In August 2014, City of Hamilton Council approved the creation of the Hamilton Strategic Road Safety program. This program was created as a result of an identified trend in Total collisions increasing by 400 per year and an increase of 90 fatal/injury collisions per year. Utilizing 2012 as the base year, it was projected that by 2022, total collisions would increase by 75% to 11,295 collisions and fatal/injury collisions would increase 71% to 2,575 collisions. In order to address the growing concern of motor vehicle collisions and the impacts collisions have on the residents of Hamilton, the city began a “quick win” road safety campaign. As part of this, the goal was to identify initiatives that could be implemented quickly, cost effective and raise awareness to the road safety in Hamilton. The City of Hamilton began an aggressive campaign installing painted ladder crosswalks, extended pedestrian crossing times from 1.2m to 0.7m/sec, curb extensions using knock down sticks, installation of portable speed humps, developed new plans on Pedestrian Mobility and Traffic Calming and developed various education/marketing campaigns. Despite the implementation of various initiatives, injury collisions continued to increase in 2014 and 2015. In 2016 City Council directed staff to investigate the feasibility of implementing Vision Zero in the City of Hamilton. Between 2017-2019, the City of Hamilton continued to implement and develop new programs, tools, to assist in raising awareness around roadway safety. As a result of these various programs and initiatives, the City of Hamilton experienced a decreasing trend in injury-based collisions from 2015-2019. The number of fatal and injury collisions in the City of Hamilton decreased by 26.7% over the 5-year period of 2015-2019 and a 40% reduction when compared to the projected numbers.
The purpose of the Safe Mobility Strategy is to achieve Vision Zero through safe and livable streets in Edmonton and the Strategy was developed through a combination of analysis, research, and engagement (http://edmonton.ca/safestreets).
The City of Edmonton’s previous traffic safety strategy, the Road Safety Strategy 2016-2020, delivered strong results using a predominantly location-based, hot-spot approach. Under the previous strategy, significant progress had been made toward Vision Zero with fatal crashes down 56% and serious injury crashes down 30% since 2015. To continue this momentum, the Safe Mobility Strategy needed to use an innovative approach to identify the necessary evolution required in the transportation system.
To continue to grow into a city built for people, one that is safe for people using all modes, and one that targets the more systemic causes of transportation safety risks, a combination of location-based and system-wide approaches is necessary to support safe and livable streets for all. With this approach, the City of Edmonton, community, and partners can tackle widespread issues that contribute to crashes, including street design and the deep-rooted cultural norms around traffic and mobility.
Les ponts Darwin sont situés sur L’Île-des-Soeurs à Montréal dans l’arrondissement de Verdun. Plus précisément, ils sont sur le boulevard de L’Île-des-Soeurs, tout juste à l’entrée du parc de West- Vancouver. Le boulevard de L’Île-des-Soeurs est l’unique lien pour accéder à la moitié sud de l’île. Il compte 2 voies de circulation par direction pour un total de 4 voies. Son débit journalier moyen annuel (DJMA) est de 12 000 véhicules. Chaque pont supporte 2 voies de circulation unidirectionnelle de 4,0 m et un trottoir de 2,0 m. Construits en 1967, les anciens ponts Darwin étaient rendus à la fin de leur vie utile et devaient être remplacés. Par conséquent, la Ville de Montréal procède actuellement au remplacement de ces 2 ponts. Ces ouvrages permettent aux piétons et cyclistes de passer sous les 4 voies de circulation du boulevard en toute sécurité et d’entrer dans le parc de West-Vancouver. La construction du pont en direction nord a commencé en mai 2020 s’est complétée en novembre 2020. Le pont en direction sud sera terminé en 2021. La signature architecturale unique des ponts, sa fonctionnalité à l’usage des piétons et cyclistes, l’utilisation de matériaux innovants (poudre de verre recyclé et armature en acier inoxydable) et sa durée de vie prolongée font de ce projet un exemple de développement durable à suivre. La Ville de Montréal vise à obtenir la certification environnementale Envision pour ce projet de 11 M$. Les ponts Darwin ont été conçus par les ingénieurs de ponts et les ingénieurs de matériaux de la Ville de Montréal.
This Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) stormwater management pond (SWM) sediment beneficial reuse pilot project demonstrated that asphalt contaminated sediment can be beneficially reused as a cost effective and environmentally sustainable alternative to landfill disposal. Thousands of engineered SWM ponds across Canada provide stormwater quantity and quality control for highways and urban centres. Overland runoff washes sediment and asphalt particle into SWM ponds, which accumulate in each basin over time. Environmental Compliance Approvals (ECAs) require routine sediment removal in order to maintain stormwater volume storage and quality treatment design requirements. Canadian federal and provincial legislation requires sediment chemistry analysis to identify waste disposal requirements. Dr. Francine Kelly-Hooper is running an ongoing 16-year Canada-wide study of sediment chemistry trends for over 200 SWM ponds. The growing database indicates that trace metals were generally low in 78% of the ponds. Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and electrical conductivity (EC) levels elevated in most ponds due to road salt and saline groundwater sources. However, road salt contaminated sediment can be a regulatory non-issue if a closed loop approach can reuse the sediment within roadside environments. 98% of SWM ponds in Ontario and 56% of SWM ponds located in other provinces would require landfill disposal due to elevated petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons from asphalt pavement sources. However, recycled asphalt is recognized as a valuable and inert resource by the Canadian paving industry and government regulators. This project was approved because the weight of research and forensics evidence supported a closed loop approach to the reuse of asphalt road runoff contaminated SWM pond sediment as roadside soil amendment materials.
Increasing constraints in urban areas, environmental factors, and cost effectiveness concerns, as well as growing community demands for context sensitive design solutions are all putting pressure on road agencies – and consequently road design professionals – to think differently and adaptively about the application of current design practices. Not only are they being asked to work more flexibly within normal design limits, but substantial pressures are also often brought to bear to extend the design domain for critical control parameters beyond what might currently be considered tolerable – a common problem on 3R/4R projects. In these cases, designers must be able to recognize and evaluate changes in road safety explicitly. By doing so, designers can adequately and appropriately allocate priorities, choose between technical alternatives, and manage risk exposure.
WSP in association with Flood Murray International developed and presented a two-day advanced seminar in the geometric design of roadways that examines these challenges in the context of the 2017 update to the Transportation Association of Canada’s Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads (the Guide).
Modern roundabouts are a proven road safety tool that can require substantial incremental resources for design, outreach and construction. To encourage municipal staff to consider implementing roundabouts, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) Road Improvement Program has developed a Roundabout Workshop. From 2017 to 2019, ICBC and consultants from McElhanney delivered seven workshops for municipal engineers from 38 municipalities across British Columbia. The workshops allow municipal staff to better understand roundabout benefits and constraints, and to more effectively engage with municipal decision makers and stakeholders. They especially benefit smaller municipalities that may lack specialized engineering resources.
The ICBC Roundabout Workshop is a half-day “short course” provided free to municipal partners. Participants are guided through topics including roundabout design fundamentals, vulnerable road user safety, signs and pavement markings, tips for reviewing proposed roundabout designs, and a hands-on case study. The workshop also explains the availability of follow-up assistance from ICBC including financial assistance and no-cost road safety audits of roundabout designs.
Il y a 8 ans, la Ville de Montréal endossait le concept de "smart city" et débutait une grande épopée de recherche de solutions pour régler les problèmes de plus en plus importants et complexes associés à l'implantation, l'intégration, l'opérationnalisation et la maintenabilité de systèmes informatiques associés à l'opération de la mobilité. -Même période, la Ville de Montréal adoptait une politique de données ouvertes et supportait les approches de matériel et de logiciel libre. La Ville de Montréal venait indirectement d'endosser une approche d'architecture ouverte, c'est-à-dire un domaine ou l'exploitant a autorité et responsabilité sur les interfaces des applications. -L'approvisionnement en systèmes s'est immédiatement complexifié. Les principes d'approvisionnement ouvert étaient difficilement soutenables puisque le développement d'intergiciels complémentaires était réservé au fournisseur de la solution. ---Cette situation limite aussi les capacités d'évolution des systèmes selon les ambitions et objectifs du fournisseur choisi. Dès lors, le CGMU2 prévoyait des enjeux importants de maintenance à venir avec l'augmentation des infrastructures à soutenir. -Une conclusion très éclairante s'est alors imposée : Pour démocratiser et utiliser la donnée pleinement, il fallait au préalable : En être le propriétaire et posséder les droits complets, Avoir la capacité d'assurer la collecte et la distribution massive de ces mêmes données dans des infrastructures sous autorité de l'exploitant. **Projet intro : Forte de son expérience dans des domaines variés tels que l'automatisation, la gestion des procédés et la gestion des systèmes de types temps réel3, la Ville de Montréal à débuté l'analyse de la situation et de l'identification d'au moins une des causes racines des problématiques associés aux projets de "smart city". L'accès à des données réelles et disponibles dans un même environnement de traitement était pratiquement impossible. Les solutions du marché permettent l'accès à la plupart des données de leurs applicatifs mais l'architecture impose un entremetteur, le fournisseur, qui aura toujours le dernier mot sur les évolutions des systèmes une fois acquis. C'est ainsi que la Ville de Montréal à débuté des expériences/projets pilotes sur des systèmes de distribution de données. Pièce maîtresse d'une architecture axée sur les données (Data