East-West Segregated Bike Lane Pilot Project

Transcription

1 East-West Segregated Bike Lane Pilot Project MRC McCORMICK RANKIN CORPORATION A Member of: January 2011

2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In July 2008, the City of Ottawa initiated a segregated bike lane pilot project. A segregated bike lane is a designated on-street bicycle lane that is physically separated from motor vehicle traffic through the use of barriers such as curbs, parked cars, delineators, or other street treatments. The pilot project is meant to examine the feasibility and benefits of introducing segregated east-west bike lanes through downtown Ottawa. Segregated bike lanes promote cycling as an effective transportation mode by better connecting cyclists to key destinations, improving the comfort of cyclists, and attracting a broader group of residents to cycling. The advantages of cycling as a transportation mode are numerous and well-established, and include: Providing opportunities for daily physical activity and offering associated health benefits; Minimizing carbon emissions associated with transportation; Promoting access to local businesses; and, Providing an inexpensive form of transportation that is widely accessible. The purpose of the planning and feasibility study is to identify the most appropriate corridor for the pilot project and prepare preliminary designs for segregated bike lane facilities along this corridor. Corridor Evaluation The study area for the pilot project focused on the neighbourhoods north of Highway 417, and initially extended from Preston St. in the west to Elgin St. in the east. In this study area, all east-west streets were identified as preliminary candidates for the pilot project (totalling 33 preliminary corridors). Next, the potential corridors were narrowed down to a set of 12 candidate corridors, based on the following evaluated strengths: identification as a cycling route in the Ottawa Cycling Plan (2008); contribution to forming a continuous cycling route; formation of convenient connections to destinations to the east and west of the study area; and for safety purposes the provision of traffic signals at main crossings. Four public meetings were held in June 2010 to introduce the project, identify local issues, solicit feedback on the proposed corridor evaluation criteria, examine options for facility development, and gather insights on the benefits and challenges associated with each of 12 east-west corridors under consideration. These 12 candidate corridors were further evaluated based on the following criteria: preferred locations for cyclists; safety considerations for cyclists; impact on transit; impact on automobile traffic; impact on local businesses; impact on pedestrians; and associated costs. Based on the outcome of the evaluation and feedback from public consultation, Laurier Avenue, Gladstone Avenue and Somerset Avenue were brought forward as the top three preferred corridors. McCORMICK RANKIN CORPORATION January 2011 Page i

3 The City of Ottawa enlisted the expert advice of Vélo Québec in order to help select a final corridor for the pilot project. Vélo Québec is a non-profit organization that has extensive experience in the planning and design of bike lane facilities in Québec, and has published various technical manuals regarding bike lane design. Vélo Québec acted as a peer reviewer of the preliminary evaluation, best practices research, and other initial work completed by the study team. Vélo Québec deemed the preliminary evaluation criteria as relevant and appropriate, and suggested a set of additional criteria to use as part of the final corridor evaluation. The final criteria include: the extent of current bicycle traffic; the potential for additional bicycle traffic; linkages to surrounding areas; linkages to other bike facilities; vehicle travel speed and the associated merit of segregation; the potential for transit stop conflicts; the impact on automobile traffic; the impact on curb side garbage collection; the impact on parking; and the impact on the retail environment. Based on these criteria, Laurier Avenue has been selected as the most appropriate corridor for the segregated bike lane pilot project. Why Laurier Avenue? A significant number of current cyclists are destined to the businesses, offices, and residential buildings along Laurier Avenue. Laurier Avenue is also the destination of a significant number of short vehicle trips, therefore has significant potential to attract new cyclists from the existing vehicle commuter base. Laurier Avenue offers convenient connections to Gatineau, Lebreton Flats (via. connections to Scott St.), Chinatown, the Glebe, the Transitway, University of Ottawa, Sandy Hill, and the Byward Market. Laurier Avenue connects to other bicycle facilities, including: the NCC pathways along the Ottawa River and Canal; existing bike lanes along Percy St., Bay St., Lyon St., and over the Laurier Avenue Bridge (which connects to Nicholas St.); future bike lanes to be installed along O Connor St., Metcalfe St., Albert St., and Slater St.; and the existing bike-friendly staircases near Cambridge St. that connect to the neighbourhoods to the west of the escarpment. Laurier Avenue has a high volume of traffic, so segregation would increase cyclist safety and comfort. Laurier Avenue has only one active transit route, and hence a low potential for conflicts and spatial constraints due to transit operations. There are numerous off-street parking lots near Laurier Avenue, and there is additional capacity for new on-street parking along adjacent and nearby parallel streets, thereby minimizing the impact of the pilot project on existing parking demand and behaviours. There is an opportunity to revitalize the commercial street frontage along Laurier Avenue, as the cycling lanes will draw in activity during evenings and weekends, hence promoting the extension of commercial activities that currently focus on the demands of weekday office workers. McCORMICK RANKIN CORPORATION January 2011 Page ii

