Complete Two-Way Streets in Hamilton
Presentation for Durand Neighbourhood Association 2012 AGM
Ryan McGreal
raisethehammer.org
Introduction to Complete Streets
What is Traffic?
Traffic does not mean cars. It means people going somewhere.
- People on foot
- People on bicycles
- People on skateboards and inline skates
- People using transit
- People driving automobiles
Introduction to Complete Streets
What is a Complete Street?
- A complete street lets people travel in a variety of ways
- It makes space for everyone, not just drivers
- It brings people into contact safely
- It finds a balance between different modes
Introduction to Complete Streets
What does a Complete Street Look Like?
Introduction to Complete Streets
What does a Complete Street Look Like?
- Wide sidewalks
- Dedicated bike lanes
- Fewer, narrower driving lanes
- Frequent pedestrian crossings
Introduction to Complete Streets
What does a Complete Street Look Like?
Introduction to Complete Streets
What does a Complete Street Look Like?
- Street trees give shade, slow traffic
- Curbside parking provides a buffer
- Bumpouts make crossings shorter
- Less room for automobiles to speed
Introduction to Complete Streets
What does a Complete Street Look Like?
Introduction to Complete Streets
What does a Complete Street Look Like?
- Places for people to meet up
- Buildings open onto the street, not a parking lot
- Variety of building uses
Introduction to Complete Streets
What does a Complete Street Look Like?
Introduction to Complete Streets
Benefits of Complete Streets
- Safer for all users - including drivers
- Improved public health from walking, cycling
- Increased neighbourhood interaction
- Improved quality of life
Complete Streets and Two-Way Traffic
What About Two-Way Traffic?
- Safer for pedestrians, especially children
- Better for local street retail
- Better for LRT success
- Will not create "gridlock"
Complete Streets and Two-Way Traffic
Two-Way Safer for Pedestrians
- Children 2.5 times more likely to be injured on one-way streets (Canadian Journal of Public Health, May 2000)
- 2X speed = 4X energy, 4X stopping distance
- Designed for speed, driver inattention
- More turns = more points of contact
Complete Streets and Two-Way Traffic
Two-Way Better for Local Street Retail
- Better storefront visibility
- Motorists can approach from either direction
- Studies from all across North America
Complete Streets and Two-Way Traffic
Two-Way Better for Local Street Retail
Our windows are no good nowadays, people have no time to stop and look. Nobody comes from the west end of the city any more. We would like to see King Street two-way once more.
— Ben Wunder, King Street business owner, May 1957
Complete Streets and Two-Way Traffic
Two-Way Better for Local Street Retail
Try telling someone to find our store from the west end. It's a complex set of directions, wastes both time and gas, creates more travel and really thwarts our accessibility to customers. For a retailer, making it hard for a customer is never a good thing!
— Aaron Newman, King Street business owner, May 2012
Complete Streets and Two-Way Traffic
Two-Way Supports LRT Success
- Better balance between automobile and LRT speed
- Walkable environment supports higher LRT use
- Encourages more transit-oriented development
- King-Main Rapid Transit Benefits Case Analysis, Metrolinx, 2010
- The North American Light Rail Experience: Insights for Hamilton, MITL, 2012
Complete Streets and Two-Way Traffic
Two-Way Will Not Create "Gridlock"
- Downtown streets have excess capacity
- Multi-lane closures on Main, King Cannon - no gridlock
- "Induced demand" means some traffic "disappears"
- More driving options
Complete Streets and Two-Way Traffic
Cities Converting to Two-Way
Berkeley CA, Calgary AB, Cedar Rapids IA, Columbus OH, Crystal City VA, Danville IL, Denver CO, Fort Collins CO, Greensboro NC, Iowa City IA, Jacksonville FL, Louisville KY, Milwaukee WI, Minneapolis MN, Oklahoma City OK, Oregon City OR, Rochester NY, Sacramento CA, San Francisco CA, St. Catharines ON, St. Petersburg FL, Texarkana AR, Vancouver WA, Wichita KA, and Wyandotte MI
Support for Complete Streets
Experts Keep Telling Us
Dan Burden, Dave Cieslewicz, Denis Corr, Storm Cunningham, Richard Florida, Richard Gilbert, Ken Greenberg, Christopher Hume, Peter Lagerwey, Christopher Leinberger, Eleanor McMahon, Donald Schmitt, Nancy Smith Lea, Bronwen Thornton, Paul Young
Support for Complete Streets
World Health Organization
The vulnerability of the human body should be a limiting design parameter for the traffic system, and speed management is central.
