Managing Congestion in a Growing City Toronto Facts Toronto

Home , Gardiner Expressway, Toronto Stock Exchange

2014 APWA International Public Works Congress & Exposition Toronto, Ontario, Canada. August 17 – 20, 2014

Managing Congestion in a Growing City

Rajnath Bissessar, P.Eng Manager, ITS Operations Traffic Management Centre Transportation Services [email protected] Tel: 416 392 8826

Toronto Facts

. Population of 2.8 M - most populous city in Canada – 4th most populous in North America . Greater Toronto Area (GTA) – population 6.0 M – includes municipalities around Toronto . Capital of province of Ontario . Downtown Toronto is the third-largest retail center in North America, surpassed only by New York and Chicago . Home to the Toronto Stock Exchange and Canada’s five largest banks.

Toronto Transportation Facts

. Toronto’s public transit system (TTC) is the second largest in North America and has the highest per capita ridership rate on the continent. . North America’s largest continuous underground pedestrian system PATH . Metrolinx – inter-municipal commuter rail and bus services . 2,290 traffic signals on four systems . 5,600 km (3,500 miles) of roads including three expressways (Gardiner, DVP, Allen Rd) . Provincial highways – 401, 427, 404, 400

1 Toronto Major Roads Map

Congestion Facts

. Consistently ranked among the top ten congested cities in North America in yearly surveys . In 2013, TomTom ranked Toronto 9th among 63 major American cities in terms of traffic congestion and 2nd among Canadian cities (after Vancouver). . Cost of congestion: - Metrolinx (2006) - $3.6B/year - Toronto Board of Trade (2010) - $6.0B/year - CD Howe Institute (2013) - $7.5 to 11.0B/year

Congestion Management Plan (CMP)

2014 – 2018 Capital Plan approved by Toronto City Council in Dec 2013. • 2014 - $3.0 M • 2015 - $7.5 M • 2016 - $12.11 M • 2017 - $19.21 M • 2018 - $15.43 M Total of $57.25 M over five years.

2 Congestion Management Plan (CMP)

. 35 projects over a five year period . To ensure delivery – ITS Planning & Capital Projects Delivery unit within the TMC . Existing Urban Traffic Control Systems unit to be renamed ITS Operations – three groups (Traffic Signal Operations, RESCU & Active Traffic Management, Systems Support) . 10 additional staff – 8 in 2014 and 2 in 2016 (Manager, Senior Engineer, Engineer, Project Leads, Technologists)

CMP - Goals

1. Maximize the efficiency and reliability of the transportation system 2. Improve the safety of the transportation network 3. Improve the city’s ability to detect and respond to incidents, events and changing conditions 4. Improve the availability of information to the public 5. Reduce the impact of transportation on the environment

Areas of Focus

Intelligent Congestion Incident and Transportation Studies and Event Systems Signal Timings Response

Support for All Curbside Construction Modes of Management Coordination Transportation

Traffic Traveller Operations Information Centre

3 Current Initiatives (1)

Transportation Operations Centre (TOC)  Contracted operations 24/7 (contractor does not handle signal timing changes)  Active traffic management by City traffic operations staff : 6:00 am – 6:00 pm, Mon - Fri  Renovations ($700k) - just completed  New video wall - Mitsubishi cubes, Activu & Genetec software ($2.4M) - just completed

Current Initiatives (2)

Transportation Operations Centre (TOC)  Roads Disruption Activity Reporting System (RoDARS)  Sharing video feed with TPS, EMS, University of Toronto, MTO  Special events – Pride Parade, Ride for Heart, Toronto Triathlon, Marathons (2), Caribbean Carnival, Honda Indy  Major construction – Gardiner Expressway Rehab, Metrolinx LRT projects, TTC Subway Upgrades  Full expressway closures for twice yearly maintenance

Future Initiatives (1)

Transportation Operations Centre (TOC)  Replacement of ATMS software over a two year period  Extended hours for active traffic management coverage to 8:00 pm, Mon - Fri  C2C - Seamless sharing of information and video with other control centres by 2016  Sharing video feed with other universities, City Road Operations Units, EOC

4 Future Initiatives (2)

Transportation Operations Centre  Develop plans with traffic generating venues - BMO Field (Toronto FC), Air Canada Centre (concerts, Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors), Rogers Centre (concerts, Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Argonauts), Exhibition Place (Exhibitions, CNE), York U (Rogers Cup)  Arterial camera monitoring – 120 signalised intersections by 2016

Current Initiatives

Congestion and Engineering Studies  Signal coordination studies - 180 signals (6 routes) in 2013 and 200 signals in 2014 (7 routes)  Detour signal timing plans for incidents on the DVP and Gardiner Expressway  Downtown Transportation Operations Study (DTOS)  Top Ten Congested Intersections – quick wins

Future Initiatives

Congestion and Engineering Studies  More auxiliary timing plans  Emergency (evacuation routes) timing plans  Updating coordination studies on a 5 year cycle  DTOS recommendations implementation  ATM feasibility study  Integrated Corridor Management feasibility study

