City Council directed Administration to bring recommendations that align a proposed downtown transit hub with the Downtown Neighbourhood Plan and Transportation Master Plan.
The downtown is the busiest location for transit ridership in the city. Any changes that are contemplated to routing or location of transit in the downtown should be considered as part of a broader transit strategy. Changes in the downtown will impact customers, businesses, transit operations, and traffic flow so careful planning is required to ensure all factors are considered. This report outlines the need for a Transit Master Plan to begin in 2020 to develop a comprehensive 25-year vision for Regina’s transit system, which will guide what futures service will look like including service to the downtown.
Accessibility Impact
When Administration undertakes work that impacts transit service, accessibility is always considered. An accessibility assessment would be completed as part of this work to ensure transit service is accessible for all. This could include items such as waiting areas, signage, and wayfinding. Consultation with the public on accessibility will be a key component of the plan development.
Financial Impact
To proceed with the Transit Master Plan, the cost will be approximately $440,000. Administration will fund $100,000 in 2020 through the approved Operating Budget. The remaining $340,000 will be funded through inclusion in the 2021 Budget.
Policy/Strategy Impact
Transit has a number of City documents that guide planning and investment in Transit services. They include:
· The Official Community Plan (OCP)
· The Downtown Neighbourhood Plan
· The Transportation Master Plan
· The Downtown Transportation Study
· Transit Service Standards
Although these plans contain many policies for transit, a Transit Master Plan will ensure alignment of transit activities and develop specific action plans and investments to make transit a transportation mode of choice for residents in Regina.
The Transit Master Plan could be deferred to start in 2021 as originally planned. However, starting a Transit Master Plan in 2020 will set the framework of how Transit should operate as a whole in the City of Regina. Advancing this plan in 2020 will help the design and build of various construction projects along major transit corridors.
If the Transit Master Plan is approved, Administration, in conjunction with a consultant, will develop a plan for public consultation. This consultation will help identify important aspects of a transit system, not only for current riders, but for potential future riders.
A Transit Master Plan will evaluate both conventional and Paratransit services. Some of the goals of the Transit Master Plan will be:
· Develop short term route improvements that could be implemented immediately to increase ridership
· Identify and prioritize initial corridors and the possibility for higher order transit as part of the overall transit network including bus rapid transit and associated transit priority measures
· Determine levels of coverage required based on demographics, land use and ridership figures
· Develop long term route network taking into account known growth areas of the City. Ensuring the new proposed route network meets the needs of new development areas that currently have minimal or no bus service
· Explore and assess trip generating opportunities and alternative routing strategies with the objective of increasing ridership including but not limited to on demand service, flex routing or co-mingling. Specific attention to the first mile/last mile as part of the overall solution will be explored
· An updated set of service standards that reflect the recommended route structure and service delivery methods
· Determine terminal requirements to support the existing and future transit network
· Review fare collection methods and fare structure and recommend future fare capture technology and strategies
· Identify any technologies that would improve customer access and experience on the transit system
· A comprehensive review of the paratransit service a whole and possible strategies to amalgamate paratransit and conventional service to be an accessible system to all
The plan will cost an estimated $440,000 and would include the use of a transit consultant that specializes in transit master plan development. The plan will also ensure Transit investments are aligned with the Transportation Master Plan, the Official Community Plan, and the Downtown Neighbourhood Plan. It will detail short-term improvements and long-term plans, for how the transit system can grow as the community grows over the next 25 years. The length of time to complete the plan would be 12 to 14 months. Included as part of this work, a peer review with other Canadian cities would be completed to determine best practices within the transit industry that could be applied to Regina.
There are three council approved documents that have guided transit strategy and policies. These include the following:
Official Community Plan – City Council at its meeting held on December 16, 2013 approved item CR13-112 Proposed Official Community Plan (OCP);
Downtown Transportation Study – City Council its meeting held on April 14, 2014 approved item CR14-40 Downtown Transportation Study (PTS) Phases two and three and Direction for Downtown Transit in Regina;
Transportation Master Plan- City Council it meeting held on May 29, 2017 approved item CR17-52 Transportation Master Plan.
Respectfully submitted, Respectfully submitted,
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