4 transportation master plan - st. albert, alberta · truck routes that access commercial/indust...

4-1

4 Transportation Master PlanThis plan marks the beginning of a transformativeperiod for St. Albert. The private automobile is now,and will continue to be, important to residents andtheir travelling needs; however, with limited optionsfor road network expansion, the future of St. Albertwill depend on transitioning to a higher usage ofalternative transportation modes and developingregional infrastructure to lessen the impact ofthrough traffic on the existing road network.

The recommended transportation master plan startswith the policy framework set out in Section 2. Thispolicy framework was used to identify networkimprovements and an action plan for moving forwardto achieve the principles and vision set out.

The TMP is a guiding document. Each of thefollowing sections (Roads, Active Transportation,Public Transportation, Commercial/GoodsMovement and ITS) identifies key projects andstrategies to achieve the identified vision and alignwith guiding principles.

The key focus of this plan is to:

§ Maximize the benefit of the existinginfrastructure available.

§ Prioritize improvements to regionalinfrastructure to alleviate pressure on St. Albertroads.

§ Improve St. Albert Trail as a user friendly mainstreet through St. Albert; address function anduse of all roadways to support the network.

§ Improve transportation choice throughdevelopment of alternative infrastructure andcoordination with land use planning toencourage a shift to alternative modes.

A detailed action plan for specific actions, policiesand studies which will move the TMP forward isincluded at the end of this section. The success ofthe TMP will be measured by the implementation ofthese action items in a timely manner and ongoingevaluation of strategy indicators.

4-2

Table 4-1: TMP Guiding Principles and Objectives

Principle Objectives

1. LiveableCommunity

Supports land useswith access to

employment andamenities via cycling,walking and transit in

addition to vehicleaccess

Streets areidentified for levels

of service thatprotect the rightroad for the right

purpose

Supportsaccessible and

affordable transit-

2. SustainableTransportation

Supports transitfacilities as viable

alternatives toprivate vehicle

Supports multi-modal facilities

Use appropriatelevels of service as

criteria forinfrastructure

upgrades

-

3. EnvironmentalHealth

Minimize impacts togreen spaces and

environmentalreserves

Achieves targets toreduce harmfulemissions and

greenhouse gases

Developalternative formsof transportation

(transit,pedestrian and

cycling)

Use sustainablepractices when

upgrading,maintaining andconstructing new

infrastructure

4. EconomicProsperity

Integrates withregional network

Truck routes thataccess

commercial/industrial areas while

protectingneighbourhood

streets

Develop newroads and

intersections thatprioritize safety for

all users inbalance withefficiency andaccessibility.

-

4 - Transportation Master Plan

4-3

4.1 ROADS

The existing road network in St. Albert is largely builtout. The opportunities that exist for the future of St.Albert are a mixture of capital investment andpolicies to maximize the capacity and usability of theexisting road network, as well as the development ofstandards and policies that will ensure newinfrastructure is adequately designed to supportgrowth and prioritize alternative modes.

St. Albert will rely on important regional connections,primarily expansion of Ray Gibbon Drive, but also theeventual development of 127 Street, to alleviate thepressure placed on St. Albert’s roads by regionaltraffic. Building out other modes, including eventualLRT and active transportation links will also supportthe overall transportation network by providingincreasing opportunities to shift modes towardstransit, walking or cycling. LRT development willreduce vehicle capacity on St. Albert Trail, as such itwill be critical to ensure opportunities for mode shiftare realized and collaboratively integrated into theoverall function of the network with urbandevelopment.

To facilitate the continued movement ofautomobiles, existing roads need to be managed ina manner that supports their intended use. While forlocal roads this might mean improving pedestrianfacilities, on other major arterials; this may meanidentifying improvements to intersections to updatethe level of service. A complete streets policy,recommended as an outcome in this plan, can helpfacilitate this shift. Properly identifying newintersections and roads that are designed safely forall users is also a priority.

What is a Complete Streets Policy?A complete street policy recognizes that acommunity’s road network consists of a wide varietyof types of streets, and that on the whole, thenetwork should be designed for users of all ages,abilities and modes. Complete streets policiesrecognize that some roads are primarily for cars, likefreeways or busy rural roads, but other roads shouldbe better designed for cyclists, pedestrians andtransit riders. A complete streets policy allowstransportation engineers and city planners to worktogether to transform a road network to ensure thesafe, accessible and sustainable accommodation ofall road users.

Strategies1. ITS – Intelligent Transportation System

integration will maximize the existing capacityand create improved efficiency on St. Albertroadways through such areas as signal timingprogression and real time traffic informationmonitoring and data sharing. ITS is regarded asbeing important for the road network, but is alsoa comprehensive intermodal priority, andopportunities related to ITS are discussed inSection 4.5.

2. Traffic Calming – Neighbourhood streets areimportant for residents, but some collectorsroads have become busy and importantconnections to major arterials, andneighbourhood shortcutting has become aconcern. Traffic calming policies will allow St.Albert to properly identify problem areas andsuggest solutions.

3. Complete Streets Policy – In conjunction withthe traffic calming policy, a complete streetspolicy will allow St. Albert transportation toprioritize improvements for alternative modes inpriority locations, while supporting vehiclemovement in others.

4. St. Albert Trail – St. Albert Trail is the busiestroad in St. Albert, as an important connection to

4-4

shopping, transit, schools and regionalconnections. The development of regionalinfrastructure like 127 Street, Ray Gibbon Driveand the LRT will provide opportunities to changethe scale of St. Albert Trail from a wide carfriendly arterial, to a community road thatsupports comfortable facilities for alltransportation modes.

5. Regional Infrastructure – To facilitate the futureof St. Albert Trail, regional infrastructure isneeded to provide alternative access around St.Albert for the high percentage of SturgeonCounty and City of Edmonton traffic impactingSt. Albert’s roads.

6. Traffic Modelling – Maintaining an up to datetransportation demand model is beneficial forongoing evaluation of network infrastructure,traffic impact assessments and capitalinvestment prioritization.

What did we hear about roads inpublic consultation?§ Neighbourhood streets are the highest priority to

residents.§ Speed and noise on these streets are concerns

to residents.§ St. Albert Trail is an important road, and there

are concerns about the movement of vehicleson this road.

§ Driver information technology and intelligenttransportation systems are important forresidents.

§ Ray Gibbon Drive is congested and needs addedcapacity.

Future Road NetworkThe future recommended road network for St. Albertis shown in Figure 4-1.

Highway 633 Villeneuve Rd

Mark Messier TrailAnth

ony H

enda

y Dr

Sir Winston C

hurchill Ave

Levasseur Rd

St. Albert Trail

Boudreau Rd

Heber

t Rd

McKenney Ave

Ray Gibbon Dr

Giroux Rd

Daw

son Rd

Belle

rose

Dr

199 St

Highw

ay 2

CITY OF EDMONTON

STURGEON COUNTY

Fowler Way

ErinRidge

Oakmont

DeerRidge

NorthRidge Kingswood

Inglewood

LacombePark

Woodlands

CampbellBusiness

ParkBraeside Pineview

ForestLawnDowntown

Akinsdale

SturgeonHeights

RielBusiness

Park

HeritageLakes

Riverside

Riel-South

Mission

Grandin

ErinRidgeNorth

VilleGiroux

Legend:

r Potential Interchange

+ Potential RoundaboutFuture LRT Corridor

Future ArterialFuture CollectorFuture RoadOther JurisdictionFuture RoadSturgeon CountyFuture Road Widening

Existing ArterialExisting CollectorExisting LocalRailwayProposed Park & Ride

Key Community Destinations)"C Community Area)"T Transit Station)"Ñ Hospital

Land UseResidentialCommercialIndustrialPark/Open SpaceEmployment LandsExisting SchoolSt.Albert Boundary

P:\2

0143

139\

00_T

rans

_MP

\Wor

king

_Dw

gs\0

10_G

IS\S

A_B

ASE

MA

PS

\Arc

Map

\Nov

embe

r201

5\P

ropo

sedR

oadN

etw

ork_

8.5x

11.m

xd

0 1 2 3 40.5 km

FIGURE 4-1: PROPOSED ROAD NETWORK

4-6

St. Albert Trail: St. Albert Trail divides its functionsbetween acting as a regional thoroughfare and localarterial. A future for St. Albert Trail is dependent ondeveloping supporting regional infrastructure aroundSt. Albert to alleviate this dual function, and allow fora re-envisioned St. Albert Trail for the future. Withthe approved LRT alignment along St. Albert Trail(from Anthony Henday Drive at the south end of thecity to a park and ride transit facility at the north endof the community), two lanes of vehicle traffic fromSt. Albert Trail will be eliminated.

Development of an LRT, with the support of the Cityof St. Albert Planning department, can spur a changein development patterns in St. Albert, with futuretransit oriented development (TOD) and higherdensity development along the Trail. There istremendous potential to transform St. Albert Trailfrom an urban thoroughfare to a multi-modaltransportation corridor. With approval of the LRT, St.Albert Trail should include better pedestrian andcycling accommodation and consider access totransit stops. Figure 4-2 shows St Albert Trail today,and a conceptual illustration of how it may look andservice road users in 27 years.

