’s Message WELCOME TO THE Adam Bell SUMMER 2021 EDITION OTC President OF OT MAGAZINE. It is nice to start planning our I know the OTC staff are working work and personal lives as we on hybrid in-person / virtual hopefully move into the latter events for October onwards. It stages of COVID-19. I anticipate sure will be nice to share it won't be too long before we conversation with industry friends can start to meet in-person at and colleagues over coffee and symposiums, workshops, and lunch breaks. committee meetings. ................................................................. 04 Ontario Traffic Magazine

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE We have been very busy with efforts to provide oping an Administrative Monetary Penalty our membership with the best and most useful System regime which is planned for all automat- guidance on issues at the forefront of our indus- ed enforcement offences. The Automated School try. This past March we received con rmation Bus Camera Working Group also continues its from Transport Canada we were successful in work in developing a consistent and sustainable obtaining an Enhanced Road Safety Transfer program for Ontario Municipalities including a Payment Program for developing an Ontario Guide and a website similar to what was created Vision Zero Guide. Municipalities across the for aseontario.com. province have also contributed to this project, and I am happy to share that CIMA+ has begun As you can see, we have a lot of projects on the working with the Steering Committee on this go on top of the great line-up of events sched- helpful guide towards a January completion date. uled this Fall (see otc.org/events for information, The Multi-Modal Level of Service (MMLOS) dates, and registration). Guide is in the nal draft and Dillon Consulting is working with this Steering Committee on a Sep- In this edition of OT Magazine, we have recapped tember publication date. We have also applied this past June's annual conference and have for Federal funding for a Temporary Restaurant provided articles continuing on the theme of Patio and Hostile Vehicle Mitigation Guide, \"Multi-Modal Transportation Refocused\". which, if we are successful, would see a Guide available in time for next Spring's patio season. I hope to see you soon at an OTC in-person or hybrid event. In the meantime, please feel free In addition to these projects the AMPS Working to reach out to me with any thoughts, com- Group continues to meet regularly with the MTO ments, or suggestions to [email protected]. and the Ministry of the Attorney General in devel- 05A Semi-Annual Publication of the Ontario Traffic Council

TEMPORARY RESTAURANT PATIOS Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, OTC es and support the economic recovery from member municipalities have worked hard to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. As respond to the evolving needs of communities part of these programs, restaurants can apply and businesses. With the restaurant industry to operate their business outside on a tempo- having been particularly hard hit by business rary basis. In most cases, there are options for closures and restrictions on indoor gathering, them to operate in the public realm or on some municipalities are helping out by making private property, depending on where they are it easier to host customers outside on tempo- located. rary restaurant patios. As part of the pandemic response, these Temporary restaurant patio programs have a patios have been popping up across Ontario slightly different name in each community, but in various shapes and sizes. Some are built the goal of the patios is to help local business- on sidewalks and in alleyways for months at a 06 Ontario Traffic Magazine

time, while others are set up in the middle of a TEMPORARY RESTAURANT PATIOS street that has been closed off to motor vehi- cles on weekends. Several municipalities have As simple as possible has been the goal simply adapted an existing patio program to for this program, says Matthew-Hardy address the new restrictions of the pandemic. Thomas, Manager of Tourism and Destina- For others, the pandemic was the impetus to tion Development with the City of Guelph. establish a patio program for the first time. In addition to creating our program To find out more about how these programs guide, we worked with businesses before operate, we spoke with staff in Cambridge, they even applied so that it could be a Greater Sudbury, Guelph and Hamilton. In our quicker process for them. discussions, each city put a strong emphasis on simplification and collaboration, while also The City of Greater Sudbury2 and City of Cam- highlighting the local features that make their bridge3 also noted simplifications to their existing programs work. applications to reduce the documentation that is required as part of the process, and the City of SIMPLIFYING THE PROCESS Hamilton responds to all applications within two days once they are submitted. A vital part of temporary restaurant patio programs during the pandemic has been simpli- COLLABORATION fication. Whether it was a newly launched program, or an adaptation of a long-running By their very nature, temporary restaurant patios one, all municipalities put an emphasis on require the input and approval from a number of making it easy for businesses to apply. This different departments, including public health, usually involves waiving any application fees, as tourism, traffic operations, fire, economic devel- well as streamlining the application process. opment, transit and more. Internal and external collaboration was key to getting programs up and For the City of Guelph’s new patio program, they running and establishing a smooth application created a simple, 14-page program guide1 out- process. lining the application process for businesses. It even contains pre-approved patio designs for I’m really pleased with the collaboration various space configurations. Businesses are that has occurred between city depart- also approved for their public property ments, agencies and local businesses to encroachment for the three years of the make this program happen, says Mere- program to be more reliable. dith Armstrong, Manager of Tourism & Culture with the City of Greater Sudbury. 1 https://guelph.ca/wp-content/uploads/Seasonal-Patio-Program- Guidelines-Revised-April-1-2021.pdf We put together a rapid response team to oversee the program and have worked 2 https://www.greatersudbury.ca/live/covid-19-coronavirus/ closely with the BIA to engage with busi- economic-support-recovery/operating-planning-support/ nesses and support their applications. outdoor-patios-and-sidewalk-retail/ This spirit of collaboration was also evident in Cam- 3 https://forms.cambridge.ca/Development-and-Infrastructure/ bridge, where Engineering Technologist Dennis Temporary-New-Extension-Patio-Application Lopes and Manager of Business Development Trevor McWilliams joined the interview together. 07A Semi-Annual Publication of the Ontario Traffic Council

POP UP PATIOS They highlighted how they had to adapt the program quickly and did so by working together. While the transportation team worked to develop the process and guidelines, the business development group worked to connect with businesses and BIAs and get the word out about the program. Our Business Liaison Officer is in constant contact with our three BIA areas, and this com- munication was crucial, says Mr. McWilliams. We wanted to connect with all businesses, including those who hadn’t applied, to make sure they were aware of how the program had changed and that barriers to the application and approval process had been removed. FEATURES OF INTEREST As much as there are similarities between each of the patio programs, there are interest- ing local features to highlight as well; In Guelph, local businesses have been able to apply for up to $10,000 in funding to offset the costs of patio construction through the Tourism Recovery Fund4. While their 2020 program took place on a road that was close to motor vehicles around the clock, the street closure is provided on the weekends only in 2021; The City of Cambridge had to take over garbage collection after closing off a section of Main St to motor vehicle traffic and opening it up for patios 24/7 for the season. Typi- cally, the Region is responsible for garbage collection on Main St, but when the City closed the road they had to take over garbage pick up. They also re-routed transit to a nearby parallel street; While in many municipalities the patio program is specifically focused on restaurants, the same application form can be used by retail sales locations in Greater Sudbury, and; The City of Hamilton has seen a tenfold increase in participation, with 163 participating businesses in 2020. According to a survey conducted of participating businesses5, they are located across 13 of the city's 15 wards, whereas the 10-15 pre-COVID participating businesses were mostly limited to the downtown. 4 https://guelph.ca/city-hall/budget-and-finance/grant-applications/tourism-recovery-fund/ 5 https://pub-hamilton.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=242887 08 Ontario Traffic Magazine

