Item - 2020.EX18.1

Tracking Status

  • City Council adopted this item on November 25, 2020 with amendments.
  • This item was considered by Executive Committee on November 18, 2020 and was adopted with amendments. It will be considered by City Council on November 25, 2020.

EX18.1 - Surface Transit Network Plan Update

Decision Type:
ACTION
Status:
Amended
Wards:
All

City Council Decision

City Council on November 25 and 26, 2020, adopted the following:

 

1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to use the draft Surface Transit Network Plan as detailed in Attachment 2 to the report (November 3, 2020) from the General Manager, Transportation Services as the basis for initiating local Councillor briefings and community consultations.

 

2. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to bring the consultation plan for the Surface Transit Network Plan to the Executive Committee in the first quarter of 2021, such consultation plan should include:

 

a. options for local Councillors to request an additional consultation meeting;

 

b. presentations on the impact to traffic times and neighbourhood traffic infiltration, using pre-covid traffic, arising from the proposed changes;

 

c.  consultation through multiple media including in person if possible (consideration of bus stop consultation); and

 

d. notice of consultations issued to all residents within 500 metres of the route where transit priority improvements are proposed.

 

3.  City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, when consulting on the Surface Transit Network plan, to consider options which increase the speed and reliability of transit vehicles on routes that do not include removing lanes of traffic such as transit signal priority at intersections, Advanced Transit Signal Priority Systems, right turn lanes, High Occupancy Vehicle lanes, bus queue jump and receiving lanes, and transit-only turn lanes.

 

4.  City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to analyze impacts of proposed road designs including travel speed, modal splits, pedestrian and cycling safety, and traffic change impact analysis, and present the results during public consultations for full transparency with residents.

 

5.  City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with Social Development, Finance and Administration and other relevant divisions, to begin focused engagement and consultation on surface transit implementation with stakeholder groups located within the City’s Neighbourhood Improvement Areas, and to include a framework for this engagement with any initial findings as part of the report back in the first quarter of 2021.

 

6.  City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Service to report on the additional transit users who will be expected to take the TTC and get out of their cars as a result of the implementation of the Surface Transit Network Implementation Study in each district.

Background Information (Committee)

(November 3, 2020) Report from the General Manager, Transportation Services and Attachments 1 and 2
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-158064.pdf

Communications (Committee)

(November 16, 2020) Letter from Executive Director, Toronto Youth Cabinet (EX.Supp.EX18.1.1)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/ex/comm/communicationfile-123165.pdf
(November 17, 2020) Letter from the following 16 organizations: 42 Voices, Malvern Residents Group, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113, Cycle Toronto, David Suzuki Foundation, Family Service Toronto, Good Jobs For All, Jane Finch Action Against Poverty, Progress Toronto, Scarborough Families for Public Education, Scarborough Transit Action, Social Planning Toronto, Toronto Environmental Alliance, Toronto Neighbourhood Centres, Toronto and York Region Labour Council, Transport Action Ontario and TTCriders (EX.New.EX18.1.2)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/ex/comm/communicationfile-123180.pdf
(November 18, 2020) E-mail from Raymond Shen (EX.Supp.EX18.1.3)
(November 18, 2020) Presentation from Beulah Esuk (EX.New.ES18.1.4)

Motions (City Council)

1 - Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Councillor Brad Bradford (Carried)

That City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with Social Development, Finance and Administration and other relevant divisions, to begin focused engagement and consultation on surface transit implementation with stakeholder groups located within the City’s Neighbourhood Improvement Areas, and to include a framework for this engagement with any initial findings as part of the report back in the first quarter of 2021.


2 - Motion to Amend Item moved by Councillor John Filion (Carried)

That City Council amend Executive Committee Recommendation 2.b. to add the words "and neighbourhood traffic infiltration" so that it now reads as follows:

 

2.  City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to bring the consultation plan for the Surface Transit Network Plan to the Executive Committee in the first quarter of 2021, such consultation plan should include:

 

b.  presentations on the impact to traffic times and neighbourhood traffic infiltration, using pre-covid traffic, arising from the proposed changes;


Motion to Adopt Item as Amended (Carried)

Point of Order by Councillor Stephen Holyday

Councillor Holyday, on a Point of Order, stated that he is having trouble with the meeting portal and asked whether Members of Council have asked questions of Councillor Bradford on his motion.