Figure 4-2: St. Albert Trail Future Streetscape (Source: Streemix.net)


4-7

Major Arterials (Through Movement Streets)Major arterials are prioritized for the movement ofhigher volumes of vehicles and transit. Theseroadways generally will have access limited to 400mbetween intersections, restrict private accessdirectly to the roadway and facilitate speeds ofbetween 50 km/h to 60 km/h. Many arterials in St.Albert are divided four lane roads, and intersectionsbetween arterials are signalized. While it should beprioritized to keep traffic moving at a higher level ofservice on an arterial roadway, it is recommendedthat arterial alignments be used to facilitate cyclingand pedestrian movements. Due to generous right-of-ways, these movements can be facilitated throughdevelopment of multi-use trails off of the roadway.Priorities for existing arterials is to ensure safecrossings for pedestrians and cyclists, examine theneed for signal prioritization for transit and then tomaximize the capacity of the existing arterial throughITS initiatives and intersection improvements.

Urbanized Arterials (Balanced Streets)Certain roadways within St. Albert that are labeledarterials should not be designed to function as ahigh speed through-way. Though they are similar inlimiting residential access and functioning as aconnection point between areas, some arterials,particularly in the Downtown should be moreversatile, with increased accommodation forpedestrians, cyclists and transit. Traffic should moveat a slower speed on these roads and lower levels ofservice for automobile traffic is acceptable.

Collector RoadsCollector roads are primarily residential, with directaccess to private driveways, and serve to feed localtraffic onto the major arterials. Feedback on trafficcalming, excess speeds and volumes as part of thisstudy were generally in reference to collector roads.Residents often perceive a collector road as a localroad, and can be resistant to the impact of trafficfrom outside their neighbourhood driving in front oftheir homes. Existing collector roads should beevaluated in the traffic calming policy to identify if

and when traffic calming measures should beimplemented, either to slow traffic or potentiallyreduce neighbourhood shortcutting.

The City of St. Albert Council moved in 2010 thatfuture growth in the City should not include backalleys and have a curvilinear design with no gridsystem (Council Motion C191-2010). Newneighbourhood designs should therefore align withthis motion, but with consideration for multipleaccess points within neighbourhoods, particularly forpedestrians and cyclists. Ongoing consideration forbest practices in neighbourhood design should bereviewed periodically.

Collector roads should be limited to two lanes oftraffic, with on street parking availability and speedlimits not exceeding 50 km/h. Collector roads cancarry cycling traffic directly on the roadway, andshould have sidewalk accommodation on both sides.

Local RoadsLocal roads make up a significant part of the St.Albert Road network. Roads are typically designedwith two driving lanes with resident parking availableon both sides and speed limits no greater than 50km/h. Local roads should accommodate pedestriansin the form of sidewalks on both sides. Cyclistsshould be comfortable riding directly on a local road.

4-8

Traffic CalmingImplementation of a traffic calming policy isrecommended as part of the 10 year action plan inthis report. This is an important issue raised by manyresidents over the course of the project period.Traffic calming on local neighbourhood streets canhelp to support active transportation as well, bymaking certain roads more appealing to cyclists andpedestrians through slowing traffic volumes andeliminating any shortcutting traffic. A traffic calmingpolicy will be necessary to identify a unified set ofstandards to identifying project locations andimplementation.

Complete Streets PolicyA complete streets policy is a system that can helpmunicipalities bridge the gap between the desiredoutcomes of a TMP (meeting the needs of all users),and how the current engineering servicing standardsare generally set up to prioritize the private vehicle. A

complete street will have elements that supporttransit, pedestrians, cyclists and in many cases theprivate automobile, but will identify how to prioritizedifferent streets for these different purposes. Thereis no unified design standard for a complete street,because a complete street policy is about the overallnetwork, not the individual road. What this may looklike in St. Albert is improving pedestrian facilities onlocal roads, while still having major urban arterialsthat are primarily designed for rapid auto and transitmovement. The intent of the complete street policyis to identify the standards by which differentroadways should be classified and what movementsare most important for that road. Complete streetsare liveable, sustainable, and safe. In St. Albert inparticular, a complete street policy will support thatre-invention of St. Albert Trail as mass transit isintroduced, and provide opportunities in newneighbourhoods to explore alternative roadway crosssections that support alternative modes.

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)An important part of the overall transportationsystem, and not just to the automobile, the strategybehind ITS is discussed in detail in section 4.5.

Regional RoadsThe build out of the regional road network provides abypass network around St. Albert through the use ofRay Gibbon Drive and 127 Street. This bypassnetwork will contribute to the reduction of passthrough traffic currently seen on St. Albert Trail. Asnoted from results of the intercept survey,approximately 50% of traffic on St. Albert Trail wasidentified as pass through traffic.

The future of St. Albert Trail depends on theconstruction of this regional road infrastructure tocarry this external traffic around St. Albert asopposed to through St. Albert. With the futureimplementation of an LRT system this will result inthe reduction of one lane of travel in each directionon St. Albert Trail. Knowing that the timing of the LRTcompletion will be aligned with urban development,


4-9

and mode shift; the transition between modes oftravel will provide an offset to the loss of vehiclecapacity, however it will also identify a reliance andrequirement for the completion of such regionalnetwork improvements as Ray Gibbon Drive and 127Street.

With the regional road network in place, it forms anunofficial ring road around St. Albert and consists of:

§ Anthony Henday Drive along the southern borderof St. Albert,

§ Ray Gibbon Drive along the western portion ofSt. Albert,

§ A combination of Fowler Way and Hwy 37 formsthe northern connection, and

§ 127 Street forms the eastern leg of the loop.

This development is important, not only for St. Alberttraffic, but also for the capital region as a whole.

Ray Gibbon Drive – Ray Gibbon Drive is a potentialfuture provincial highway that runs from AnthonyHenday Drive to Highway 2, north of Highway 37.

The future alignment of Ray Gibbon Drive will include6 lanes of travel and interchanges, to make it afreeway. Within the horizon of this TMP, it isexpected that Ray Gibbon Drive will be developed toa four lane cross section with at grade signalizedintersections. This widening is beneficial to theoverall road network by adding capacity, particularlyfor regional traffic as a bypass.

127 Street – 127 Street is identified in the CapitalRegion Board IRTMP as extending north pastAnthony Henday Drive through Sturgeon County andconnecting to Highway 2 north of St. Albert atTownship Road 544. It is expected the 127 Streetwill ultimately be a four lane arterial and will divertregional traffic from St. Albert Trail.

Figure 4-3 shows the proposed future regional roadnetwork within the context of the St. Albert area.

++

+

+

r

r

r

r

r

r


Mark Messier Trail

Anthon

y Hen

day D

r

Sir Winston C

hurchill Ave

Levasseur Rd

St. Albert Trail

Boudreau Rd

Heber

t Rd

McKenney Ave

Ray Gibbon Dr

Giroux Rd

Daw

son Rd

Bel

lero

se

Dr

199 St

Highw

ay 2

Highway 37

CITY OF EDMONTON

STURGEON COUNTY

Fowler Way

Neil Ross Rd

127 St

OakmontDeerRidge


LacombePark

WoodlandsCampbellBusiness

ParkBraesideForestLawn

DowntownAkinsdale

RielBusiness

Park

Riverside

Mission

Grandin

ErinRidgeNorth

VilleGiroux

Legend:r Potential Interchange+ Potential Roundabout

Future LRT CorridorFuture ArterialFuture CollectorFuture Road, Other JurisdictionFuture Road, Sturgeon CountyFuture Road WideningExisting ArterialExisting CollectorExisting LocalRailwayProposed Park & Ride


Land UseResidentialCommercialIndustrialPark/Open SpaceEmployment LandsExisting SchoolAnthony Henday TUCSt.Albert Boundary

P:\2

0143

139\

00_T

rans

_MP

\Wor

king

_Dw

gs\0

10_G

IS\S

A_B

ASE

MA

PS

\Arc

Map

\Nov

embe

r201

5\P

ropo

sedR

oadR

egio

nalC

onte

xt.m

xd

0 1 2 3 40.5 km

FIGURE 4-3: PROPOSED REGIONAL ROAD NETWORK


4-11

The four figures on the followingtwo pages show the impact on theoverall road network of thedevelopment of this regionalinfrastructure by the projectedfuture traffic volumes. Figure 4-4is the volume distribution in thePM Peak assuming all future roadnetwork upgrades are completed.Figure 4-5 shows the impact ofthe future volumes on a roadnetwork with no upgrades fromthe current, 2014 road network.

Figure 4-4: 2042 PM Peak Volumes (full network built-out)

Figure 4-5: 2042 PM Peak Volumes(no upgrades)

4-12

Figures 4-6 and 4-7 show thecomparison between development ofRay Gibbon Drive vs 127 Street. Figure4-6 is the build out of the road networkwith four lanes on Ray Gibbon Drive, butno 127 Street. Figure 4-7 is two laneson Ray Gibbon Drive and developmentof four lanes for 127 Street. Thedevelopment of both roads within theplanning horizon is recommended.