POP UP PATIOS WHAT’S NEXT Although much of the feedback on temporary restaurant patios has been anecdotal, it has been positive. Of the participating businesses that responded to Hamilton’s survey, 96% supported extending the program in 2021. Businesses now want to know what we will do with the program post-pandemic, says Jason Thorne, General Manager of Planning and Economic Development with the City of Hamil- ton. We’ve heard that this program has been hugely valuable and helped save businesses, and they have been popular with the local community as well, so I expect that we’ll see a patio program, in some form, continue post-COVID with continued improvements. While the programs have been popular with businesses, there is always room to improve. In 2020, the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) provided several pandemic response grants6 to cities who found that few businesses in defined equity areas or businesses owned by racialized community members had applied for outdoor permits. The funds were used to amplify outreach and support the construction of patios. The accessibility requirements for temporary restaurant patio programs also vary across communities and would benefit from standardization. The CNIB has shared their guidelines on accessible spaces7 and, although not specifically interviewed for this article, the City of Toronto have also released detailed accessibility guidelines8 as part of their CafeTO program. AS A NEXT STEP, the Ontario Traffic Council has established a Committee to explore the opportunities and challenges related to temporary restaurant patios, and will be seeking to compile provincial standards to support municipal members in the near future. ....................................................................................... Author: Jamie Stuckless 6 https://nacto.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2020-SPRR-City-Grants-Report.pdf 7 https://pub-hamilton.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=242887 8 https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/92ca-TSCafeTO-Guidelines2021.pdf 09A Semi-Annual Publication of the Ontario Traffic Council

RETHINKING ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION BEYOND COVID-19 A S EThe Early Days of This success has prompted Toronto to install 50 new ASE systems on local, collector, and arterial roads in The last 18 months have seen automated speed Community Safety Zones near schools. enforcement (ASE) programs take shape in jurisdic- tions across Ontario. And while numerous municipali- All new locations have been selected following ties are still laying the groundwork for their own ASE a data-driven approach that prioritizes areas in initiative, the results to date bode well for the the city with speed and collision challenges, Tory high-tech program. said in a statement to the press. This is just one part of our ongoing Vison Zero traffic safety work – We have a number of municipalities within Ontar- which includes road redesigns, lower speed io with ASE programs and we are starting to hear limits, and increased enforcement – to make our about enforcement numbers going down, which is streets safer for everyone. the ultimate goal of these programs, reports Geoff Wilkinson, Executive Director with the Ontario Traffic Mississauga has also moved ahead with its ASE Council, noting, We still have a number of munici- plans. This July, the City turned on two cameras and palities sitting on the sidelines because of backlogs has plans to add 20 more later this year. within their Provincial Offences Courts waiting for a municipal administrative monetary penalty system READY TO LAUNCH (AMPS), which we hope will happen mid-2022. While many jurisdictions in the GTA have begun ASE, The City of Toronto was one of the first to launch an there are jurisdictions that are still in the planning ASE program in January 2020 after a six-month pilot stages. Oxford County, for example, is currently devel- in 2018. One year later, more than 53,000 automated oping a county-wide ASE program as per its Public tickets had been issued. Works Business Plan. In a recent update, Toronto Mayor John Tory said that Oxford County was an active participant in ASE the data collected from the program so far points to Municipal Working Group established by the OTC. ASE being a strong deterrent against speeding. Frank Gross, Manager, Transportation & Waste Man- agement Services, with Oxford County, says the County had some initial concerns with the program’s viability when the ASE regulation was initially announced, particularly in regards to the 90-day advance warning period and issuance of warning letters and the 180-day Parliamentary review and potential for ASE program/regulatory changes. As 10 Ontario Traffic Magazine

AUTOMATED SPEED ENFORCEMENT such, he adds, We decided to wait and see how al public to help better understand how an ASE the ASE program performed in other municipali- program works and why they are important. ties (Toronto, Ottawa) as well as the outcomes of the 180-day Parliamentary review to inform the The OTC plans to launch a similar website for auto- development of Oxford County's ASE program. mated school bus cameras, and is looking for ways to help municipalities with other alternative ASE solutions At last check, Oxford County was developing a Com- while maintaining consistency and sustainability. munity Safety Zone Criteria and Warrant process that will also provide prioritization of potential ASE sites as The OTC has a lot of experience working with its part of its ASE program development. members and our consultants on automated enforce- ment with red light cameras going back decades, and The Regional Municipality of Niagara is also exploring we are proud of the work we contributed alongside its own ASE program. According to Sulaf Alkarawi, municipalities and the MTO in developing the ASE Associate Director of Transportation Systems & Plan- program in place today in Ontario, he adds. ning for the Municipality, there are some unique chal- lenges that must be considered: Due to the nature GETTING STARTED of Niagara Region as an upper-tier municipality, more administration work has to take place with Considerations for ASE programs vary from one juris- the 12 local area municipalities. Right now, diction to the next. Overall, however, there are discussions are in progress to define a date of supports and best practices that can help move the implementation. initiative forward. Alkarawi also served on the OTC ASE Working Group One of the first things I tell municipal staff inter- and has been a proponent of the program. While there ested in an ASE program is to obtain data to make are some obstacles to implementation, she is confi- sure they actually have speed problems in school dent that Niagara’s ASE program will click with the and community safety zones, that they have a region once several issues are addressed: The chal- benchmark to compare before and after ASE lenge is the forecasted number of tickets from the implementation speed compliance, and that they speeding violation until speeders understand the know how many offenses they anticipate so they consequences and respect the road rules. Also, can assess related costs, says Wilkinson. the province is initiating the use of an administra- tive penalty system for ASE violations that will Alkarawi says it is also helpful for municipalities to facilitate the administration process and enable reach out to the ASE Steering Committee when they municipal staff to expand the program. are planning to implement their programs, noting, It is beneficial to follow the guidelines of site selec- POINT, CLICK, ENFORCE tion and operation process, and ensure they have the stats pre-and post-implementation to track No doubt, launching ASE takes work and collabora- how their program’s success. tion. It also requires an approach that aligns with the current rules of the road. Overall, ASE appears to be working well as an enforcement tool for the municipalities that have Every once in a while, we see something that a adopted it. Moreover, many municipalities report more municipality will implement or that they purchase public support for their ASE initiatives than previously and want to put in place that doesn't comply with anticipated. And while costs for an ASE program can existing legislation / regulation. That is one of the be restrictive for many small municipalities, the OTC is reasons the OTC developed Guidelines for ASE for exploring ways to make automated enforcement more municipalities and rolled out an aseontario.com accessible. website, says Wilkinson. The website provides a host of resources to help Author: Matthew Bradford municipal staff, politicians, and members of the gener- 11A Semi-Annual Publication of the Ontario Traffic Council

