TOWN OF MILTON. Transit Master Plan MOVING MILTON FORWARD

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1 TOWN OF MILTON Transit Master Plan MOVING MILTON FORWARD Appendix B - Strategic Plan Working Paper February 2013

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3 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION Strategic Planning Process Existing Vision and Goals for Milton Transit SETTING THE STAGE Provincial Plans, Policies and Legislation Regional Plans and Strategies Town of Milton Policies and Strategies Canadian Urban Transit Association Transit Vision THE FUTURE OF MILTON Population and Employment Growth Demographics Development Patterns New Growth Areas MARKET ASSESSMENT Interregional Commuters Secondary School Student Market Education Village Hospital Market Seniors Market Newcomers Major Employers Market Retail Services and Entertainment Market LONG-TERM INTER-REGIONAL TRANSIT NETWORK Existing GO Transit Network Long-term Regional Transit Network Regional Paratransit Service UPDATED VISION AND GOALS FOR MILTON TRANSIT MILTON TRANSIT LONG-TERM PLAN (2023) Peer Comparisons Milton Transit Network and Services (10-Year Plan) Next Steps MONITORING PERFORMANCE TRANSIT SERVICE STANDARDS Assessment of Existing Standards Updated Service Standards Page Dillon Consulting Limited in association with Schmied Communications, Bill Cunningham Consulting and Dr. Brendon Hemily Page i

4 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper List of Figures Page Figure 1 Elements of Mobility Hub... 6 Figure Milton Population and Employment Densities Figure Town of Milton and the Province of Ontario Population Pyramids Figure 4 Town of Milton Planning Areas Figure 5 Existing GO Train-Bus and Route 27 Bus Route and Stops Figure 6 Alighting Destinations for GO Trains Users at the Milton GO Station (2011) Figure 7 - Region of Halton 2031 Transit Servicing Concept Figure 8 Milton Transit 2023 Strategic Service Plan List of Tables Page Table 1 - Region of Halton Transit Mode Share Target... 7 Table 2 Forecasted Population and Employment Growth Table TTS AM Peak Travel and Transit Demand from Milton Table TTS AM Peak Travel and Transit Demand to Milton Table 5 Review of Milton Transit Vision and Goals Table 6 Peer Review of Milton Transit Based on Different Population Size Table 7 Proposed Changes to Existing Milton Transit Service Standards Page ii Dillon Consulting Limited

5 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February INTRODUCTION 1.1 Strategic Planning Process This transit master plan titled Moving Milton Forward starts with the development of a strategic plan. A strategic plan provides a vision of the future that builds on the success achieved over the past five years and identifies the steps necessary to move toward that vision. For staff, it also provides a sense of purpose and direction, creating a proactive rather than reactive culture. An effective strategic plan communicates the direction of the organization to the community and complements other municipal goals related to land use planning, economic development, environmental sustainability and support for active transportation. The Strategic Plan for Moving Milton Forward Milton s 2012 Transit Master Plan starts with an overarching vision that identifies what and where the organization wants to be. This vision is meant to be forward thinking and inspiring. Goals are then developed to describe how to achieve the vision and performance measures are established to track progress. A framework for decision making results in all actions of the organization being traceable back to the vision and monitoring is in place to measure results. The previous strategic plan was completed as part of the 2008 Transit Master Plan and was reviewed to assess the appropriateness of the vision and goals relative to today s environment and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. The following working paper develops long-term strategies for Milton Transit that are aligned with broader provincial, regional and municipal objectives and respond to the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly growing community. Milton Transit services provided today will look much different than the transit services provided in the future. The purpose of this strategic plan is to provide guidance on where we are going and how we will get there. 1.2 Existing Vision and Goals for Milton Transit The following outlines the existing vision and goals for Milton Transit that were adopted by Council following the 2008 Milton Transit Study. In 2008, Milton Transit operated a small system focused on the GO Transit commuter and with a modest ridership base. The two largest issues the system faced were unreliable service (primarily due to vehicle maintenance issues) and poor financial performance. Milton was (and continues to be) the fastest growing municipality in Canada and there was a recognition that the transit system would need to significantly grow in the longer term. The focus of the transit master plan in 2008 was to right the ship, address the issues identified above and build a strong foundation for future ridership growth. In 2012, with Milton achieving the highest ridership growth rate in Canada over the past few years, with a reliable service and experienced contractor in place and with stronger support from Council and the community at large, the focus of this strategic plan is to move Milton Transit forward. Dillon Consulting Limited Page 1