Centric) et élément qui dénouera la totalité des impasses et problématiques associés aux enjeux liés à la donnée, de sa collecte jusqu'à sa consommation tout en maintenant une intégrité absolue. Projet: En 2021, la Ville de Montréal termine l'implantation de la dernière mouture de son système de distribution de données répondant à l'ensemble des besoins nécessaires au coeur des opérations du CGMU. Le système de distribution de données proposé est basé sur la norme DDS (Intergiciel Data Distribution Service) et est soutenu par l'organisation OMG (Object Management Group). Il permet à la Ville de Montréal et ses partenaires de se propulser au premier plan au niveau de l'innovation et de la capacité à gérer totalement et d'une façon autonome l'ensemble de la distribution de la donnée tout en garantissant l'intégrité des données sur l'ensemble de son territoire comptant plus de 2500 intersections. Avec son initiative et ses projets pilotes, la Ville de Montréal à mis en place un cadre de développement d'ingénierie supportant l'opération et la maintenance de ce type de système de distribution de données. Cette approche transforme complètement la conception des systèmes. Le système contribue à lui seul à augmenter les gains, par la maîtrise de la donnée et de son traitement, pour l'ensemble des utilisateurs. D'un point de vue de la transférabilité, il était essentiel pour la Ville de Montréal de proposer une solution qui est absolument transférable. En 2020, elle a soutenu la Ville de Trois-Rivières pour l'implantation d'un système de distribution de données basé sur la même approche. Avec le dépôt de ce dossier, la Ville de Montréal désire exposer comment l'ajout d'un système de distribution de données, géré par l'exploitant, permet à une organisation publique, de développer, de maintenir et de faire évoluer ses systèmes tout en se maintenant à la fine pointe et en assurant une architecture de distribution de données avec une durée de vie continue et maintenable. La DEIGD4 se veut l'acteur qui solutionnera l'historique dualité entre les disciplines TI-TO. L'adhésion au modèle data centric assure la démocratisation totale de la donnée ainsi qu'une langue commune pour tous les besoins de l'organisation.Administration.
SNC-Lavalin supported construction administration on Warsaw Road Swing Bridge replacement project over the Trent-Severn Waterway (TSW), a Parks Canada site in the City of Peterborough, Ontario. The project took place in 2020 and was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the pandemic the project timeline was significantly impacted. One of the most significant changes was the way of working, with pandemic restrictions in place it was safer for the project team to work remotely, but this required innovation and adjustments to the way of working. Outcomes: The project team quickly reacted to the pandemic by leveraging the use of technology. The team invested in several leading technologies including BIM, Microsoft HoloLens, Augmented Reality (AR), LiDAR and Reality Capture. These technologies were used prior to the pandemic, but were not necessarily used together, the project team innovated a new approach to the use of the technology to: - Visualize the impact of design changes. - Facilitate effective communication between design, project management, and the construction teams to resolve construction challenges, and - Create as-built records in 3D for progress monitoring These outcomes resulted in the project meeting the original timeframes and improved outcomes for future maintenance of the site. Innovation: Innovation is not always creating new technology but creating new applications for technology as was the case on the Warsaw project. When the project team received a change order to amend the structure of the design, the design needed to be stress tested because. Developing a 3D model of the bridge supported this type of test, resulting in rapid engineering calculations such as the center of mass. The other benefit became clear when dealing with many RFI (Request for Information) requests. With a 3D model of the bridge, it was now possible to quickly obtain this information and pre-emptively handle RFI requests. The project team was able to create a 3D reconstruction of the site, and by using a LiDAR scan and a tablet virtual site inspection was made possible with the development of a "digital twin". This digital twin could be used to test any design changes to the bridge throughout the life of the project. The use of Microsoft HoloLens enabled the project team with an efficient way of collaborating throughout the project lifecycle, specially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using this technology, the team was able to host virtual site visits, remote trainings, and virtual inspections for the entire team at their home offices, while having only one staff on site. In addition, the use of Geo-referenced Reality Capture, LiDAR, and AR technologies automatically geolocated the infrastructure and as-builts (in 3D), as a result any engineer in the future could stand at a particular location on the bridge and use a table to show a superimposed version with the underlying infrastructure. For example, an engineer on a future maintenance project could see exactly what cables are running under the asphalt at any particular location on the bridge. This will significantly improve future maintenance activities as it eliminates the guess work of where and how the infrastructure is placed. As a result, the future project team can be very precise in the way it works impacting only the section of the bridge that requires work. Transferability: The ability to transfer this knowledge to other projects to create efficiency is important. The successful application on the smaller scale Warsaw bridge project allowed our project teams to create an effective way of working that: - Eases virtual collaboration - Facilitates clear communication and project understanding - Aids the design process - Increases stakeholder and manufacturer interest in the site - Pre-emptively addresses or handles RFI requests as well as - Improves future maintenance needs Given the many benefits of this project, the concept was applied to the much larger Trillium project in Ottawa. For a larger scale project, it is even more important to understand the entire structure because the complexity is much higher. The investment of AR and digital twin does take time but has significant benefits for all project stakeholders. With this project still under construction the benefits will continue to be found, but it has already resulted in facilitating virtual collaboration and project visualization.