4 Segregated Bike Lane Design The planning and feasibility study has identified Laurier Ave. as the best suited corridor to pilot segregated bicycle lanes within the study area. The pilot bicycle facility has been designed to extend from Bronson Ave. to Elgin St., where it will connect to the existing bike lane over the Laurier Avenue Bridge. It is intended to be installed for a minimum of one year and be maintained during winter months, with snow clearing and street cleaning occurring with the same frequency as the adjacent roadway. The bike lane design reflects the lessons learned in cities around the world, including Copenhagen, The Hague, Portland, Vancouver, and Montreal. An example depiction of the proposed pilot project is shown in Figure E-1. Figure E- 1: Depiction of Proposed Segregated Bike Lane Pilot Project The segregated bike lanes are intended to be installed on both the north and south side of Laurier Ave. Automobile travel would be limited to one eastbound lane and one westbound lane along the entire corridor, whereas current conditions provide two eastbound and two westbound lanes from Elgin St. to Lyon St. during peak periods. Right turning on red would be prohibited at every intersection along the corridor, in order to protect the safety of cyclists using the pilot facility. Intersections and traffic signal timings would be adjusted to minimize the impact on automobile traffic. At each intersection along the corridor an advanced green arrow will give priority to eastwest pedestrians and cyclists prior to turning automobile traffic. This will increase the visibility of cyclists and reduce collision risk at intersections. To facilitate this advanced green signal, new signal heads with straight through green arrows are proposed at all intersections along the Laurier Avenue corridor. The proposed segregated bike lane would be separated from automobile traffic by precast concrete buffer curbs topped with delineators, as shown in Figure E-1. In Para Transpo zones and loading zones, the lane is proposed to be banked by delineators only, to allow easy access to the sidewalk. Emergency vehicle access, access to off-street loading zones, and access to building entrances and parkades are all maintained in the proposed pilot project design. All hotel and taxi zones are maintained in their current locations, and on-street loading zones are McCORMICK RANKIN CORPORATION January 2011 Page iii

5 provided in close proximity to their existing locations. Three additional on-street loading zones have been provided to improve access to businesses along the corridor. To enable safe left turns for cyclists using the pilot facility, bike launch pads have been proposed at intersections in front of automobile traffic and pedestrian crosswalks. These launch pads would enable cyclists to safely perform a two-stage left turn: the cyclists would cross the intersection in the designated cycling lane, then would wait on the launch pad for the traffic signal to switch to allow movement on the cross street. To accommodate the proposed bike lanes along Laurier Avenue, 122 off-peak parking spaces would be removed from the street. The reduction in on-street parking on Laurier Avenue will be replaced by introducing a new row of on-street parking along most blocks of Nepean St. and Gloucester St., between Bronson Ave. and Elgin St. It is estimated that approximately 124 additional year-round spaces may be made available along these two corridors. It should also be noted that additional bike parking is proposed along the corridor as part of the pilot project, with 46 new ring and post facilities being suggested for installation between Bronson Ave. and Elgin St. Based on a preliminary cost estimate of the new features and modifications listed above, the pilot project is expected to cost about $1,300,000 in capital costs and $187,500 in annual maintenance costs. During the pilot project, the City should monitor the success of the project by performing a business survey, conducting an intercept survey of cyclists, and collecting bike and traffic count information. Next Steps The pilot project is intended to be brought to Transportation Committee and Council in February 2011 for approval. Should the pilot be approved, the facility would be constructed in A key component of the proposed pilot project is a public outreach campaign to complement the proposed changes to Laurier Ave. Should the pilot project be approved, City staff should initiate the development of a public engagement program. This program should involve advertising the pilot project, organizing kick-off events, and educating the public (pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, and drivers) about the safe and proper use of the segregated bike lanes. McCORMICK RANKIN CORPORATION January 2011 Page iv

6 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1. INTRODUCTION History of Project Terminology Study Area BUSINESS CASE The Success of Cycling Infrastructure in Other Cities Transportation Advantages of Investing in Cycling Infrastructure Financial Advantages of Investing in Cycling Infrastructure SEGREGATED BICYCLE LANE DETAILED DESIGN One-Way and Bi-Directional Segregated Bicycle Facilities Minimum Bicycle Lane Widths Intersection Considerations Left-Turning Bicycles Right-Turning Vehicles Traffic Signals Signage and Pavement Markings Buffer Zone Maintenance Considerations Snow Removal Catch basin and Maintenance Hole Access Road Surface Drainage Considerations Specially Designated Parking and Stopping Zones Loading Zones Taxi Zones School Bus Loading Zones Hotel Zones Street Vendors Bus Stops Pedestrian Island for Transit Passengers Cyclists Yield to Pedestrians Transit Vehicles Block Cycling Lane Para Transpo Driveways and Entrances On-Street Parking CORRIDOR EVALUATION Stage 1 Selection Criteria Designated Cycling Route in the Ottawa Cycling Plan Continuity of the Route Connection to East-West Destinations Traffic Signals at Main Crossings Stage 1 Route Evaluation Results McCORMICK RANKIN CORPORATION January 2011 Page v

