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Council Meeting/Documents/Victoria Regional Transit Future Plan: 2018 Annual Progress Update
Appendix

Victoria Regional Transit Future Plan: 2018 Annual Progress Update

September 4, 2018Pages 121–1244 sections

Detailed report on transit accomplishments, infrastructure projects (bus lanes), and priority actions for 2018/19.

2 APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Ridership target: doubling transit mode share to 12%Introduction of NextRide real-time information technologyOpened new transit exchange at Westhills YMCA

Victoria Regional Transit Future Plan: 2018 Annual Progress Update

The Transit Future Plan was approved by the Victoria Regional Transit Commission in May 2011 after receiving endorsement from the Capital Regional District Board and twelve of the area’s thirteen municipalities. The Plan provides a vision for transit in the region over the next 25 years to support the economic, social and environmental sustainability goals of the region. The Transit Future Plan was based on local government land use and transportation plans including the Regional Growth Strategy, Travel Choices and Official Community Plans.

Transit Future Plan 25 year transit network map showing RTN and FTN corridors, regional centers, educational institutions, and park & ride locations
Transit Future Plan 25 year transit network map showing RTN and FTN corridors, regional centers, educational institutions, and park & ride locations

The key components of the Transit Future Plan include:

  • A ridership target that reflects a doubling of transit mode share from 6 per cent to 12 per cent
  • A description of the future transit network, including the identification of key transit corridors
  • Four layers of transit services, including Rapid Transit, Frequent Transit, Local Transit and Targeted Transit services
  • Short, medium and long-term investments required to achieve the vision

Key Priorities

  1. Restructuring and optimizing existing resources
  2. Establishing critical transit facilities to support future expansion
  3. Developing the rapid and frequent transit network

Vision Statement

“To be a leader of integrated transportation solutions connecting people and communities to a more sustainable future”

Goals

  1. Transit is an attractive alternative to the private vehicle
    • Fast and direct
    • Convenient and reliable
    • Easy to use
    • Comfortable
    • Accessible to everyone
  2. The transit system reduces our impact on the environment
    • Support a sustainable urban form
    • Support a sustainable transportation network
    • Investigate new vehicle technologies
  3. The transit system is efficient
    • Maximize ridership for the amount of resources used
    • Match transit service levels to demand
    • Match transit vehicles to demand
Page 121–124

Key Accomplishments in 2017/18

Service Amenities: Meeting customer needs now and in the future

  • Invested in schedule maintenance of existing routes to address immediate overcrowding and reliability issues by increasing the frequency and timing of existing scheduled trips
  • Matched seasonal service levels (e.g. during December) to better align with demand and allow for additional improvements to schedule reliability
  • Introduced a new route, 46 Dockyard/Westhills, that provides commuter service for Westshore residents between Westhills and Dockyard and improvements to Route 39 to provide better crosstown connections between Westhills, Royal Oak and UVic
  • Introduced a new route, 82 Saanichton/Sidney, that provides service to the Tsawout First Nations Community
  • Completed the James Bay Local Area Transit Plan and implemented changes to routes 2 James Bay and the 3/10 Jubilee to provide more consistent service to the neighbourhood
  • Equipped many buses with security cameras (CCTV) and automatic passenger counter (APC) technology. It is expected that Victoria’s fleet will go live with Next Ride real-time in spring 2019
  • Improved transit signage across the region

Infrastructure: Getting transit the space and place it needs

  • Opened up a new transit exchange at Westhills YMCA in Langford to support growth in the Westshore
  • Initiated a planning and design study with Colwood and View Royal to continue building the rapid transit spine with transit priority treatments on the Island Highway
  • Initiated a planning study to look at additional park and ride capacity in the Westshore
  • Worked with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to improve bus stops on Hwy 14, identify options to increase park & ride and install a queue jump lane on Hwy 14 and Jacklin Road
  • Initiated a planning study with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and the District of Saanich for a multi-modal transit exchange at Uptown
  • Completed a planning study with the University of Victoria to upgrade the exchange to improve customer amenities and build additional capacity
  • Commenced construction on the City of Victoria portion of the southbound bus lane between Tolmie and Hillside (anticipated completion 2018)
  • Supported the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure on their portion of the northbound bus lanes
    • Saanich Rd to Burnside Bridges (anticipated completion 2018)
    • Shoulder lanes as part of the McKenzie interchange project (anticipated completion 2019)
  • Initiated planning for a new handyDART facility to support future investments in handyDART service levels
  • Added 34 new bus shelters to bus stops around the region

Livable Communities: Ensuring integration with land use and other active transportation

  • Continued to work regularly with local governments around the region to integrate and coordinate transit plans with transportation and land use plans
  • Reviewed Official Community Plans from a transit perspective
  • Continued work on the Burnside/Gorge and Jubilee Local Area Transit Plans
  • Participated in the University of Victoria’s Cycling Master Plan development, Capital Regional District’s Active and Safe Routes to School program and the District of Saanich’s Active Transportation Plan
  • Provided feedback for 81 development referrals across the region

Funding and Decision Making: Strengthening community investment and involvement

  • Supported the business case for a 2 cent increase (3.5 cents to 5.5 cents) in the dedicated motor fuel tax to support transit investments in the region
  • Introduced the EcoPASS for new developments in the District of Saanich and added 43 annual passes
  • Extended the U-PASS program to secondary schools in the region and introduced the program to two private schools that resulted in over 400 students receiving passes
Page 121–124