Durham Region prides itself as an innovation hub and continues to serve its residents through evaluation and implementation of cutting-edge technologies. It is also home to one of Ontario’s six Regional Technology Demonstration Sites. As such, Durham Region’s staff members are empowered to take the initiative and constantly look for ways to improve service levels. The Region identified an opportunity to improve its road patrol program and pothole patching work program through partnering with the technology provider Visual Defence on the development and use of its AI solution. The solution is an app called ROVER, that is installed on a smartphone that uses a camera to automatically detect, identify and capture images of potholes using AI and uploads the incident information to a cloud server. The smartphone is mounted to the windshield of the patrol vehicle and operates automatically. Unlike human inspectors, the technology doesn’t blink, get distracted or have to compete with the focus required for the safe operation of the vehicle. It scans for road deficiencies, logs and takes an image of the detection sending it to the cloud server. ROVER then processes and analyzes the images captured by the camera ensuring that the deficiency is of interest. ROVER also analyzes if that detection was already made to avoid duplicate logs.
The Regional Municipality of York (York Region) is one of Canada’s largest municipalities with 1.2 million residents and 54,000 businesses. Located in Southern Ontario, York Region is bounded by the City of Toronto in the south and Lake Simcoe in the north. York Region is the upper tier of a two-tier government structure and services nine local cities and towns.
The Regional road network varies between urban rapid transit corridors, suburban arterials, rural roads and main streets and consists of approximately 4,400 lane kilometres that connect travellers to communities, provincial highways, rapid transit, trains, buses, a subway terminal and walking and cycling facilities. The network size is similar to travel distance between Moncton, New Brunswick and Vancouver, British Columbia.
York Region continues to grow and become more urban and trends show that travel by sustainable modes has increased. Walking and cycling trips continue to increase at an average rate of 4% each year with pedestrian and cycling collisions increasing 3% per year. Research also shows that pedestrians and cyclists are the most vulnerable travellers on the Regional transportation system. More than 90% of all collisions involving pedestrians and more than 80% of collisions involving cyclists result in injuries or fatalities.
With more citizens walking and cycling and the need for enhanced protection, York Region took a proactive approach to road safety. Through the support of Regional Council, a comprehensive data-driven study was conducted from 2019 to 2021. York Region and EXP consulting services initiated a region-wide review of pedestrian and cycling safety, taking a five “E”s approach (Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement and Evaluation).
The study delved into conflict data and analysis based on sophisticated video analytics and reviewed best practices for pedestrian and cyclist safety across North America. It identified priority locations and included a pilot program with a suite of operational measures proven to prevent collisions and change driver behavior. Video conflict analytics provided York Region a richer data set for decision making and evaluation when combined with collision data. The performance of the safety improvements was measured over a period of one year and continues to be monitored and evaluated.
Through collaboration with stakeholders, including York Regional Police, York Region Public Health, Ministry of Transportation of Ontario and local municipalities, York Region successfully reduced collisions at the pilot intersections by more than 60%. The operational measures remain in place and will be expanded to more intersections in 2022-2023.
Beckwith Street has for over 100 years acted as both the traditional “mainstreet” and major throughfare for the Town of Smiths Falls, Ontario. The street provides access to and services the numerous business and institutions lining it, and has framed the Town’s historic downtown since its beginning, as well as forming a connecting link along the province of Ontario’s Hwy 15 corridor running between Kingston and Carleton Place. Now, in recognition of the changing needs of the community, the street has been transformed in a manner that no other small town in Ontario (or perhaps Canada) can boast. In 2017, the Town launched a process to study and design the reconstruction of the street. Led by Parsons’ planning and design team from Ottawa, the process had an eye to both the needs of today and the needs of the community as it continues to move towards a safe, inclusive, accessible, and prosperous future for all. Phase One of the project has resulted in a revitalized street from Chambers Street in the south, for a distance of approximately 600m north to Elmsley Street. This phase has had a tremendous outcome for the community, and sets the stage for a second northerly phase that will replicate the design approach. Construction on phase 1 of the $8.2 million transportation and servicing project - which is part of the continued renaissance of the Town as a premier small-town destination - began in 2019 and was completed in 2021. The Town embraced the complete streets approach to street re-design, and made a bold decision to reconstruct the street featuring raised cycle tracks and protected intersections for safe cycling. The street now also features wider sidewalks, and space for generous streetscaping including energy efficient LED streetlighting. In order to create space for this progressive cross-section, the design included a change from the downtown's historic angled parking arrangement to more space-efficient parallel parking, which sparked a community discussion. In addition to the emphasis on safe cycling, the design placed a high emphasis on pedestrians and on meeting and exceeding Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) standards, as an aging small community. This included tactile warning strips, wide and smooth sidewalks, seating, shortened crosswalks, new pedestrian crossovers, and contemporary traffic signal solutions. The Town has also included accessible on-street parking, with a "first of its kind in Canada" accessible parking space that incorporates an adjacent cycle track, complete with buffers and landing space meeting north American standards. The project has produced positive outcomes not only in terms of improved transportation system performance and accessibility, but also in terms of the social, economic, and environmental health of the community.