7 4.2 Stage 2 Selection Criteria Preferred Locations for Cyclists Safety Considerations for Cyclists Impact on Transit Operations Impact on Vehicles Impact on Local Businesses Impact on Pedestrians Implementation Costs Stage 2 Route Evaluation Results CONSULTATION JUNE Technical Advisory Meeting Transit Operations Parking Operations Maintenance Traffic Operations Public Advisory Committee Public Open Houses Public Open House Attendance Summary of Feedback Preferred Corridors CORRIDORS CARRIED FORWARD Somerset Street Benefits for a Cycling Facility Impacts on the Existing Corridor Laurier Avenue Benefits for a Cycling Facility Impacts on the Existing Corridor Lisgar Street Benefits for a Cycling Facility Impacts on the Existing Corridor Gladstone Avenue Benefits for a Cycling Facility Impacts on the Existing Corridor Other Considerations Planned Road Construction Projects Connection to Queen Elizabeth Drive SELECTION OF A CORRIDOR Vélo Québec Cycling Expert Peer Review Peer Review of Stage I and II Criteria Proposed Final Evaluation Criteria Final Corridor Evaluation Current Bicycle Traffic Potential Bicycle Traffic Linkages to Surrounding Areas and Other Bicycle Facilities Merit of Segregation Transit Stop Conflicts McCORMICK RANKIN CORPORATION January 2011 Page vi

8 7.2.6 Automobile Traffic Impacts Curb-side Garbage Collection Parking Impacts Shopping Environment Impacts Final Evaluation LAURIER AVENUE DESIGN Design Considerations Buffer Treatments and Barriers Traffic Road Maintenance Emergency Vehicle Access Driveways and Parkade Entrances Parking Zones Loading Zones Taxi Zones Hotel Zones School Bus Loading Zones Para Transpo Stops Street Vendors Garbage Collection Bike Parking Block-By-Block Design Details Queen Elizabeth Drive to Elgin Street Elgin Street to Metcalfe Street Metcalfe Street to O Connor Street O Connor Street to Bank Street Bank Street to Kent Street Kent Street to Lyon Street Lyon Street to Bay Street Bay Street to Bronson Avenue CONSULTATION NOVEMBER Technical Advisory Committee Public Advisory Committee Public Open Houses Public Open House Attendance Summary of Feedback MONITORING PLAN Vélo Québec Cycling Expert Opinion Data Collection Business Survey Intercept Survey Traffic Counts Collision Data Traffic Operations Review Evaluation NEXT STEPS...98 McCORMICK RANKIN CORPORATION January 2011 Page vii

9 List of Tables Table 2.1 Existing Cycling Conditions in Peer Municipalities... 4 Table 3.1 Minimum Segregated Bicycle Lane Widths in Other Municipalities... 6 Table 4.1 Stage 1 Evaluation Results Table 4.2 Evaluation of Continuity of Route Table 4.3 Evaluation of Key Destinations Table 4.4 Evaluation of Cyclist Conflict with Vehicles Table 4.5 Evaluation of Adjacent Land Uses Table 4.6 Evaluation of Traffic Volumes Table 4.7 Evaluation of Truck Traffic Table 4.8 Evaluation of Transit Operations Table 4.9 Evaluation of Bus Blockages Table 4.10 Road Geometry for Regional and Municipal Roads Table 4.11 Evaluation of Impacts to Travel Lanes Table 4.12 Evaluation of the Impacts to On-street Parking Table 4.13 Impact to Loading Zones / Taxi Stands / Hotel Zones Table 4.14 Evaluation of Streetscape Table 4.15 Evaluation for Relative Table 4.16 Stage 2 Evaluation Results Table 5.1 Public Open House Attendance Table 6.1 Somerset Street Eastbound Travel Time Table 6.2 Somerset Street Westbound Travel Time Table 6.3 Laurier Avenue Eastbound Travel Time Table 6.4 Laurier Avenue Westbound Travel Time Table 6.5 Lisgar Street Westbound Travel Time Table 6.6 Gladstone Avenue Eastbound Travel Time Table 6.7 Gladstone Avenue Westbound Travel Time Table 7.1 Bicycle Trip Ends to Each Corridor Table 7.2 Trip Distance by Corridor Table 7.3 Peak Hour Traffic Volumes by Corridor Table 7.4 Somerset Street Route 2 Weekday Service Table 7.5 Gladstone Avenue Route 14 Weekday Service Table 7.6 Final Evaluation Table 8.1 Travel Time along Laurier Avenue Table 8.2 Intersection Operations Table 8.3 On-Street Parking Spaces Table 8.4 On-Street Parking Spaces McCORMICK RANKIN CORPORATION January 2011 Page viii

