The City of Peterborough Approaches the Finalization of the Transportation Master Plan

The City of Peterborough’s Transportation Master Plan update is entering its final stages and City Council is considering giving direction on targets for encouraging people to reduce the use of personal automobiles and taking a more strategic approach to investments in roads.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The report, which is available at peterborough.ca, will be presented at City Council’s General Committee meeting on Monday, November 8, 2021.

Over the next 30 years, the goal would be to increase walking and cycling to 25% of all trips in the City, to increase transit use to 10% of all trips, and to reduce auto travel to 65% of all trips.

The 2012 Transportation Master Plan established a target for 2031 that included 8% of all trips being made by walking and cycling. By 2018, with investments in new infrastructure and services, over 10% of all trips are currently being made on foot or by bike.

Encouraging a significant shift in the way residents travel around the City forms a major part of the recommended new Transportation Strategy – as this is critical to achieving the community’s vision for transportation in 2051, and in supporting the City’s Climate Change goals.

To achieve this shift, the proposed strategy for the new Transportation Plan will include supporting policies and aggressive investments in the cycling, sidewalk and trail networks in order to encourage approximately one in four trips in the City to be made on foot or by bike by 2051.

Policy measures such as higher costs for all-day paid parking, expanding paid parking to new areas of the City, and reducing transit fares for youth to encourage early adoption of transit, would be combined with improved frequency of transit service to encourage approximately one in ten travelers to choose transit for their trip making.

Even with the aggressive goals for shifts to non-auto travel, there will be a need to consider road improvements; however, the recommended strategy adopts a more strategic approach to determining the priorities for road network investment.

Road and intersection improvements that improve traffic flow, enhance safety, and support efficient transit will be prioritized over adding new capacity.

A Transportation Master Plan (TMP) is strategic planning document that establishes the overall direction for transportation planning, transportation policy development, and identifies investments in infrastructure and services that are recommended to accommodate growth, often over a 20- to 30-year horizon.

TMP’s are intended to be reviewed and updated every five to 10 years to account for changes to the planning context in a community, including changes to growth forecasts, changes to the way people travel, implications of external initiatives (such as Via Rail), evolving community priorities, and the resulting changes to policy and infrastructure needs that may arise.

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Feedback on Phase 3 of the Citywide Transportation Master Plan due Friday

The due date to provide feedback as part of Phase 3 of the citywide Transportation Master Plan update process is Friday at 11:55 p.m.

PHoto courtesy of the city of peterborough.

Phase 3 of the project entails the development and assessment of hybrid strategies for the future of the City of Peterborough’s transportation network – the system of public transit, sidewalks, trails, cycling lanes, and roads that people use to move throughout the community.

Details on the Transportation Master Plan update, including recordings of the public meetings are posted online at www.connectptbo.ca/moveptbo for people to review and provide feedback.

Anyone who is unable to access the online feedback form can contact the City at 705-742-7777 ext. 1749 or by email at moveptbo@peterborough.ca for assistance or to arrange for a paper copy of the feedback form.

Phase 4 of the Transportation Master Plan update process will take place this fall, focusing on infrastructure improvement needs and key decision points.

Comments and feedback received through the consultation, along with data that is collected, input from the City, and recommendations from the consultants will help inform the Transportation Master Plan Update.

At the end of the Transportation Master Plan update process, a draft plan will be presented to City Council for its consideration and approval.

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Temporary Changes to Late Service on Some Peterborough Transit Routes During Armour Road Construction

The City of Peterborough announced on Tuesday that overnight road work at the intersection of Parkhill Road East and Armour Road will affect some Peterborough Transit routes from Wednesday to Friday.

File Photo.

Routes 6C, 7A, and 9 will be on detour after 9 p.m. between Parkhill and Trent University.

The Armour Road bus stops at Parkhill Road, at Dunlop Street, and Vinette Steet will be temporarily out of service. Customers should proceed to the corner of Armour Road at Spencleys Lane for service.

Route 6C and Route 9 trips will not be able to access Armour Road. These trips will continue to serve Trent University at Gzowski.

Route 6C Sherbrooke

Late night Route 6C Sherbrooke trips will not be able to access Armour Road. Eastbound Route 6C trips will travel on Water Street from McDonnel Street to Nassau Mills Road, turn right and travel over the bridge to resume the regular route to the Gzowski loop bus stop before heading back to Trent at Bata.

