MINUTES — PUBLIC – COMMISSION ON TRANSPORTATION, – SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY AND SAFETY

Urbanization of Collector and Arterial Roads — Information, Analysis, and Reflection

The document Artères et collectrices à urbaniser — Mise à jour en fonction de la sécurité (Arterial and collector roads to be urbanized — Update based on safety) was presented to the members. This document was transmitted to them prior to the meeting. The objective of the presentation is to evaluate whether the prioritization of collector and arterial roads to be urbanized has evolved since 2019, based on the update of certain criteria focused on safety.

The presentation is broken down into the following sub-themes:

• Contextualization;
• Current situation;
• Prioritization criteria;
• 2020 results;
• Update of criteria;
• Warning;
• Flow criteria;
• Safety criteria;
• Projected activity criterion;
• Global evaluation;
• Provisional findings.

Following a mandate received from the municipal council, the administration carried out an inventory and prioritization of arterial and collector roads to be urbanized in 2019. This prioritization made it possible to propose a hierarchy of municipal investment needs based on a multi-criteria analysis focused on accessibility, safety, sharing of public space, and territorial development. Fifty-two street segments are identified within the urbanization perimeter; the whole totals sixty-nine kilometers. The urbanization of arterial and collector roads focuses mainly on the piping of ditches and aims to integrate safety elements, such as sidewalks, cycling links, lighting, as well as municipal services (if required).

At the end of the presentation, it was indicated that the Commission should be invited to issue a recommendation at the May meeting, once the data analysis is completed.

Summary of comments, questions, or answers formulated following the presentation concerning, among other things:

• It would have been desirable to see a criterion addressing the proximity of common or semi-common services in the activity density criteria category. Locations near services should have additional weight in the weighting, or a new criterion should be established. This could have an impact on the sequencing of work. The proximity of services often leads to short trips (e.g., on foot or by bike) that also require safe facilities.
  • Response: It is indicated that this is an exercise concerning the arteries identified in 2019. This identification is inspired by the 2015 land use plan; the choices were not made based on the active travel occurring there. There have been many development projects between 2019 and 2023. This is a prioritization exercise that includes infrastructure work to transform local streets into true arteries.
• Why does the proposed list not include the intersection of boulevards St-René and Labrosse? A seniors' residence is located near this intersection.
  • Response: Infrastructure work is planned in the short or medium term at this intersection. Universal accessibility principles are considered and applied during infrastructure work. The administration will be able to provide a summary of the planned work as well as the schedule.
• Are people with disabilities included in the vulnerability criterion?
  • Response: The administration will have to verify and transmit the information later. The "disability" criterion seems difficult to measure since there is no data that allows for locating these people in the territory.
• Boulevard de Lucerne is a very important segment for the cycling network allowing travel to the east or west. Is the fact that it is part of the Plan directeur cyclable (Cycling Master Plan) a prioritization factor?
  • Response: The cycling network is at level 10. It is therefore part of the criteria.

Revision of Speed Thresholds for the Traffic Calming Policy — Analysis and Reflection/Recommendation

The document Révision des seuils liés à la vitesse de la Politique sur les mesures de modération de la circulation (Revision of speed-related thresholds for the Traffic Calming Policy) was presented to the members. This document was transmitted to them prior to the meeting. The objective of the presentation is to evaluate the impact that lowering the speed-related thresholds of the Politique sur les mesures de modération de la circulation (MMC) would have on the number of sites that could potentially qualify. This is a second presentation on this subject.

The presentation is broken down into the following sub-themes:

• Presentation plan;
• Current situation;
• Scenarios-Options;
• Impacts and issues;
• Appendices.

Summary of comments, questions, or answers formulated following the presentation concerning, among other things:

• The presentation highlighted that road safety issues related to collisions, particularly those with bodily injury or involving vulnerable users, are mainly found on the arterial network. Is it possible to integrate streets with speeds over 50 km/h into a possible reflection on the MMC Policy?
  • Response: Streets where the speed is over 50 km/h as well as the arterial network are not targeted in the MMC Policy; the latter targets collector and local streets instead. During road redevelopment work on arteries, situations are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. It is important to know that the arterial network includes priority routes used by emergency services. Caution is required regarding the type of development that can be done there.
• The scenario prioritizing a maximum number of sites is the option that should be prioritized to make streets safe. Although it will considerably increase the number of sites, this increase should not repeat every year. An increase in standards should reduce the number of requests. The decision will belong to the municipal council to fund this option or not.
  • Response: Attention is drawn to the fact that the number will nevertheless be very high and that many of the measures that will be put in place are not permanent. These are bollards that require maintenance and recurring annual funding.
• Regarding scenario 2 targeting 30 km/h zones (schools and parks), it is indicated that there are sometimes more requests for speed surveys on 40 km/h streets in certain districts. Other cities like Laval have an 8 km/h threshold. The City of Gatineau could thus do better than other cities.
• It is mentioned that the lowering of the speed-related threshold should involve a retroactive analysis (three years are suggested here) in order to include sites whose speed surveys now meet the new established threshold.
• The higher the number of sites to be completed, the greater the risk of delay in implementation. Scenario 1 requires an action plan with a schedule since, based on surveys from the last 3 years, 388 new sites will qualify. This plan will not be produced before the municipal council is seized of the recommendation.
• The 2024 budget is $400,000 as mentioned in the presentation, but to which a special budget of $1.5M already adopted by the council must be added.
• The budgets are for the implementation of MMC and not for potential human resource needs. A substantial increase in the number of sites could affect the teams' ability to deliver.
• Is it possible to install concrete curbs or qwick kurb to set up bike lanes?
  • Response: The subject is still under discussion between different departments. It is an interesting option, but one that potentially presents maintenance and drainage issues.

CTDDS-2024-02

The Commission on Transportation, Sustainable Travel, and Safety, during its regular meeting on April 11, 2024, recommends to the municipal council:

• to adopt scenario 1, which is the lowering of the threshold to 5 km/h regarding the speed-related eligibility criterion.

It is proposed by Edmond Leclerc Supported by Caroline Murray Recommended