Figure 4-7: 2042 PM Peak Volumes(Two lanes Ray Gibbon Drive)

Figure 4-6: 2042 PM Peak Volumes (no 127 Street)


4-13

Anthony Henday Drive:Anthony Henday Drive is an important regionalconnection for St. Albert residents, allowing fastaccess around the City of Edmonton andconnections to important regional connections likethe Edmonton International Airport in Nisku. With thecompletion of the northeast quadrant of the roadscheduled for completion in November of 2016,there will be improved access between StrathconaCounty, northeast Edmonton and St. Albert.

LRT Impacts

The recommended LRT alignment, as identified bythe LRT Alignment Study (2015), identifiesnecessary lane closures to accommodate a road

cross section with LRT along St. Albert Trail. Whilethe implementation of the TMP does increase transitridership, and thereby eliminate some of thecommuter congestion on St. Albert Trail, the ultimateimpact of the lane closures will result in increasedv/c ratios along St. Albert Trail which may causefurther diversion of traffic away from the morecongested St. Albert Trail to other route options suchas 127 Street and Ray Gibbon Drive. The v/c mapfor the road network, as impacted by future LRT isshown in Figure 4-8. This map assumes four laneson Ray Gibbon Drive and four lanes on 127 Street,as well as other internal upgrades (identified in thecapital plan).

Figure 4-8: LRT Impacts Road Network

4-14

4.2 ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

The development of a long-term activetransportation network is commensurate with thehorizon of this TMP and was based upon theidentification of strategic improvements that willultimately ensure residents and visitors haveincreased accessibility to alternative, non-motorizedforms of transportation for both commuting andrecreational needs. It is notable that the 2014Household Travel Survey recorded that 27% of cartrips originating in St Albert are less than fiveminutes in duration. This presents a real andtangible opportunity to replace a significant numberof existing internal network vehicle journeys withactive modes and also foster a sustained increase inmultimodal journeys over time.

Strategies1. Support Community Growth with a priority

towards strategic higher density developmentand multimodal connectivity throughout the city.

2. Align with local demand through publicconsultation and data analysis.

3. Establish and implement design standards toaccommodate all network users for theappropriate function of the roadway.

4. Establish a system of trail linkages and cyclingroutes.

5. Ensure ongoing promotion and encouragementof active transportation.

What did we hear about ActiveTransportation in publicconsultation?§ It is not safe to walk or cycle on roadways in St.

Albert.§ There is not much demand for facilities for

commuting by bicycle in St. Albert.§ Cycling is primarily recreational.§ Cycling and walking routes are important for

residents.§ Residents would like to be able to walk or bike

to work and commercial.

Strategy Development Process:The development of the active transportation planwas developed through the integration of existingnetwork plans, public consultation and stakeholderengagement. Key documents reviewed included theexisting and planned on and off road routes, the Cityof St. Albert Recreational Trail System Map, and theCity of Edmonton existing Bicycle TransportationNetwork Map. Field investigations documented andconfirmed the existing conditions, and identifiedfuture opportunities and barriers. From this review, adraft network concept was identified, which wasreviewed through engagement with stakeholders atthe stakeholder sessions, and through the publicopen houses.

The recommended Active Transportation Networkproposes to build upon the existing off-road network,therefore catering to the widest range of usersabilities in St. Albert. This will be accomplished bydeveloping off-road links wherever possible andutilizing on-road connections where necessary.

The Red Willow Trail System was a key input to theanalysis of the existing network and futureconsiderations sought to build upon and extend theconnectivity that the Red Willow currently provides.


4-15

4.2.1 Future Active Transportation Network

Network ConceptThe Active Transportation Network outlined hereproposes a transition from a high recreationalpriority to a more commuting opportunity, throughthe development of off-road links wherever possibleand utilizing on-road connections to build upon theoff-road network, therefore catering to the broadrange of new and existing users with a range ofabilities in St. Albert.

Figure 4-9 illustrates the proposed Route NetworkConcept which consists of city-wide (Primary) Routesand Connector (Secondary) Routes. This terminologywas intentionally selected to be consistent with theEdmonton Bicycle Transportation Plan, and reinforcethe desire to create seamless connections betweenthe two cities. Connections to Sturgeon County viathe proposed Intermunicipal Trail Network have alsobeen included.

Network HierarchyThe network consists of three kinds of connections:

1. City-Wide (Primary) Routes2. Connector (Secondary) Routes3. Other connections

Primary Routes are designed to provide continuousspine connections throughout St. Albert and createlinks to the City of Edmonton. With the exception of afew locations, the proposed city-wide network is off-road, utilizing the existing off-road trail networkthrough parks and public open space, andexpanding on the in-boulevard multi-use trails alonga number of arterial roads. The city-wide system willenable utilitarian and recreational users to travelefficiently throughout the city and to neighbouringEdmonton, while providing some separation betweenactive transportation users and motor vehicles.

As new neighbourhoods are developed, the city-wideroutes should be extended, with an opportunity tointegrate new complete street design standards, andinclude crossings of major barriers such as therailway and Ray Gibbon Drive.

Secondary Routes are designed to connect directlyto city-wide spine routes, and provide connectionswithin neighbourhoods throughout St. Albert.Secondary routes utilize portions of the off-road trailsystem as well as the network of neighbourhoodcollector and residential streets where pedestrianscan rely on sidewalks and cyclists can share theroadway network with motor vehicles on proposedfacility types including signed bike routes.

Other Connections refers to the primarilyrecreational paths that run through parks and othergreen spaces in the city. These routes allowconnections to and from recreational spaces as wellas access to the primary and secondary elements ofthe wider active transportation network.

_̂

_̂

_̂

_̂

_̂


Mark Messier Trail

Anthon

y Hen

day D

r

Sir Winston C

hurchill Ave

Levasseur Rd

St. Albert Trail Boudreau Rd

Heber

t Rd

McKenney Ave

Ray Gibbon Dr

Giroux Rd

Daw

son Rd

Belle

rose

Dr

199 St

Highw

ay 2

CITY OF EDMONTON

STURGEON COUNTY

Fowler Way

Oakmont

DeerRidge


LacombePark

Woodlands

CampbellBusiness


ForestLawn

Downtown

AkinsdaleSturgeonHeights

RielBusiness

Park

HeritageLakes

Riverside

Riel-South

Mission

Grandin

ErinRidgeNorth

VilleGiroux

Legend:Proposed Route Hierarchy

City-Wide (Primary) RouteConnector (Secondary) RouteMunicipal Connector RouteRed Willow Park Trail SystemExisting Pedestrian SignalProposed Pedestrian Signal

!@ Proposed Trail Bridge ConnectionSidewalks

Existing SidewalkProposed Sidewalks

_̂ Proposed LRT StopProposed LRT/BRT AlignmentProposed Park & Ride

Existing RoadProposed RoadRailroad


Land UseResidentialCommercialIndustrialPark/Open SpaceEmployment LandsExisting SchoolAnthony Henday TUCSt.Albert Boundary

P:\2

0143

139\

00_T

rans

_MP

\Wor

king

_Dw

gs\0

10_G

IS\S

A_B

ASE

MA

PS

\Arc

Map

\Nov

embe

r201

5\P

ropo

sedA

TRou

teN

etw

ork_

8.5x

11.m

xd

0 1 2 3 40.5 km

Proposed connection to intermunicipal trail subject

to appropriate trail crossingof Ray Gibbon Drive

Long-term bridge and trailconnection to Provincial Park.

Subject to Provincial funding and additional investigation/planning.

FIGURE 4-9: PROPOSED ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION - ROUTE NETWORK


4-17

Facility TypesThe proposed facility types for the future activetransportation network are illustrated in Figure 4-10.The proposed facility types include:

In-Boulevard Multi-Use Trail - These paved 3-4 mwide trails, typically with a center line to delineatedirections of travel on the trail, are best for off-roadcycling with adequate width to allow for passing andshared mode use with pedestrians, wheelchairs, orother modes such as rollerblades / skate boards. In-Boulevard multi-use trails parallel existing roadwaysand are constructed within the road right-of-way.Appropriate accommodation and treatment must beconsidered and implemented for safe crossings attrail to trail and trail to roadway crossings.

Off-Road Multi-use Trails - Built to the same criteriaas in-boulevard trails, these facilities are also paved,shared multi-use trails but are typically locatedthrough parks.

Bike Lane/Buffered Bike Lane – A bike lane is adelineated on-road facility where parking and drivingautomobiles is prohibited. Bike lanes should be wellmarked and signed and are recommended to be aminimum of 1.5 m wide, with an engineeredseparation between bikes and vehicles. Bufferedbike lanes include additional physical separationbetween cyclists and traffic through either a lane ofparallel parking or other devices on the roadway.Bike lanes are appropriate on slightly busierroadways where cyclists may feel less comfortablesharing right-of-way with automobiles.

