Moving Guelph Forward

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Guelph is growing and how we move around our city is changing. We're exploring transportation options to make our city move better in every way.


Over the next year, we will be exploring how new and evolving technology and travel services will shape the future of transportation in Guelph, and how to use our existing transportation services and infrastructure more efficiently.

We need to work together to create a strong plan for transportation in Guelph. We have tough choices to make to ensure we properly balance the needs of everyone in our community today and tomorrow.

Your input is a critical part of this process.


Guelph is growing and how we move around our city is changing. We're exploring transportation options to make our city move better in every way.


Over the next year, we will be exploring how new and evolving technology and travel services will shape the future of transportation in Guelph, and how to use our existing transportation services and infrastructure more efficiently.

We need to work together to create a strong plan for transportation in Guelph. We have tough choices to make to ensure we properly balance the needs of everyone in our community today and tomorrow.

Your input is a critical part of this process.


CLOSED: This discussion has concluded. Through the Transportation Master Plan, we are planning for the future of all types of transportation in Guelph. We asked: What questions do you think this plan needs to answer? You can review the input we received and the responses below.

 

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We are planning for the future of all types of transportation in Guelph.

What questions do you think this plan needs to answer?

A new era of transportation in Guelph is beginning. You can play a role in defining it. 

The second half of the 20th Century was the Automobile Era. Cities were built to meet the needs of the car. Streets were wide, parking was plentiful and free, and cities were developed to accommodate the car because travel by personal vehicle allowed us to go farther, faster.

But a new era of transportation is beginning, caused by growing awareness and impacts of climate change, new trends and technologies, shifts in how we live, work and shop, increasing congestion and persistent road safety concerns. 

As a City, we need to plan ahead for these changes so that our community is prepared and can continue to thrive. Now is the time to explore how we can make Guelph move better in every way. We are exploring how to best shape the future of transportation infrastructure, technology and services in our city. We are looking at all the ways we move: walking, cycling, riding transit, driving, trucking and using trains.

The Community Plan provides a strong vision for moving around our city, and we are using that vision and our Official Plan to build the Transportation Master Plan. Next, we need to hear from you.

What questions do you think this plan needs to answer in order to ensure the next 20 years of transportation can achieve that vision?

Feel free to submit your questions, one question per submission please! We will review all questions submitted and our team will post responses here.

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    the use of cars/dependency on them in urban areas is passé ... why is the city fixated on more downtown parking/parking garages?

    nathan Asked about 1 year ago

    Hi, Nathan.  The Transportation Master Plan is considering a future that emphasizes travel by bus, bike, walking, ridesharing and other modes more than we have in the past. We recognize that the world has changed and continues to change. The decision to invest in the downtown parking garages are based on a demonstrated need, and were supported by empirical data. As we look to the next 20 years, the Transportation Master Plan will help lay a foundation for a transition toward a less car-dependent downtown and surrounding city that will relieve those pressures for future parking expansions. 

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    Is the City of Guelph considering light rail options along the Gordon Street corridor? There is a condo corridor planned for Clair-Maltby and a lot of condo intensification along the Gordon corridor that exists already. It is an opportunity to have land-use and transit developed together to support the anticipated increase of residents in this area. Surrounding municipalities such as Kitchener-Waterloo & Cambridge are making huge strides in light rail developments. Or even a rapid bus system like Davis Drive Rapidway in Newmarket would be a nice addition to the City. Is Guelph looking at ways to calm traffic instead of speeding it up? If so how? There are more arterial roads planned for the City but this does not mean they have to be highways (which many motorists currently treat them as). As an active transportation advocate I hope to see more action on safety considerations. Will Guelph be addressing images by select groups advertised on the buses? I am not going to say specifically - but most people know, and some refuse to ride on a transit system that supports certain views. Just curious if there will be a rebranding of Guelph transit.

    BryanM Asked about 1 year ago

    Hi BryanM!  Thanks for these great questions.  We have provided answers to each of your separate queries below.

    Is the City of Guelph considering light rail options along the Gordon Street corridor? There is a condo corridor planned for Clair-Maltby and a lot of condo intensification along the Gordon corridor that exists already. It is an opportunity to have land-use and transit developed together to support the anticipated increase of residents in this area. Surrounding municipalities such as Kitchener-Waterloo & Cambridge are making huge strides in light rail developments. Or even a rapid bus system like Davis Drive Rapidway in Newmarket would be a nice addition to the City. 


    Transit is identified as a priority in the Community Plan and therefore is an important component of the Transportation Master Plan (TMP). The TMP will consider where it makes the most sense to prioritize transit. Some of the considerations will include land use planning policies and trends. Road characteristics, such as available property, would also be considered, as well as expected traffic volumes. Gordon Street is a likely candidate for prioritizing transit infrastructure. The TMP will confirm that, but will not commit to what kind of transit vehicles, what routes need changing, or what frequency of service is required. Those details will come through a subsequent Transit Master Plan, currently anticipated to begin in 2020.

    Is Guelph looking at ways to calm traffic instead of speeding it up? If so how? There are more arterial roads planned for the City but this does not mean they have to be highways (which many motorists currently treat them as). As an active transportation advocate I hope to see more action on safety considerations. 

    The TMP’s vision is for a safe, equitable transportation system. Safety considerations will be embedded into the TMP through the policy recommendations and in the proposed infrastructure changes. The TMP will explore themes of Vision Zero, traffic calming, and Multimodal Levels of Service (MMLOS) to address safety for all road users equitably and affordably. MMLOS is an evolution of Level of Service (LOS), a traditional traffic engineering concept that evaluates streets based on delay and available capacity for cars. While LOS only considers inconvenience for cars, MMLOS considers the experience that the street provides to all of its users. 