Next Stops: Priority Actions for 2018/19

  • Expand service through a crosstown bus route that connects Royal Oak, Camosun Interurban, Tillicum Mall, Hillside Mall, Camosun Lansdowne and UVic, using Gorge/Hillside
  • Improve transit reliability on the Peninsula, improve transit service to the airport and introduce service to the Dean Park neighbourhood
  • Continue to work with the City of Victoria, District of Saanich and Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to construct and implement the bus lane projects on Douglas and Highway 1
  • Continue to work with the Town of View Royal and City of Colwood to move transit priority concepts to detailed design on the Island Highway
  • Commence a planning study with the City of Langford on transit priority treatments on frequent transit corridors in Langford
  • Work with the Royal Jubilee Hospital and City of Victoria on a study for a transit hub at the Royal Jubilee Hospital
  • Complete the Burnside/Gorge and Jubilee Local Area Transit Plans, and commence Sooke, Esquimalt and Cordova Bay/Broadmead Local Area Transit Plans
  • Launch Next Ride real-time customer information on conventional buses across the region
  • Continue developing plans for a new handyDART facility to support future investments in handyDART service levels
  • Continue working with the District of Saanich and Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure on planning for a multi modal transit exchange at Uptown
  • Work with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to develop concepts for southbound bus lanes from Burnside to Saanich Road
  • Support the Province in the development of plans for the E&N that maximize its use a transportation corridor
  • Plan for transit service expansion for 2019/2020 and 2020/2021
  • Support planning for a third operating facility to allow for conventional service improvements
  • Work with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure on Highway 17 transit improvements
  • Work with local government partners to add 40 new shelters to the transit system
Page 121–124

Transit Future Strategic Route Map: Key Actions and Milestones

Transit Future Strategic Route Map infographic showing a timeline of milestones from the start of the plan through future priorities
Transit Future Strategic Route Map infographic showing a timeline of milestones from the start of the plan through future priorities
Start 2014 - 2017 Priorities for Next 1 - 3 Years Priorities for Next 4 - 7 Years
• 2011 Transit Future Plan approved by area governments, sets long term vision for region’s transit • Expanded exchanges at UVic and Downtown to meet future growth • Complete Bus Lanes in the City of Victoria and work with the Province to extend the northbound bus-lane from Tolmie Ave to Saanich Rd • Complete Bus- on -shoulder lanes west of the interchange to the Westshore and an eastbound/southbound lane from McKenzie to Tolmie
• 2012 Expanded Park & Ride Capacity at McTavish Interchange • Initial section of Douglas St. Priority Bus Lanes implemented from Downtown to Tolmie Avenue • Open Bus-on-shoulder lanes as part of the McKenzie Interchange • Open a new conventional transit facility to meet future system growth
• 2014 Service Review sets priority actions for next 5-7 years and included the development of service standards and performance guidelines • New website and online trip planner implemented • Planning for bus priority infrastructure on the Island Hwy in partnership with Colwood and View Royal • Open a new Uptown Exchange and reconfigure routes
• New Transit Future maps and bus stop signage implemented • Expand service on crosstown routes and improve service reliability • Establish a Jubilee Transit Hub in the Fort/Foul Bay area
• Transit service efficiency changes to better reallocate service to match demand • Implement Smart Bus program including NextRide real-time information for customers • Implement Rapid Bus Lines and Stations
• Development of the Frequent Transit Network • Increase park & ride capacity in the Westshore • Continue to develop and improve service frequencies and deploy transit priority measures on Rapid and Frequent lines
• 15 UVic Express future Rapid Transit route extended to Esquimalt/Dockyard • Continue to add bus shelters to the system • Continue to add bus shelters to the transit system
• New service to Bear Mountain introduced • Complete Local Area Transit Plans for:
o James Bay, Jubilee, Burn-Tillicum areas (Year 1)
o Sooke, Esquimalt, Broadmead/Cordova Bay (Year 2)
o Peninsula and Uptown (Year 3)		 • Introduce new routes: McKenzie/Admirals Crosstown
• Westshore Local Area Transit Plan completed • Open an expanded handyDART transit facility to meet future system growth • Open a New Sooke Terminal/Exchange/Park & Ride
• Established a new Westhills Terminal • New Routes: Gorge Hillside Crosstown and in the Westshore • Provide Additional Terminal/Park & Ride on Highway 17
• Added over 250 bus shelters to the transit system • Implement transit priority measures on McKenzie and Island Highway
• Three-year fare strategy finalized and implemented • Complete plans for transit priority measure on other frequent transit corridors
• SmartBus program, including real-time information technology approved • Work with the City of Victoria to refresh on-street customer information and to improve on-street amenities on Douglas Street to move towards Rapidbus service

Ongoing Activities:

  • Working with area local governments to ensure coordination and integration of land use and transportation planning
  • Service monitoring and changes to improve reliability, better match service to demand and ensure existing system resources used wisely
  • Marketing and outreach activities to promote the service and gain new customers
Page 121–124

Document Images

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Extracted from: 2018 09 04 Council Agenda - Agenda - Pdf