10 List of Figures Figure 1.1 Example of a Bicycle Lane... 2 Figure 1.2 Example of a Multi-Use Path... 2 Figure 1.3 Example of a Segregated Bicycle Lane... 2 Figure 1.4 Study Area... 3 Figure 3.1 Bi-Directional Bicycle Lanes (Montreal)... 5 Figure 3.2 Uni-directional Bicycle Lane (New York City)... 5 Figure 3.3 Example of a two-stage bicycle left-turn using a bike box... 7 Figure 3.4 Examples of separate bicycle signals... 8 Figure 3.5 Examples of shared bike lanes and right-turn lanes... 8 Figure 3.6 Examples of intersection signage to reduce conflicts between cyclists and rightturning vehicles... 9 Figure 3.7 Bike Lane Designation Figure 3.8 Right-turning vehicles yield to bikes Figure 3.9 Curb and Boulevard Figure 3.10 Painted Lines Figure 3.11 Concrete Curb Figure 3.12 Bicycle Lane Delineators Figure 3.13 Concrete Bollards Figure 3.14 Painted Lines with Parked Cars Figure 3.15 Winter maintenance on cycle track in Montreal Figure 3.16 Example of Temporary Concrete Curb and Bicycle Lane Delineators Figure 3.17 Segregated Bicycle Lane with Island for Transit Passengers Figure 3.18 Cyclists yield to transit passengers at bus stops Figure 3.19 Transit Vehicle Blocking Bicycle Lane Figure 4.1 Map of Study Area and East-West Connections Figure 4.2 Recommended cycling facilities based on motor vehicle volume and speed Figure 4.3 Ottawa Downtown Transit Map Figure 4.4 Impacts to Vehicle Travel Lanes for 2 Segregated Bicycle Lanes Figure 4.5 Impacts to Vehicle Travel Lanes for 1 Segregated Bicycle Lane Figure Segregated Bicycle Lane - Impacts to Parking and Travel Lanes Figure Segregated Bicycle Lanes Impacts to Parking and Travel Lanes Figure 5.1 Preferred Corridor for Segregated Bicycle Lanes Figure 7.1 Existing Corridor Trip Ends Figure 7.2 Gladstone Avenue Linkages Figure 7.3 Somerset Street Linkages Figure 7.4 Laurier Avenue Linkages to Surrounding Areas Figure 8.1 Proposed Planter Boxes Figure 8.2 Proposed Delineators Figure 8.3 Example of a left-turn bike box Figure 8.4 Existing Parking Conditions Figure 8.5 Location of Signed On-Street Loading Zone Figure 8.6 Photo of Off-Street Loading Docks at 269 Laurier Ave Figure 8.7 Para Transpo Drop Offs and Pick Ups in September Figure 8.8 Existing Para Transpo Zone at Figure 8.9 Bike Shelter on Laurier Ave Figure 8.10 Bike Rack on Kent St Figure 8.11 Velocity Bike Racks on Laurier Ave McCORMICK RANKIN CORPORATION January 2011 Page ix

11 Figure 8.12 Ring and Figure 8.13 Parking Meter Conversions to Ring and Post Bicycle Parking Figure 8.14 Bike stand with Air pump Figure 8.15 Queen Elizabeth Drive to Elgin Street Option Figure 8.16 Queen Elizabeth Drive to Elgin Street Option Figure 8.17 Elgin Street to Metcalfe Street Figure 8.18 Metcalfe Street to O Connor Street Figure 8.19 O Connor Street to Bank Street Figure 8.20 Bank Street to Kent Street Figure 8.21 Kent Street to Lyon Street Figure 8.22 Lyon Street to Bay Street Figure 8.23 Bay Street to Bronson Avenue Figure 9.2 Right-Turn Alternative Option A APPENDICES Appendix A Transportation and Financial Advantages of Investing in Bicycle Infrastructure Appendix B Economic Benefits of Segregated Bicycle Lanes Appendix C Best Practices Review Research Summary Appendix D Evaluation Tables Appendix E Public Consultation #1 Appendix F Vélo Québec Cycling Expert Peer Review Report Appendix G Technical Advisory Committee #2: Concerns and Suggestions Appendix H Public Consultation #2 Appendix I Traffic Analysis Appendix J Additional On-Street Parking Appendix K Cost Estimate File: L:\W.O. # Directories\7831 Bike Lane Pilot Project\707 Reports\7072 Project Report\January 2011\7831mw - segregated bike lane pilot project FINAL Jan 2011 r2 McCORMICK RANKIN CORPORATION January 2011 Page x