Ruling by Speaker Frances Nunziata
Speaker Nunziata accepted the Point of Order and ruled that Members have not asked questions of Councillor Bradford and if Councillor Holyday has questions he can ask them.


Point of Privilege by Councillor Brad Bradford

Councillor Bradford, on a Point of Privilege, stated, that he had taken issue with Councillor Pasternak's comments and that he has a very open mind.  Councillor Bradford further stated that Councillor Pasternak is welcome to attend the TTC Board meetings.

Ruling by Speaker Frances Nunziata
Speaker Nunziata accepted the Point of Privilege and thanked Councillor Bradford for his comments.

EX18.1 - Surface Transit Network Plan Update

Decision Type:
ACTION
Status:
Amended
Wards:
All

Committee Recommendations

The Executive Committee recommends that:

 

1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Transportation Services to use the draft Surface Transit Network Plan as detailed in Attachment 2 to the report (November 3, 2020) from the General Manager, Transportation Services as the basis for initiating local Councillor briefings and community consultations.

 

2. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to bring the consultation plan for the Surface Transit Network Plan to the Executive Committee in the first quarter of 2021, such consultation plan should include:

 

a. options for local Councillors to request an additional consultation meeting;

 

b. presentations on the impact to traffic times, using pre-covid traffic, arising from the proposed changes;

 

c.  consultation through multiple media including in person if possible (consideration of bus stop consultation); and

 

d. notice of consultations issued to all residents within 500 metres of the route where transit priority improvements are proposed.

 

3.  City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, when consulting on the Surface Transit Network plan, to consider options which increase the speed and reliability of transit vehicles on routes that do not include removing lanes of traffic such as transit signal priority at intersections, Advanced Transit Signal Priority Systems, right turn lanes, HOV lanes, bus queue jump and receiving lanes, and transit-only turn lanes.

 

4.  City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to analyze impacts of proposed road designs including travel speed, modal splits, pedestrian and cycling safety, and traffic change impact analysis, and present the results during public consultations for full transparency with residents.

 

5.  City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Service to report on the additional transit users who will be expected to take the TTC and get out of their cars as a result of the implementation of the Surface Transit Network Implementation Study in each district.

Origin

(November 3, 2020) Report from the General Manager, Transportation Services

Summary

The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the draft Surface Transit Network Plan (STNP) and seek Council feedback and endorsement on the proposal for conducting public consultation on the draft STNP. Following this consultation, the final STNP will come forward to Executive Committee and City Council for approval in June 2021.

 

In 2018 Transportation Services Division, City Planning Division and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) jointly initiated the Surface Transit Network Implementation Study (STNIS) through a consulting assignment. The study aims to provide a roadmap of policies, governance, evaluation and prioritization along with an actionable implementation plan - the Surface Transit Network Plan (STNP) - for enhancing surface transit priority across the City. 

 

In 2019, TTC launched its "5-Year Service Plan and 10-Year Outlook" (The Plan), which identified opportunities to improve its service in 2020-2024 and beyond. One key principle of The Plan – "Prioritize Surface Transit" – overlaps with STNIS. The STNP brings these two initiatives together to form a consolidated program for delivering surface transit projects in the City of Toronto over the short and long term.

  

The objectives of the STNP are to:

  • Develop a framework for evaluating and prioritizing all surface transit priority corridors identified in the City's Official Plan Map 5 and the TTC's 5-Year Service Plan and 10-Year Outlook;
  • Identify new opportunities for enhanced surface transit priority corridors not identified in the City's Official Plan;
  • Set out public and stakeholder consultations to align the findings from STNIS with community needs and priorities; and,
  • Develop an implementation program and funding framework for the top-20 corridors.