The Bear Street Reconstruction project created a pedestrian-priority street in the heart of the Town of Banff. Running parallel to Banff Avenue, Bear Street is home to a mix of visitor and local-oriented services alike. The $9.5 million reconstruction transformed the street into a pedestrian-friendly space where people live, shop, dine, visit galleries, rent bikes or skis, visit dentists and medical offices, get supplies, or simply relax and take in the mountains. The overarching design concept of Bear Street prioritises a people-centric shared space, encourages active modes of transportation, and increases pedestrian amenity space, while still enabling vehicle access. WSP led a diverse team to deliver the Bear Street Reconstruction project - Banff's first shared street. The project includes a full reconfiguration of the street level layout, replacement of shallow and deep utilities, removal of curbs to create a uniform paving stone surface and greater accessibility, more efficient lighting, more planting, more places to sit, integration of the stormwater management network to utilise soil cells, and a gas to wood burning convertible fire pit at the heart of the street complete with Adirondack chairs, bringing the campfire experience from the National Park into downtown Banff. The design phase of the project was completed in 2019 and construction completed in 2021. The project's origins are two-fold; the need to replace and upgrade aging underground infrastructure, some up to 100 years old, and to create a more pedestrian-friendly, attractive commercial street in downtown Banff. In 1992, the Town of Banff's Downtown Enhancement Concept Plan identified the opportunity to transform Bear Street into a more pedestrian-friendly commercial street. Banff's 2013 Transportation Master Plan further recommended that Bear Street be explored as a candidate for a shared street to align with goals of the Banff Community Plan vision of a transportation system that: - Encourages active transportation within the Town of Banff - Enhances resident and visitor experience - Is economically and environmentally sustainable The intent of the Bear Street Reconstruction was to create an environment that would foster active transportation, provide an alternate destination to Banff Avenue, enriching the visitor experience for those who fuel Banff's economy, and serve to provide a sense of place by taking inspiration from the surrounding natural environment of the Rocky Mountains. With the aging major underground civil infrastructure requiring replacement, the Town took the opportunity to move ahead with the Bear Street project and further the goals of the Banff Community Plan. Through increased visitation to Bear Street, pedestrians would be distributed in a more balanced fashion within the downtown core and create more economic opportunity for local businesses through increased footfall, and creating opportunities for people to linger longer on Bear Street.
Installation d'une glissière de sécurité à câbles sur un tronçon à deux voies contiguës de l'autoroute 50, situé en Outaouais. Elle a été installée en position médiane sur une section accidentogène de 5.4 km où on dénombrait 5 accidents mortels et 5 accidents graves de 2013 à août 2019. La GFHT empêche le véhicule de traverser la chaussée en sens inverse et diminue la durée de sa course et sa vitesse dans la voie opposée. Cela permet de réduire l'occurrence et la gravité des collisions frontales. La GFHT est fonctionnelle depuis juillet 2020. À ce jour, elle a fait l'objet d'une quarantaine d'impacts, dont certains auraient pu se traduire par une collision frontale, notamment un événement documenté avec témoins où un véhicule lourd a dévié de sa voie au même moment qu'un véhicule léger circulait en sens inverse. L'installation d'une glissière rigide en béton n'était pas envisageable en raison de problématiques de drainage et de temps de réalisation. L'installation médiane de ce type de glissière est une première au Canada. Il était nécessaire d'élargir la portion centrale en diminuant la largeur des accotements pour installer la glissière et offrir un dégagement supplémentaire entre les voies. Les câbles sont retenus pas des poteaux qui se cisaillent en cas d'impact, permettant à la glissière de demeurer fonctionnelle avant sa réparation. Les poteaux peuvent être remplacer rapidement et facilement avec un minimum d'équipement par une équipe d'ouvriers du MTQ. Cette glissière pourrait être mise en place sur des routes provinciales ou autoroutes contiguës comportant une problématique de sécurité similaire. Cette première expérience se veut un projet pilote qui demeurera en place d'ici l'élargissement de l'autoroute pour lequel les travaux se dérouleront en 2022 et 2023. Outre le bilan des accidents et des impacts impliquant la GFHT, l'entretien général, la réparation de la GFHT et l'entretien hivernal feront l'objet d'une analyse.