Signed Route/Signed Route with Edgeline – Asigned route is where there is no specific spaceallocated to the bicycle within the roadway, butsignage indicates that users should be prepared toshare the road. If the shoulder is marked with anedgeline where the width is greater than 1.3 m,cyclists can be directed to use the shoulder as theircycling facility. Signage should be frequent and clearto ensure that users are prepared to share thespace.

)"Ñ

)"T

)"T

)"C

)"C

_̂

_̂

_̂

_̂

_̂


Mark Messier Trail

Anthon

y Hen

day D

r

Sir Winston C

hurchill Ave

Levasseur Rd

St. Albert Trail

Boudreau Rd

Heber

t Rd

McKenney Ave

Ray Gibbon Dr

Giroux Rd

Daw

son Rd

Belle

rose

Dr

199 St

Highw

ay 2

CITY OF EDMONTON

STURGEON COUNTY

Fowler Way

Oakmont

DeerRidge


LacombePark

Woodlands

CampbellBusiness


ForestLawn

Downtown


RielBusiness

Park

HeritageLakes

Riverside

Riel-South

Mission

Grandin

ErinRidgeNorth

VilleGiroux

Legend:Existing Conditions

Existing In-BoulevardMulti-Use TrailExisting Off-RoadMulti-Use TrailExisting Paved ShoulderRed Willow Park Trail SystemExisting Pedestrian SignalProposed Pedestrian Signal

!@ Proposed Trail Bridge Connection

! Inter-Municipal Connection

! Intra-Municipall Connection

r Intermodal Connection

Proposed ConditionsProposed In-BoulevardMulti-Use TrailProposed Off-RoadMulti-Use TrailProposed Bike Lane/Buffered Bike LaneProposed Signed Route/Signed Route with EdgelineProposed IntermunicipalDevelopment Trail

SidewalksExisting SidewalkProposed Sidewalks

_̂ Proposed LRT StopProposed LRT/BRT AlignmentProposed Park & RideExisting RoadProposed RoadRailroad



P:\2

0143

139\

00_T

rans

_MP

\Wor

king

_Dw

gs\0

10_G

IS\S

A_B

ASE

MA

PS

\Arc

Map

\Nov

embe

r201

5\P

ropo

sedA

TFac

ility

Type

s_8.

5x11

.mxd

0 1 2 3 40.5 km

FIGURE 4-10: PROPOSED ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION - FACILITY TYPES

Proposed connection to intermunicipal trail subject

to appropriate trail crossingof Ray Gibbon Drive

Long-term bridge and trailconnection to Provincial Park.

Subject to Provincial funding and additional investigation/planning.


4-19

4.3 PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

St. Albert already has a comprehensive long termtransit planning document in the form of the TransitLong Term Department Plan (TLTDP). The intent ofthe TMP is to support and align transportationstrategies and associated action plan with the goalsand objectives identified within the TLTDP.

Public transportation is also more than just thetraditional model of publicly funded mass transit.New services such as car sharing, as well aspotential future driverless technologies, will have asignificant impact on public transportation choices inthe foreseeable future.

StrategiesThe key public transportation strategies for this TMPare to:§ Endorse the direction of the TLTDP§ Support implementation of the LRT Alignment

Study (2015) and utilize its recommendations infuture traffic modeling and evaluation ofnetwork scenarios.

§ Support the development of intermodalconnections.

§ Investigate implementation of non-traditionaltransit modes and ensure aspects of any ITSstrategy align with forthcoming technology.

§ Land use integration to support density aroundfuture LRT stations through adoption ofappropriate land use planning instruments.

What did we hear about PublicTransportation from the publicconsultation?

§ Public transit is important to residents.§ The LRT is important for the future.§ Local routes are not always convenient.§ Integration of land use will be important for

success.

4.3.1 Future Recommendations

Based on the existing plans in place, this TMPidentifies potential local bus corridors that providecoverage to service the community, as well as theapproved LRT corridor and park and ride facilities.Future transit corridors are shown in Figure 4-11.


Mark Messier Trail

Anthon

y Hen

day D

r

Sir Winston C

hurchill Ave

Levasseur Rd

St. Albert Trail

Boudreau Rd

Heber

t Rd

McKenney Ave

Ray Gibbon Dr

Giroux Rd

Daw

son Rd

Belle

rose

Dr

199 St

Highw

ay 2

CITY OF EDMONTON

STURGEON COUNTY

Fowler Way

Oakmont

DeerRidge


LacombePark

Woodlands

CampbellBusiness


ForestLawn

Downtown


RielBusiness

Park

HeritageLakes

Riverside

Riel-South

Mission

Grandin

ErinRidgeNorth

VilleGiroux

Legend:

_̂ Proposed LRT Stop

Proposed LRT AlignmentPotential Transit CorridorLRT Alignment - 800m BufferPotential Transit Corridor - 400m BufferProposed Park & Ride

Proposed RoadExisting RoadRailway

)"4 School



P:\2

0143

139\

00_T

rans

_MP

\Wor

king

_Dw

gs\0

10_G

IS\S

A_B

ASE

MA

PS

\Arc

Map

\Nov

embe

r201

5\P

oten

tialT

rans

itCor

ridor

s_8.

5x11

.mxd

0 1 2 3 40.5 km

Metro Line LRT to Downtown Edmonton

To WestEdmonton M all

FIGURE 4-11: POTENTIAL TRANSIT CORRIDORS


4-21

LRTThis TMP supports the long term implementation ofLRT as a strategy to increase transit ridership andmitigate the environmental and roadway level ofservice impacts due to regional and municipalgrowth and ensure a fully integrated multimodalnetwork system for the Capital Region. As LRTplanning moves forward, more detailed ridershipestimates will be developed by looking at land usedensification around stations and increased jobopportunities in St. Albert to attract ‘reversedirection commuters’ (that is, residents fromEdmonton who will take the LRT to work in St.Albert). Transit ridership growth is estimated in thisstudy by comparing the expected future differencebetween travel times when driving or taking the bus,versus taking the LRT. While ultimately LRT ridershipwill be impacted by many factors, including travelcosts, land use and residential densities,employment locations, travel times is an effectivetool for estimating ridership with the informationavailable.

Due to future lane closures on St. Albert Trail, andincreasing congestion on both St. Albert’s roads andthe City of Edmonton roads, in the future, the LRTwill prove to be a faster route into DowntownEdmonton, the University of Alberta and NAIT thandriving. Transit ridership is expected to continue togrow in St. Albert, but the implementation of the LRThas the potential to increase the transit ridership by30%, based on these expected travel timedifferences. This improvement would result in anultimate mode split for traffic traveling into and outof Edmonton at the south end of St. Albert of 23%transit ridership, versus the existing mode split of15% in the PM peak hour.

There is potential for additional ridership growththrough increased regional traffic transferring ontothe LRT. Park and ride spots, particularly in north St.Albert could support this growth. Guidelines fortransit oriented development, to help support betterconnections and density at each of St. Albert’stransit centres will help direct future development insuch a way as to support LRT and increase ridershipprojections even higher.

An additional strategy to support the long-termimplementation of the LRT is the development ofhigh frequency local bus routes running along thefuture LRT alignment.

BusesLocal transit routes will continue to be important toserve the internal transit centres. The ongoing LocalTransit Route Restructure process will review servicestandards and include a two-phase publicengagement process before recommending anupdated network for implementation fromSeptember 2016.

This review provides a timely opportunity to considerthe current TLTDP goals and review them against thelong term transportation planning horizon objectivesoutlined in this TMP. An integrated planningframework has the potential to increase mode shareabove and beyond the existing goals.

Future route planning should determine the balancebetween access and frequency, and continue toreview best practices to determine the mostappropriate method to boost ridership within St.Albert.

4-22

4.4 GOODS MOVEMENT

Though primarily a residential community, the City ofSt. Albert has two industrial areas and plays animportant role in the movement of goods throughthe region. While the City of Edmonton's 2014Good's Movement Strategy shows that the majorityof current regional good's movement bypasses theCity of St. Albert, industrial expansion in the City ofEdmonton's northeast and northwest industrialareas is expected to have an impact on the City ofSt. Albert. Extensive development of South Riel andexisting major commercial/industrial entities like theAlbert Gaming and Liquor Commission distributioncentre in Campbell Business Park result in a largevolume of goods movements originating in the city.

Strategies:§ Provide connections between industrial areas

and commercial sites within the City of St.Albert.

§ Deter heavy vehicle traffic from residential areasand schools where possible.

§ Provide regional connections to Sturgeon Countyand The City of Edmonton.

What did we hear about goodsmovement in public consultation?§ Commercial vehicles are sometimes traveling on

residential streets.§ Regional connections are important to

residents.

