Committee approves Transportation Master Plan

The Public Works and Infrastructure Committee today approved the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) Capital Infrastructure Plan, which will guide the development of the City’s transportation system to 2046. The TMP is a supporting document of the Official Plan (OP) which projects an increase of more than 400,000 residents in the next 20 years. The TMP identifies transportation policies and infrastructure investments to support that growth. It informs annual budgets, the development charges background study and the City’s long-range financial plans. The TMP includes the following two networks for both transit and road projects:

• The Needs-Based Networks identify all projects needed to address City mobility needs to 2046, based on the OP’s population and employment growth projections.
• The Priority Networks identify a subset of needs-based projects that should be prioritized for implementation and that are expected to be delivered by 2046, depending on funding and affordability constraints. Projects were prioritized using a Council-approved framework.

The TMP also includes the prioritized list of Council-approved active transportation projects, identifying sidewalk and cycling improvements for the first phase of implementation in the next seven to 10 years. Projects were prioritized with a “transit first” approach to ensure that road investments were only considered where transit would not be sufficient to meet demand. They were also prioritized based on coordination opportunities, potential to support new trips by active transportation, cost and ease of implementation, and equity impacts. The Priority Road and Transit Networks include approximately $3.9 billion in City-led capital projects, with $2.3 billion in transit projects and $1.6 billion in road projects. More information on projects can be found in the report. Bruce Timmermans cycling awards                                           As part of the meeting, the City presented the Bruce Timmermans cycling awards that recognize the contributions of individuals and organizations committed to advancing cycling in Ottawa. This year’s Individual award winner was Hans Moor while the organizational winner was Helping with Bikes. Hans Moor is the former leader of Bike Ottawa and a previous Bruce Timmermans Cycling Awards winner. He was recognized for his continuing cycling advocacy. His cycling blog (hansonthebike.com) advocates for safer conditions for active transportation, with posts on topics ranging from best practices for infrastructure design to cycling into old age. He has developed a series of routes for Ottawa cyclists based on his extensive experience as a tour guide. The routes are available on his website and have helped many people discover the region by bike. He has been influential in elevating public interest about biking and walking around Merivale Road, highlighting the diversity of restaurants in this area and elevating the ways in which it can be seen as an active transportation centre. Helping with Bikes is a division of Helping with Furniture and aims to provide client families with functional bikes as an affordable means of transportation, exercise and recreation. Since its founding in 2014, a small, dedicated team of volunteers has refurbished and distributed more than 3,000 bikes to those who might not otherwise be able to afford the joy and utility of owning one. Donated bikes are fully refurbished by a team of experienced mechanics, ensuring all the bikes people receive are in good working order. Items considered at this meeting will rise to Council on Wednesday, July 23. Related topics

• Agenda