Curb Management: A PRACTICAL START TO IMPLEMENTING SMART MOBILITY IN YOUR COMMUNITY A cold November evening in 2013 was when I took my first rideshare and found myself participat- ing in a paradigm shift as app-based mobility solutions brought the luxuries of on-demand trans- portation to the average person at affordable prices. What was interesting was not the act of ride- sharing (we had taxis for quite a while), but rather the underlying business model and technology that allowed it to exist, and what it represented for the future of mobility and the street curb. Historically, municipalities had taxi pricing schedules for The global on-demand mobility market was estimated to specific periods that required a license (often referred to be valued at over $99B USD in 2019 and is expected to as medallions) to limit the supply of taxis, but app-based reach over $238B by 2026 growing at a rate of 15.4% ridesharing offered a solution that applied the concept of per annum4. Most rideshare companies are now referred supply & demand in real-time without licensing restric- to as Transport Network Companies (TNCs) to empha- tions. An oversupply of drivers would result in fees going size the spectrum of mobility services they offer between down to attract more riders, while an undersupply would ridesharing, bikeshares, e-scooters, and deliveries. Their result in higher fees to attract more drivers. Smart- influence and contributions to mobility are increasing and phones and 4G telecommunications networks made are projected to continue to be commonplace in our lives this possible by allowing services to be adjusted instant- as autonomous vehicles (AVs) and vertical take-off and ly, as opposed to annually or seasonally. landing (VTOL) vehicles emerge over the next decade and beyond. Since their introduction many questioned whether the monetary incentive of app-based rideshares and the lack These realities emphasize the dichotomy between of regulation was a net benefit with companies facing for-profit mobility and public infrastructure and the need criticism in relation to further contributing to roadway for municipalities to be proactive, rather than reactive, in congestion. A 2021 study from the Massachusetts addressing emerging mobility. In Ontario there is an Institute of Technology (MIT) conducted a historical review estimated $34.7B infrastructure deficit attributed to of travel data across the U.S. and concluded that rideshar- roads and structures meaning we are falling short on ing had generally increased road congestion in urban maintaining our existing mobility network5. Regional areas with minimal impacts on personal car ownership1. traffic models, master plans, and land use plans are developed every few years to address a mobility sector This is a story that continues to play out in various forms that is changing by the day. If our recent experiences as new private mobility options emerge including have shown us anything, it’s that tomorrow’s mobility e-scooters that currently face criticism for their contribu- technology won’t ask for permission, it will arrive on our tion to urban cluttering and environmental impacts. A street curbs first and beg for forgiveness afterwards. study published by North Caroline State University in 2019 estimated that the carbon footprint of e-scooters is Investing in curbside management presents a practical ~202g of CO² per Km per passenger over their entire life starting point for your community to manage existing cycle, which is equivalent to a conventional car and 3.5 and future needs, mitigate maintenance costs, and times more than an electric one2. The City of Toronto create new placemaking opportunities by focusing on recently opted out of Ontario’s e-scooter pilot in May getting more out of what you already have rather than 2021 stating concerns related to safety, accessibility, building new and costly infrastructure. enforcement, and liability, which is consistent with sever- al other major North American cities3. 1 (Diao, Kong, & Zhao, 2021) 2 (Holingsworth, Copeland, & Johnson, 2019) 12 Ontario Traffic Magazine 3 (City of Toronto, 2021) 4 (Globe Newswire, 2020) 5 (Gismondi, 2021)

CURB MANAGEMENT WHAT DOES THE CURB REPRESENT? WHY MANAGE THE CURB? In parallel, the sidewalk has seen a rise in demand for bike and scooter parking, and expanded business The varying layers of mobility integrate with land use and footprints into the public realm through patios and urban design at the curb which makes them part and other uses. parcel to the public realm where residents meet and interact with one another; whether it’s getting dropped Let’s take an example of sixty (60) vehicles parked at the off to visit a friend or catching a bus to attend an import- curb for an hour. If we assume a vehicle occupancy of ant meeting. 1.1 people per hour the number of people served would be approximately 66 people, whereas if those same Curbside management focuses on the transitional space spaces were re-allocated for pick-up, drop-offs, or active (the curb), between the street and sidewalk, to optimize transportation, they might serve upwards of 1,000 it for multi-modal and land use needs. Curb space can people within the same timeframe, assuming a typical be used as car parking and loading, but also as the front turnover rate of 2 minutes per pick-up or drop-off, as stoop, sidewalk café, transit hub, freight delivery zone, conceptualized in the figure above. taxi stand, or bike dock. It is a malleable resource that has value, but that value is not always collected from all Another aspect of curbside management is its potential curb users. to be a flexible zone that adjusts to the needs of the community based on real-time data. Communities go This isn’t an entirely new concept. Seventy years ago, through cycles during the day and week. During rush competing interests for the curb were limited – taxi hour, why not give more space to buses, and include stands, parking and no-parking zones, and transit stops pick-up/drop-off zones for shared rides? During the were common forms of managing curb space. In the evening or on weekends, why not give this space 1980s and 90s private parcel delivery services such as back to an outdoor café, or urban gathering space? UPS and FedEx popularized timely curbside deliveries Smart sensors and AI solutions can empower munici- with Business-to-Consumer (B2C) parcel deliveries now palities with real-time information to make informed accounting for over 50% of today’s online e-commerce decisions and iterate on them quicker while mitigating deliveries6. We also can’t ignore the impacts that the the amount of underutilized infrastructure that needs COVID-19 pandemic has had on further normalizing to be maintained. buy-online-pickup-in-store (BOPIS) and curbside pickup due to physical retail restrictions. The number of services vying for curb space has explod- Opportunities to transform urban mobility using curb ed within in recent years with the introduction of rideshar- management exist but realizing that transformation ing/hailing services such as Uber and Lyft; shared econ- requires defining the public interest in policy, setting clear omy delivery services like UberEats and DoorDash; the modal priorities for access to the curb, and making expansion of Amazon into delivery services; the use of strategic investments to activate curbside space and private shuttles; and many other kinds of uses. streets for people. 6 (McKinsey & Company, 2016) 13A Semi-Annual Publication of the Ontario Traffic Council

To ensure accessibility without compromising comfort CHANGING PRIORITIES for pedestrians and cyclists, Accessways can permit self-driving vehicles as long as they travel at cycling Moveable street furniture helps to speeds. create a barrier between travel lanes and pedestrian zones. Centre-running bike lanes could use LED green waves, which help cyclists maintain an optimum speed to avoid being stopped at intersections. SaturdPauyblaicfteRrenaolmonPsriinorSituizmemd eorn dMuroinvgemruesnht hisopurrioinriwtizinetder An example of the future curbside management possibilities as presented in Sidewalk Labs’ Quayside Master Plan where Brandon contributed to the development of curbside management strategies. WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES? Source: Sidewalk Labs Street Design Principles Contemporary curbside management is a nascent area 2.- PRIORITIZING CURB FUNCTIONS BY within transportation planning with few jurisdictions TYPOLOGY: identifying the various street typologies having formally developed curbside management strate- and determining which essential functions are a gies. Some of the most notable examples include Seat- higher or lower priority for those areas. For instance, tle, Washington D.C., Toronto, and most recently San an industrial or big-box retail would likely prioritize Francisco. Industry organizations including the Institute movement because that is vital for their needs, of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and the National Asso- whereas a town core might rather prioritize active ciation of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) have transportation or parking. San Francisco uses the both developed curbside management guidelines to following typologies: support the continued development of curbside man- agement practices which adds further credibility to it as a Low-Density Residential: Predominantly single-fam- tool for municipalities. All of these strategies and guide- ily homes or single-family homes split into several units. lines revolve around two primary components: There may be a small number of businesses serving nearby residents such as corner stores, dry cleaners, 1.- IDENTIFYING ESSENTIAL CURB FUNC- and coffee shops. TIONS: who would like access to curb space and Mid-to-High-Density Residential: Predominantly the various different needs. Your community mid- to high-rise apartments with businesses nearby should consider what your objectives are in relation serving residents such as corner stores, dry cleaners, to mobility, parking, revenue, and placemaking. and coffee shops. The City of San Francisco uses the following curb Neighbourhood Commercial: A mix of residential functions: and commercial services such as restaurants, coffee shops, corner stores, laundry services, and small-scale Access for People: Active spaces that priorities retail. transit boardings, and accommodates pick-ups/- Downtown High-density and intensity area: drop-offs, and shared mobility services. Predominantly office, retail and other commercial with some high-density residential. Well served by transit. Access for Goods: Space for deliveries of different Major Attractor: Areas, institutions, or buildings that types and sizes, used for short periods of time. attract a unique set of users that may have specialized or discrete curb needs. These needs may be specific Public Space and Services: Curb designated for use to time, day, or season. by people and public services. Industrial/Production, Distribution & Repair: Areas that serve light or heavy industry, or production, Storage for Vehicles: Space intended to be occu- distribution, and repair services. pied by vehicles for extended periods, such that no other users can access the space. Movement: Curb lane is used for the through-move- ment of motorized and non-motorized means of transportation, such that the curb lane is unavailable for other functions. 14 Ontario Traffic Magazine