4.4.1 Future Truck Route Network

Within this TMP, the priority is identification of thekey routes for future good's movement through theCity of St. Albert. The existing traffic bylawdesignates and permits large loads on the majorityof arterial roadways in the city; the recommendedTMP truck route map recommends reductions tothese allowances and looks to align with appropriatedesignations based upon overall roadway

functionality. While this TMP is primarily about themovement of people, the movement of good's isimportant for the economic growth of the region.Connections to the City of Edmonton and SturgeonCounty, as well as through the region will be thefocus. The types of routes identified within the TMPare consistent with those identified for the capitalregion.

24-Hour Dangerous Goods RoutesThe two St. Albert corridors most important forgood's movement currently are St. Albert Trail andRay Gibbon Drive. The expansion of Ray GibbonDrive and development of Fowler Way are the priorityinfrastructure improvements to positively impactgoods movement through the city. This change willtake heavy vehicle traffic off of Villeneuve Road inthe short term, and St. Albert Trail in the long term. Akey recommendation in the Villeneuve Road Study(2015) was to reclassify Villeneuve Road as acollector road and remove its designation as a truckroute; while designing and constructing Fowler Wayas the designated commercial good’s movementcorridor.

As described in the Roads Section (4.1), the longterm intent for St. Albert Trail is a new vision as anurbanized arterial, prioritizing the movements ofpeople through active transportation and transit.While this plan continues to include St. Albert Trailas a 24 Hour Dangerous Goods Route, it is expectedthat completion of 127 Street and Ray Gibbon Drivewould allow for a re-evaluation of this designation,and dangerous goods vehicles could be eliminatedfrom St. Albert Trail. Although St. Albert is notcurrently a regional oversize load corridor,collaboration with the City of Edmonton, SturgeonCounty, Alberta Transportation and other keystakeholders should occur on an ongoing basis toprotect the efficient and appropriate movement ofgoods through the region.


4-23

Restricted Truck RoutesThe restricted truck routes are identified to providethe connections between the industrial areas andaccess to main commercial sites within thecommunity. The revisions to the restricted truckroutes as identified in this plan reduce the impact onresidential areas, with a focus of avoiding schoolzones where possible.

As per the Provincial Traffic Safety Act, commercialvehicles must stay on the restricted routes untiltaking the shortest route to their final destination.All roads within identified Industrial Areas shallremain as both truck and dangerous goods routes.These routes, if approved, would have to beidentified and incorporated into the Traffic Bylaw forfield level changes. The proposed Truck Route Mapis included in Figure 4-12.


Mark Messier TrailAnthon

y Hen

day D

r

Sir Winston C

hurchill Ave

Levasseur Rd

St. Albert Trail

Boudreau RdHeb

ert R

dMcKenney Ave

Ray Gibbon Dr

Giroux Rd

Daw

son Rd

Belle

rose

Dr

199 St

Highw

ay 2

CITY OF EDMONTON

STURGEON COUNTY

Fowler Way

Neil R

oss

RdSturgeon Rd

Poirier Ave

S.W. Churchill Ave

LeClair Way

Oakmont

DeerRidge

NorthRidge

LacombePark

Woodlands

CampbellBusiness


ForestLawn

Downtown


RielBusiness

Park

HeritageLakes

Riverside

Riel-South

Mission

Grandin

ErinRidgeNorth

VilleGiroux

Legend:Future 24 Hour DangerousGoods Truck Route24 Hour DangerousGoods Truck RouteRestricted Truck RouteIndustrial Area (all roadsare truck routes)

Future RoadExisting RoadRailwayProposed Park & Ride



P:\2

0143

139\

00_T

rans

_MP

\Wor

king

_Dw

gs\0

10_G

IS\S

A_B

ASE

MA

PS

\Arc

Map

\Nov

embe

r201

5\P

ropo

sedT

ruck

Rou

teP

lan_

8.5x

11.m

xd

0 1 2 3 40.5 km

FIGURE 4-12: PROPOSED TRUCK ROUTE PLAN


4-25

4.5 INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATIONSYSTEMS (ITS)

Many of the strategies identified in the previous foursections identify recommendations related tosupporting a specific mode. Worthy of a separatediscussion, many emerging technologies have thecapability to improve the overall implementation ofthe TMP and support strategies across multiplemodes. ITS implementation is at the forefront of thisdiscussion. ITS development can improve roadcapacity through signal timing progression, improveEMS / Transit travel times through priority signalphasing, enhance traffic data collection andmanagement, and result in improved road conditionand operations information sharing with the generalpublic that can be aligned with multi-jurisdictionalcollaboration. This supports the TMP guidingprinciple of sustainable transportation by usingtechnology to make the most of existinginfrastructure as well as providing tools to residentsto help make the shift away from the private vehiclemore appealing in certain conditions.

Strategies:§ ITS Policy Development§ Social Media and Education integration§ Regional Integration§ Multi-modal facilities§ Future Technologies

4.5.1 ITS Plan

The Community Vision of St. Albert speaks to itsvalues as a “vibrant, thriving city” with the five pillarsof sustainability. As an innovative and progressivecity that protects its identity and small town values,these characteristics are indicative of the success ofthe city, its communities and residents. ITS is animportant component to supporting the ultimateimplementation of the Smart City Centre ofExcellence Master Plan. Growth and prosperity arerealities in St. Albert which affects transportationneeds that will be addressed in this TMP. The

Transportation Master Plan and the ITS initiativeswill support this vision by building bettercommunities through transportation excellence.

What is ITS?Intelligent Transportation Systems appliestechnologies to transportation problems to improvethe efficiency, safety and security of the network. ITSsupports a seamless, multi-modal journey thatintegrates transit, goods movement, autos,pedestrians and cyclists.

The congestion and safety problems that are evidenton each commuting day in St. Albert, combined withthe fiscal reality of restricted budgets, require thecity to examine ITS as an “enabler” of innovation andefficiency to maximize the operation of the existingtransportation network. ITS achieves this goal byusing technologies that make trips smoother, saferand more sustainable. A direct result of thisefficiency is that St. Albert will be better able to meetits sustainability and environmental communityobjectives.

ITS is organized into 8 user service “bundles”comprised of 35 user services which are directlyapplicable to the TMP. These bundles include:

§ Traveller information – provides information tothe public including pre-trip (web sites) andenroute (in-vehicle navigation, variable messagesigns) traveler information.

§ Traffic management – traffic signals that arecoordinated to real time demand and incidentmanagement to detect, verify and respond tomotor vehicle incidents.

§ Public transport – systems that support transitsuch as transit signal priority (TSP), tracking ofbuses using GPS, and real time “next bus”arrival systems.

§ Electronic payment – smart cards, and parkingpayment systems that provide the customer withconvenient means to pay a fare, fee or toll.

4-26

§ Commercial vehicle operations – systems suchas weigh-in-motion (WIM) that support theregulation and operation of commercialvehicles.

§ Emergency management – integration ofemergency services with traffic operations toprovide information to first responders.

§ Vehicle safety and control systems – connectedand autonomous vehicles.

§ Information warehousing – data management.

Because ITS is a relatively new concept in St. Albert,this section will go into additional detail as to thepossibilities related to implementation ITS and howit supports the overall goals the of the TMP.

Why Do We Need a Plan?

As a first step, it is important that St. Albert preparean ITS Strategic Plan for the city that will be anessential roadmap to guide development of the ITSinfrastructure into the future. The ITS Plan willinvolve a series of tasks, strategies and projects thatwill “map” directly to and support the vision, goalsand objectives of St. Albert’s Transportation MasterPlan. The ITS plan should include the followingtasks:

§ Stakeholder engagement, using internal andexternal agencies for input, will lead to adetailed “Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis”that will provide insight into the differencebetween current and required future ITSinfrastructure.

§ ITS Vision, Goals and Objectives will provide highlevel direction with measurable performancemetrics.

§ ITS Strategies supported by distinct ITS Projects.

The ITS Plan provides clear, overall direction, basedon the needs of the stakeholders and users. The ITSPlan will achieve several objectives:

§ Provide a phased and prioritized implementationplan over short, medium and long term horizons.This plan will allow St. Albert to program thecapital projects based on needs, benefits(priority) and budget.

§ Support coordination and regional integrationbetween jurisdictions and functional boundaries.Key participants should include AlbertaTransportation, the City of Edmonton, SturgeonCounty and Strathcona County.

What are Key ITS Initiatives?

While the ITS strategic plan is still required toprovide detailed ITS project recommendations,anecdotal information and data acquired during theTMP process supports several key areas of focuswithin the ITS suite of services for the City of St.Albert.

St. Albert focused services:

1. Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) on keycorridors – Ray Gibbon Drive, St. Albert Trail,Anthony Henday Drive. The approach of ICM isto consider all modes as “assets” within acorridor and to maximize their operation andefficiency together. These tasks would include:

§ Transit signal priority (TSP) and bus queuejumpers which direct operational advantages tobus operations at key intersections.

§ Adaptive signal control which is a signalizationstrategy that dynamically optimizes the signaltiming plans on a corridor based on real time,measured traffic flows.

§ Next bus arrival systems which providepredicted arrival times at upcoming stops onLED signs. This task would involve equippingbuses with GPS tracking and passengercounters.

§ Traffic management including incidentmanagement using detectors, CCTV camerasand variable message signs (VMS).


