City of Ottawa’s

Complete Streets Approach to

Transportation Projects

Presentation to Stakeholders

Date: May 5, 2015

• Purpose of the study

• Proposed definition of Complete Streets for the City

of Ottawa

• A Complete Streets approach for City of Ottawa

transportation projects

• Design tools for Complete Streets

• A Complete Streets approach for transportation

projects delivered by developers

• A new tool: the multi-modal level of service

• Action plan

2

Presentation Overview

Purpose of Study

Updated Transportation Master Plan (TMP) approved in 2013 with new

policies

3

Co

mp

lete

Str

eet

s

Imp

lem

en

tati

on

Fra

mew

ork

Action 7-1:

Adopt a “complete streets” policy for road design, operation and

maintenance

Action 7-3:

Use multi-modal levels of service (MMLOS) to assess road designs and

allocate right of way

Action 7-2:

Update road design guidelines, standards, and processes to reflect

complete streets principles

Provide Safe and Efficient Roads

Section 7.1

Design and build

complete streets

Ott

awa’

s Tr

ansp

ort

atio

n

Mas

ter

Pla

n

Updated Transportation Master Plan (TMP) approved in 2013 with new

policies and actions

4

• Purpose of the Study

Co

mp

lete

Str

eet

s

Imp

lem

en

tati

on

Fra

mew

ork

Action 7-1:

Adopt a complete streets policy for road

design, operation and maintenance

Action 7-3:

Use multi-modal levels of service (MMLOS) to

assess road designs and allocate right of way

Action 7-2:

Update road design guidelines, standards, and

processes to reflect complete streets principles

Purpose of Study

This study makes recommendations on how the City delivers

transportation projects to address Action 7-1

5

Co

mp

lete

Str

eet

s

Imp

lem

en

tati

on

Fra

mew

ork

Action 7-1:

Adopt a complete streets policy for road

design, operation and maintenance

Action 7-3:

Use multi-modal levels of service (MMLOS) to

assess road designs and allocate right of way

Action 7-2:

Update road design guidelines, standards, and

processes to reflect complete streets principles

Purpose of Study

We have also researched and recommended new tools for Action 7-3

Action 7-2 is part of an on-going “Infrastructure Standards Review”

6

Co

mp

lete

Str

eet

s

Imp

lem

en

tati

on

Fra

mew

ork

Action 7-1:

Adopt a complete streets policy for road

design, operation and maintenance

Action 7-3:

Use multi-modal levels of service (MMLOS) to

assess road designs and allocate right of way

Action 7-2:

Update road design guidelines, standards, and

processes to reflect complete streets principles

Definition of Complete Streets

• Complete streets incorporate the

physical elements that allow a

street to offer safety, comfort and

mobility for all users of the street

regardless of their age, ability, or

mode of transportation.

• A Complete Streets approach

uses every transportation project

as a catalyst for improvements

within the scope of that project

to enable safe and comfortable

access for all users.

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Definition of Complete Streets

• In simple terms, Complete Streets are:

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Designed and operated for

everyone

Safe and comfortable to use

Convenient and connected

Places where people want to be

Definition of Complete Streets

Important notes:

• All streets can be ‘complete streets’ but they will not look the same.

• A ‘complete street’ will look different based on context:

rural, suburban, urban

local, collector, traditional main street, arterial main street

Villages, Central Area, Town Centres, Mixed Use Centres, Employment

Areas

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• Many of Ottawa’s streets are already operating as complete

streets

Complete Streets Approach

• Integrates into the City of Ottawa’s

routine processes, guidelines and

standards for transportation

projects

• Strive first to accommodate the

basic needs of all users

• Strive second to further improve

conditions wherever possible

within the scope of a transportation

project, and with a balanced

consideration of relevant plans and

policies

10

Complete Streets Approach

• The City of Ottawa

delivers many different

types of transportation

projects

• Various branches are

responsible for delivering

different projects during

various phases of the

project development

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Complete Streets Approach

Integrate Complete Streets into the City of Ottawa’s

Comprehensive Asset Management

(CAM) Strategy

• At project initiation

• Aligns with Municipal Class Environmental Assessment

(MCEA) schedule

• Determine project budget early

• Context-sensitive

• Every transportation project contributes to creating

complete streets

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Complete Streets Approach

• Asset Management Branch

confers with other branches

to develop project scoping

• Elements of complete streets

are considered during project

initiation within the scope of

that project

• This approach should not

change the MCEA schedule

for that project

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Project Scoping, Project Intake Forms,