CURB MANAGEMENT CURBSIDE MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS MANAGEMENT MEASURES DYNAMIC: Involves converting curb space, leverag- ing technology, and potentially modifying physical At a high-level, curbside management generally focuses infrastructure to change the curb use to adapt to on how to improve the productivity of the curb to get the changing demands through the day or week that best value. Beyond static uses based on clear demand, usually result from a mix of land uses with overlapping the following three strategies represent typical measures demand for the curb. For instance, a dynamic curb that a municipality might use to address site-focused may change from an on-street patio space during the curbside concerns: weekends to support place-making activities but converted to a commercial loading zone during the SHIFTING: Focuses on shifting curb space around to week. Alternatively, since commercial loading optimize utilization with no net removal of parking, nor demands are highest during the mornings and increase or decrease of loading zones. For instance, evenings a space could change between a transit in areas where there is a propensity for freight vehicles priority lane during the day to support transit usage to double-park due to an existing loading space being and then converted to a loading zone during off-peak too small, there may be an opportunity to shift another periods to balance the fluctuating demands between underutilized loading space on the block to the location the two modes. This solution would require more to address the specific demand. The shifted loading management and enforcement to ensure compliance, space would in turn be converted to an equivalent of and depending on the degree of dynamic changes, it the space it replaced, perhaps on-street parking. might require a higher investment in technology. CONVERSION: Consists of converting existing curb The figure above visualizes an example of how all three space to a different use to better match demand. For of these strategies might play on a busy commercial instance, there may be a street that has low vehicular street in Ottawa. The overarching intent of these curb- parking usage, but a lack of bike parking supply. Such side management strategies are not to take-away space a space may be a candidate for converting to an from motorists, but rather balance the varying compet- on-street bike rack to better utilize the space and ing needs with a focus on moving people rather than provide better value to the corridor. Alternatively, there vehicles may be a significant demand for pick-up and drop-off activity in a commercial district with many bars and nightclubs, which might be better served with several loading spaces rather than static parking spaces. 15A Semi-Annual Publication of the Ontario Traffic Council

CURB MANAGEMENT MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK Once you’ve determined your community’s priorities there are general four steps that are recommended for selecting appropriate curbside treatments when planning or addressing curbside issues: Inventory of existing curbside restrictions and facilities: Collect information on the existing policies, by-laws, and restrictions, as well as collect curbside utilization data to quantify how the curb is currently used. Depending on the configuration, it may include an assessment of on-street parking turnover and utilization, pedestrian and cycling activity, transit boardings & alightings, or freight loading demand. This step is important to identify what the existing usage is like to create a baseline upon which to compare through the development and testing of curbside management solutions. This step should also obtain feedback from key stakeholders and the public to ascertain any existing issues or constraints that may be difficult to determine through the quantitative data alone. The FHWA Curbside Inventory Report provides in-depth technical guidance for evaluating curbside performance. Identify appropriate treatment alternatives: Develop and evaluate alternative solutions to address constraints and support modal priorities. Generally, curbside management focuses on shifting space, converting space, or incorporating flexibility into curb space to balance multi-modal demands, however the possibilities can be expanded to consider future needs like autonomous mobility, and automated sidewalk drones. Assess and present alternatives for public feedback: Present the findings resulting from evaluation of alternative solutions and seek feedback from stakeholders and the public to refine solutions. Refine and implement treatments: Incorporate feedback received to finalize the recommended solutions for implementation. Be Flexible: take it case-by-case, there may not be a perfect solution. Re-calibrating against the over-arching curbside management priorities and objectives can help focus dialogue. The benefit of this framework is that it is adapted to both progressively manage demand, as well as addressing issues they may arise in less dense areas like the lack of permit/accessible parking in residential areas, or delivery vehicles illegally parking on a street. While these four steps represent a generalization of peer frameworks from across North America, it is important that your community consider a framework that is tailored to the local context and needs. For instance, communities with increased winter precipitation may desire to incorporate winter maintenance consider- ations into their curbside management strategy. Furthermore, a curbside management strategy should be developed in collaboration with a municipality’s multi-disciplinary departments between planning, operations, and maintenance to ensure such a strategy is implementable, enforceable, and conducive of broader municipal initiatives and objectives. 16 Ontario Traffic Magazine

CURB MANAGEMENT MANAGING THE CURB To reduce the amount of investment and time necessary to integrate various data sources, the International Park- Allocating use ing & Mobility Institute (IPMI) is working with the Alliance for Parking Data Standards (APDS) to develop a global The allocation of curb access to various users is done standard to share parking related data. APDS is develop- through distributing permits for a fee, either monthly or ing a consensus-built, international standard that estab- on-demand. Future-proofing regulation can help facilitate lishes a common language for data elements and defini- payment collection. For example, a courier company tions in the parking, transportation, and mobility sectors. may have a permit to park in a loading zone but pay a fee More information about the standards, including access for each curb interaction. This could be done in real-time to the data standard documents and the mission of with a parking app, auto-billing through license plate APDS, can be obtained at allianceforparkingdatastan- recognition (LPR) or directly from courier fleet data. dards.org As the spectrum of curb uses expand, the method of MONITORING allocating space will migrate from static methods to dynamic ones. A dynamic system will need to monitor the There are a varety of monitoring options including: current supply and demand of curb space and re-allocate usage in real-time; adapting to conditions. The expansion Manual logging: simple activity of a person with a of virtual credentials, LPR systems, RFID capabilities and clipboard counting vehicles and activity events at the other means to securely & privately identify users, along curb. How many ride-share vehicles used the passenger with electronic and mobiles payments, will make it easier loading zone? How many cars are parked on the street? for a program to allocate access on a variable basis. What is the average length of stay for a delivery? While manual logging does not provide consistent data, the CONSOLIDATING DATA sample can provide useful insight to a curb management program just getting started. Curb management programs require the ability to collect data from many different sources, not all of which are in Derived monitoring: taking data from various payment the control of the municipality. The ability to share data methods to approximate current activity at a curb. An with users will be vital to communicate status of activity example is assuming that a paid transaction at a meter (delivery truck location and status, rideshare activity, or via a payment app is equal to a parking or curb event. parking payment activity), share information about This allows a curb program to gain more real-time data changes to the curb (construction, etc.), and confirm on actual activity at the curb. access permissions. Third-party partners with data are It is not perfect, but it is valuable to managing the curb program, such as weath- more consistent than er, construction status, mass transit status, and traffic manual logging. flow information, to name a few. In addition, a curb management program needs to share its data with other platforms and technology; consider digital signage to communicate current operating restrictions or pricing. An entity may share data with a mapping app to communicate real-time status or changes to users. 17A Semi-Annual Publication of the Ontario Traffic Council