4-27

2. Data Management seeks to integrate differentsystems and would involve:

§ Integration between modes at facilities such astransit stations, LRT stops, and other modalfacilities.

§ Access to an online community using socialmedia (Facebook, Twitter, Google) will allowusers to have direct notification oftransportation options and conditions.

§ Real time travel between road segmentsmeasured through “Bluetooth” devices. Thetravel times would be displayed on overheadVMS and available online.

§ Wireless network supporting data transmission.

3. Traffic Management Centre (TMC) acting as thecentral hub for data and traffic operations:

§ Data from field devices, signals, and controllercabinets would send data to and from the TMC.Traffic operators would be able to monitor trafficconditions, verify incidents via CCTV andrespond.

§ Signal timing plans could be adjusted in realtime.

4. Customer Services that provide direct benefitsto the public include:

§ Traveller information systems (ATIS) that providereal time information on traffic conditions,weather-related advisories, and triprecommendations. ATIS allows the public tomanage their trips efficiently and minimize theirdelays.

§ Parking management allows customers to payvia smart phone or other convenient device.

5. Safety Initiatives that support people and goodsmay include:

§ Speed monitoring and enforcement systems.§ “Smart” work zones that emphasize road safety.

§ Road-Weather Information Systems (RWIS) thatprovide critical advisories in advance of severeweather events. These systems can save livesthrough travel advisories and traffic closures.

§ Advanced speed advisories that utilize LED signsand detectors to warn drivers of their excessivespeeds.

Regional Services:

1. Integration with regional agencies is criticalthrough the ITS infrastructure. The keycomponent for this task would be “centre-to-centre” communication between the St. AlbertTMC and Edmonton’s TMC. Data sharing withAlberta Transportation and Strathcona Countywould be supported. The Smart City Alliance willplay a key role in this integration.

2. Goods Movement is a key element of theeconomy and supports the prosperity of St.Albert. This task would involve working withAlberta Transportation and the Partners inCompliance (PIC) program to develop a networkof commercial vehicle inspection stations thatuse ITS technologies such as:

§ Weigh-in-motion scales and over-heightdetectors that allow trucks to be dynamicallyweighed and examined for compliance,

§ CCTV cameras with licence plate recognition(LPR) systems to confirm the carrier, and

§ Transponders and readers to detect and identifyregistered trucks.

As the region grows and prospers, the need for ITSand other means to maximize the efficiency of theexisting transportation network will also increase.The St. Albert TMP and the subsequent ITS StrategicPlan will provide the framework and foundation tomove forward - protect the livability andsustainability of the city while continuing to attractnew residents and build better communities throughtransportation excellence.

5-1

5 ImplementationThe development of this TMP represents anaccumulation of knowledge from a wide range ofstakeholders, from St. Albert residents, cityadministration and regional partners. The discussionpresented through the previous four sections hasbeen filtered into an action plan that can be used tocontinually monitor the implementation of the TMP.

5.1 RECOMMENDED ACTION PLAN

A detailed recommended action plan identifyinginitiatives and implementation timelines wasdeveloped with support from the project team, thepublic and stakeholder engagement.

This plan is ambitious with an aggressive schedulefor a large number of initiatives to be completed bySt. Albert Administration in a short period. The actionplan also serves as the evaluation matrix; andshould be reviewed regularly to identify projects thathave been completed and new projects to begin.

The action plan items have been correlated to therelevant TMP Guiding Principles:

1. Livable Communities2. Sustainable Transportation3. Environmental Health4. Economic Prosperity

5-2

Recommended Action ItemTimeline Land Use

PlanningIntegration

Related TMPGuiding Principles

Short1-3 years

Medium3-5 years

Long5-10 years 1 2 3 4

Integrated

Complete a Strategic Plan for implementation ofrecommendations identified through TMP

X X X X X X

Align planning, engineering, transit, operations andmaintenance master plans, goals and policies

X X X

Provide dedicated staff to implement the activetransportation plan and develop travel demandmanagement programming

X X

Develop achievable mode split targets and performscheduled updates and evaluation of levels and targets

X X

Complete an updated travel demand survey every 10 years X X X

Develop a comprehensive asset management strategyincluding a database resource to assess life-cycle costs oftransportation infrastructure

X X

Maintain and utilize the city’s Traffic Model to establishstrategic priorities for the city's investment in transportationinfrastructure to serve as a guide for capital investmentplans to service the full build-out population of 113,000

X X

Update the ten (10) year capital plan to align with TMPprinciples.

X X

Create and implement a public and stakeholdercommunication plan in relation to the TransportationMaster Plan and its resulting strategic plan

X X

Set and achieve Green House Gas (and relatedperformance indicators) targets related to transportation(includes data collection to measure these)

X X X

Incorporate the travel demand model as an on-goingtransportation planning and evaluation tool for newdevelopments and network planning as they relate toenvironmental impacts through greenhouse gas emissions

X X X

Shift funding priorities towards transit and activetransportation

X X

Advocate for higher orders of government to invest in allmodes

X X

Partner with community leaders to achieve the TMP vision X X

Review the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)Canadian Guide for Greener Roads (CGGR) and relateidentifiable objectives of the CGGR with St. Albert policiesand principles

X X

Develop Performance Measurement Framework to measurethe success of the Transportation Master Plan

X X

Work with Capital Region Board to align and implement thecity’s TMP and the Integrated Regional TransportationMaster Plan

X X

5 - Implementation

5-3


PlanningIntegration


Short1-3 years

Medium3-5 years


Develop an Intelligent Transportation System Strategy as atravel demand management strategy

X X

Implement Safe Journeys to School strategies and maintaincommunication between stakeholders and public in relationto the program

X X

Roads

Create a Complete Streets Policy for design andimplementation

X X X

Update engineering standards to guide implementation ofthe Complete Streets Policy

X X

Update Pedestrian Crossing Control Guidelines in regards topedestrian crossing warrant processes and criteria, controltreatment, and operational standards for signalizedpedestrian crossings.

X X

Update engineering standards for sidewalks, pathways andtransit access in new developments and for retrofit

X X X

Develop neighbourhood traffic management guidelines(includes traffic calming)

X X X

Develop Traffic Impact Assessment Guidelines forResidential, Commercial and Industrial Neighbourhoodsthat incorporate cycling and pedestrian impacts and ensureprojected traffic volumes are appropriate with the designand function of the proposed road network

X X X

Develop a functional plan for St. Albert Trail to support LightRail Transit/Bus Rapid Transit, pedestrian travel (or totransform it to a Complete Street) and incorporateTransportation Demand Management principles

X X X

Create and implement a Traffic Data Management Strategy X X

Complete Transportation Demand Management Study forDowntown

X X X

Update the St. Albert Trail North-Arterial CorridorManagement Plan

X X X

Identify and consider potential locations for infilldevelopment to maximize use of existing roadways

X X X

Allocate appropriate staff levels to respond totransportation inquiries from residents, maintain the trafficmodel, and to align with identified projects

x X

Create level of service guidelines reflective of St. Albert’ssustainable transportation goal and apply to appropriateoperations, traffic impact assessment guidelines and policy

X X

Develop street classification definitions and define theirintended functionality and level of service targets

X X

Work with regional partners to develop an EmergencyMeasures Strategy (such as traffic signal pre-emption)

X X

5-4


PlanningIntegration


Short1-3 years

Medium3-5 years


Work with Alberta Transportation, City of Edmonton andSturgeon County to develop a regional traffic control centre

X X

Advocate for twinning of Ray Gibbon Drive and extension ofRay Gibbon Drive

X X

Advocate for construction of 127th Street between AnthonyHenday and Highway 2

X X

Create guidelines and increase use of roundabouts in newdevelopment and look for opportunity of retro-fit completionto enhance network safety and efficiency

X X

Establish a safety review process when traffic collisionsinvolving a fatality on a public roadway occurs

X X

Develop an annual network screening program to identifyhigh collision locations

X X

Establish an in-service safety review program for highcollision locations

X X

Adopt safety audit standards for new roadways (incorporatein with the TIA guidelines)

X X

Develop a St. Albert Traffic Safety Plan X X

Develop Noise Management Policy X X

Develop data collection and management policy X X

Develop temporary traffic control/special eventmanagement policy

X X

Develop parking management policy X X X

Develop Wayfinding/Tourist Transportation ManagementPolicy

X X X

Active Transportation

Implement the active transportation plan with the focus ofclosing existing gaps within the network and prioritizecompletion of short gaps.

