Proposed Residential Apartment 101 Hunter Street East Transportation Impact, Transportation Demand Management Options and Parking Study City of Hamilton

Prepared for: 75 Catharine Holdings Inc.

March 2021

Table of Contents

1 Introduction ...... 1 2 Proposal and Site Transportation Context ...... 1 3 Site Traffic ...... 2 4 Transportation Demand Management ...... 4 4.1 Site Context ...... 4 4.2 Existing TDM Opportunities ...... 4 4.3 Proposed TDM Measures ...... 5 5 Parking Assessment ...... 6 6 Conclusions and Recommendations ...... 7

Table 1: Transportation Tomorrow Survey Data for Ward 2 in AM Peak Period Table 2: Site Traffic Generation Rates and Estimated Trips Table 3: Site Trip Distribution Table 4: Parking Requirements and Provision

Appendices A: Site Location Plan B: Development Concept Plan C: Transportation Context Map D: Area Transit Map (HSR System Map Downtown) E: Bike Routes, Trails and Parks Map – Urban (Downtown) F: Planned Cycling Network (Downtown)

1 Introduction

This Transportation Impact, Transportation Demand Management Options and Parking Study (“TPS”) has been prepared in support of Official Plan and Zoning By-law amendment applications for the lands on the northeast corner of Hunter Street East and Catharine Street South in the City of Hamilton, municipally known as 101 Hunter Street East. The study was undertaken as a submission requirement in accordance with pre-submission consultation with City Transportation staff and is based on a Development Concept prepared by Coletara Development. The scope of the TPS was agreed upon with staff.

The primary purpose of this study is to assess the traffic generation of the site and identify any transportation demand management (TDM) measures that are needed to support the proposal. The study also provides a justification for the proposed parking provision for the site.

It is the finding of this study that the proposal will generate about 62 and 56 trips in the weekday morning and afternoon peak hours, respectively. Site traffic will be distributed throughout the nearby transportation network but will enter and exit the site with right turns from and to Hunter Street East. A number of TDM measures are being incorporated into the project and the proposed parking provision is appropriate for the site. 2 Proposal and Site Transportation Context

The application proposes a residential development with some ground floor commercial uses. The proposal includes 297 residential units of condominium tenure. The commercial area includes a total of 385 s.m. of gross floor area in two units on the ground floor. The tenants of the commercial uses are not known, but they are intended to be retail uses that support the residents of the building and the many pedestrians in the area.

A Site Location Plan and the Development Concept Plan are attached to this report in Appendix A and Appendix B. A single driveway connection is proposed to serve the site from Hunter Street East near the east edge of the site. The driveway is located just under 25 metres from the Hunter/Catharine intersection. Hunter Street East is one-way westbound in the vicinity of the site and so all site traffic will enter and exit the site with a right turn movement from and to Hunter Street.

Given the modest traffic generation of the proposal and the proposed site driveway with right turns, a full Transportation Impact Study was not requested, but staff asked that this study provide information about the potential traffic generation along with the routing options and distribution of site traffic.

All the public roads in the study area are under the jurisdiction of the City of Hamilton. Hunter Street East is a one-way westbound collector road with two travel lanes and two-way on-street bicycle lanes near the site. The bicycle lanes are present east of Catharine Street South but do not continue on the west side of the intersection. The City plans to extend the two-way bicycle lanes in 2021 to connect to lanes further west at MacNab Street.

Catharine Street South is a one-way southbound local road. There are three travel lanes southbound approaching the intersection with Hunter Street East, but one of the lanes becomes a right turn lane and only two continue through the intersection. Past the railway bridge, the

2 second lane drops, and Catharine Street South continues as a single lane street with on-street parking to its terminus at Charlton Avenue East. The Hunter/Catharine intersection is signalized with controlled pedestrian crossings in all directions.

A Transportation Context Map is included in Appendix C illustrating the various components of the transportation network nearby the site, which are described in further detail below.

Transit access in the local area is some of the best in Hamilton. The site is located less than 150 metres from the Hamilton Centre GO Station with access to both Lakeshore GO rail services and GO buses connecting to various destinations throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. The station also provides connections to local Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) routes 1,2,3 and 51. A bus stop about 75 metres from the site on Hunter Street East provides access to route 5 and many other routes are accessible along both John Street South and James Street South nearby and ultimately, the MacNab Terminal less than a kilometre walk from the site. An excerpt of the HSR System Map for the downtown area is included in Appendix D illustrating the many options for travel by transit near the site.

