MTP Update for June 12 Open House Briefing

7/31/2019 MTP Update for June 12 Open House Briefing

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MASTER TRANSPORTATION PLANP RT COQUITLAMCITY OF

www.portcoquitlam.ca/mtp

The City is updating its Master Transportation Plan (MTP), a long-termmulti-modal transportation strategy guiding the development of our:

Pedestrian network,

Bicycle network

Transit network, and

Road network.

The new MTP will address the following questions:

Where are we now (existing conditions)?

Where do we want to be (goals and objectives)? How do we get there (preferred solutions and phasing)? and

What steps are needed (strategies for each mode)?

The MTP is being updated from fall 2011 to fall 2012 through thefollowing process:

Updating the Master Transportation Plan

Existing Conditions

& Strategic Goals

Summarize 2010 conditions Consider strategic goals Initial community input

Preliminary Strategies

& Solutions

Potential transportationimprovements by mode

Confirm strategic goals

A Preferred Plan

Refine transportation improvements Prepare 20-year transportation

network plans Prepare 5-year implementation plans

Phase 1

Fall 2011

Phase 2

Spring & Summer 2012

Phase 3

Fall 2012


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The current MTP was adopted in 2000. Since then, the City hasundergone significant growth and has developed a more efficient andsustainable transportation system.

Improvements haveincluded:

Coast MeridianOverpass,

Broadway StreetReconstruction Project,

Extensive cycling andpedestrian facilities, and

Traffic signals at many high-traffic intersections.

To prepare for the new MTP, the City has observed all modes of thetransportation network, including the impact of local, regional andprovincial improvements.

The City commissioned Urban Systems, the consultants who wrote the2000 Master Transportation Plan, to assist with the development of thenew MTP.

Significant City plans that are informing the MTP update process include:

The Official Community Plan,

The Corporate Strategic Plan,

The EnviroPlan, and

The Master Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan.

Background


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Strategic goals

By 2031, the population in Port Coquitlam is expected to increase 33%to approximately 76,000 people, from 57,000 people today. Additionally,employment is expected to grow by more than 50% to 35,000 jobs.

To accommodate this growth, the City envisions a shift away fromsingle-occupant vehicle use towards more sustainable forms oftransportation: walking, cycling, transit and carpooling.

Further investment in walking, cycling and transit infrastructure isrequired to achieve this goal.

Today:

About 86% of trips generated in Port Coquitlam are by car.

About 14% of trips are by transit, walking or bicycle.

By 2031:

About 75% of trips generated in Port Coquitlam will be by car.

About 25% of trips will be by transit, walking or bicycle.



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Walking is the most fundamental form of transportation. To supportwalking, the City has developed a network of sidewalks, trails andpathways and has made a number of improvements in recent years,

guided by the Master Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan.

Improvements have included:

Pedestrian crossing improvements such as sidewalk bulges, markedcrosswalks and pedestrian-activated signals,

New sidewalks,

Improvements for pedestrian access to/from schools, and

Planning for pedestrian improvements (Downtown PedestrianCirculation Study).

Challenges include:

Some areas have limited or no sidewalk coverage.

Steep hills in some areas making walking difficult, especially for theelderly or people who use mobility aids.

The scope of a full sidewalk upgrade program exceeds the Citysexisting financial capacity.

Pedestrian network successes and challenges



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By providing a safe and pleasant walking environment, the City wants toencourage more people to walk.

Expand network:

The City is considering graduallyexpanding the sidewalk, trailand pathway network by almost82 km (for a total of 190 km),including:

Commercial areas: +13.9 km

School areas: +5 km Bus stops: +3.2 km Arterial roads: +41.2 km Collector roads: +18.5 km

These improvements would cost about $16 million over 20 years, withsome provided by new development.

Other opportunities:

Improving walkability in commercial areas.

Improving connections between neighbourhoods.

New or improved crossings at the Coquitlam River, the CanadianPacific Rail yard and the Shaughnessy Street underpass.

Pedestrian network opportunities


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Pedestrian network opportunities


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Downtown Port Coquitlam has the Citys highest concentration ofpedestrian activity.

The Downtown Pedestrian Circulation Study

has identified a number of potentialimprovements to improve the walkability ofthe downtown.

Narrower crossings

Pedestrian countdown timers

Curb letdowns for enhanced wheelchair

and scooter access Site paving

Benches

Trash receptacles

Tree grates

Bike racks

Pedestrian street lighting

Signage

Pedestrian network downtown


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Pedestrian network downtown

Node = Area of concentratedpedestrian activity


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The City of Port Coquitlam promotes cycling as a healthy andenvironmentally-friendly form of transportation.