CURB MANAGEMENT Actual monitoring: using a variety of technology meth- cost in processing the fees. The system could also be ods to detect the presence of vehicles and activity. Tech- used to track compliance and report issues to companies nology methods such as space sensors to detect that need to adjust behaviour or risk losing access7. stopped vehicles, cameras connected to video analyt- ics, LPR, RFID, or Bluetooth to validate virtual permits MANAGING TOMORROW’S NEEDS are just a few examples. We are on the precipice of the 5th industrial revolution COMMUNICATING THE RULES which economists predict will place a greater importance on AI and Human Intelligence. According to a 2017 report Residents may be concerned about their ability to obtain from the Institute for the Future (IFTF) 85% of the jobs that access to the curb or frustrated that they have to pay for will exist in 2030 have not been invented yet. We may not access. Each curb management program needs to have know what the future holds, but we know that it will be a a clear communication plan to the users and public result of the decisions we make today. explaining the objectives of the program and how a user can access the curb. Messages should focus on the The advent of autonomous mobility raises a variety of various rules and policies, various curb restrictions, how questions and concerns that can’t be measured. Ranging to obtain permission to access the curb, and payment from moral and ethical questions surrounding AI, and the methods. Explaining the value and trade-off consider- uncertainty as to how the technology will manifest. Will it ations will help users understand how needs are be a shared-service model? Or will it be a private? These balanced at the curb. questions and others cannot be answered with any certainty today, but curbside management is likely to be a Websites, mobile platforms, and curb signage should be major barrier to AV implementation. used. While mobile apps and phone-based mapping services can provide detailed customized instructions to While the future of AVs still remain nebulous, there is a each user, signage is still a very effective way to commu- growing consensus toward AVs as a shared-use model nicate. With physical signs the information is always where vehicles would continuously pick-up and drop-off present when the users arrive at the curb. As programs passengers throughout the day. This might result in less are launched, having a plan to ensure your rules, practic- on/off-street vehicular parking demand and more curb- es, and pricing are clearly communicated is critical. side demand for pick-up & drop-offs. The introduction of AVs may make different passenger loading operations ENFORCEMENT possible, such as dedicated, orderly, or centralized pickup / dropoff locations. It could also open up opportu- Enforcement is critical to ensuring the rules are followed. nities to re-allocate parking spaces to other uses includ- Many technologies that are already in use in many cities ing public realm enhancements supported by active for other purposes can be adapted to curbside manage- transportation. ment including video analytics technology, LPR tools to verify credential holders are in the proper parking areas, The associated monitoring technology for dynamic curb- and Bluetooth and RFID tags. side management could lay the foundation to a broader connected and integrated mobility network where data The change toward digital technology presents an oppor- between curbside, roadways, intersections, transit, and tunity to digitize the citation process; perhaps via email emergency services are all communicating to dynamically rather than paper tickets, which many municipalities adapt operations to your community. require to be placed on the vehicle at the time of violation. The late psychologist Erich Fromm said “Creativity The technology could also serve to modernize the way requires the courage to let go of certainties.” In a world of paying for curb space is handled. An example presented uncertainties, perhaps the rational approach is to consid- by Charley Debow and Mike Drow in the May 2019 er that the best solution for the future cannot always be issue of The Parking Professional is to consider if a measured, but can be made adaptable to future chang- delivery truck service that currently receives five tickets es. Curbside management is a practical first step towards a week for illegal parking were able to pre-pay for adding flexibility to your community’s mobility network monthly access to a specific section of the curb? The and preparing for tomorrow’s needs. program benefits by better controlling where the deliv- ery truck stops, and the delivery service reduces its 7 (Debow & Drow, 2019) 18 Ontario Traffic Magazine Author: Brandon Orr

CREATING A ROADMAP FOR AUTOMATED VEHICLES Multi-Modal Transformation REFOCUSED On June 16-18, 2021, delegates from across the province gathered virtually for the Ontario Traffic Council’s Annual Conference and Supplier Showcase. The series of morn- ing sessions was attended by more than 140 delegates and featured 25 speakers on the theme of “Multi-Modal Trans- portation Refocused”. This was the second consecutive year where the Ontario Traffic Council (OTC) has hosted a fully virtual edition of the annual conference as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the OTC was one of the first conferences in the sector to launch a completely virtual event, which then served as a model for many other association conferences later in the year. The 2021virtual conference built on the lessons learned over the past year, and proved to be popu- lar with delegates, attracting a record number of partici- pants from all regions of the province. Conference organizers were also able to creatively lever- age the virtual event platform to take delegates on a tour of the Dutch city of Utrecht, and of Ottawa, Ontario. This was a unique opportunity for delegates to get a close-up of how these cities are working to create cycling and transit connections, and the virtual tours took the place of the usual in-person walking and transit tours of conference host communities. The shift to a virtual conference wasn’t the only change on display at the conference this year. As highlighted in open- ing remarks from OTC Board President Adam Bell, the conference theme of being “refocused” brings many changes of the past year into the conversation. This includes the shift to remote workplaces and virtual confer- ences, as well as the rapid introduction of active transpor- tation facilities and lower traffic volumes. The theme of how transportation is being “refocused” was reflected throughout conference presentations, including significant changes to how we plan for cycling, updates on how we design intersections, and a growing emphasis on multimodality. 1137AASSememi-iA-AnnunaulaPl PubulbilciactaitoinonofofthteheOOntnatrairoioTTrarfaffifcicCCouonucniclil

CYCLING FACILITIES: REFOCUSED INTERSECTIONS: REFOCUSED Delegates received a much-anticipated update on Much needed changes in how we design intersections changes that are coming to how we plan for bicycles in received ample attention across two conference Ontario. OTM Book 18: Cycling Facilities is being updat- presentations. ed, and is set to replace the original Book 18, which was launched in 2013. A draft of the update has been An initial presentation on a Take Back Our Roads3 cam- submitted to the MTO, and is expected to be released paign highlighted how near miss data is being used to in the near future. improve intersection safety. Because historical crash data is reactive, and can be unreliable, it doesn’t The WSP Canada team delivered a presentation outlin- capture all of the risk factors people face in an intersec- ing how the new Book 18 is refocusing cycling facility tion. This data analysis has led to a number of interven- design away from planning for the confident cyclist1, tions, including additional bike lanes and an emphasis and towards providing All Ages and Abilities2(AAA) on speed management. facilities. As a result of this new focus, guidance provid- ed in the manual is shifting towards the full and partial Another presentation on intersections by Alta Planning protection of facilities, and away from the use of paint- & Design focused on identifying and eliminating conflict ed bike lanes. points for cyclists as part of a council-directed review of 34 high volume intersections in Ottawa. Pedestrian and The updated manual is also expected to provide more motor vehicle safety is also being considered through a clarity on conflict zone markings, curbside manage- series of short term and quick build countermeasures, ment, accessibility, transit stops and minimum mainte- incremental upgrades, and long term changes. An nance standards, and aims to help municipalities plan emphasis was placed in implementing protected inter- for more consistent cycling networks. sections when possible, however, measures also include green paint in conflict zones, leading pedestrian and cycling intervals, no right turns on red, and curb extensions. Intersections have long been a dangerous conflict point in cycling and walking networks across Ontario, and it is positive to see such an emphasis on refocusing their design to protect these vulnerable road users. 1 https://blog.altaplanning.com/understanding-the-four-types-of- cyclists-112e1d2e9a1b 2 https://nacto.org/publication/urban-bikeway-design-guide/designing -ages-abilities-new/ages-abilities-user/ 3 https://takebackourroads.ca/ ................................................ 20 Ontario Traffic Magazine

MULTI-MODAL TRANSFORMATION: REFOCUSED MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION: REFOCUSED Building-up Ontario’s transit network was the primary focus of remarks delivered by The Honourable Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. This emphasis on transit laid the foundation for several multi-modal confer- ence discussions, and a more detailed overview of remarks provided by the Minister and Ministry of Transportation (MTO) can be found on page 8 of this magazine. Presenters from Scooty spoke about opportunities to leverage micromobility to build truly complete transit networks. By emphasizing multi-modality and connections to transit via devices like bike share and electric scoot- ers, municipalities have the opportunity to meaningfully increase the reach of transit. In another presentation from the Greater Toronto Area, the City of Vaughan shared how it has been building for multi-modal transportation along a major collector road (Clark Avenue). This was the City’s first retrofit multi-modal transportation project and has led to such outcomes as bus rapid transit investments, expanded bike paths, and greater connections to parks, libraries, community centres and more. This multi-modal project also emphasized future flexibility by creating space to accommodate the emerging use of micromobility devices, and establishing trail connections to future subway extensions. Speakers from Dillon Consulting also spoke about the development of a made-in-Ontario Multi-Modal Level of Service Guide that will help to refocus traditional level of service assessments away from car travel and towards multi-modal travel. By providing the tools to assess the performance of all modes of travel, this guide will help municipalities build streets that enable and encourage travel by modes other than just the car. Currently in draft form, the guide is targeted for completion by the end of the summer. ................................................................................................................... Of course this brief snapshot does not capture the entirety of the conference. Informative updates were also provided throughout the conference on the implementation of Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) in Durham Region, addressing stunt driving, assessing school transportation hazards, and the OTC’s efforts to support Administrative Monetary Penalty Systems (AMPS), Vision Zero, temporary restaurant patios, and a hostile vehicle mitigation guide. I think our organizing team produced a fantastic conference this year, says OTC President Adam Bell. “In such a chaotic time, it was great to see so much timely and relevant information about the refocusing of transportation in this province shared so broadly across our membership.” TO STAY UP TO DATE on planning for the 2022 Annual Conference and Supplier Showcase, as well as the OTC’s ongoing series of webinars and training opportunities, BECOME A MEMBER OF THE OTC AND SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER. Author: Jamie Stuckless 1231AASSememi-iA-AnnunaulaPl PubulbilciactaitoinonofofthteheOOntnatrairoioTTrarfaffifcicCCouonucniclil

THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION’S 2020-21 CONFERENCE UPDATE 2020-21 Delegates at the 2021 OTC Annual Conference & Supplier Showcase received a detailed update from Conference the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) on their past year Update of activities, and upcoming priorities. The update was delivered in two parts, including a pre-recorded video address from The Honourable Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation, and a presentation by Sheri Graham, Manager, Traffic Policy with the MTO. Updates were provided on a wide range of files, including how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Ontar- io’s transportation network, the MTO’s organizational transformation, the recently passed Moving Ontarians More Safely (MOMS) Act, and how the province plans to address congestion moving forward. ............................................................................................................... COVID-19 AND ONTARIO’S passenger vehicle volumes, the Queen Elizabeth Way TRANSPORTATION NETWORK (QEW) in Central Ontario saw the largest change between December 2019 and April 2020, with a 63% The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented decrease in traffic. Highway 11 through Northern impact on Ontario’s transportation network. As high- Ontario saw the smallest decrease in passenger vehicle lighted by Minister Mulroney, transit agencies have volumes, as well as the highest increase of 274% in been among the hardest hit by the pandemic with July 2020. The pandemic did not alter truck volumes as dropping ridership and fares. As an essential service much as it did passenger vehicle volumes. This was relied on by many Ontarians, transit continued to oper- particularly true on Highway 11, which experienced ate throughout the pandemic despite the drop in reve- only a 1% change in truck volumes. nues. The Minister highlighted how Ontario received $2 billion in funding through the Safe Restart Agreement1, Overall, Central Region has had the largest decrease in and emphasized plans for continued investments in traffic volumes throughout the pandemic and, unlike the public transit and the development of a comprehensive East, West and Northeast Regions, did not return to GO network with all day, two way service every 15 pre-COVID volume levels in 2020. minutes on core segments. Beyond transit, delegates were also given a glimpse at Staff also noted that, in terms of construction projects, how motor vehicle travel has been impacted by the the MTO’s 2020-21 numbers are comparable to the pandemic. previous year, despite having to navigate the pandemic and its associated restrictions. MTO staff are still analyzing the data to understand trends, but they reported a 6% decrease in fatal 1 https://www.canada.ca/en/intergovernmental-affairs/services/ collisions across the full network in 2020. In terms of safe-restart-agreement.html 22 Ontario Traffic Magazine

THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION’S 2020-21 CONFERENCE UPDATE MTO’S TRANSFORMATION THE MOVING ONTARIANS MORE SAFELY (MOMS) ACT The MTO has recently implemented a new organiza- tional structure. This multi-year process has been A few weeks before the conference, the Moving Ontari- known as “Transformation”, and is intended to move ans More Safety Act2, or the MOMS Act for short, the ministry towards a more integrated approach to the received Royal Assent. Despite how recent and wide transportation system as a whole. Objectives for the ranging the Act was, it was only mentioned briefly in change include creating a more flexible and nimble remarks by both the Minister and staff. structure to respond quickly to changes in the external environment, separating policy and program manage- The MOMS Act included legislative and regulatory ment from operations and delivery, and reducing siloes. changes intended to fight street racing, stunt driving and aggressive driving, protect vulnerable road users MTO staff shared an overview of the ministry’s new and workers on or near highways, improve truck safety, structure. Moving forward, the Ministry will be orga- and strengthen provincial oversight of the towing sector. nized into seven internal divisions instead of the previ- ous five. These now include: As part of the consultation process, the OTC expressed general satisfaction with the Act on behalf of Integrated Policy & Planning; its members. The OTC also made three recommenda- Agency Oversight & Partnerships; tions to enhance the Act: Transportation Infrastructure Management; Transportation Safety increasing speeding fines; Operations; introducing an Administrative Monetary Corporate Services, and; Penalty System (AMPS), and; Labour & Transportation Cluster. further distinguishing between electric bicycles with a throttle. The first five of these seven divisions are new as a result of the transformation. The Act was passed as proposed and none of these recommendations were addressed specifically in the 2 https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament MTO updates during the conference. -42/session-1/bill-282 1233AASSememi-iA-AnnunaulaPl PubulbilciactaitoinonofofthteheOOntnatrairoioTTrarfaffifcicCCouonucniclil

THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION’S 2020-21 ADDITIONAL CONFERENCE UPDATE UPDATES ADDRESSING CONGESTION .................................................. IN ONTARIO The wide-ranging MTO update also mentioned Modelling data cited by the Minister indicates that the the ongoing Raised Speed Limit Pilot Project, Greater Golden Horseshoe Region is set to grow by where speed limits were raised from 100km/h to one million people every five years. Along with that 110km/h on three sections of 400 series high- population growth, the MTO is anticipating increased way. The results of the pilot will be compared to congestion in an area already plagued by congestion. a control group on nine other 400 series high- Investing in public transit is a big part of the Province’s way sections and monitored for changes in plan for addressing congestion, including Light Rapid traf c volumes, speeds and collisions. Transit (LRT) projects in the Toronto area and Hamilton. However, Minister Mulroney noted that Ontario needed Walking and cycling were noticeably absent a robust highway network to address congestion too. from this multi-modal conversation, although Investments to widen Highway 3 between Essex and the MTO did note that OTM Book 18 Cycling Leamington and Highway 17 between Kenora and Facilities was one of six Ontario Traf c Manuals Manitoba, and build the Bradford Bypass were high- currently “under construction”. It is expected to lighted, as were efforts to repair and expand various be published soon. roads and bridges. Delegates were also informed that updated 3 https://www.library.mto.gov.on.ca/SydneyPLUS/TechPubs/ traf c simulation guidelines would be posted to Portal/tp/TechnicalPublications.aspx the MTO’s Technical Publication website3, and that the Regional Biennial Travel Time Study was just starting up. This study has been undertaken every two years since 1996 to establish the mobility, reliability and operating conditions of Highways, Expressways and Arterial Corridors. .................................................. Author: Jamie Stuckless FOR ONGOING UPDATES ABOUT THE STATE OF TRANSPORTATION IN ONTARIO, BECOME A MEMBER OF THE ONTARIO TRAFFIC COUNCIL, AND FOLLOW OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER. CONTACT [email protected] FOR MORE INFORMATION. 24 Ontario Traffic Magazine