There are also good options for traveling by bicycle and by walking. Figures illustrating the existing cycling and trails infrastructure (Appendix E) and the planned cycling network (Appendix F) are attached to this study. Additional relevant information includes the following:

 There are many employment uses and community and commercial amenities nearby for people to walk and cycle to from the site.  There are sidewalks on both side of nearby streets, allowing multiple options for pedestrians within the downtown.  The site is highly ranked on walkscore.com rating as a walker’s paradise (walk score of 91), excellent transit (transit score of 83) and very bikeable (bike score of 77).  There is good cycling infrastructure nearby. The bicycle lanes on Hunter Street East complement a nearby network that is largely signed but is planned through several local projects to be upgraded in the near future. In 2021, the City plans to extend the Hunter Street lanes between Catharine Street and MacNab Street to connect with on-street two-way bicycle lanes that continue to the west from there. The City also plans to begin design on protected bicycle lanes on Victoria Street between Cannon Street and Hunter Street, which would extend a network of cycling infrastructure in the downtown along Hunter, Bay, Cannon and Victoria Streets.  The improvements to cycling infrastructure in the area are part of a larger City commitment to enhancing cycling facilities and providing more bike share access and bike racks throughout the City.

Active transportation and the neighborhood land uses are discussed later in this report. 3 Site Traffic

The amount of traffic generated by the site was estimated based on a review of rates outlined in the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Trip Generation Manual, 10th Edition. The Multifamily Housing – High-Rise (land use code 222) category was chosen for the residential uses. Parking is not required for the commercial uses and is not proposed. The ITE data was filtered for a dense multi-use urban location given the land use context of the site.

Lower trip generation rates are anticipated in this area given that the percentage of trips generated in the area in the weekday morning peak period that are auto driver trips are relatively low. A comparison of trip mode data from the 2011 and 2016 Transportation Tomorrow Survey undertaken by the University of Toronto shows that the percentage mode split of auto driver has decreased, while the transit and active mode percentages have increased. The mode percentages for the two survey years for Ward 2 in Hamilton are summarized in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Transportation Tomorrow Survey Data for Ward 2 in AM Peak Period Mode Percentage Split 2011 TTS 2016 TTS Change Auto driver, Motorcycle, Taxi Passenger 50.1% 46.7% -3.4% Transit 19.1% 23.5% +4.4% Auto Passenger 12.0% 9.6% -2.4% Walk and Cycle 17.4% 18.4% +1.0% Other 1.4% 1.7% +0.3% Total 100% 100% -

The traffic generation estimates for the site are summarized in Table 2 below.

Table 2: Site Traffic Generation Rates and Estimated Trips Land Use AM Peak Hour PM Peak Hour In Out Total In Out Total Multifamily Housing (High-Rise) - 0.03 0.18 0.21 0.13 0.06 0.19 (ITE LU 225) Trips/Unit Residential trips 297 units 7 55 62 39 17 56

The resulting estimated site traffic is 62 and 56 vehicle trips in the weekday morning and afternoon peak hours, respectively.

The current use of the site is as a municipal parking lot with 49 spaces and a building on the corner with five parking spaces. Access to the site is currently provided from both Hunter and Catharine Streets. The site is currently generating traffic that will be displaced with the proposal, so the net traffic generation would be substantially less than 62 and 56 vehicles trips in the weekday morning and afternoon peak hours.

This area of Hamilton has a dense grid network of streets, many that are one-way. This street pattern allows for numerous options for travel to a variety of destinations by car. However, it is likely that the majority of car travel to and from the site, in particular in the weekday morning and afternoon peak hours, will be to destinations located further away and accessed using the arterial road network and to the highway network beyond.

Given the distribution of workplaces in Hamilton and beyond, the likely distribution of traffic is summarized in Table 3 below.

Table 3: Site Trip Distribution Direction Percentage

West (toward Hwy 403) 50% East (toward Red Hill Valley Parkway and QEW) 30% South (toward Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway) 20% Total 100%

4 Transportation Demand Management

4.1 Site Context The proposed building will include both residential units and ground floor commercial uses to serve both the building population and the nearby walking and cycling population. Parking is not required for the commercial uses and is not proposed.

Nearby land uses include a genuine mix of commercial, residential, institutional and community uses all around the site. Residents living in the proposed building would have access to their day-to-day commercial needs within close walking and cycling distance. A map showing the variety of land uses within a five-minute walk of the site has been included in Appendix C.

