Staff Report #6
August 29, 2018
To All Commissioners
Re: 2018 Work Program – Corporate – Second Quarter Update
Recommendation
The report be NOTED and FILED.
Background
The following report is provided as an update on major projects as set out in the 2018 Work Program that are ongoing in nature and were scheduled to commence and/or to be completed in the second quarter, and are considered corporate in nature.
New – Post-2019 Framework Update
In August 2016, the Commission approved the Post-2019 Rapid Transit Integration Framework as the basis for progressive development of the overall conventional transit service including the Rapid Transit corridors. When the study was completed, a number of key rapid transit decisions were yet to be finalized, including the final corridors and the associated operating conditions on each (i.e. curbside or centre running), and final location of all stops on the rapid transit corridors. Given these unknowns, it was anticipated that the Post-2019 Framework would be revisited once the final Rapid Transit design had been approved by Council (anticipated for late 2018).
Given ongoing confusion for many stakeholders with respect to the fact that the Bus Rapid Transit corridors are one piece of the required transformation for the conventional transit service, coupled with the desire to have detailed financial estimates which include all required transit enhancements for the next financial horizon, it was determined that the review of the Post-2019 Framework be undertaken in 2018 to allow for the final recommended transit structure and related financial requirements to be presented at the same time as the Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP) for the Bus Rapid Transit project. Dillon has been retained to conduct a review of the initial document, with the plan to have the draft updated document presented to the Commission at their September 2018 meeting.
An initial meeting has been held with Dillon representatives to revisit the parameters utilized in the initial study to ensure they were still applicable. The parameters utilized in the creation of the initial Integration Strategy include the following:
- Connectivity (between regular transit routes and rapid transit routes)
- Regular transit routes will touch rapid transit corridors where feasible (opportunity for connection/transfer will be provided)
- Transit routes will be established in a manner that maximizes destinations at both ends of the route (shopping, commercial, education, etc.)
- Frequency of service
- 5 min peak and 10 min off peak service on rapid transit corridors (per Shift report)
- 10 min peak and 20 min off peak for routes feeding the rapid transit corridors with the exception of early morning and late evening which should be based on demand
- Consideration given to varying frequency between am and pm peaks given varying demands
- Directness of travel
- Critical consideration is to be given to route design and frequency to ensure that in cases where riders are required to transfer to a rapid transit corridor to complete their trip, that total trip time will not be increased to something that becomes inefficient, unattractive or unacceptable to the rider. This is defined as being no more than 10% higher than the current travel time (or no more than 5 minutes).
- Duplication of service
- Regular transit routes which duplicate a large portion of the rapid transit corridor should be considered for elimination or modification unless servicing as a local collector (allowing rapid transit to maintain further stop spacing)
- Operations
- Modifications made to routes connecting to rapid transit must be able to effectively operate on a clockface headway and maintain reliable schedules.
The only parameter that has been modified for the update to the Post-2019 Framework is item 5a. Given that service changes included in the 2018 Service Plan include schedules that do not operate on a clock-face headway, it was determined that this is no longer a requirement, rather a consideration. When reviewing service options, Dillon will attempt to maintain clockface headways where it is fiscally practical to do so.
In terms of network design, the use of a connection-based network outside of the downtown and through-routing network within the downtown area (bounded by Oxford Street to the north, Waterloo Street to the east, York Street to the south and Wharncliffe Road to the west) is utilized in the creation of the Integration Strategy. Based on this network philosophy, the following “policies” were applied when determining potential modifications to the initial Post 2019 LTC network to better connect to the proposed Rapid Transit corridors:
- Within the downtown area, LTC bus routes are permitted to operate on exclusive Rapid Transit lanes; however, they will only be permitted to stop at designated Rapid Transit stations.
- Outside of the downtown area, LTC buses will (where deemed appropriate) connect to a Rapid Transit station to allow passengers to complete their trip on Rapid Transit.
- On six-lane roadways that include an exclusive Rapid Transit lane, LTC buses will be permitted in the mixed traffic lane to provide a more local service while Rapid Transit vehicles would operate in a dedicated right-of-way. This allows greater stop spacing for Rapid Transit and allows better access to transit stops using a local parallel LTC route.
- On four-lane roadways that include an exclusive Rapid Transit lane outside of the downtown, local LTC buses will be permitted to use short sections of the rapid transit corridors where no other roadway option exists. When this occurs, the assumption is that local LTC buses will not be permitted to stop to pick-up/drop off passengers on the four lane Rapid Transit corridor, except at a designated Rapid Transit station.
Network design policies as set out above were modified to include the following changes to operating considerations:
- LTC local routes will, in some cases, operate in mixed lane traffic on four-lane roadways that include exclusive rapid transit lanes, noting in these cases, bus bays will be created at local stops to mitigate traffic concerns in the mixed lane (i.e. Richmond Street north)
- LTC local routes will, in some cases, operate in the dedicated Rapid Transit corridor, and will also share the Rapid Transit stop locations (i.e. White Oaks Mall stop on Wellington Road)
The update to the Post-2019 Framework will use the September 2018 service as a starting point, noting that some of the recommendations in the initial framework were not undertaken, and some of the changes made over the past three years were in addition to those recommended in the Framework.
The public will be invited to provide input into the update of the Post-2019 Framework at a drop-in session to be held on September 11, 2018 from 2pm – 4pm and from 6pm to 8pm at the Central Library. A survey will be available on the LTC website for those that cannot attend the session. Dillon is also preparing a survey for LTC employees to provide their ideas and perspectives on the service going forward. Notice of this drop-in has been provided in on-board Transit Talks, on the LTC website and will be promoted closer to the date through social media.
All input will be consolidated and considered in the draft Post-2019 Framework report. Subsequent to the Post-2019 Framework being confirmed by the Commission, a 5 Year Service Plan will be developed for the period 2020 through 2024.
Ridership Growth/Fare review
The completion of a Ridership Growth Strategy including a fare review was scheduled to be initiated in the second quarter of 2018, but has been deferred given a number of factors including:
- The number and nature of changes to fare programs in 2017 and the introduction of the youth pass in the fall of 2018 will have impacts on ridership demographics. Any review of the current fare programs will require some experience with the new fare categories prior to being undertaken.
- The addition of the Post-2019 Framework update to the 2018 Work Program resulted in a competing need for the same LTC resources as would be required for this review. In addition, the consultations and findings in the final updated Post-2019 Framework will be key inputs into the Ridership Growth Strategy.
- The introduction of the Industrial Service Strategy into the 2018 Work Program has resulted in a competing need for the same LTC resources as would be required for this review. In addition, the service delivery methods ultimately selected for trial service in the Industrial areas will also be a key consideration to be included in the Ridership Growth Strategy.
It is anticipated the request for proposal for consulting services relating to the Ridership Growth Strategy including a fare review will be issued in the fall of 2018 with a report to the Commission at the November 2018 meeting.
Rapid Transit Branding
The Rapid Transit Branding project was scheduled to be undertaken beginning the second quarter of 2018, with completion of the project in early to mid-2019. Given competing resource issues, the issuance of the request for proposal has been delayed; however, it is anticipated to be released in the coming weeks.
Recommended by:
Kelly S. Paleczny, General Manager