— World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention
Support for Complete Streets
Ontario Coroner
Ontarians not only need to walk, they need to walk safely. To do so, they need safe walking spaces.
— Ontario Coroner's Report on Pedestrian Deaths, 2012
Support for Complete Streets
Public Health Research
Neighborhood walkability was inversely associated with the development of diabetes in our setting, particularly among recent immigrants living in low-income areas.
— Gillian L. Booth et al., Unwalkable Neighborhoods, Poverty, and the Risk of Diabetes Among Recent Immigrants to Canada Compared With Long-Term Residents, Diabetes Journal, 2012
Support for Complete Streets
Quality of Life Research
One-way street residents were significantly more bothered by traffic (noise, volume, danger), less satisfied with their block (cleanliness, peacefulness, air quality), and therefore made more life-style adjustments (less use of front of house, rearranging use of rooms, installing buffers).
— Bernie Jones, One Way to Neighborhood Deterioration?, Journal of Planning Education and Research (April 1986)
Support for Complete Streets
Hamilton Chamber of Commerce
Walkable environments should be viewed as economic infrastructure that attract employment and should be invested in accordingly.
— Walkability and Economic Development, Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, 2012
Making Hamilton Streets Complete
Hamilton Streets Today
Making Hamilton Streets Complete
Hamilton Streets Today
Today, Hamilton streets overwhelmingly cater to drivers:
- Multiple one-way driving lanes
- High vehicle speeds
- Very few bike lanes
- Narrow sidewalks
- Few crossings
Making Hamilton Streets Complete
Hamilton Streets Today
Making Hamilton Streets Complete
2002 Durand Traffic Study
- 40% of vehicles speed on minor arterials
- 200+ vehicles a day >65 km/h
- Durand streets have excess capacity
Making Hamilton Streets Complete
Downtown Transportation Master Plan
- Approved in 2001
- Five Year Review in 2008
- Many conversions still outstanding
- No funding for outstanding streets
Making Hamilton Streets Complete
Two-Way Implementation Schedule
| Street Name | Target Date for Implementation in 2001 | New Target Date after 5-yr Review | Date Completed |
|---|---|---|---|
| James | 2006 | - | 2005 |
| John | 2006 | - | 2005 |
| York/Wilson | beyond 2006 | 2009 | 2010 |
| King | beyond 2006 | 2010 (pending LRT) | X |
| Bay | beyond 2006 (optional) | optional | X |
| Hunter | 2006 | removed from list | X |
| MacNab | 2003 | 2008 | outstanding |
| Park | 2003 | 2008 | outstanding |
| Hughson | 2004 | 2009 | outstanding |
| Hess | 2004 | 2009 | 2004 (South section instigated by DNA, north extension outstanding) |
| Caroline | 2002 | 2009 | 2012 (only from Main to King - York Street extension outstanding) |
| King William | 2006 | 2010 | outstanding |
| Rebecca | 2006 | 2010 | outstanding |
Making Hamilton Streets Complete
Hamilton Streets Today
Making Hamilton Streets Complete
Studied to Death
Vision 2020, Downtown Ideas Charette, Smart Moves, Putting People First, Downtown Transportation Master Plan, Transportation Summits, Economic Summits, Pedestrian Summit, Pedestrian Charter, Durand Walk and Bike for Life workshop, Pedestrian Master Plan, On The Cusp...
Making Hamilton Streets Complete
We Already Know What to Do
Making Hamilton Streets Complete
Support is Growing
- Councillors McHattie, Farr, Morelli support conversion
- 84 resident letters on two-way implementation team
- Downtown BIA - soft support
- International Village BIA - polling members
Making Hamilton Streets Complete
Support is Growing
- New citizens group forming
- Plan to make a case for complete, two-way streets
- Present and persuade to groups across the city
- Build public support for conversion