TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION OF CANADA – Sustainable Urban Transportation Awards 2012

One Drive, ‘ceremonial’ Duke of York Boulevard, Scholars’ Green Park, and the CIVIC CENTRE new Sheridan College Post Secondary Institution, Hazel McCallion Campus 2. KEY INITIATIVES This submission will focus only on a number of key initiatives, endorsed by the 2012 Master Plan – it will illustrate how these initiatives are aligned with key strategies Transportation Association of Canada specified in the New Vision for Urban Transportation, which will lead into Sustainable Urban Transportation Award 2012 transforming cities to be more efficient, environmentally friendly and desirable to CITY OF MISSISSAUGA live in.

February 29, 2012 2. Development and Enhancement of Sustainable Urban Transportation 1. Introduction Key initiatives 3 within Mississauga Civic The ‘ Key Centre have contributed to the Initiatives’ nomination by the City of development and enhancement of a Mississauga has been invited for a full sustainable transportation plan in an submission to outline what unique urban context with social, economical, transportation initiatives have been and environmental benefits. Some of the undertaken in Mississauga Civic Centre key benefits include safe student access to and how they will contribute to the Sheridan college; efficient operation of development and enhancement of vehicles at low speed, continuous traffic sustainable urban transportation. The flow through the roundabout; Mississauga Civic Centre district is accommodation of all modes of envisioned in the ‘Downtown21 Master transportation, including public transit, Plan’ 1 as a common and connected civic pedestrians, cyclists and emergency space that extends over five blocks from vehicles; an aesthetically pleasing, flexible to Rathburn Road and traffic calmed ‘flush’ street and on- between Living Arts Drive and Duke of street paid parking achieved through York Boulevard. Not only it is home to the traffic lane conversion. City’s premiere public institutions and amenities including the City Hall, Central Mississauga Civic Centre has undergone a Library, and Square conversion to a single lane roundabout at One Shopping Mall, the Civic Centre district is recognized by its key initiatives, such as the City’s first single-lane 2 New Sheridan College Campus: downtown roundabout, ‘flush’ Square http://www.sheridancollege.ca/About%20Sheridan/Mississ auga%20Campus.aspx 3 Key initiatives: http://www5.mississauga.ca/marketing/websites/sheridan/d 1 Downtown21 Master Plan: ownloads/2011-Sheridan-Campus-Images.pdf http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/residents/downtown21

- Page 1 of 7 - TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION OF CANADA – Sustainable Urban Transportation Awards 2012 one of its conventional signalized five City’s Strategic Pillars for Change 4, intersections. Safety has increased for all intended to provide guidance towards the users and traffic delays have been creation of a city for the 21 st century: (1) reduced without compromising traffic Move – The roundabout feature will help capacity. The ‘flush’ Square One Drive with clean air and healthy lifestyle by extension, which continues as the west providing accessible features to leg of the roundabout, incorporates an accommodate transit vehicles as a innovative curvilinear design which safely preferred, affordable and accessible accommodates pedestrians, cyclists, transportation choice. The roundabout in passenger vehicles, trucks and buses at a conjunction with the ‘Flush’ road slower operating speed. Running through extension adds capacity to the ‘Scholar’s Green’ park, the ‘flush’ Square transportation system, through additional One Drive nicely integrates with the new links in the street network and active College campus. Several green initiatives mobility choices; (2) Belong – Mississauga have been utilized in this project, Civic Centre thrives on its social and including the application of LED street cultural diversity. It has attracted lights and sustainable stormwater Sheridan College post-secondary management practices, such as permeable institution which has become an pavement, on-site water retention internationally recognized centre of techniques and a wide planted centre higher learning, where youth want to be; median. where 1,700 young professionals choose to be part of; (3) Connect – the ‘Flush’ 2.1. Enhancing Sustainability – Square One Drive extension, the Social ‘Ceremonial’ Duke of York Boulevard, Scholar’s Green Park and the roundabout, The social implications of the key together have created a more walkable initiatives allow the basic access needs of and connected mixed-use neighbourhood pedestrians, students and cyclists to be that gives residents and visitors the met safely and in manner consistent with ability to engage safely in all aspects of human and environment health. The their everyday lives, within walking presence of a single-lane roundabout in distance and easy access. Scholar’s Green Mississauga Civic Centre is an initiative in Park in particular brings the college and the direction of the City’s Vision community together in the heart of the Statement articulated in the Strategic city as a great public space with Plan: “Mississauga will inspire the world opportunities for every one to enjoy. The as a dynamic and beautiful global city for park’s unique features offer a place for creativity and innovation, with vibrant, creative thought and respite, safe, and connected communities; where complementary to the learning we celebrate the rich diversity of our environment of the educational cultures … A place where people choose institution. to be.” Based on the social attributes of sustainable urban transportation, the key initiatives are aligned with three out of