    Will Guelph be addressing images by select groups advertised on the buses? I am not going to say specifically - but most people know, and some refuse to ride on a transit system that supports certain views. Just curious if there will be a rebranding of Guelph transit.

    While bus advertising is out of the scope of the Transportation Master Plan, it is valuable feedback that we are sharing with Guelph Transit. For further information, please see the Council Approved Advertising Acceptability Policy dated October 03, 2016.  This document governs all advertising within the city, not just on Guelph Transit vehicles. 

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    What will the city do to protect cyclists on the roads?

    Andrew Asked about 1 year ago

    Thanks for the question Andrew.  Safe transportation systems for all users is one of the core values of the Transportation Master Plan. Later this fall we will be creating a Complete Street Design Guide to update transportation design practices in Guelph. User safety, including cyclist safety, will be a key consideration in the recommended design practices.

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    How can we reduce the number of vehicles on our roads?

    Guelphite55 Asked about 1 year ago

    This is a great question for the Transportation Master Plan to address, Guelphite55. Reducing vehicles is the direct result of making alternatives attractive, accessible and affordable. The Transportation Master Plan will establish policies, guidelines, networks and programs to help guide our community toward a more balanced, multi-modal, safe and effective transportation network that serves both personal travel and goods movement. 

    It is worth noting that the City’s Sustainable Transportation team is already engaged in supporting growth of sustainable transportation in Guelph.

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    If bus routes are being reconsidered, is it possible to have a bus go out closer to the Whitelaw road area? There are several people who walk that rd between 124 and Fife on a daily basis, with no sidewalk. It's very unsafe, especially in the winter months.

    rlk Asked about 1 year ago

    Hi Rlk, thank you for this question. The Transportation Master Plan (TMP) will look at transit as part of the overall menu of transportation options in Guelph, and make recommendations about how to make the most of our transit services. Route change recommendations would be a level of detail addressed by a future Transit Master Plan. Guelph Transit will be starting an updated Transit Master Plan once the TMP is completed. 

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    A major contributor to congestion downtown during peak hours are trains that shunt back and forth for 10-40 minutes at a time at paisley and edinborough. This blocks traffic on both roads for long stretches, including buses and commuters at the busiest times of the day (~9am, noon, ~5pm). Limiting, rerouting, or rescheduling this traffic could make a big impact in congestion. Will the city address the issues around this crossing & trainyard as part of the master plan?

    JH Asked about 1 year ago

    Hi JH, thanks for the question. This is a difficult one. The tracks and rail yard near the Paisley Road/ Edinburgh Road South intersection are owned by CN Rail and rail operations do impact the operation of Edinburgh Road South at various times of day. Rail schedules are in the control of CN and can change without much warning. We will engage with CN to get a clear understanding of their vision for the function of the rail line to 2041. We will review the assumptions for the capacity and operations of Edinburgh Road South in the municipal transportation system and make adjustments during the network planning phases of the study to reflect the impact of the rail operations.

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    why are we converting all the roads from 4 lanes to single lanes of traffic? as in woolwich at Norfolk, woodlawn from the speed river up the hill to Victoria as examples. These are fairly major arteries and as you may classify these as calming measures, traffic is held up with vehicles unable to enter the roadway from side streets, driveways and business entries due to the long lanes of single vehicles all attempting to clear the intersection or what ever. this is almost becoming ridiculous. Guelph is no longer a small town and the rivers limit the routes around the city, we don't need single lanes for all the vehicles passing through

    ed sloot Asked over 1 year ago

    Hi Ed, thanks for your comment. The Vision for Transportation Master Plan includes a commitment to create a transportation system that is safe for all users. Speed management measures, such as traffic calming, are important tools for creating safe and complete streets for all users.  The Transportation Master Plan will also consider the expected population and employment growth along with the road network we have, and will be identifying issues and opportunities to ensure the next 20 years maintain reasonable traffic flow for all types of traffic, including pedestrians, bikes, buses, trucks and cars.

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    would like to know if any information sessions are planned for cyclists to learn about right of way with all the new bike lanes etc.

    Rick Asked over 1 year ago

    Hi Rick, 

    That is a great suggestion! The Transportation Master Plan will lay out high-level policies and recommendations for how and where we design cycling facilities, but the staff implementing the plan will be responsible for supporting that work with outreach and education campaigns. Currently, Sustainable Transportation staff develop these materials and promote them at local events, through various media channels, and by providing occasional bike riding training. Please visit guelph.ca/bike for more information! 

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    People clearly need to be educated on how viable and required bike lanes are to a city structure and how study upon study shows density is what makes a city viable, long term, not “modern” urban spacing. Any plans for brochures, pamphlets, courses, ad campaigns, etc. to introduce more right leaning mindsets to the concept of city sustainability?

    BikesRGood Asked about 1 year ago

    Hi BikesRGood, thanks for your comment and question. The Community Plan tells us that our Guelph wants to get around more easily by more modes, including cycling, walking and public transit. The Transportation Master Plan will recommend ways to achieve this, both with our existing transportation system, and through policy change recommendations in how we build and grow in the future. The Transportation Master Plan will also feed into the Official Plan update, to help guide where density makes most sense (e.g. along identified transit priority corridors). 

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    How can we make it easier for our commuters to get to and from the GO train (including the early trains)?

    nrichar Asked over 1 year ago

    Hi Nrichar, thank you for your question. Improved regional transit is one of the values in the Community Plan’s vision for how we get around our community. These vision statements and values are the foundation of our Transportation Master Plan, and will result in recommended goals, objectives and targets for Transit to achieve over the next 20 years. The next Transit master plan will address the details of how.