Edmonton's streets are for everyone. The City's Safe Mobility Strategy 2021-2025 is designed to accelerate our journey to Vision Zero through safe and livable streets by 2032. The Safe Mobility Strategy sets out an integrated set of deliberate actions and strategies that are focused on achieving Vision Zero, and support the City's ConnectEdmonton strategic goals and City Plan. As the population increases, so does the need to create safer streets that provide for more livable communities. Speed limit reduction is a Key Action outlined in the Safe Mobility Strategy. In August 2021, Edmonton implemented a reduction in the default speed limit from 50 km/h to 40 km/h, with a focus on residential streets, the downtown core, and high pedestrian areas. A milestone achievement for Edmonton, the key principles behind the speed limit reduction are: 1. Safety takes priority over convenience. No matter how we travel, everyone, regardless of age, ability or income deserves to do so safely. 2. Consistency matters. Reducing driver confusion through consistent expectations must be prioritized to increase understanding and support the adoption of reduced speed limits. Outcomes Reducing speed limits gives people more time to react to the unexpected and not only reduces crashes and crash severity, but also makes streets calmer, quieter, and safer for all modes of travel. Lower speeds mean greater protection for our most vulnerable road users including pedestrians, cyclists, users of micro mobility, seniors and children. While the default speed limit was implemented on August 6, drivers were granted a grace period until August 31. During that time the City completed more than 1,400 hours of enforcement at locations where the speed limit had been reduced to 40 km/h. The results revealed that 77% of drivers were complying with the new speed limit. Moreover, on-going enforcement continues to result in high levels of compliance. Lower speeds translate into fewer crashes, injuries and fatalities on our streets. A preliminary analysis suggests the reduced speed limit could result in 20% fewer fatal crashes, a 10% reduction in injury crashes and a 7% drop in property damage crashes per year, along with a $2 - 12 million savings in related social and economic impacts. Innovation Attaining support for speed limit reduction in a sprawling, urban centre with a relatively deep-rooted car culture necessitated an innovative approach to shaping a narrative that was embedded in science but also acknowledged the lived experiences of the people this change would impact. The work is therefore grounded in evidence-based research that included a comprehensive review of the road network to identify which roads would support a reduction in speed, as well as exception roads that would require a redesign due to their current function and characteristics. This approach helped to build the foundation for an informed dialogue and to pre-empt the myths and misinformation that was certain to accompany this journey. Several tools were created to address potential misperceptions and alleviate concerns, such as those related to the expectation of longer travel times, and to place emphasis on the positive outcomes that lower speed limits have on safety and livability for everyone. These tools include: 1. Website including all pertinent information in one easy to navigate location. 2. Frequently Asked Questions. 3. Travel Time Calculator that allowed people to test the impact of the speed limit change on their personal travel times and provided the evidence that little to no change would result. 4. Awareness Videos. 5. Speed Limit Map. 6. Safe Speeds Toolkit to help Edmontonians promote safe speeds and support the implementation of the 40 km/h default speed limit in their neighbourhoods. Transferability The impact of speed on the frequency and severity of crashes is embedded in science and has no geographical boundaries. As our streets shift in function from streets built for cars to streets built for people, speed reduction becomes increasingly more vital to the safety of all road users. This speed limit reduction project represents the culmination of more than a decade of research, analysis, and public and political engagement to ultimately build momentum and shift the traffic safety culture towards a prioritization of safety over convenience. The lessons learned are transferable to cities large and small across Canada and beyond. Municipalities and other orders of government can leverage the learnings from the Edmonton experience to proactively deliver on speed limit reduction as an essential component of their road safety strategies and the journey towards the international goal of Vision Zero.
The Esplanade and Mill Street Connections Project took a unique approach to improve road safety by implementing the full toolbox of road safety features, not just on the corridor, but also on surrounding streets. This project serves as a model in putting Toronto’s Vision Zero Road Safety Plan into action. Between 2015 and 2019, there were 342 collisions on The Esplanade and Mill Street. 10% of the collisions involved a person walking or cycling and 1% led to serious injury or death, including the recent death of Tricia Waldron, an active community member, at the Mill Street and Cherry Street intersection. A unique project that took an innovative road safety approach The project included the following road safety improvements: Bi-directional protected bike lanes and a new trail;
to separate people walking and cycling; Speed limit reduction from 40 km/h to 30 km/h; Extensive turn restrictions based on collision data; Conversion of two way streets to one way streets for motor vehicle travel; Accessible loading and parking; Transit only lanes on key blocks.
Intersection design for bicycle facilities is often compromised due to competition for road space from other modes, despite intersections being the most significant conflict point for people walking and cycling. The protected intersection concept has been popular in the Netherlands for several decades, and its design principles have recently been applied in North America. The goals of these design principles are to improve safety for all vulnerable road users, including pedestrians and people on bicycles, and improve connections between cycling facilities at intersections. The City of Ottawa’s Protected Intersection Design Guide, created in partnership with Alta, Accessibility Simplified, and Moon Matz, provides an in-depth exploration of protected intersections and is intended to serve as a design tool for practitioners applying improved intersections for people on bicycles and pedestrians within the City of Ottawa and elsewhere.