For Route 6C trips, a shuttle will be available from the transit stop on Water Street opposite Tim Horton’s south of Nassau Mills Road for customers to access Armour Road.

Route 7A Lansdowne

Eastbound Route 7A Lansdowne trips will travel north on Armour Road to Swanston Avenue, turn right to Snelgrove Road, turn left to Parkhill Road, turn right to Leahy’s Lane, turn left to Spencelys Lane, turn left to Armour Road and then turn right to resume the regular route. Westbound trips will follow the same routing in the reverse direction.

Route 9 Parkhill

Route 9 Parkhill trips will not be able to access Armour Road. Eastbound trips will travel east on Parkhill Road to Water Street to Nassau Mills Road, then turn right and head over the bridge to resume the regular route to the Gzowski loop bus stop.

Westbound trips will leave Trent at Gzowski following the normal route out to Armour Road and continue over the bridge at Nassau Mills Road to travel south on Water Street. Continuing south on George Street, trips will proceed through the Parkhill Road intersection and then turn left at Antrim Street to Water Street, turn left to Parkhill Road, and then turn left to resume service at the westbound bus stop on Parkhill Road before George Street.

Customers with questions about these changes can contact Peterborough Transit directly by phone at 705-745-0525 or by email at transitoperations@peterborough.ca.

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Changes for Peterborough Transit Routes Taking Effect in September

Peterborough Transit is making adjustments to some route schedules to reflect a return to more regular ridership and traffic conditions announced Friday.

Photo Courtesy of Peterborough Transit.

The changes will take effect starting Sept. 5.

Schedules and maps with the adjustments are posted at peterborough.ca/transit. Customers are encouraged to check timetables. The Google Maps trip planner is also available.

Most regular routes will operate on at least a 30-minute frequency on weekdays. Late-night service on routes 5 and 6 resume. A new route, Route 11 – Water, has been included to provide direct service between the downtown terminal and Trent University.

New Route: Route 11 – Water

This is a frequent weekday-only service with two variants, primarily operating on Water and George Streets. Both routes will serve all designated bus stops on route.

Route 11 will provide direct service between Trent University and the Peterborough Terminal.

Route 11A will provide direct service between Trent University and Traill College.

Route 2 – Chemong

This route has been changed and will no longer operate across the top of the city to Trent University. This route will focus on the shopping corridor and now terminate in the new Broadway Boulevard subdivision in the north end. Please refer to Route 6 for service on Hilliard St and Cumberland Avenue.

This service has been improved to operate at a 20-minute frequency from 12:15 p.m. to 6:15 p.m., seven days a week. It will continue to operate at a 30-minute frequency at other times of the day.

Route 4 – Weller

This route is adjusted in the west end to extend service to the Chandler Crescent area replacing the Trans-Cab connection. From Weller Street, the adjusted route will operate in a counter-clockwise direction using Fair Avenue, Ravenwood Drive, Parkhill Road, Brealey Drive, Glenforest Boulevard and Fair Avenue and back to Weller Street. These trips will no longer operate on Ireland Drive Some bus stop locations will change on Fair Avenue and Glenforest Boulevard to the other side of the road.

Route 5 – The Parkway

Route 5 The Parkway will resume 30-minute frequency on midday trips.

Late night Route 5A service resumes.

Route 6 – Sherbrooke

This route is adjusted in the north end, with trips operating on Hilliard Street and Cumberland Avenue to replace the Route 2 Chemong change. These trips will continue to serve Trent University. These trips will no longer operate on Marina Boulevard.

Late night route 6 and 6C service resumes.

Route 7 – Lansdowne

Southbound trips will operate approximately five minutes earlier to improve reliability at key transfer locations. Some early morning eastbound trips were also adjusted to operate five minutes earlier.

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Transportation Master Plan Consultation Remains Open Until August 20

A survey to receive public input on the new City-wide Transportation Master Plan to develop an integrated, connected, and sustainable transportation system for the City remains open until August 20 2021, at 11:59 p.m.

Photo courtesy of City of Peterborough

The consultation is part of the second phase of the Transportation Master Plan update process. The first phase took place in early 2021.

