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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-12-12Clarbgton If this information is required in an alternate format, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator at 905-623-3379 ext. 2131 Active Transportation and Safe Roads Advisory Committee Minutes Date: December 12, 2024 Time: 7:00 pm Location: Microsoft Teams Members Present: Jim Boate, Debbie Doiron, Bart Hawkins-Kreps, Ron Hooper, Hawa Mire, Richard Oldfield, Rick Stockman, Brad Whittle Staff Present: Rob Brezina, Catherine Verhoog Absent: Councillor Elhajjeh, Connor Houston, Lori Moore 1. AGENDA 1.1 Additions to Agenda No additions. 1.2 Acceptance of Agenda Motion to accept the agenda. Moved to approve by Jim Boate, seconded by Debbie Doiron. CARRIED 2. MINUTES OF AUGUST 29, 2024 2.1 Corrections Rick spoke about the difference between bike repair stands and bike racks. 2.2 Approval of Minutes Motion to accept the minutes of August 29, 2024. Moved to approve by Debbie Doiron, seconded by Brad Whittle. CARRIED Page 115 3. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3.1 August 29' Meeting Follow Up Items: 3.1.1.1 Bike Racks — Garnet Rickard Complex (Richard) A sub -committee, consisting of Richard and Jim, is going to research the type and location of the bike racks at municipal facilities (Bowmanville Indoor Soccer, Rickard Arena, South Courtice Arena etc.) and come up with a suggestion of which facilities need racks, and what type of rack should be placed and where. This information will then be presented at the next meeting and then brought forward to Community Services. 3.1.1.2 Bike Repair Station — West Beach Road Conservation Area (Richard/Rick) The Lake Ontario Conservation Authority applied for and received funding for bike repair stands and installed 15 of them in different locations across Ontario conservation areas. Rick to reach out to the Municipality's Traffic Division (Slav Potrykus or Ryan King) to request a sign be installed, on the trail, directing cyclists to the bike repair stand. 3.2 Durham Region Active Transportation Update (Connor) No updates at this time as Connor is at the current meeting tonight. 3.3 Applefest Event Summary and Future 2025 Events (Lori/Rick) The Bowmanville Applefest was an extremely successful event, and the maps prepared by Clarington staff were very popular, along with the lights and bells. Rick, Lori, Connor, and Richard participated at the kiosk. Bart and Jim's suggestion about having maps at the kiosk, after their Ribfest experience, was worthwhile. Bart would like to see more of the small cycling maps that were once provided by the Municipality, brought back to hand out at events. Debbie would like to see an interactive app from Clarington for cycling and walking routes and trails. 3.4 Safety Improvements to West Beach Road (Bart) Nothing new to report. This is a standing item that needs to be addressed much more effectively than it has been in the past. He would like to see improvements completed before the next major cycling season. Bart will draw up some ideas and present them at the next meeting. Page 215 3.5 Intersection Markings for Bike Lanes — Trulls/Nash/Hwy 2 (Jim/Rick) Jim — Some share the road sharrows and some bike pictures have been added where the old bike lane used to come to an end about 50m before you get to the intersection. He would still like to see the green lines painted through the intersection. Rob — This intersection is under the jurisdiction of the Region of Durham. They were approached about painting the lines and the response was that they do not paint lines indicating a bike lane through intersections that do not have enough room for a dedicated bike lane, as per Ontario Traffic Manual standards. The green is dedicated for when there is a cycling lane continuously through the intersection. 3.6 Active Transportation Master Plan Update (ATMP) (Rob) Consultation with the consultant is nearing completion but is taking longer than forecasted due to staff vacancies. We are hoping to resume early in Q1, and hopefully present the ATMP to Council for adoption at the end of Q1. The Region recently adopted their wayfinding strategy, and Clarington will look to pair with them. Part of the strategy is to leverage various mediums such as updated maps on Clarington's website, and a phone application that can utilize Google Maps or something to guide users along our network. In 2025 a healthy budget has been set aside to come up with an evaluation of the existing network, and seeing what sort of skeletal navigation system framework can be put in place for that navigation system and then look to grow the system every year as we expand our active transportation network. Rob is hoping to have a more significant update for the first meeting in 2025. 