In recent years, the City has added numerous bicycle facilities andapproved a network of on-street bicycle routes, guided by the MasterPedestrian and Bicycle Plan.

Improvements have included:

Marked bicycle lanes,

Signed bicycle routes,

Cyclist-activated traffic signals, and Improvements to the Traboulay PoCo Trail.

Challenges include:

Topography.

Limited connectivity to downtown Port Coquitlam.

Limited east-west bicycle routes.

Limited crossings of the Coquitlam River and the Canadian PacificRailway yards.

Providing a safe environment for cyclists.

Bicycle network successes and challenges


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Bicycle network facility types

Bicycle lanes(arterial/collector roads)

Bicycle lanes (rural roads)

Marked wide curb lanes(arterial/collector roads)

Multi-use pathways

Shared route (local roads)


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The City envisions a complete bicycle network that accommodates arange of users, from new cyclists to seasoned commuters, at all ages.

The draft MTP proposes a complete, connected bicycle network thatlinks all schools, parks and commercial areas and is within 400 m of allresidents and businesses.

To achieve this, the networkwould expand by about 60 km(for a total of 115 km), including:

Off-street pathways: +5 km

Bicycle lanes: +21 km Marked curb lanes: +5 km Local bikeways: +29 km

These improvements would more than double the size of the existingbicycle network, at a cost of about $8 million over 20 years.

Bicycle network opportunities



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Bicycle network opportunities


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In addition to physical network improvements, the City has and willimplement policies and programs to achieve increased cycling.

Enhanced requirements forend-of-trip facilities, such asbicycle parking, lockers andwashrooms.

Improved bicycle-transitintegration.

Enhanced wayfinding andsignage.

Education and awareness programs.

Bicycle user maps and information.

Safe routes to school and related programs.

Bicycle network support programs

and facility opportunities

.

Saferoutestoschoolandrelatedprograms.



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Public transit is an important alternative to automobile travel.

Successes have included:

West Coast Express service improvement. Improved accessibility of bus stops for people with disabilities.

Evergreen Line rapid transit construction to Coquitlam City Centre.

Challenges include:

Lack of rapid transit service within Port Coquitlam.

Limited operation of the West Coast Express.

Indirect bus connections between north and south Port Coquitlam.

Low frequency of bus service and overloading of buses.

Impacts of congestion on travel times.

Multiple transfers and length of time to access post-secondaryschools.

Long walking distance to bus routes in some neighbourhoods.

Minimal nighttime and weekend transit service. Limited passenger amenities and accessible facilities.

Transit network successes and challenges


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TransLink is responsible for planning / funding all transit services forPort Coquitlam and the region, while its operating subsidiaries (e.g.Coast Mountain Bus Company) operate the transit services. The draft

MTP proposes these enhancements: Provide rapid bus service.

Extend Evergreen Line rapid transit toPort Coquitlam.

Expand West Coast Express services(daytime and weekend).

Increase frequency on local bus and

community shuttle routes. Provide direct connections between north

and south Port Coquitlam, downtown PortCoquitlam and Douglas College, and to theDominion Triangle area.

Ensure integrated land-use planningthat supports transit- and pedestrian-

friendly neighbourhoods. Provide transit-supportive strategies

including more/accessible bus shelters,bus benches, transit passenger loadingareas and increased customer information.

Transit network opportunities


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The Citys road network supports the safe and efficient movement ofpeople, goods and services throughout the City and region.

Improvements have included: Coast Meridian Overpass

Broadway Street Reconstruction

Dominion Avenue Project

Pitt River Bridge Project

Challenges include:

Local and regional traffic growth.

East-west delays and capacity limitationson Mary Hill Bypass, Lougheed Highway and Kingsway Avenue.

Access to and circulation around Dominion Triangle commercial andindustrial areas.

Connections between Port Coquitlam and Coquitlam.

Road condition and maintenance. Integration and prioritization of other transportation modes(e.g. walking, cycling) along existing corridors.

Limited long-term funding for major road projects.

Road network successes and challenges


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The Citys Official Community Plan envisions a more complete roadnetwork. With limited resources, funds must be directed to projects theprovide the greatest benefit for the community.

Potential major projects include:

Fremont Connector

North-south link: Victoria Drive to Lougheed Highway

Lincoln Avenue Connector

East-west link: Coquitlam City Centre, north-east Coquitlam,north Port Coquitlam

Mary Hill Bypass

Widening corridor and intersections, or grade-separate intersections

Lougheed Highway

High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane widening

Widening corridor and intersections

Some of these projects require participation and funding from other

civic governments and/or higher levels of government.

