Module 4: The Essentials of Active Transportation Flashcards
What is Active Transportation?
-Active Transportation is defined as any travel that is human powered such as walking & cycling for a cleaner environment & improved personal health.
-This can include:
-walking
-biking
-skateboarding
-in line skating/ rollerblading
-jogging & running
-non-mechanized wheel chairing
-snowshoeing and cross-country skiing
Benefits of Active Transportation.
-Health: increased opportunities for exercise
-Social: encourages social interaction
-Transportation: reduces traffic congestion
-Environmental: fewer greenhouse gas emissions
-Economy: reduction in congestion due to lost productivity
Five E’s of Bicycle Planning Framework.
-Engineering
-Education
-Encouragement
-Enforcement
-Evaluation
Types of Cyclists.
-No way, no how
-Interested but concerned - 60%
-Enthusiastic & confident
-Strong & fearless
Bikeway Facility Types.
Most comfortable to least comfortable:
-Multi-use pathways
-Protected bike lane
-Local street bikeway
-Bicycle lane
-Shared use lane
-Shoulder bikeway
Pedestrian Planning Framework.
Types of Pedestrians to Consider:
-Commuter
-Fast, direct route regardless of quality of environment
-Shopper/Leisure Walker
-Looks for ease of access, attractive retail environments, &
attractive routes
-Disabled Person
-Requires level, clearly defined easy access
-Child
-Requires a high level of segregation from motorized traffic
-Important factors where children & young people make
independent journeys, especially journeys to school
Pedestrian Facility Types.
Most comfortable to least comfortable:
-Off street pedestrian only
-Multi use pathway
-Wide sidewalk
-Buffered sidewalk
-Sidewalk
-Unpaved sidewalk
-Paved shoulder
Walk Score, Transit Score, Bike Score.
-Walk Score measures the walkability of a location
-Transit Score measures access to public transit
-Bike Score measures whether a location is good for biking
Walk Score - What Does it Measure?
-Walk Score measures the walkability of any address.
-It analyzes hundreds of walking routes to nearby amenities.
-Points are awarded based on the distance to amenities in each
category.
-Max point (5-min walk) to 0 point (>30 min walk)
-It also measures pedestrian friendliness by analyzing population density & road metrics such as block length & intersection density.
Active Transportation Strategy.
-The goal of an AT strategy is to transform an automobile reliant community into a community where all interested parties including motorists, public transit users, pedestrians, cyclists, & others share a common vision for the development of future transportation networks.
-An At strategy is not about restricting the use of motor vehicles, but about improving the environment & opportunities for travel that incorporates physical activity.
High AT Commuting in Kingston.
According to Statscan, Kingston is the most walkable city in Ontario.
Weaknesses - Queen’s Campus.
-Unsafe traffic conditions.
-Winter conditions.
-Condition & lack of infrastructure.
-Lack of end-of-trip facilities.
Strengths - Queen’s Campus.
-Critical mass of commuters living around the University.
-University’s location & connectivity of surrounding area.
-Recent improvements to AT infrastructure in the area.
Opportunities - Queen’s Campus.
-Chance to build on existing strengths.
-Expansion of partnerships & collaborations.
-Chance to influence growth & change.
Threats - Queen’s Campus.
-Entrenched car-oriented mindset of some commuters.
-Inflexibility of existing regulations & policies.
Kingston AT - Facts & Figures.
-A large majority of undergraduate students, 82.4%, live within a 1.5 km radius of union Street & University Avenue.
-Only 12.8% of staff & faculty lived within 2 km of the campus, & 50% live within 10 km.
-The large proportions of students who live within walking distance to campus would benefit greatly from pedestrian improvements.
-Students would also benefit from improvements to the cycling network.
Kingston AT Strategy.
-The strategy aims to increase the number of active commuting trips to, from, & on campus & to enhance the existing conditions for walking, cycling, & other modes of AT.
-Therefore, some possible outcomes could include:
-identifying links & extensions of existing bikeways, trails,
sidewalks, & roads;
-identifying missing connections;
-prioritizing network projects;
-reviewing current standards, by-laws; and
-identifying opportunities for public promotion & education.
Practices Ideal for Queen’s.