4 Strategic Pillars for Change: http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/discover/ourfuturepillars

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2.2. Enhancing Sustainability – with improved green landscaping Economic features, where fuel consumption and air and noise pollution are reduced. The Based on the economic attributes of utilization of sustainable stormwater sustainable urban transportation, the key management techniques, ‘Scholar’s Green’ initiatives discussed in this document are Park and other soft green opportunities, aligned with the fourth pillar of the City’s such as the roundabout and the ‘flush’ Strategic Pillars for Change: Prosper – the street will help in recognizing Mississauga key initiatives support a strong global as a city that values its shared business future, fostering a prosperous responsibility to leave legacy of a clean and sustainable economy that develops and healthy natural environment. talent, attracts innovative business, meet employment needs, strengthen arts and 3. Degree of Innovation culture and create partnerships for innovation. The recent key initiatives implemented in Mississauga City Centre bring forward The Mississauga Civic Centre roundabout different levels of innovation pertaining has been part of promoting efficient land to technical and financial aspects and use, while creating beautiful and unique process, including performance streets. At significantly lower cost, this monitoring and consultation. roundabout facilitates better utilization of space and does not require storage lanes 3.1. Innovation – Technical and turn lanes to operate efficiently, leading to freeing up space for other The Mississauga Civic Centre single-lane important purposes such as on-street roundabout is an innovative type of parking and pedestrian refuge areas. On- intersection traffic control; it processes street parking opportunities also benefit all modes of transportation safely and customers and businesses in the efficiently with less severe collisions community, and improve economic expected. Its unique geometric features development. Intersections controlled by promote slower operating speeds on a roundabouts significantly reduce vehicle continuous basis with fewer conflict delay, leading to less idling and ultimately points. It employs less hard surface, are considered more environmentally offering more opportunities for friendly. landscaping. The center island of this roundabout is reserved for planting beds 2.3. Enhancing Sustainability – of flowers and future art piece. At this Environmental roundabout, curb lanes have been converted to on-street parking spaces, Based on the environmental attributes of spaces for street trees, landscaping, and sustainable urban transportation, the key seating areas, where appropriate. Due to initiatives are aligned with the fifth pillar less hard surface areas associated with of the City’s Strategic Pillars for Change: this feature, accumulation of less storm Green – the key initiatives have been water runoff is expected. The roundabout designed and implemented in support of does not require electricity to operate Our Future Mississauga being a city that which is significant advantage in general, co-exits in harmony with its ecosystems, particularly during power outages.