X X

Complete active transportation connections to communitydestinations, with a priority on family orientateddestinations

X X

Develop/enhance active transportation connections to trailsalong Sturgeon River

X X

Incorporate Crime Prevention Through EnvironmentalDesign principles into active transportation planning

X X X

Maintain and update wayfinding to key recreational andcommercial amenities on bike trails

X X X

Create opportunities to incorporate active transportationand recreational uses in environmental reserve areas

X X

5 - Implementation

5-5


PlanningIntegration


Short1-3 years

Medium3-5 years


Work with regional partners to identify active transportationlinks (eg. Sturgeon County, Alberta Transportation, AlbertaEnvironment and Parks, Alberta Health Services)

X X

Develop accessibility guidelines to accommodate physicallimitations

X X X

Public Transportation

Identify bus routes to connect with future Light Rail Transit X x

Adjust Land Use Policies to support Transit OrientatedDevelopment around proposed future Light Rail Transitstations

X X x

Prioritize land development with higher densities and mixeduses in vicinity of major transit stations (short term timelinefor planning and long term timeline for implementation)

X X X x

Develop and prioritize a construction program to implementfield level upgrades for improved accessibility at transit stoplocations for those with limited mobility or vision

X x

Review/update transit fare policy to support affordability forusers

X x

Support the development of a park and ride facility atCampbell Road Transit Centre

X X X

Prepare a strategy to develop the north LRT Station whichmay include a transition from Park and Ride to a TransitOriented Development

X X X

Conduct feasibility study for Bus Rapid Transit/priority buslanes as a progression towards Light Rail Transitimplementation

X X

Implement parking for bikes and provide drop / off zones(kiss and rides) at Transit facilities

X X X

Develop winter road maintenance and accessibilitystandards for transit stops

X X

Protect the property needed for the Light Rail Transit X X X X

Work with regional partners to improve regional transitservices

X X

Commercial/Goods Movement

Develop a Movement of Goods and People Policy X X X

Establish a tiered truck route system for Large CommercialVehicles and Pick and Delivery Vehicles (includes signchanges, education, bylaw changes, helping residentsunderstand purpose of roadways)

X X

5-6

5.2 10 YEAR ROADS AND TRAILS PLAN

5.2.1 Roads

The TMP has taken into consideration the commentsreceived from the public, the existing recommended10 year plan and the results from theSt. Albert Travel Demand Model to identify thehighest priority projects recommended forcompletion by 2025.

Without improvements to the road network, by 2025there will be congestion on all north-south arterials;adding capacity on any of those roadways can helpto alleviate that pressure across the network. Theother area of congestion is north St. Albert Trail.Areas of spotty congestion can be potentiallyalleviated through improvements to intersectionsand signal timing. Public input has indicated thehighest priority projects in the short term are:

§ Address noise concerns,§ Signal timing on St. Albert Trail, and§ Twinning Ray Gibbon Drive.

The recommended 10 year plan is summarized inTable 5-1. The 10 year plan does not include certainprojects identified through a number of currentstudies, plans and initiatives. These include:

§ Neighbourhood traffic calming strategies,§ St. Albert Trail and Boudreau/Giroux Road

Corridor Safety Review Implementation,§ Safe Journeys to School safety implementation,§ Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan (DARP),§ Transit Long Term Department Plan (2013-

2027), and§ St Albert LRT Study.

The St. Albert LRT Study has no capital cost assignedfrom the study, but any improvements on andaround St. Albert Trail should recognize the LRTalignment and plan for future LRT.

5 - Implementation

5-7

Table 5-1: Recommended 10-Year Roads Plan

PROJECT TYPE DESCRIPTION

PRE-EXISTINGCAPITAL

PROJECT ORNEW TO TMP

OFF SITELEVIABLE?(Yes/No)

St. Albert Trail -Signalization

ITS

Adaptive traffic signal controls for 14Intersections on St. Albert Trail. Toreduce congestion by creating smootherflow by adjusting the signal timing.

YES NO

Erin RidgeNeighbourhoodTraffic Calming

RoadwayDesign

Improvements

Implement a Neighbourhood TrafficCalming Process in the community of ErinRidge and evaluate the procedure toutilize in other city neighbourhoods.

YES NO

North St. Albert TrailFunctional PlanningStudy

Study To Review and provide solutions for thenorthern part of St. Albert Trail.

NO NO

Transit PrioritySignals

ITSTo add transit priority measures ontransit routes to optimize passengertravel time.

YES NO

Traffic Pre-EmptionSystem for Fire

ITSTo improve emergency response timedue to increased congestion onroadways.

YES NO

Ray Gibbon Drive Widening

Expand to 4 lanes of divided arterialroadway improve efficiency of Ray GibbonDrive and also enhance capability toabsorb additional traffic volumes from St.Albert Trail.

NO NO

St. Albert Trail &Hebert RoadIntersection

IntersectionImprovement

East and westbound right turn bayconstruction and northbound laneextension from the superstore access toHebert road.

YES NO

Fowler Way: FromRay Gibbon Drive toSt. Albert Trail

NewConstruction

Develop first 2 lanes of ultimate 4divided arterial roadway. Reducecongestion and reduce traffic on St.Albert Trail by allowing traffic to RayGibbon Drive.

NO YES

Meadowview DriveRe-Build &Upgrade

Re-build 1.6km to urban design due todetermination of roadway and safetyconcerns, projected traffic levels andservices the Employment Lands area.

YES YES

Boudreau Road &Campbell RoadIntersection


To increase throughput capacity due tocongestion from traffic accessingAnthony Henday Drive.

YES NO

5-8

PROJECT TYPE DESCRIPTION

PRE-EXISTINGCAPITAL

PROJECT ORNEW TO TMP

OFF SITELEVIABLE?(Yes/No)

Giroux Road Twinningto Ray Gibbon

Twinning

Currently Giroux Road is twinned itsentire length but falls short 300m fromthe intersection of Ray Gibbon Drive.With the 4 laning of Ray Gibbon Driveand added capacity, traffic patterns willchange and utilize Giroux to access RayGibbon Drive.

YES YES

McKenney AvenueTwinning to RayGibbon Drive

Twinning

Currently McKenney Avenue is twinnedfrom St. Albert Trail to Morgan Crescent,this project includes the continuation ofthe twinning 1.5km through the RiversideNeighborhood to Ray Gibbon Drive. Asthe city has seen a change in trafficpatterns as traffic is utilizing Ray GibbonDrive.

YES YES

LeClair Way & RielDrive intersection


To increase capacity due to congestionfrom traffic accessing Anthony HendayDrive.

NO NO

St. Albert Trail andBoudreau Road


To increase capacityYES NO

Bellerose Drive: FromOakmont to City Limit

TwinningTwin approx. 1.7km of roadway.Provide additional capacity to access ErinRide Drive and residential developments.

YES YES

Villeneuve Road RedesignRedesign and reclassify Villeneuve Roadand intersections as per the approvedVilleneuve Road Study.

NO NO

Sir Winston ChurchillAve: From SturgeonRoad to City Limit

Twinning

This project is twinning of approximately620). Two additional lanes will beconstructed along the adjacent path ofthe current road structure.

YES NO

Campbell RdExtension toPoundmaker Road

NewConstruction

This project is to extend approximately300m of Campbell Road to PoundmakerRoad

YES YES

Boudreau RoadIntersection

Improvements

Intersection improvements at theintersection of Sturgeon Road andBellerose Drive to improve capacity(potential turning lane addition atintersection)

NO NO

5 - Implementation

5-9

The following two figures show the volume to capacityresults from the implementation of the recommended10 year plan. The top Figure 5-1 is the v/c of thenetwork without improvements, the Figure 5-2 withimprovements. While the network will still experiencelocations of congestion, the key issues are addressedand should align with appropriate levels of service asper city policy. Furthermore, additional projects likedealing with traffic calming and noise mitigation willhave an overall positive impact on the road network forresidents, thoughthe results may not appear directly onthe plan. On a larger scale, alignment between networkimprovements and further capital construction workwill be evaluated on an ongoing basis.

Figure 5-1: 10 Year Volume v/c (No NetworkImprovements)

Figure 5-2: 10 Year Volume v/c (Apply 10 YearImprovement Plan)

5-10

5.2.2 Active Transportation

Network priorities have been identified so as tostrategically stage infrastructure improvements inthe coming 10 years.

Priorities were identified with the following criteria inmind:

1. Close gaps in the existing network, with aparticular focus on short gaps that result in longsections of continuous route.

2. Develop connections to important destinations,especially those that are frequented by families(e.g. community centres such as the ServusCredit Union Place, Riel Recreation Area, etc.).

3. Develop / enhance connections to trails alongthe Sturgeon River.

4. Work with land developers to ensure that linksto new neighbourhoods are created as part ofthe development rather than after theneighbourhoods become established.

5. Implement active transportation facilities as partof other capital infrastructure projects such asroad widenings, new roads, utilities (e.g. hydro,gas, water and sanitary mains etc.), new bridges

and bridge rehabilitations, realignment ofwatercourses, etc.

6. Focus on completing a limited number of spineroutes even if they are not part of planned majorcapital infrastructure projects. Some potentialcandidates include:

§ Boudreau Road south of the Sturgeon River andErin Ridge Trail which would result in acontinuous connection from the Edmontonboundary (at Veness Road at Anthony HendayDrive) to northeast St. Albert.