In addition to transportation options and amenities available nearby, there has been a tremendous growth in recent years in options for both ride-hailing (like Uber) and delivery of a wide variety of items, including groceries, that support the ability of people to live in buildings like the one that is proposed without owning a car.

4.2 Existing TDM Opportunities The Site is well-served by public transit and active transportation infrastructure as previously described in this report.

Frequent local transit service is available connecting the site to many destinations within the City of Hamilton. Bus stops are located on Hunter Street about 75 metres from the site, at the GO Centre Station about 150 metres from the site and in a variety of other locations nearby including the MacNab Terminal less than one kilometre walk from the site.

GO Transit provides all day train and bus service from Hamilton GO Centre connecting toward downtown Toronto and beyond with many stops along the way.

Bicycle parking for the project is proposed at 149 spaces. In addition, Hamilton Bike Share hubs are located at the Hamilton GO Centre and near the Hunter/Ferguson intersection about 250 metres from the site. These hubs provide access to bikes for residents living in the building. There are many other Hamilton Bike Share hubs located beyond 250 metres, but within comfortable walking distance of the Site.

A number of significant cycling facilities are available in the area to facilitate and encourage cycling. Two-way protected on-street bicycle lanes are located on Hunter Street along the site frontage and are planned to be connected westerly to MacNab Street in 2021 where they

5 continue. The Hunter Street bicycle lanes (will) connect with bicycle lanes on Bay Street, Cannon Street, Ferguson Street and future lanes on Victoria Street.

For pedestrian access within the local area, sidewalks are provided on both sides of all the area roads and protected crossing opportunities are available at the signalized Hunter/Catharine intersection.

4.3 Proposed TDM Measures Transportation Demand Management, or TDM, includes measures that encourage non-auto driver modes, providing choices for how to travel, as well as a means of reducing the number of trips that are needed. Several TDM measures are proposed as part of the site development.

Planning and Design: The development concept that is being proposed has integrated several elements to improve transportation accessibility for all modes and to support TDM on the site. The mix of uses provides commercial options for residents in the building along with a fitness amenity area, reducing the number of external trips. The building has been oriented to the street with commercial frontages on both Hunter Street and Catharine Street and multiple pedestrian connections are available between the site and the street network. A single driveway on Hunter Street is proposed to serve the vehicular traffic for the site.

Walking and Cycling: Bicycle parking for the site is proposed in both a short-term at-grade format for visitors and a longer-term secure format for residents. Sidewalks and landscaping around the site are planned to be retained or enhanced with multiple pedestrian connections to the adjacent pedestrian network and enhanced pedestrian amenities on-site.

Transit: The pedestrian connections from the building will provide the opportunity for access to the bus stop on Hunter Street west of the site. There are also sidewalks and pedestrian crossings of Hunter Street at Catharine Street providing connections to the Hamilton GO Centre. Transit information will be made available to the occupants of the building.

Parking: A small reduction in the required parking is demonstrated on the concept plans. Parking spaces will be sold separately from units. More detail on the parking for the site is included later in this report.

Bikeshare: Bikeshare is available through Hamilton Bike Share. Two bike share hubs are located within 250 metres of the site at Hamilton GO Centre and on Hunter Street near Ferguson Avenue just east of the site. Beyond 250 metres, but still within walking distance, there are several hubs available in the area.

Wayfinding and Trip Planning: Wayfinding information will be provided throughout the site to ensure pedestrians find the best connections to and from the building and that the bicycle parking (both short-term and longer-term) is easily located. In addition, travel planning resources for transit and active transportation will be made available to residents.

Education/Promotion: The site’s location relative to commercial and community amenities will be highlighted in the marketing materials for the building as well as the transportation options provided by nearby transit services and active transportation infrastructure.

The many TDM measures that have been incorporated into the proposal will serve to encourage travel options by transit, walking and cycling for residents, visitors and employees of the building. There is the potential for a reduction in the number of trips generated by the proposal

6 along with a reduction in the parking demand as discussed in the following section of this report. 5 Parking Assessment

The Zoning By-law requirement for parking to support the proposed residential uses is 125 spaces. Parking for the commercial uses is not required and will not be provided. The current concept plan shows 122 parking spaces, but it is possible that some spaces will be lost as the design is modified to incorporate more detailed engineering and design requirements at the site plan development stage. The proposed Zoning By-law for the site includes a modification to the City’s Zoning By-law requirements for parking so that for units greater than 50 s.m. in size, 0.5 parking spaces per unit would be required for any units beyond 12. The table below illustrates both the required and proposed parking.