Road network opportunities major projects


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Lougheed

Highway

Fremont

Connector

Lincoln

Avenue

Connector

Road network opportunities major projects

Mary HillBypass

Conceptual

alignment

only. Final

alignment TBD.


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The City has re-evaluated the potential traffic demands for the FremontConnector, based on updated population and employment projectionsto 2031.

The Fremont Connector would provide a new north-south connectionbetween Lougheed Highway and Victoria Drive.

Four lanes are required between Prairie Avenue and Lougheed Highway.

Lower volumes of traffic may support two lanes north of Prairie Avenue.

The new connector would receive a modest diversion of traffic fromother north-south roads (e.g. Cedar Drive and Coast Meridian Road).

Schedule for four lanes north of Dominion Avenue is subject to pace ofdevelopment in north-east Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam.

Fremont Connector

Fremont

Connector

PRAIRIE AVE

DOMINION AVE

LOUGHEEDHWY

VICTORIA DR

400

veh./hr

1,150

veh./hr

Conceptual

alignmentonly. Final

alignment TBD.


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The City of Coquitlam has proposed the Lincoln Avenue Connector, whichwould provide a new crossing of the Coquitlam River, linking CoquitlamCity Centre with north-east Coquitlam and north Port Coquitlam. The

proposed four-lane connector would: Reduce traffic volume and delays on Lougheed Highway, Prairie

Avenue and Shaughnessy Street.

Improve east-west travel between Port Coquitlam and Coquitlam.

Permit more efficient and direct bus service.

Improve access to the Evergreen Line rapid transit system.

Provide efficient and direct cycling connections.

The City of Port Coquitlam would improve Lincoln Avenue from OxfordStreet to Coast Meridian Road to accommodate the proposed LincolnAvenue Connector.

Lincoln Avenue Connector


Lincoln

Avenue

Connector

LINCOLN AVE

LOUGHEEDHWY

OXFORDST

1,200

veh./hr

COASTMERIDIANRD

SHAUGHNESS

YST


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Lougheed Highway is an important east-west corridor for Port Coquitlamand the region. Potential improvements include widening the corridorand intersections from the Pitt River Bridge to Coquitlam City Centre, and

adding a lane dedicated to high-occupancy vehicles and transit.

The City has evaluated the potential traffic demands for LougheedHighway, based on updated population and employment projections to2031.

Traffic growth on Lougheed Highway is concentrated in PortCoquitlam Lougheed supports other east-west roads.

The improvements would provide a modest change in long-termtraffic delays.

The project is not recommended as a City priority, compared toother options to improve east-west traffic operations.

Lougheed Highway

Lougheed

Highway

LOUGHEEDHWY

HOV:

700

veh./hr

Regular:

2,000

veh./hr



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Mary Hill Bypass is a provincial corridor with increasing trafficvolumes. Proposed improvements include widening the corridor andintersections, or providing grade-separate intersections (e.g. overpass).

The City has evaluated the potential traffic demands for Mary Hill Bypass,based on updated population and employment projections to 2031.

The improvements would divert significant traffic growth from othereast-west corridors in Port Coquitlam, including Lougheed Highway.

Widening of intersections and the corridor is recommended duringthe next 20 years. Widened street-level intersections would result in

manageable delays in that period. Grade-separate intersections are recommended in 20+ years.

High-occupancy vehicle lanes to be considered in planning work bythe Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Mary Hill

Bypass

MARYHILL

BYP

ASS


Mary Hill Bypass

3,000

veh./hr


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The City is also considering a variety of minor projects that wouldimprove function, capacity and safety of the existing road network.

Potential minor projects include: Left-turn bays on Coast

Meridian Road, PrairieAvenue and other roads.

Widening of Pitt RiverRoad, Westwood Streetand Shaughnessy Street to

arterial standards. Traffic signals.

Road network opportunities minor projects


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Do you have comments or suggestions related to the opportunities forthe Citys pedestrian, bicycle, transit and road networks?

Please write down your thoughts on a sticky note and place below.

Your comments



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Did you fill out a survey? Your input will help shape the futureof our communitys transportation network.

For more information about the MTP, or to fill out the surveyonline, visit www.portcoquitlam.ca/mtp .

Questions may be directed to:

Dave Currie, P.EngManager of TransportationTel 604.927.5205Email [email protected]

Thank you!

Watch for more opportunities for input after summer!

Documents

MTP Update for June 12 Open House Briefing