-Improved pedestrian pathway design;
-Walking & cycling maps;
-More park & ride facilities;
-Implementation of a bike share or bike rental program;
-Improved cycling pathway design;
-More & better end-of-trip facilities;
-A bicycle registration program;
-Flexible parking & transit pass systems;
-A guaranteed ride home program.
Recommendations - Walking.
Infrastructure:
-improve sidewalks around Queen’s campus
-provide more pedestrian crossings
-enhance pedestrian infrastructure
-increase & maintain streetlights
-apply traffic calming measures
Programs:
-install way-finding maps & pedestrian signage
-maintain a clean environment for campus commuting
-educate pedestrians about their rights & responsibilities
-establish a weekly walk to work day
Policies:
-lobby for changes to the Ontario Highway Traffic Act
-prioritize snow clearing of sidewalks
-maintain sidewalks & walkways to a high standard
-encourage mixed land uses & pedestrian-oriented design
Recommendations - Cycling.
Infrastructure:
-improve bicycle parking on Queen’s campus
-provide bike lanes on arterial & collector streets
-create a network of bike boulevards
-install bike boxes at select & appropriate signalized intersections
-install bicycle signals at traffic intersections
-locate bike repair stands in high traffic areas
Programs:
-promote cycling awareness
-host cycling workshops on campus
-start a bicycle registration program on campus
-start a bike share program on campus
Policies:
-province wide support from the Ontario Highway Traffic Act
-uphold commitment to regular maintenance of on-street marked bicycle lanes
-maintenance of snow-free bike lanes & bicycle parking areas
-align goals with Ontario’s cycling strategy
Kingston AT Mast Plan - Principles.
Safety - Kingston will have a network of AT facilities where people want to be, because they feel safe with more people on the street.
Connectivity - A continuous network of AT routes & facilities throughout the City will create greater choice for active travel.
Equity - All residents & visitors, regardless of age, gender, or social-economic background should be able to travel throughout the City using any AT option they choose.
Equality - An inclusive environment where all ages & abilities would have access to active travel choices for all seasons & have the opportunity to participate in the active modes of their choice.
Accessibility - The ability to access routes that are secure, accessible, & convenient, including supporting facilities, and implement universal design criteria to improve accessibility for all travel choices.
Promotion - Promote the use, benefits, & accessibility of active modes of travel as a means to improve health, interact with others, increase freedom, & develop a sense of community.
Neighbourhood Trips.
-Made within the boundary of a specific neighbourhood; typically short in distance.
-Trips to & from school or a local community destination sch as a library or a community centre.
-Occur on local or collector roads that have low operating speeds & low motor vehicle traffic.
-Served by individual systems of routes & facilities within each area
-Infrastructure requirements are often small in scale, e.g. pedestrian crosswalks, signed bike routes, etc.
City-Wide Trips.
-Rely on a spine of system of routes & facilities that provide key connections to other streets in the network.
-Commuting or long distance/touring purposes, e.g. trips to & from work, major commercial centres, etc.
-Occur on arterial & collector roads that have higher operating speeds & motor vehicle traffic.
-Infrastructure requirements are typically large-scale projects that are planned in conjunction with other capital projects, e.g. grade separated crossings for pedestrians & cyclists; planned roadway widenings, etc.
Kingston AT Master Plan Recommendations.
Achieving a 20% active transportation mode share by 2034 will require a long-term commitment from the City & decisive action by Council & staff. Many of these actions will take time to affect mode share:
-implement the cycling network plan;
-undertake bicycle-integrated design at specific intersections;
-develop wayfinding/signing strategy
-allocate budget (capital & maintenance)
-enhance bike-share program
-incorporate bicycle access, parking, & end-of-trip facilities in by-laws & site-plan reviews.
Complete Streets.
-Streets are complete when they are designed to support many different forms of mobility.
Evolution of Complete Streets.
-Traditional towns were built on a human scale & pedestrian-oriented.
-After WW2, highways & communities were built based on “car-dependence.” Cars are the central focus of transportation, infrastructure, & land use policies.
-Tension between urban form & road function
Complete Streets of Canada Definition.
-A Complete Street is designed for all ages, abilities, & modes of travel. On Complete Streets, safe & comfortable access for pedestrians, bicycles, transit users & the mobility-impaired is not an afterthought, but an integral planning feature.
