Introduction
The purpose of this study is to develop a long-term plan for the arterial road system within the Region of Niagara. The study will identify the road system improvements required to address existing issues and future requirements (to the years 2021 and 2031), the jurisdictional responsibility for the different road sections, and the standards for Right-of-Way (ROW) and access controls on the road system sections. This study is one in a number of sub-studies that will implement the Region of Niagara’s Transportation Strategy.
Background
The Region of Niagara is developing a comprehensive transportation strategy. The strategy will define the role and service expectations of the different transportation modes, provide a context for more detailed studies to address specific transportation issues and create improved guidelines for the establishment of priorities for transportation expenditures. In the fall of 2000, Regional Council established a Steering Committee to oversee the development and implementation of a transportation strategy for Niagara Region.
Traditionally, the Region, the Area Municipalities, and the Provincial and Federal governments have addressed specific transportation needs and issues individually. The strategy provides a common framework for relating the issues to each other, procedures for determining relative priorities and mechanisms for coordinating projects.
The strategy will establish specific objectives for the operation of the various transportation modes and systems including auto, truck, transit, rail, air, marine, pedestrian and bicycle. It is not the intent of the strategy to resolve specific operational problems, but to set a common vision around which to coordinate the work of the various agencies and jurisdictions that provide transportation services within Niagara and a framework for setting relative priorities for major transportation projects. The strategy is looking at the inter-relationship between issues, different transportation modes and the impacts of transportation systems on growth and development. The strategy will help define the role and service expectations of the different transportation modes, provide a context for more detailed studies to address specific transportation issues and provide guidelines for the establishment of priorities for transportation expenditures.
The advantages of developing a strategic approach to issues that address the inter-relationship between all levels of government and all modes of transportation are many. In the long run, this plan will provide a positive environment for promoting the growth and development of trade and tourism in this important international trade corridor.
A series of public meetings were held across the Region in November and December of 2000 at which the public identified transportation related issues. In the spring of 2001, a Communications consultant was hired to expand the public input process. The schedule of the project was modified to incorporate the more comprehensive input process.
A number of consultant sub-studies will investigate the feasibility of implementing the objectives identified in the strategy and set out implementation plans and cost estimates for each component of the strategy. Various sub-studies are being initiated before the overall strategic direction is identified in order to collect key information on the transportation system, develop modeling and evaluation processes and to do preliminary identification of alternatives as input into the strategic direction. The time frame of the sub-studies will be adjusted if necessary to ensure that the outputs of these studies address the strategic objectives identified in the overall strategic plan.
Study Objectives
- To identify arterial road system improvements required to alleviate existing capacity and operational deficiencies and to accommodate additional traffic generated by planned development in the Region and planned changes to the Provincial highway system in the Region.
- To identify a set of ROW and access standards for the Regional road system that address the function of the road, the need to accommodate specialized traffic (buses, bicycles etc.), and the needs and constraints associated with the character of the land use, development and unique environmental areas adjacent to the road.
- To identify a preferred system of truck routes capable of accommodating existing and forecast commercial traffic and providing access to major commercial truck generators.
- To determine requirements for and methods to improve road linkages across major barriers such as, but not limited to, the Niagara Escarpment, the Welland Canal, the QEW and other 400 series highways.
- To review the role and standards for Regional roads relative to accommodating pedestrian and bicycles traffic and transit operations.
- To develop a road system plan that implements the transportation objectives as stated in the regional transportation strategy.
Analysis Area
This study will develop a transportation system plan for the Regional Municipality of Niagara. It will be necessary to analyze transportation demand and transportation road system issues within a larger geographic area in order to provide the proper framework for developing appropriate solutions within Niagara Region. Transportation system solutions should take into account the issues and plans of the surrounding municipalities of: the City of Hamilton, Town of Haldimand and the two New York Counties immediately across the border, as well as the various bridge authorities responsible for connections across the border. Travel demand and systems analyses should look at a broader area including the GTA, south central Ontario and upper New York State in order to ensure that the Plan for Niagara works in the context of the larger economic area.
Public Workshop - June 27, 2002
Trucking Industry Workshop - May 30, 2002
Transportation Strategy Steering Committee Presentation
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