5 Current Initiatives

Construction Coordination  Construction permit enforcement  Coordinating timing of large construction projects (MICC)  Lane occupancy permit review – cost to reflect actual traffic impact  Database and maps for current and planned construction projects

Future Initiatives

Construction Coordination  Pilot “Smart Work Zones” with cameras, vehicle detectors and electronic message signs  Web-based RoDARS  Implementing new fees for lane occupancy – cost to reflect actual traffic impact  Work zone management and performance monitoring  Streamlining permit review and approval process

Current Initiatives

Curbside management  Piloted Courier Loading Zones  Targeted enforcement by TPS and TPA - “Right of Way Blitz” and “Heavy Tow Blitz”  Increase of parking fines  Increase in “peak hours” duration and turning restrictions on King St and Queen St

6 Future Initiatives

Curbside Management  Parking charge review – based on supply and demand  Work with the business community to find solutions to parking and loading challenges  Smart Park – technology to monitor parking paces and provide info to drivers

Current Initiatives Alternative Transportation  TSP (Unconditional)  Bike parking facilities, separated lanes, shared lanes, bike trails, bike signals, bike sharing (former BIXI)  Pedestrian signal timings upgrade to 1.0m/s everywhere  APS at all new signals and 30 additional per year

Future Initiatives

Alternative Transportation  TSP enhancements - conditional  HOV/Bus lanes review – match with province 2+  Cycling infrastructure expansion  Corridor renewal  Promote ridesharing (carpooling, vanpooling), car, car sharing, on-demand ride services

7 Current Initiatives ITS - Expressways  Replace 78 Type 170 controllers with ATCs  Traffic cameras (78) on expressways – full coverage on Gardiner Expressway, Don Valley Parkway & Allen Rd  Emergency power (UPS) at 30 ramp signals  Queue end warning system on Allen Rd

Future Initiatives

ITS - Expressways  Upgrade existing analogue cameras to IP  Upgrade fibre optic cable node sites  Non-intrusive detection for VOC data  Enhanced network monitoring and monitoring of flood prone areas  Expand and update communications network

Current Initiatives ITS - Arterials  Replace all interval based controllers with phase- based (NEMA) by 2015  Wireless communication to traffic signals (1041/2282)  SCOOT traffic adaptive control (348 intersections)  Install 40 arterial cameras for incident detection/response and PanAm Games

8 Future Initiatives

ITS - Arterials  Upgrade SCOOT or replace with new Adaptive Traffic Signal System (ATCS)  Expansion of ATCS from 348 to 500 signals over a 5 year period  120 arterial cameras over a 3 year period, including PanAm Games routes and sites  Enhanced network monitoring and mmonitoring of flood prone areas  Expand and update communications network –

Current Initiatives

Incident and Event Response  “Steer It - Clear It” signage  Emergency management plans  Road closure plans  EVP at fire stations - 55  Traffic cameras in the Downtown core and flood prone areas - 8 installed

Future Initiatives

Incident and Event Response  Better AID with new ATMS software  Traffic incident management and service patrol teams – rapid clearance of expressway incidents  Universal fire PE

9 Current Initiatives (1)

Traveller Information  Changeable electronic message signs (16)  Changeable portable message signs (16)  VMS display of travel times on expressways  Road Restriction Map (Live)  OpenData  City website improvements

Current Initiatives (2)

Traveller Information  Traffic Conditions and cameras map (Live)  Listserv (Toronto E-Updates)  Sharing camera feeds and information with selected media & other stakeholders  Twitter Feeds ( @TO_Gardiner_LS @TO_DVP @TO_AllenRoad @TO_Main Roads)

Future Initiatives

Traveller Information  Develop a traveller information strategy  VMS display of travel times on selected arterials  Events database  Use of third party data e.g. TomTom, Inrix  Increased public access to current road and traffic information  Sharing camera feeds and information with additional media & additional internal stakeholders

10 More information

• Congestion Management Plan http://www1.toronto.ca/City%20Of%20Toronto/Transportation%20Services/TMC/Files/PDF/ Congestion%20Management/Congestion%20Management.pdf • Expressway & major route closures http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=ab601fbd85412410VgnVCM1000 0071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=0c9c4074781e1410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD • Road restrictions map http://map.toronto.ca/maps/map.jsp?app=TorontoTraffic • Traffic Camera Locations & Images www.toronto.ca/rescu/list.htm • E-updates http://www.toronto.ca/e-updates

More information

• RoDARS (Roads Disruption Activity Reporting System) http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=4e37a84c9f6e1410VgnVCM1000 0071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=0c9c4074781e1410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD • Major Capital Infrastructure Coordinating Committee (MICC) http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=fddd410becbc1410VgnVCM1000 0071d60f89RCRD • Twitter @TO_Gardiner_LS @TO_DVP @TO_AllenRoad @TO_Main Roads • Street Occupation Permit http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=efe5a84c9f6e1410VgnVCM10000 071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=2bdb4074781e1410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

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