The 2021 Multimodal Level of Service guidelines (MMLOS guidelines) are an Ontario Traffic Council (OTC) reference manual containing a methodology for evaluating the level of service provided by streets and intersections to travelers using all modes of travel. The OTC's MMLOS method builds upon the traditional transportation engineering concept of level of service (LOS) used by municipalities to evaluate intersection performance from the perspective of motorists. Since traditional LOS evaluations focus on vehicle delay and congestion (through metrics like intersection delay and volume-to-capacity or v/c ratios), they classify intersections that enable efficient and convenient conditions for drivers as well performing and intersections that are congested as poorly performing. As a result, the traditional LOS leads to design decisions that consistently prioritize the car above all other modes of travel. In response, an MMLOS approach offers municipalities a tool to evaluate and build streets that enable and encourage travel by modes other than the car. Traditional methods do not take into consideration how any other users experience the intersection or if the efficient movement of vehicles is even aligned with the intent of that intersection within a municipality's larger planning context. The OTC MMLOS guidelines allow transportation professionals to make design and operational decisions for street and intersection that align with municipal goals and network strategies. The OTC MMLOS guidelines establish the methodology for evaluating the level of service for all modes of travel on street segments and at intersections. The MMLOS guidelines assist in identifying design or operational elements that can be modified to improve user experience for different modes of travel to align with municipal goals and network strategies. The OTC MMLOS methodology has two broad steps: 1. Setting Targets This step helps municipalities establish context sensitive performance targets for each mode along a variety of corridor types that align with their policy goals. These targets will later inform design and operational reviews. Setting Targets provides a framework for practitioners to consider and document the context in which transportation projects occur, including, but not limited to, considerations of land-use, public realm, equity, climate change and other environmental considerations. Though these guidelines focus on what is in the control of a typical transportation project, and specifically the transportation elements, these other contextual considerations are of equal importance and as such warrant a voice in the process. 2. Measuring Performance This step provide a series of measures and metrics that allow practitioners to assess the performance of each mode in a corridor/at an intersection and identify the design and operational decisions needed meet the established targets and, if required, make trade-offs. Measuring Performance provides tools for assessing Level of Service on segments and at signalized and unsignalized intersections. The Guideline's approach to establishing performance measures and gradation metrics seeks to measure the performance of a range of potential options and reflect the meaningful differences that exist within that range. A tool where too many options fall at one extreme or the other is likely not well calibrated to provide valuable feedback on the differences between options. In terms of the MMLOS guidelines, the gradations provide the measurement of each modes experience and seek to identify meaningful points of difference across a range of options.
The City of Ottawa, the national capital of Canada, is home to over 1 million people. In addition to housing federal government officials and the foreign diplomatic corps, it received over 11 million visitors in 2019. Ottawa’s municipal government established its Winter Maintenance Quality Standards (WMQS) for roads, sidewalks, and pathways in 2003. The City recently reviewed these standards for higher priority roads (Class 1, 2 and 3). As Ottawa set sustainability goals for the growth of the city, improved mobility of various modes of active transportation came into focus, setting in motion a new review of its WMQS in 2020. This time, the review was primarily geared towards the WMQS of sidewalks and pathways, the winter cycling network, and the lower priority roads (Class 4 and 5). This study presents the findings of this latest review, including its business case, with the implementation on a scaled approach based on resource availability and Ottawa’s City Committee approval. This study was undertaken in three phases. Phase 1 reviewed Ottawa’s current WMQS, background material (media, Committee and Council reports, Policy, Plans, Service Requests, claims). In this first phase, we also interviewed internal stakeholders and bench-marked industry best practices from other municipalities with similar size and weather, both nationally and internationally. The second phase of this project used the information from Phase 1 and developed three delivery alternatives for each infrastructure type. The alternatives were classified as moderate, progressive, and aspirational. From the baseline, each higher alternative built up on more aggressive metrics to provide a higher level of service to the public and support the City of Ottawa’s progress towards its 2046 goals for growth and sustainability, as well as its 2050 climate change goals. The last phase of this project identified the recommended alternative (i.e., moderate, progressive, or aspirational) for each facility type, developed the approved alternatives in more detail, prepared a business case, and prioritized the recommendations.