Agreements Asset Management Branch

Transportation Planning

Branch

Development Review

Services Branch

Policy Development & Urban

Design Branch

Transit Service Planning &

Reporting Branch

Design Tools

Current tools:

• Master Plans, Planning & Design Guidelines, Accessibility

Guidelines for Ontarians with Disabilities, and Construction,

Operation & Maintenance Manuals

Tools Under Development:

• Road Design Guidelines project: incorporate ‘complete streets’ into

the outcomes of this project which is part of the Infrastructure

Standards Review

• Multi-Modal Level of Service: a new approach to be incorporated

into the Transportation Impact Assessment guidelines

14

Developer Led Projects

• Development review Services Branch confers with other

branches during project planning and design

• Review tools include City policies, by-laws, plans, design

guidelines and new MMLOS

15

Development Review

Services Branch

Project Reviews, Approvals

and Agreements

Traffic Services Branch

Changed order

of slide

Multi-modal Level of Service (LOS)

• Conventional LOS for motor-

vehicle traffic

• New performance measures for all

modes: motor vehicles,

pedestrians, bicycles, trucks and

transit

• Different method for signalized

intersections and street segments

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Multi-modal LOS

• Multi-modal LOS

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LOS

GENERAL DESCRIPTIONS

Motor Vehicles Pedestrians Bicycles Trucks Transit

Seg-ments

Inter-sections

Seg-ments

Inter-sections

Seg-ments

Inter-sections

Seg-ments

Inter-sections

Seg-ments

Inter-sections

A Free-flow

Flow breaks down

< 10 sec of delay

> 80 sec of delay

High level of

comfort

Low level of

comfort

Short delay,

high level of

comfort, low risk

Long delay, low

level of comfort, high risk

High level of

comfort

Low level of

comfort

Low level of risk / stress

High level of risk / stress

Un-impeded

move-ment

Impeded move-ment

Un-impeded

move-ment, short delay

Impeded move-ment,

long delay

High level of

reliability

Low level of

reliability

Short delay

Long delay

B

C

D

E

F

Action Plan

• Complete Streets Implementation

Framework will become part of the

routine delivery of City transportation

projects

• Complete Street concepts will be

considered early in the project

initiation phase and identified within

the scope of the transportation

project

• Reduced need to “debate” about

one-off projects.

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Action Plan

• Support Complete Streets knowledge and training for staff

involved in the project initiation, planning and design phases

• Develop criteria to measure the effectiveness of the Complete

Streets Implementation Framework

• Report on progress through existing reporting plans

• Continue to develop tools to assist in the project scoping,

planning and design to recognize and incorporate a Complete

Streets approach

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Opportunities for Public Involvement

• Understanding projects identified in the Transportation Master

Plan, including Cycling Plan and Pedestrian Plan

• On-going and upcoming Environmental Assessments

• Area Traffic Management Plans

• Community Design Plans (CDPs)

• Better Neighbourhoods Program

• Talking to your neighbours and peers

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http://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/public-consultations/transportation

Summary

• Summary

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Provide Safe and Efficient Roads

Section 7.1

Design and

build complete

streets

Ott

awa’

s Tr

ansp

ort

atio

n

Mas

ter

Pla

n

Co

mp

lete

Str

eet

s

Imp

lem

en

tati

on

Fra

mew

ork

Action 7-1:

Adopt a complete streets policy for

road design, operation and

maintenance

Project

Initiation

Asset

Management

Branch

Project

Scoping

Co

mp

lete

Str

eet

s

Too

ls

Action 7-3:

Use multi-modal levels of service

(MMLOS) to assess road designs

and allocate right of way

Action 7-2:

Update road design guidelines,

standards, and processes to

reflect complete streets principles

• Elements of complete streets are considered during project initiation within the scope of that transportation project

• Aligns with the MCEA

• New tools are being developed