Table 4: Parking Requirements and Provision Use Zoning By-law Proposal Requirement Units Spaces Requirement Units Spaces Residential 0 s/u for units 1-12 12 0 0 s/u for 1-12 units 12 0 Units 0.3 s/u for units 13+ 146 43.8 0.3 s/u for units 13+ 146 43.8 <50 sm Total 158 43.8 Total 158 43.8 Residential 0 s/u for units 1-12 12 0 0 s/u for 1-12 units 12 0 Units 0.5 s/u for units 13-50 38 19 0.5 s/u for units 13-50 38 19 >50 s.m. 0.7 s/u for units 51+ 89 62.3 0.5 s/u for units 51+ 89 44.5 Total 139 81.3 Total 139 63.5 Total 297 125.1 297 107.3

The modification to the parking requirement for the site would result in a reduced requirement of 108 parking spaces versus the Zoning By-law requirement of 125 spaces.

As highlighted earlier in this report, the transportation context of the site includes the best transit access in the City along with good active transportation infrastructure and many commercial and community amenities nearby. Together with the planned TDM measures for the site, these factors support a reduced parking requirement.

In addition, there are a number of outside services, including delivery services, rideshare and carshare, to support people living in the building without owning a car. Delivery services have grown significantly in the last year, in particular for goods needed on a daily or ongoing basis like groceries. Grocery delivery is now available in most markets in southern Ontario from a variety of sources. In this area of Hamilton, grocery delivery is available directly from large retailers like Sobeys, Fortinos and Walmart, smaller local retailers like Denninger’s and Lyn’s, and through specialty delivery services like Anytime Grocery, instacart, Grocery Gateway, Uber Eats and Skip the Dishes. The availability of these services means that residents do not need a car to bring home their weekly grocery order and can also make smaller orders more frequently.

There are a number of ridesharing services in Hamilton with options for repeat or long distance ridesharing like Ridesharing.com, Carpool Hamilton and Poparide, and shorter term options like Uber and Lyft. Traditional taxi style rides are also available.

For the occasions when someone may need a car for a few hours or a few days, longer term rentals are available at several locations on Main Street about 500 metres walk from the site. Communauto offers options for short term rentals for members and there are three stations within 500 to 700 metres walk of the site. Zipcar is also available in Hamilton, but the stations are further away in the downtown.

Given the transportation context of the site, the planned TDM measures and the availability of delivery, ridesharing and carshare options to people who would live at the site, the proposed reduction in the parking requirement from 0.7 spaces per unit to 0.5 spaces per unit for units 51+ that are greater than 50 s.m. in size is appropriate for the site. The resulting requirement for the proposal would be 108 parking spaces. 6 Conclusions and Recommendations

This Transportation Impact, Transportation Demand Management Options and Parking Study has been undertaken in accordance with City requirements in order to understand the transportation context and TDM measures to support the planning applications for the site. The conclusions of this study are based on a Development Concept that includes 297 residential apartment units and 385 s.m. of commercial space, and are as follows:

 The Site is estimated to generate 62 and 56 vehicle trips in the weekday morning and afternoon peak hours, respectively. The trip generation estimate does not include any reduction to net out traffic that is currently generated by the 54 parking spaces on the site, so the net traffic related to the development would be substantially less than 62 and 56 peak hour trips.  The site is well located for travel by transit and active transportation. The site is in an area of the City with the best access to both GO Transit and HSR services. Its location nearby a mix of commercial and community amenities makes trips by walking and by cycling attractive. In addition, there are sidewalks on the nearby roadways and several existing and planned bicycle facilities nearby. The site has been designed with multiple pedestrian connections to the adjacent network.  Bicycle parking on-site will be provided for both short-term and longer-term use by residents, visitors and employees.  The many TDM measures that have been incorporated into the proposal will serve to encourage travel options by transit, walking and cycling for residents, visitors and employees of the building.  Given the transportation context, the planned TDM measures and the availability of delivery, ridesharing and carshare options to people who would live at the site, the proposed reduction in the parking requirement from 0.7 spaces per unit to 0.5 spaces per unit for units 51+ that are greater than 50 s.m. in size is appropriate for the site.

APPENDICES

Appendix B: Development Concept Plan Source: Coletara Development

Appendix C: Transportation Context Map Source: Coletara Development

Appendix D: Area Transit Map (HSR System Map Downtown) www.hamilton.ca

Appendix E: Bike Routes, Trails and Parks Map – Urban (Downtown) www.hamilton.ca

Appendix F: Planned Cycling Network (Downtown) www.hamilton.ca