Ontario's Ministry of Transportation (MTO) completed and released a major update to the province's Ontario Traffic Manual - Book 18: Cycling Facilities (OTM Book 18) in partnership with the Ontario Traffic Council (OTC). The project team included major Ontario municipalities and a consulting team led by WSP supported by Alta Planning Group, True North Safety Group and Accessibility Simplified. The revised OTM Book 18 reflects the rapid change in cycling facility design and the experience and lessons learned by Ontario municipalities since the original manual was first introduced in 2013. Twelve design research topics, which became central to the update, were first investigated, documented and shared with a steering committee of select municipalities. Trends and changes since 2013 considered in the OTM Book 18 update included: emphasis on Road safety (including Safe Systems, Toward Zero and Vision Zero principles) with interactions with different road users universal accessibility informed design integration with Complete Streets planning and design transportation equity considerations all ages and abilities design user experience and research on cycling facilities within and outside Ontario increased cycling infrastructure investment and Ontario implementation examples Outcomes: The 2021 version of OTM Book 18 puts emphasis on cycling-friendly streets for all ages and abilities and accessibility-informed design, and features considerations like non-traditional bike types, equitable route selection and facility design, intersection treatments including protected intersections, curbside management, a framework for implementation of cycling networks, additional support features and maintenance strategies. The new OTM Book 18 also provides solutions that align with Safe Systems, Towards Zero and Vision Zero road safety principles to actively mitigate conflicts between people cycling and other road users, such as centre lane hardening, trucks aprons, minimizing turning radii, and signal phasing strategies. The revised Ontario Traffic Manual Book 18 is a set of updated cycling facility design guidelines that focuses on increased separation and protection of cyclists. Innovation: This project undertook a comprehensive review of bicycle facility guidelines, standards and legislation across local, provincial and international jurisdictions including the following innovative design research topics of special interest: 1. Protected Intersections 2. Cycle Tracks at Bus Stops 3. Advisory Bike Lanes 4. Multi-use Pathway Treatments at Intersections 5. Two Stage Queue Boxes 6. Facility Selection Process 7. Separation Options for Separated Facilities 8. Wayfinding, Signage and Pavement Markings 9. Universal Accessibility Informed Design Founded upon the lessons learned from the 2013 version of OTM Book 18, the project included an additional review of recent studies, policies and publications produced by the MTO, OTC, and Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) among others, to reflect emerging cycling facility best practices. Transferability: The 2021 Update of OTM Book 18 complements existing local, provincial and national regulations and serves as a resource for Ontario municipalities to address design challenges and increase the quality and consistency of cycling facilities throughout the Province of Ontario and across Canada. Training sessions are currently being rolled out, and municipalities of all sizes have already started using the new manual to plan, design, implement and maintain cycling networks that appeal to a broader range of users, realizing greater benefits from their cycling infrastructure investments.
The Calgary Ring Road was first considered in 1952. In the decades since, the right of way has been protected, land purchased, and a transportation utility corridor established. In Southern Alberta, we acknowledge that we live, work and play on the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Îyâxe Nakoda Nations, the Métis Nation (Region 3), and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region. The Tsuut’ina Trail, located between Highway 8 and Fish Creek Boulevard SW, is part of the Southwest Calgary Ring Road segment of Alberta Highway 201, and is an essential part of the Greater Calgary Area’s infrastructure. This $1.42B P3 project represents approximately one third of the Calgary Ring Road. Made up of 31 kilometres of 6- and 8-lane divided highways, a road flyover, a railway crossing, 49 bridges, a tunnel, 3 river crossings, 3 watercourse realignments, and additional pre-grading for future interchanges, this mega-project presented all manner of technical challenges during design and engineering support during construction. Alberta Transportation (AT) led a team that included Prime contractors KGL, Lead designers and engineers Parsons, supported by McElhanney Ltd., COWI North America Ltd., exp Services Inc., DMD and Golder Associates Ltd. to fully develop the design, and all related aspects, to fulfill the project agreement. The project was made possible through the acquisition, by the Government of Alberta, of approximately 1058 acres of land from Tsuut’ina Nation Indian Reserve No. 145 in 2015 This purchase was negotiated and executed by the Tsuut’ina Nation and the governments of Canada and Alberta. Significant costs and efforts could be triggered by land reversion dates if the Ring Road was not operational within seven years of the transfer date. The efforts by all parties to secure the deal and the possibility of reversion being triggered added significant risk to the entire project for all parties. An intensive design development period of 14 months was followed by engineering support during construction and all the way to opening day we focused on, and achieved, technical excellence. This was accomplished by fully understanding the scope of this very difficult and complex mega-project, assigning, and supporting expert staff familiar with P3 project delivery, and utilizing best practices to manage risks while seizing opportunities to add value and enhance the surrounding environment. AT is proud to have led and collaborated with this integrated team of owners, designers and constructors to enhance transportation infrastructure in Calgary’s network. This project has increased the safety, sustainability and efficiency of the Calgary’s infrastructure. Thank you to the judges for your time and we appreciate the opportunity to further our profession by highlighting significant achievements in transportation infrastructure.
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