3.7 Bill 212 Bike Lanes — Impact on Clarington (Debbie/Bart) A few of the members indicated that there is a court case ongoing challenging this Bill which may alter the impact. Rob reassured the Committee that the Bill is not affecting the current construction on King Street, east of Liberty Street to Haines Street, and that it may not have much of an impact on Clarington at all. What we are seeing with new road construction is that we're taking a very safe and modern approach. Any large roadway, such as arterial roads with thousands of vehicles per day, we are looking at moving cyclists off the roadway into dedicated in -boulevard cycling lanes. This provides a substantial buffer between cycling lanes and vehicle lanes. There are very few four -lane roads within Clarington and any that may be proposed in the future, would have a vehicle volume that would move cyclists off the road in those newly built areas by default. Page 315 Motion moved by Bart Hawkins-Kreps and seconded by Debbie Doiron. "That the Active Transportation and Safe Roads Committee urges the Municipality to send a letter to the province asking that the designation of local bike lanes remain in the jurisdiction of the Municipality." CARRIED 3.8 Great Lakes Waterfront Trail 30th Anniversary (Jim) The Great Lakes Waterfront Trail started out in 1995 with a road from Burlington to Trenton, and today it's fully signed from the Quebec border, following the shores of the Great Lakes and the rivers that connect them all the way up to 150km north of Sault Sainte Marie. There is a three -lake ride being planned for next summer by the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail Organization to celebrate. A proposal was brought forward to have bi-directional lines painted blue on the waterfront trail at wide junctions to help prevent confusion. Whitby recently had their off -road sections painted blue. The suggestion of pop -ups along the trail were also suggested in conjunction with the 30th anniversary. Discussion ensued regarding the blue paint and logos and the accessibility concerns compared to yellow paint, as well as the potential cost to the Municipality. Debbie inquired about having a dedicated 5km stretch for running along the trail, and she will follow up with Jim in an email. This item is to be placed onto the agenda for the next meeting for further discussion. 3.9 Project Update (Rob) Baseline Road from Courtice Road to Trulls Road — sidewalk on north side, and dedicated in -road cycle lanes, have been completed and are open now Soper Creek Trail Phase 3, from Phase 2 terminus up to Cotton Street, is completed and fully open. King Street East, from Liberty to Haines, road diet — Spring 2025 is the target for completion once the contractor remobilizes. Regional Road 57 improvements from the termination of the first construction phase (at the CP Rail corridor), south to Baseline Road. Expansion of the roadway to four lanes, MUP (Multi -Use Path) installation on west side, replacement of pedestrian underpass. Possibly being tendered out this year by the Region, with a 2026 completion date. Page 415 The Region is planning the completion of urbanization of Liberty Street, from Longworth Avenue to Concession Road 3. A dedicated cycle track is planned as a pilot project from Longworth to Bons and Freeland. A cycle track is a paved pathway within the boulevard exclusively for the use of cyclists. The continuation of the MUP is proposed from Concession Road 3 to Bons and Freeland and west to McCorkell, as well as the installation of a roundabout at Concession Road 3 and Liberty Street. Another Region of Durham project, possibly postponed to 2026 now, is road improvements to Townline Road from Beatrice to Taunton Road, inclusive of some intersection upgrades. As well, the City of Oshawa is implementing a MUP along the west boulevard. The Region has planned for 2027 construction road improvements on Liberty Street from Baseline Road to King Street. As part of this construction, the Municipality will be implementing an MUP along this stretch of road. The MUP will "flip-flop" sides of the road due to spatial constraints with property. This will be started once the Regional Road 57 project is completed. The Region has started the design phase for road improvements on Taunton Road from Maple Grove Road to Old Scugog Road. This includes the implementation of an MUP along the south side of the road for access primarily for school students to the businesses along Taunton Road. A project that was recently reinserted back into the 2025 Capital Budget is the design for the continuation of the Farewell Creek Trail from Phase 2A. The trail will extend from the termination of Phase 2A over to the municipal boundary and will include one final creek crossing back to the north side of the creek. 4. OTHER BUSINESS None. 5. NEXT MEETING Thursday April 3, 2025 6. ADJOURNMENT Motion that the meeting be adjourned at 8:54 p.m. Moved by Ron Hooper, seconded by Bart Hawkins-Kreps. CARRIED Page 515