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reduced carbon footprint by lowering Conventional intersections require future energy consumption for street pedestrians to cross multiple driving lighting, compared to the existing lanes, exposing them to vehicular traffic conventional lighting infrastructure. for longer periods of time. The single-lane Furthermore, this form of lighting roundabout is designed to allow safe promotes higher safety, providing better crossing of traffic lanes at significantly visibility to all users. shorter distance: pedestrians cross only one driving lane at a time, facing traffic The innovative nature of the key from one direction – a distance of 3.5 initiatives discussed in this document metres for each direction, with a goes beyond just the hard landscape: The pedestrian refuge area in the middle. integration of green utilities like soil, Although this requires the pedestrians to trees and water into the Mississauga Civic wait for a vehicular traffic gap, slow Centre has significantly enhanced design vehicle speeds and the need for the sustainability and has helped alleviate motorist to yield before entering the some of the most pressing ecological roundabout result in sufficient gaps. challenges – including air and water quality, rising temperatures, flooding and The fourth leg of this roundabout consists erosion from daily rainfall events. The of the extension of Square One Drive from sustainable stormwater management Duke of York Boulevard to Living Arts deployed in the vicinity of the Drive, which is constructed as a two-way roundabout, Sheridan College and the ‘flush’ street, providing the safest ‘flush’ street is an innovative approach. In walkable and drivable environment for this practice, a modular suspended students, faculty, and the general public. pavement system is used which uses soil Its curbless edges provide a continuous volumes to support potential large tree flush surface through the parkland space growth with powerful on-site stormwater encouraging slow and safe speeds, while management providing storage and water maintaining the same volumes as a quality measures. The water runoff conventional street. Additionally, this accumulated across the hard road surface flush street benefits all users by providing is redirected into catch basins, through flexible space for college needs such as curbless edges along the ‘flush’ street; the loading for the building. water received from the catch basins will be stored in large volumes in stormwater The City of Mississauga is leading the way management devices and then gradually with the implementation of light emitting released through a filtering process, diode (LED) street lighting to significantly producing cleaner water prior to merging reduce future energy and maintenance with the main sewer system. costs. Converting Mississauga’s street lights to more energy efficient luminaires Concern for the environment is at the will provide significant long term centre of the design for Scholars’ Green financial benefit to the City. By projecting Park. The park incorporates sustainable hydro and maintenance costs over the materials and green technologies in many next eight years, a complete conversion to of its features. The landscape is as visually LED lighting indicates a 50% saving for impressive as it is inviting, with outdoor the City by 2020 and moving forward, a café areas, grass quadrangles and fixed

- Page 4 of 7 - TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION OF CANADA – Sustainable Urban Transportation Awards 2012 chess tables. The pavilion and gallery, Square One Shopping Mall, a major outdoor classroom and public squares regional shopping mall, Sheridan College, offer flexible gathering spaces for the City an educational institution and other local and Sheridan College. developers; all significantly impacted. Through a systematic consultation 3.2. Innovation – Process approach, all concerns were successfully (Performance Monitoring) mitigated and key stakeholders subsequently recognized the benefits of With the opening of Mississauga’s first the project components. urban roundabout in August, 2011, web- based performance monitoring tools, The preliminary design for the including on-site cameras have been Mississauga’s first single lane roundabout programmed to continuously monitor and the extension of Square One Drive vehicular and pedestrian traffic patterns was subject to a Municipal Class in and around the roundabout. Environmental Assessment with a Operational reviews are completed to mandate for one mandatory point of determine traffic performance of this new public consultation. City of Mississauga feature, for all users, including exceeded the basic requirements for the pedestrians and cyclists. process to ensure full public and agency awareness of the project and components. Mississauga’s city-wide LED street Key stakeholders were involved from the lighting conversion also includes the early stages of the process and were kept installation of a brand new state-of-the- involved and informed throughout the art street lighting monitoring system with process. The design for the roundabout the ability to detect malfunctioning street has undergone multiple peer reviews lights multiple times a day and transmit from urban design and operational this information wirelessly. Currently, perspectives. Furthermore, it was street lights are monitored by a manual presented to the Mississauga Accessibility night patrol system whereby the streets Advisory Committee for review and input. are monitored for any malfunctioning activities. The new monitoring system To ensure residents and visitors are checks the status of street lights, power aware of how to safely use a roundabout, loss, malfunctions, energy consumption in Mississauga Communications deployed real time, and has the capability of several tactics to raise awareness and dimming a luminaire, which can provide provide education, including interactive additional energy savings and extend the animation 5, brochure, and website – these life of the luminaires. measures contributed to increased support from the public and other key 3.3. Innovation – Process stakeholders. Letters of notice to the (Consultation and Awareness) residents and agencies, City reports, posters and gateway signs, multiple Implementation of key initiatives discussed in this document required significant consultation in addition to the 5 Roundabout animation and brochure: mandated legislated process. Key www.mississauga.ca/roundabouts stakeholders in this project included