The Surface Transit Network Plan aims to create a comprehensive network of surface transit priority corridors along arterial roads through the use of tools such as reserved lanes, intersection and signal improvements and customer comfort improvements at transit stops to provide priority to public transit in the City's road network.

 

Transit priority corridors have been assessed based on five criteria: Existing Transit Ridership, Equity, Connectivity to Higher Order Transit, Population and Employment Growth, and Ease of Implementation. Corridors with higher cumulative scores will be considered for the implementation program.

 

The evaluation and prioritization process, findings and recommendations from STNIS will be the starting point to guide and plan for future environmental assessments and engineering studies.

 

Following public consultation, and as part of the report seeking City Council approval of the final STNP, a 2021-2024 implementation program will be developed to bring forward specific surface transit priority projects for subsequent Council approval. A three-year project cycle is envisioned for each set of projects: 

  • Year 1 - Engineering studies of two corridors; alternatives analysis
  • Year 2 - Detailed design and public consultations
  • Year 3 - Council approval and project delivery

The proposed public consultation plan would involve two rounds of consultations for each community district. The first round consists of plan presentation and solicitation of community input on the draft plan. City/TTC staff will incorporate input and revise the plan accordingly to report back to the public in the second round of consultations, then will bring forward recommendations for plan implementation to Council.

Background Information

(November 3, 2020) Report from the General Manager, Transportation Services and Attachments 1 and 2
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-158064.pdf

Communications

(November 16, 2020) Letter from Executive Director, Toronto Youth Cabinet (EX.Supp.EX18.1.1)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/ex/comm/communicationfile-123165.pdf
(November 17, 2020) Letter from the following 16 organizations: 42 Voices, Malvern Residents Group, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113, Cycle Toronto, David Suzuki Foundation, Family Service Toronto, Good Jobs For All, Jane Finch Action Against Poverty, Progress Toronto, Scarborough Families for Public Education, Scarborough Transit Action, Social Planning Toronto, Toronto Environmental Alliance, Toronto Neighbourhood Centres, Toronto and York Region Labour Council, Transport Action Ontario and TTCriders (EX.New.EX18.1.2)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/ex/comm/communicationfile-123180.pdf
(November 18, 2020) E-mail from Raymond Shen (EX.Supp.EX18.1.3)
(November 18, 2020) Presentation from Beulah Esuk (EX.New.ES18.1.4)

Speakers

Ketheesakumaran Navaratnam
Shelagh Pizey-Allen
Audrey Dwyer, Jane Finch Action Against Poverty
Austin Jafri
Beulah Esuk
Mike McKenzie
Councillor Anthony Perruzza

Motions

1 - Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Mayor John Tory (Carried)

That City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to bring the consultation plan for the Surface Transit Network Plan to the Executive Committee in the first quarter of 2021, such consultation plan should include:

 

a. options for local Councillors to request an additional consultation meeting;

 

b. presentations on the impact to traffic times, using pre-covid traffic, arising from the proposed changes;

 

c.  consultation through multiple media including in person if possible (consideration of bus stop consultation); and

 

d. notice of consultations issued to all residents within 500 metres of the route where transit priority improvements are proposed.


2 - Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong (Carried)

That City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Service to report on the additional transit users who will be expected to take the TTC and get out of their cars as a result of the implementation of the Surface Transit Network Implementation Study in each district.


3 - Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Councillor Frances Nunziata (Carried)

That:

 

1.  City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, when consulting on the Surface Transit Network plan, to consider options which increase the speed and reliability of transit vehicles on routes that do not include removing lanes of traffic such as transit signal priority at intersections, Advanced Transit Signal Priority Systems, right turn lanes, HOV lanes, bus queue jump and receiving lanes, and transit-only turn lanes.

 

2.  City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to analyze impacts of proposed road designs including travel speed, modal splits, pedestrian and cycling safety, and traffic change impact analysis, and present the results during public consultations for full transparency with residents.


Motion to Adopt Item as Amended moved by Mayor John Tory (Carried)
Source: Toronto City Clerk at www.toronto.ca/council