Primary Goal of Complete Streets.
-To build a city where all users & uses have a well-functioning network so that people can travel easily & safely with the mode of their choice.
Components in Complete Streets.
-Transit improvement
-Road diet
-Streetscaping
-Accessibility improvement
-Pedestrian improvement
-Traffic calming
-Cycling improvement
Consequences of an Unbalance Transportation System.
-Unsustainable development
-Impacts to community
-Safety issues
-Transportation inequality
-Environmental concerns
-Impacts to health
-Disconnected transportation networks
Benefits of Complete Streets.
-Improved safety
-Health benefits
-Environmental sustainability
-Smart mobility - expanded mobility choices
-Walkability
-Economic vitality
-Vibrant & livable public spaces
-Connectivity
Complete Streets = Community Liveability.
-Complete Streets as One Approach to Community Livability
-Support and fulfill local community livability objectives
-Strategies for improving community livability:
-improving sustainability of land use & development
-providing non-motorized transportation options
-instituting traffic-calming measures.
-integrating land-use & transportation planning
-encouraging pedestrian-friendly design & mixed use development
Bicycle & Pedestrian - Planning & Design.
-An active & preferred route is one that offers a convenient, safe, attractive, efficient, connected, accessible, & pleasant route.
-Goal - The development of safe walking & biking infrastructure that allows community members to travel using active transportation.
Pedestrian Integrated Design - Design Guide.
-Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) Geometric Design Guide (GDG) for Canadian Roads
Design Elements.
-Most critical aspect is the adequacy of sight lines at intersections.
-Many obstructions to sight distance:
-landscaping
-parked vehicles
-traffic control devices
-street furniture
Other Design Elements.
-Intersection corner radius.
-Mountable corner aprons.
-Channelized turn lane.
-Curb extensions
Other Design Guidance in TAC GDG.
-Sidewalk lighting, landscaping.
-Placement of street hardware & other amenities.
-Transit integration.
-Driveway access management.
-Retrofits.
-Segregation of modes.
Bicycle-Integrated Design - Design Guides.
-Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) Geometric Design Guide (GDG) for Canadian Roads.
-Chapter 5 - Bicycle Integrated Design
-Ontario Traffic Manual (OTM)
-Book 18 - Cycling facilities
Cyclist Fatalities.
-Collisions - Average of 74 Canadians die in cycling collisions each year.
-Collision Rates (Per 1M):
-All cycling collisions - decreased from 228 (2006) to 151 (2017)
-Cycling death - decreased from 2.5 (2006) to 1.3 (2017)
-Most cycling fatalities occurred during evening rush hour.
Cyclist Fatalities - Behaviour.
-Road safety rules may not have been respected in approximately 1 in 3 cycling fatalities.
-Nearly 6 male cyclist fatalities were recorded for every female cyclist fatality.
Design Fundamentals.
People biking need sufficient operating space, separation from those with large speed differences, smooth surfaces, speed maintenance, connectivity:
-operating space typically 1.2m to 1.5m
-typical bicycle speeds are 15-30 km/h, maybe 50 km/h+ downhill
-for cycling to be effective as transportation, people must be able
to maintain their momentum without having to slow too often.
-where reasonable, bike routes should be continuous, minimize
steep grades, rough surfaces, sharp corners, intersections, & need
to yield.
-surfaces should be even & firm, clear of obstacles & debris wider
if uneven to allow maneuverability, consider 4 season
maintenance.
-network should allow movement in various directions, offer route
choice, be intuitive, minimize diversion.
Design Guidance.
OTM Book 18:
-Intersection & crossing treatments
-Transit stop treatments
-End-of-trip facilities
TAC Geometric Design
-Design speed
-Alignment
-Stopping sight distance
OTM Book 18.
-Adjacent Crossing
-Setback crossing/ protected corner
-Left turn treatments
-Bike boxes
-Uncontrolled crossings
TAC Geometric Design Guide.
-Limited horizontal curve sight distance
-Sharp Horizontal curve on a downgrade into a dark tunnel
-Limited sight distance
-Horizontal curve with adequate sight distance
-Unconventional signing
-Inadequate cross section
-Inadequate clearance
-Drainage grates