- Page 5 of 7 - TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION OF CANADA – Sustainable Urban Transportation Awards 2012 information booths and social media were 4. Transferability to Other Canadian all used as other means of Communities and Organizations communication. The process consisted of phases for before and after roundabout The City of Mississauga is progressively opening to ensure adequate attention was addressing needs similar to many other given to all areas. City Corporate Canadian cities by transforming its Civic Communications also worked closely with Centre district to a more urban, vibrant key stakeholders to help raise awareness and walkable space, supporting accessible and to educate the public. transit in a sustainable environment. The City has welcomed neighbouring 3.4. Innovation – Financial municipalities to learn about the use of modern urban roundabouts in a Through a unique and innovative downtown context and ‘flush’ streets, partnership, the City and Sheridan College through in-house workshops and site constructed the new Mississauga campus, tours. These initiatives have also and Scholar’s Green Park – which will generated research opportunities for help transform Mississauga’s downtown local educational institutions. into a vibrant centre and connected community. In just six short months after Staff thoroughly researched the benefits launching the City’s new Strategic Plan 6, of LED street lighting and tested the Mississauga Council approved the waters by launching a pilot project. It is purchase of 3.46 ha of land and a lease the right time to move toward LED street agreement that together have made the lighting and the City of Mississauga will new campus a reality and will deliver on a be one of the first Canadian cities to number of the City’s strategic goals. implement a city-wide LED lighting program and other municipalities are As part of Mississauga’s Civic Centre LED watching to see how the project goes. street light project, the City is eligible to offset a portion of the capital cost of this Key initiatives discussed in this document conversion project. This approach successfully set the framework for an provides financial incentives for replacing economically viable transformation, existing street lights with high-efficiency gradually moving towards a sustainable lighting. Based on the forecasted living space, which is vibrant, connected, reduction in electricity consumption and safe. The basis for a successful during the first year after the conversion transfer of any of the specified initiatives to LED is complete, this joint application is that the interested agency or with Mississauga’s hydro provider will municipality analyze each case for provide a significant financial incentive. appropriate context conditions and success factor and barriers in the implementation process. City of Mississauga has proven to be willing to provide any type of support in the design and implementation process, from 6 Mississauga Strategic Plan: experience, as well as research of the http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/discover/conversationmis sissauga initiatives.

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5. Added Value

The successful implementation of the key initiatives discussed in this document has strengthened relationships amongst the City and key downtown stakeholders, while working through concerns which were raised throughout the consultation process. Close coordination of detailed design of the Mississauga Civic Centre roundabout and its construction with Square One Shopping Mall will provide opportunities for more efficient consultation process in the future. Through a unique and innovative partnership between the City and Sheridan College, the two parties have constructed a new campus and a community park which will help transform Mississauga’s downtown into a vibrant centre and connected community. Here youth, new Canadians and businesses will learn, experience and invest in the people and assets that contribute to the quality of life and success of our citizens and business community. The City has built strong partnerships for this innovative undertaking by leveraging opportunities with Sheridan College Institute, during the college’s Phase I implementation, leading to Sheridan College Campus Phase II development, with an expected opening in 2015. Mississauga’s more friendly and attractive Civic Centre district continues to enhance its transportation infrastructure and development opportunities through sustainable transportation approaches discussed in this document.

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APPENDDIX – Mississauga Civic Centre Key Initiatives (Photos)

Single-lane Roundabout

Scholar’s Green Park ‘Flush’ Square One Drive

Sheridan College – Hazel McCallion Campus

‘Ceremonial’ Duke of York Blvd.

Image 1 - Mississauga Civic Centre Key Initiatives (Summary)

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Image 2 - Roundabout at Square One Drive and Duke of York Boulevard

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Image 3 - 'Flush' Square One Drive with planted central median

Image 4 - 'Ceremonial' Duke of York Boulevard with on-street parking

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Image 5 - Scholar's Green Park

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Image 6 - Sheridan College – Hazel McCallion Campus

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Image 7 - LED Street lights – LED street lights (Left) provide a more uniform distribution of white light, compared to the yellow-orange hue produced by traditional HPS lighting

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