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AWARDS Transportation Planning Member OF THE YEAR AWARD Congratulations Mehemed! and worked alongside two other committee This Award is intended to recognize significant contribu- members on the devel- tions to the Ontario Traffic Council and to the transporta- opment of the OTC tion planning profession: to honour a particular OTC Advanced TIS course member for their dedication, passion and hard work in for the OTC, which transportation planning projects and initiatives; and to rolled out last month. thank an OTC member for their outstanding volunteerism He has presented at in advancing the mandate of the Ontario Traffic Council. many past OTC and TAC conferences and is All members of the Ontario Traffic Council (OTC) are co-author of the \"Road eligible for this award though a minimum of 3 years of Safety Program and Data Needs Assessment (2015)\", active participation in the OTC is required. The award prepared for the Canadian Institute of Transportation winner sets themselves apart through dedicated volun- Engineers (CITE). teerism in enhancing the visibility and mandate of the OTC in the area of Transportation Planning; has demon- Mehemed is a long-time advocate and volunteer in the strated leadership within the transportation planning field engineering community and professional associations. generally and is recognized and respected by industry In addition to his contribution to the OTC, he is a peers as being a subject matter expert in transportation member of various engineering organizations. planning. .......................................................... Our award winner for 2021 has worked on projects encompassing a broad range of transportation fields Transportation including transportation master plans, transportation/ traffic impact and safety studies, municipal and provincial Planning Project class environmental assessments (EA), transportation OF THE YEAR AWARD demand and traffic management, transportation / urban planning and development application approvals, parking Congratulations studies, transit projects, and preliminary and detailed highway / road design projects. to the City of Kitchener, Darren Kropf, Liz This year's Transportation Planning Member of the Year is Christensen, Brian Mehemed Delibasic, Assistant Vice President of Trans- Patterson and Team, portation Planning and Traffic Engineering with McIntosh Awarded Ontario Traffic Perry Consulting Engineers, and the new OTC Transpor- Council’s 2021 Trans- tation Planning Committee Co-Chair. portation Planning Project of the Year for For the past 5 years Mehemed was one of the Instructors the Cycling and Trails for the OTC \"Transportation Impact Study (TIS) Course\" Master Plan. Read more about the project here - https://ww- w.kitchener.ca/en/strategic-plans-and-proj- ects/cycling-and-trails-master-plan.aspx 18 Ontario Traffic Magazine 1235AASSememi-iA-AnnnunaulaPl PubulbilciactaitoinonofofthteheOOntnatrairoioTTrarfaffifcicCCouonucniclil

TRANSPORTATION PROJECT AWARDS HONOURARY Each year the OTC Board of Directors evaluates the merits of Membership individuals who have made significant contributions to the Ontar- Congratulations Robyn! io Traffic Council and to the industry for consideration for Honou- rary Membership. The length of the Honourary appointment is for a three year term. This year we are pleased to announce an Honourary OTC appointment to Robyn Zutis. Robyn Zutis started working at the Town of Oakville as a Traffic Technician after completing her Transportation Engineering Tech- nology program at Mohawk College in 1988. Her five-year plan to stay with Oakville turned in to 31 years and counting. She worked as Traffic Technologist in both the Traffic Engineering and Traffic Operations departments within the Town of Oakville. Robyn served on the OTC Board of Directors from 2008 until 2020 in various roles such as Secretary/Treasurer, Director of Education, Director of Marketing and Director of Convention at a time when Directors held these roles. Robyn continues to contribute to the OTC Conference as a member of the Confer- ence Working Group. ................................................................................................................. HONOURARY LIFE In addition to the Honourary Member, the Board also considers individu- Membership als who qualify by reason of having been an active member of the Congratulations Dave! OTC and having made an outstanding contribution to the associa- tion for a period of 20 years or more. This year, we are thrilled to announce a Life Member appointment to Dave Richardson. Dave Richardson recently retired from WSP Canada. Dave has been attending OTC Annual Meetings since his early days at Metropolitan Toronto in the mid 1970s. He has served on the OTC Traffic Engineering Committee since 1991 and has been a strong supporter of OTC events such as the Traffic Engineering Fall Workshop - Symposium and the OTC's Technical Traffic Operations Course at the Police College in Aylmer where he lectured for over 25 years. Dave led the production of the original Ontario Traffic Manual Book 18-Cycling Facilities, as well as the update to the School Guard Crossing Guide, both of which were overseen by Steering Committees of OTC members from across the province. Dave served as a Special Advisor on the Update to Book 18 which was led by his colleagues at WSP. In 2013, the OTC's Transportation Planning Professional of the Year award was bestowed on Dave to recognize his efforts and dedication to our organization. It is once again time to recognize Dave Richardson with his lifetime contribu- tions to the OTC and to the industry. 26 13A Semi-Annual Publication of the Ontario Traffic Council A Semi-Annual Publication of the Ontario Traffic Council

HOSTILE The intentional use of motor vehicles as weapons is not a new phenomenon, but we have seen a vehicle mitigation disturbing increase in hostile vehicle attacks around the world, and right here in Ontario. A growing number of municipalities are working to mitigate this form of violence, but at present they are doing so without the guidance of provincial or industry standards. The Ontario Traffic Council has established a new Committee focused on hostile vehicle mitigation, and is planning to lead the development of standards that can be used by member municipalities. In the meantime, this article is meant to provide an overview of hostile vehicle mitigation efforts in Ontario, and other neighbouring jurisdictions.

HOSTILE VEHICLE MITIGATION ABOUT HOSTILE VEHICLE MITIGATION STRATEGIES MITIGATION The occurrence and ongoing threat of hostile vehicle Hostile vehicle mitigation is an extension of the ongoing attacks is leading municipalities to identify mitigation practice of vehicle mitigation. strategies, particularly around events. It is important to differentiate between As outlined in a 2019 presentation2 at the National vehicle mitigation and hostile vehicle Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) mitigation, says Peter Wehmeyer, Pres- Conference, the City of Toronto is applying hostile ident and Founder of Direct Traffic Man- vehicle mitigation measures at major events. agement Inc. Vehicle mitigation is required whenever you have people in Measures include permanent road closures around the proximity to motor vehicles, but it is Scotiabank Arena, the use of concrete jersey barriers in not always hostile, like in the case of areas like near Union Station, and support from large medical emergencies or driver error. “blocker trucks” to stop the movement of vehicles into Hostile vehicle mitigation would be pedestrian spaces, as was done along the 2019 Toron- needed if and when there is a higher to Raptors championship parade route. probability of a vehicle being used with malicious intent to harm people. Shortly after the Toronto van-attack, plastic water-filled jersey barriers were installed3 along a widened pedestri- There is a growing awareness of hostile vehicle an walkway in Niagara Falls to protect people viewing the attacks, with several high profile incidents having waterfall, and the City of Hamilton added concrete flower recently occurred. planters in front of City Hall4 after the hate-bus incident. In 2016, a man drove a rental truck into a Christmas The types of mitigation measures implemented depend market in Nice, France killing 86 people. That same on how “hard” a site is. Hard sites can include security year, a tractor trailer was driven into a Berlin Christ- teams, strict access control and physical barriers. Sites mas market, killing 12 people. In North America, we that are open to the public, with no physical barriers, or saw a truck used to kill eight people on a bicycle path security are considered to be soft targets. While the in New York City, the intentional targeting of a police focus of many hostile vehicle mitigation efforts has officer by a man in a car in Edmonton, and the been around events and other high traffic areas, which ramming attack during a protest in Charlottesville, can tend to be harder, our softer, everyday urban Virginia killing one person and injuring 30 (Rozdilsky environments must also be considered. and Snowden, 20211). For example, although Yonge Street was found to have We have unfortunately experienced a number of these some hardening factors such as on-street curbside hostile vehicle attacks right here in Ontario as well. The parking, barriers related to building construction and 2018 van attack on Yonge Street in Toronto killed 10 some concrete planters, Rozdilsky and Snowden pedestrians and injured another 16. In 2019, what has consider it to be a soft target due to having minimal been labelled a “hate bus” mounted a curb during an curb level changes between active traffic lanes and anti-hate rally at Hamilton City Hall to intimidate rally sidewalks, multiple barrier-free locations to jump from participants, and in 2021 a man used a pickup truck to the street, and long stretches of wide sidewalk where a intentionally target a Muslim family in London, killing vehicle can accelerate. Additionally, Rozdilsky and four family members. Snowden note in their paper the safety challenges in 28 Ontario Traffic Magazine