§ Completing missing links and making necessaryupgrades to the Sturgeon River trail corridor,which creates a continuous connection fromwest to east, linking two major recreational traildestinations (Riel Recreation Area and River Lot56 Natural Area). This also provides a link toEdmonton via the existing multi-use trails onLevasseur Road and Gervais Road south ofLevasseur Road.

§ Completing the northwest trail route from theSturgeon River corridor near Meadowview BallPark through the Mission, Lacombe and DeerRidge neighbourhoods and connecting to theHogan Road multi-use trail in the northwest partof the city.

5 - Implementation

5-11

Table 5-2: Recommended 10-Year Active Transportation Plan

Project Type Length (m)

Buffered bike lane Liberton Drive Buffered bike lane 1539

Dawson Road In-Boulevard Multi Use Trail 1343

Mckenney Avenue In-Boulevard Multi Use Trail 1646

Giroux Rd between Bellerose Drive and BelleroseComposite High School In-Boulevard Multi Use Trail 2774

Giroux Rd between Bellerose Composite High Schooland Hogan Rd In-Boulevard Multi Use Trail 600

Sir Winston Churchill Avenue between downtown andBoudreau Rd In-Boulevard Multi Use Trail 2645

Hebert Rd In-Boulevard Multi Use Trail 2080

Villeneuve Rd In-Boulevard Multi Use Trail 2251

Boudreau Rd south of Sturgeon River to Hebert Rd In-Boulevard Multi Use Trail 1992

Proposed Signed Bike Route whole Network Proposed Signed Route 10000

Proposed Signed Bike Route with Sharrow wholenetwork Proposed Signed Route 20800

5.2.3 Public Transportation

The 10 year plan is identified within the Transit LongTerm Department Plan, which has a planning horizonto 2027. Key short term recommendations willinclude ITS signal priority, the Transit Local RouteRestructuring Project, and fleet expansion. St. AlbertTransit should continue to investigation methods tomore aggressively attract riders as a means toachieve the goals of this TMP.

5.2.4 Commercial Goods Movement

Within the short term 10 year implementationperiod, the traffic bylaw should be updated to reflectthe revised truck plan. The City of St. Albert shouldcontinue to work with regional partners to supportindustrial and goods movement growth in the region.The Movement of Goods and People Policy shouldreflect the balance between the use of roads forgoods movement and the movement of people viaall modes.

5-12

5.3 INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING

The City of St. Albert has access to two sources offunding for capital projects, which are:

5.3.1 City of St. Albert’s Capital Budget

The department implements a Long-Term Divisionaland Department Plan (LTDDP) to effectively managethe delivery of municipal services. The LTDDP setsout future goals and resources that are required tosupport future infrastructure. Surveys,Transportation and other department Master Plans,and other communication from public feedback iscontinually sought out to ensure that the levels ofservice, maintenance of city infrastructure, and newcapital requirements are sufficient to meet theneeds of current and future residents.

The department plan links to the city’s 10 YearMunicipal Capital Plan as it reflects the long termcapital requirements that the city requires for thenext 10 years. In addition, funding requirements forthe capital projects are reviewed annually to ensurethat adequate financing is made available formaintaining current infrastructure and investmentfor future needs

The Municipal Capital Budget expenditures will befunded through grants, reserves and a portionsupported by tax funds. The city utilizes grants asthe primary source of funding, as not all projects areeligible for grant funding and may not meet theminimum requirements. In such cases, othersources such as reserves and tax supported fundsare therefore utilized for the remainder of fundingcapital projects. Often, a tax supported fund (Pay-As-You-GO or PAYG) is applied to projects that aresmaller in nature, while the use of reserves areregularly planned and are applied for the use oflifecycle and replacement projects.

The city ensures resources are targeted toward thenecessary critical investments in St. Albert’s

infrastructure and transportation to position thecommunity for sustaining current services andmeeting future growth The Capital Budget consistsof revenue obtained through collection of taxes andfrom grants/funds provided by the Provincial andFederal Governments. The types and amounts of thegrants/funds vary from year to year and fromgovernment to government. Past sources of thegrants/funds include:

§ Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI),§ Alberta Community Partnership (ACP), which

also contains the Metropolitan Funding (MF)Component,

§ Federal Gas Tax Fund, and§ Federal Small Communities Fund.

St. Albert updates its City Budget on a three yearcycle. Within the budget the city allocates funds forcapital projects as determined by Administration andCouncil.

5.3.2 City of St. Albert Off-Site Levies

Off-site levis are an approved mechanism under theMunicipal Government Act (MGA) that allow amunicipality to collect all or some of the capitaldollars needed to construct new infrastructurerequired to support growth. Amongst otherinfrastructure types the MGA provides a mechanismto collect off-site levies for new or expanded roadsrequired for or impacted by a subdivisiondevelopment and the necessary land required tosupport the infrastructure.

In 2010 the city first established its’ Off-Site LevyBylaw and corresponding rates. The Bylaw wasbased on key guiding principles approved by Councilto establish how the off-site levy rates arecalculated, assigned, and collected, consistent withbest practices across the province. The guidingprinciples delineated that arterial roads identifiedwithin the Off-Site Levy Bylaw as well as arterial tocollector and arterial to arterial intersections wouldbe included as projects within the bylaw.

5 - Implementation

5-13

The current practice within the city, is a yearlyupdate to the Off-Site Levy Bylaw to ensure the mostreflective delineation of projects and associatedcosts. As the city grows and infrastructure isrequired to support the growth, requirements areidentified for the infrastructure to be designed andconstructed to support the network. Front ending,off-setting and long term reimbursement of costs areidentified in the Off-Site Levy Policy Framework. ThisCouncil policy, as amended, provides the necessarysteps to facilitate the identified growth infrastructurefrom identified roads in master planning documentsto constructed and functioning networks ofinfrastructure.

5.3.3 Development

In instances where upgrade work is required tosupport development that is not identified within theOff-Site Levy Bylaw, the MGA under section 650 and651 identifies that development may be required topay for road infrastructure needed to supportaccess. Additional projects that may be within thisfunding categorization would be interim roadupgrades needed to support development.

5.4 EVALUATION

The success of the plan will be measured primarilythrough the implementation of the Action Plan andcompleting the projects identified in the 10 yearplan. Further evaluation of success will involve thecompletion of tasks identified which incorporatespecific evaluation criteria such as level of servicestandards, greenhouse gas emissions goals, ITS(travel times), etc. As this plan represents a shift intransportation planning in St. Albert, it is anticipatedthat future plans will identify concrete goals thatmeasure the success of transforming transportationin St. Albert. The most important step in supportingthe future green, sustainable and multi-modalambitions of a complete transportation network isshort term improvements in data collection,(particularly around traffic count collections), transit

ridership data and active transportation usageinformation. This data can support identifyingachievable goals in mode split and greenhouse gasemissions, which are valuable tools in quantifyingthe implementation goals of the TMP.

Samples of evaluation criteria include:

§ Mode Split: The current mode split for transitridership and cycling were discussed in Section3. The strategies and objectives identified in thisTMP include many that aim to improve access totransit, walking and cycling as local modes oftransportation. Future updates to the TMP, andfuture data from household surveys can be usedto evaluate if the implementation of the TMP isachieving a change in mode choice for St. Albertresidents. Future TMP updates can look atimprovements and set specific targets for modesplit and Greenhouse Gas Emissions reductions(see below).

§ Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The EnvironmentalMaster Plan identifies the ambitious goal ofreducing community greenhouse gas emissionsby 6% from 2008 levels by 2020. Greenhousegas emissions caused by transportationcontribute a significant impact to thesecommunity emissions. Driving emissions in St.Albert are estimated at 226,779 tonnes peryear. Data from the household travel demandsurvey indicated that approximately 27% of alltrips taken by St. Albert residents that originatein St. Albert are 5 minutes in length or less.These short trips represent an average of 20tonnes of CO2 emissions per day. If half of thosetrips of 5 minutes or less were taken on abicycle or walked, this could translate into anannual reduction of 3,650 tonnes per year. Thisreduction represents almost 27% the overallcommunity reduction target.

5-14

§ Action Plan Implementation: The TMP ActionPlan should be reviewed annually to identify newprojects to complete and to also reviewalignment with further updates to other cityPlans or documents, and also alignment withpublic input through any engagement actionstaken on various projects.

§ Land Use Planning Integration: The forthcomingupdate to the Municipal Development Planshould consider the recommendations of thisTMP, with land use plans that support multi-modal integration and densification to supporttransit growth ambitions.

5.5 CLOSURE

The development horizon for this TransportationMaster Plan is 2042. The transportation paradigmhas the potential to change dramatically betweentoday and 2042. This plan is the first step inpreparing St. Albert for this future friendlytransportation network. While the private vehiclecontinues to be important, the future for St. Albertwill be bike and pedestrian friendly, with masstransit to serve commuters and transportationtechnologies like ITS making the roads moreefficient for goods movements and drivers who muststill use the private automobile (or their communityshared car) to get around. Future updates to theTMP will continue to evaluate these changes andupdate the goals to reflect the changing world.

4 transportation master plan - st. albert, alberta · truck routes that access commercial/indust...

Documents