Comments and information collected through the consultation, along with data that is collected, input from the City, and recommendations from the consultants will help inform the project.

At the end of the Transportation Master Plan update process, a draft plan will be presented to City Council for its consideration and approval.

The survey is available from August 6 to August 20, through the project website at www.connectptbo.ca/moveptbo. Anyone unable to access the online survey can contact the City during office hours 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 705-742-7777 ext. 1749 or by email at moveptbo@peterborough.ca for assistance.

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High Frequency Rail Corridor is Coming Through Peterborough

Officials announced plans for a high-frequency rail corridor to lay tracks through Peterborough on Thursday morning.

Officials holding a sign from an old Peterborough train station. Back row: Peterborough Chamber of Commerce president Stu Harrison, Via Rail president Cynthia Garneau, Havelock-Belmont Methuen Township Mayor Jim Martin, Selwyn Township Mayor Andy Mitchell. Front row: Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, Peterborough-Kawartha MP and minister for women and gender equality and rural economic development Mayam Monsef, Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien. Photo By Angela O’Grady

The press conference was held at the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce building which was formerly a Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) station.

Plans state that the new passenger rail stretching from Toronto to Quebec City will not share tracks with freight trains in hopes to cut travel times.

Maryam Monsef, Peterborough-Kawartha MP and minister for women and gender equality and rural economic development highlighted the positive impact this new infrastructure would have on the community.

The high-frequency rail corridor will unlock economic potential, offer new jobs and allow community members to travel elsewhere for work if needed according to Monsef.

“We’re getting this done because in a post-pandemic Canada, we are all aware of how vital our connections are,” she said.

Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra says he hopes that shovels will hit the ground in the next three to four years and the rail will be functioning by 2030.

He noted that the environmental impact this rail may have is being considered in the planning process and about 90 percent of the new service will run on electricity.

“Equally, maybe even more importantly, this project is about nation building, about connecting our communities,” explained Alghabra.

When asked about the location of a station, Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien said an official decision has yet to be made.

“Right here seems like a great place though,” she said, standing outside the former CPR building.

Both Therrien and Monsef noted that First Nations communities are being consulted before construction begins.

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Update On Warsaw Road Swing Bridge Construction

Construction is underway and progressing well at Parks Canada’s project to replace the Warsaw Road Swing Bridge, on Parkhill Road East (between Armour Road and Television Road). Engineering inspections in recent years have indicated that this bridge is nearing the end of its useful life.

Construction work at the site includes an in-kind replacement of the bridge structure, which will bring the bridge up to a full highway load rating. The project also includes the replacement of mechanical and electrical operating systems. The Contractor has substantially completed all concrete work in the contract, including the rehabilitation of the centre pier that supports the bridge span, and re-facing of the concrete abutments and wing wall.

Preparations are underway for the start of the delivery of components for the superstructure. Parks Canada has also approved additional concrete work on the face of the abutment that is not expected to impact the overall schedule, but will improve the overall lifespan of the asset.

Vehicular use of the bridge is on-schedule to be reinstated in the spring of this year, with landscaping work to follow.  

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Uride To Launch Ridesharing Program In Peterborough On November 27th

Uride, Canada’s Fastest Growing Ridesharing Company, is set to launch in Peterborough on Friday, November 27th, just in time for the holiday season. Uride began operations in Thunder Bay in March 2017, and now operates in eight cities across Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan—with a focus being to help fill the transportation void that exists amongst smaller communities across Canada, and to stop people from impaired driving.

In honour of the launch in Peterborough, Uride will be offering users in Peterborough up to 50% off all rides by inputting promo code URIDEPTBO when making a booking. This promotion will expire after Sunday, December 13th. Anyone interested in booking a Uride can download the Uride app from the App Store or Google Play Store, or visit the Uride website here. 

“Peterborough deserves ridesharing, especially during the holiday’s when demand for private transportation is at its highest and wait times can be exceedingly long,” says Skye Volpi, Uride’s COO.

“Having access to safe and reliable private transportation is important for a lot of people, especially under the current circumstances with Covid-19 where people are concerned about using public transit services,” he adds. “We believe Uride can provide just that for Peterborough.”

Over the coming months, Uride will continue to work with city officials to consult on the implementation of ridesharing bylaw that promotes safety and competition amongst private transportation companies in Peterborough.

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