HOSTILE VEHICLE MITIGATION the area that pre-date the van attack, with a total of NEXT STEPS 143 collisions involving pedestrians between 2011 to 2019. Features such as bollards, decorative or Hostile vehicle mitigation is a complicated and energy-absorbing planters, strengthened lighting critical area of focus for municipalities, but it is also structures, street furniture, level changes, and water fairly new territory where no provincial guidance features can be used to mitigate hostile vehicle exists. This is where the Ontario Traf c Council is attacks in urban environments5 on an ongoing basis. stepping in. Finally, while there are mitigation strategies I applaud the Ontario Traffic Council municipalities can put into place, bollards and for taking a leadership role in this cement planters won’t put a stop to the misogyny, space, says Mr. Wehmeyer. As hostile racism, and white supremacy that have been found vehicle attacks become more preva- to motivate these attacks. Many of these attacks, lent, municipalities and event organiz- including the recent one in London, have been ers need tools to help assess scenari- denounced as acts of terrorism, but they continue to os, and identify how to deal with them. occur. Reports from the United States also show6 that right-wing extremists are increasingly using cars FOR ONGOING UPDATES as weapons against protesters. Disturbingly, a new about the Ontario Traf c Council’s work on hostile bill in Florida7 grants civil immunity to anyone who drives their cars into protestors blocking the road, vehicle mitigation, BECOME A MEMBER OF essentially permitting the hostile use of vehicles. THE ONTARIO TRAFFIC COUNCIL, and follow our monthly newsletter. As we work to prevent hostile vehicle attacks, communities must also address the ideological Author: Jamie Stuckless motivations behind them, in order to truly keep everyone safe. 1 https://cdnjem.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CJEM-v1n1-Rozdilsky-Snowden.-Toronto-Van-Attack.pdf 2 https://nacto.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3-Nacto-street-events-Autosaved.pdf 3 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/barriers-niagara-falls-toronto-van-attack-1.4648974 4 https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilton-region/2019/09/13/hate-bus-fallout-hamilton-adds-concrete-barriers-at-city-hall-to- protect-rallygoers-from-vehicles.html 5 https://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/Media-and-publications/Publications/Documents/hostile-vehicle-guidelines-crowded-places.pdf 6 https://www.npr.org/2020/06/21/880963592/vehicle-attacks-rise-as-extremists-target-protesters 7 https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/04/ron-desantis-anti-riot-bill 18 Ontario Traffic Magazine 1239AASSememi-iA-AnnnunaulaPl PubulbilciactaitoinonofofthteheOOntnatrairoioTTrarfaffifcicCCouonucniclil

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE iPnrothteecPtinogstS-cPhaonoldZeomneics The Ontario government has announced its desire to see in-person schooling return this September. And while this is good news for many students and parents alike, it raises fresh concerns for school zone traffic safety. \"For many reasons, that front school zone can be the most dangerous place on a student's school journey,\" says Leslie Maxwell, School Travel Planning Supervisor with Waterloo Region’s Student Transportation Services. “Whether it’s during the morning drop-off or after school pick-up, that area is always very congested. You have drivers jockeying for spaces, double-parking, or pulling U-turns in the middle of the road, or even dropping their kids off in the middle of the road.” “It’s organized chaos that can quickly get out of control,” she adds. Surely, school zones pose safety risks during the PROMOTING BETTER BEHAVIOURS best of times. And according to traffic safety professionals like Julie Ellis, School Crossing Guard There are still some questions about Ontario's Coordinator, Transportation Services, City of Niagara back-to-school plans, and how they will impact com- Falls, those risks are likely to become more munities. Odds are, however, that school zones will be pronounced in the post-pandemic: “There may be more congested as caregivers take transportation into some parents who don’t feel comfortable their own hands. Recognizing this, educational stake- putting their children on a bus due to health holders and municipalities are encouraging the public concerns. They may choose to drive their kids to consider ways to keep roads calmer. to school in their own vehicle, which will end up crowding the school zone even further, “Ultimately, we want people out walking and which is what we're hoping to avoid.” arriving at school on foot,” says Ellis. “It would be great to get students returning to school in ways that are much more appropriate for handling con- gestion.” 30 Ontario Traffic Magazine

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AWARDS been rolled out in school zones and Community Safe Zones throughout the province, and they have proven effective in calming those areas. To that end, several municipalities are exploring creative As for combatting congestion, municipalities approaches to school zone safety. For example, Maxwell are lobbying for zero tolerance school zones and her team Student Transportation Services of Waterloo and developing public awareness campaigns in Region have developed a series of “Drive to Five” maps for partnership with local police to highlight school schools that encourage people to park three to five zone traffic dangers and encourage safer practices. minutes away from school. For its part, OTC is working with its partners to raise \"The idea is to get people parking where it is a lot awareness for school zone safety on a larger scale. calmer and there is more legal space so that we “We’re trying to put together something that is more don't crowd the school zone while also helping provincially widespread and consistent,” says Ellis, students get a few steps in before they start their who who is the current Chair of the OTC’s School Cross- day,\" she explains. ing Programs Committee. “We want to keep the enforcement side in focus, but also bring awareness Overall, adds Ellis, the first step to mitigating school zone to drivers out there in the public of the dangers and risks is to acknowledge they exist and that they aren’t remind them do their part in keeping students safe.” going away come fall: “We have an opportunity to reas- sess how students get to school. Rather than simply Additionally, OTC plans to hold a two-day School Zone hopping into a car, we need to show them that walk- Safety online symposium from November 1-2, 2021. ing is a feasible and healthy alternative, even if it means breaking out the sled during the winter.” Organizations like Green Communities Canada are also lending their voice. According to Kate Berry, Program THE ENFORCEMENT ANGLE Director with the organization, “We will be running a 'Back to School' campaign on social media in late It would be ideal if municipalities had the staffing and August to encourage Ontario families to walk, cycle, resources to enforce school zone traffic safety at every or scoot for their school journeys when schools go location. The reality, however, is this simply isn't doable. back. Our plan is to ensure our campaign content \"Unfortunately, enforcement can't be at every aligns with the direction from Government.\" school every day and all the time. And the reality is that even if they could, bad behaviours would proba- Ontario’s return to in-person schooling is encouraging bly return once they stepped away,\" Maxwell offers. news. Nonetheless, efforts must continue to ensure students are returning to a safer experience. That’s not to say enforcement is off the table. Automated speed enforcement (ASE) programs have Learn more about OTC’s School Zone Safety symposium at www.otc.org/events/school-zone-safety- online-symposium. Author: Matthew Bradford 18 Ontario Traffic Magazine 1331AASSememi-iA-AnnnunaulaPl PubulbilciactaitoinonofofthteheOOntnatrairoioTTrarfaffifcicCCouonucniclil

OTM Book 7 public training dates and on-line registration are available at https://otc.org/events . Private training sessions (virtual or in-person) are available subject to minimum participants by contacting [email protected]. September public training is available virtually with plans for hybrid in-person/virtual delivery from October onwards (subject to public health guidance). ONLINE TRAINING OTC Member: $229 + HST Non-Member: $329 + HST UPCOMING ONLINE PUBLIC TRAINING DATES 16 September 2021 (Non-Freeway) 21 October 2021 (Non-Freeway) 19 November 2021 (Non-Freeway) 9 December 2021 (Non-Freeway) PRIVATE TRAINING SESSIONS Please email [email protected] with a private online training enquiry for your staff. The available dates for private training can also be viewed on our online calendar at https://otc.org/events/ ADVERTISING IN THE BI-ANNUAL OT MAGAZINE IS AVAILABLE BY CONTACTING [email protected]