6 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper The development of this Strategic Plan for Milton Transit involved a number of key activities: 1. An assessment of guiding policies, legislation and plans that are relevant to Milton Transit; 2. An understanding of residential and employment growth patterns in Milton for the next 10 and 20 years; 3. A detailed review of potential markets including the impact of Education Village; and 4. A review of Milton in 2023 within the context of local, regional and provincial plans. From this, a review and modification of the existing vision and goals was conducted followed by a longterm strategy. This is then followed by a review of existing service standards and performance measures to ensure they continue to be in line with the future strategic direction of Milton Transit. Page 2 Dillon Consulting Limited

7 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February SETTING THE STAGE Successful transit systems are designed to meet broader objectives related to quality of life, economic development and environmental preservation and a community that is engaged, balanced and connected. Before establishing a Strategic Plan for Milton Transit, it is important to understand the context in which it is positioned and how it can help achieve broader provincial, regional and municipal goals and objectives. Several reports, policy documents and new legislation that will impact Milton Transit were assessed. The following section provides a summary of these items, including potential implications for future transit service. 2.1 Provincial Plans, Policies and Legislation PROVINCIAL POLICY STATEMENT The Provincial Policy Statement was last updated in This document guides all planning related activities in Ontario and establishes the principles of good planning. Transit has a major role to play in achieving the policies contained within these statements. Some of the relevant provincial policies are outlined below as well as the role of transit in satisfying these policies: 1.1 Managing and directing land use to achieve efficient development and land use patterns public transit supports and is supported by compact and dense development; Transportation systems should be provided which are safe, energy efficient, facilitate the movement of people and goods, and are appropriate to address projected needs one well utilized transit bus can replace as many as 50 cars on the road; Connectivity within and among transportation systems and modes should be maintained and, where possible, improved including connections which cross jurisdictional boundaries service and fare integration between transit systems allows passengers to cross municipal boundaries seamlessly; and Transportation and land use considerations shall be integrated at all stages of the planning process transit supports land use planning goals of mixed use compact development. Mobility Hubs involving integrated transit systems and supportive land use are key to achieving intensification targets. These guiding planning statements from the province reflect the importance of creating communities that can support effective transit systems and pedestrian environments. Milton has operationalized these principles through its Transit Supportive Development Guidelines and a number of Official Plan policies. The long-term strategic plan for Milton Transit must recognize the land-use and transit connection in supporting effective growth. Dillon Consulting Limited Page 3

8 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper GROWTH PLAN FOR THE GREATER GOLDEN HORSESHOE The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe provides a provincial policy framework to direct and manage growth and to build stronger, prosperous communities. Places to Grow identifies population and employment growth projections for Milton as well as targets for intensification within Urban Growth Centres. Urban Growth Centres are a focal area for investment in institutional and region-wide public services, commercial, recreation, cultural and entertainment uses, major transit infrastructure, high density development and contain a significant share of population and employment growth. Milton s Urban Growth Centre is focused on downtown Milton along the Main Street corridor and includes part of Ontario Street and Thompson Road. The Town s Official Plan builds on Places to Grow by defining where and how growth is to be accommodated. The section of Main Street from Martin Street to Thompson Road is planned to intensify by approximately 30,000 residents and jobs by Source: Size and Location of Urban Growth Centres in the Greater Golden Horseshow, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, 2008) Milton s transit service is currently focused on the Urban Growth Centre, with all routes converging at the Milton GO Station which is designated as a Mobility Hub. As this area continues to intensify according to the policies of the Growth Plan, it will be important to concentrate and improve transit services. Continuing to focus transit services to serve the Urban Growth Centre needs to be a key component of the Strategic Plan THE ACCESSIBILITY FOR ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (AODA) The AODA legislation is concerned specifically with accommodating and providing mobility for persons with disabilities. The goal of the AODA is for a fully accessible Ontario by Standards will affect Page 4 Dillon Consulting Limited

9 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February 2013 goods, services, facilities, accommodations, buildings, structures, policies, employment practises and communications. Both the public and private sectors are required to comply. On January 1, 2011, the AODA Customer Service Standard became enforceable for public sector entities and the Integrated Standards became law on July 1, The Integrated Standards include General, Information and Communications, Employment and Transportation Standards. The only current Standard that is still in draft form is Built Environment. All of the Standards will affect Milton Transit to some degree, however, the Integrated Standard will have the greatest impact on the service. This Standard affects conventional transit, specialized transit and taxis, all of which are components of Milton Transit. Taking direction from both the letter and spirit of the legislation, improved accessibility will need to be a key component of the Strategic Plan. 2.2 Regional Plans and Strategies METROLINX REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN (RTP) THE BIG MOVE The Big Move (Metrolinx s Regional Transportation Plan) aims to achieve a transportation system for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) that is effective, integrated and multi-modal. The vision for the plan states that In 25 years, the GTHA will have an integrated transportation system that enhances our quality of life, our environment and our prosperity. Directly related to the provision of public transit, the plan envisions that public transit will compete effectively with the automobile by providing service that is fast, convenient, integrated, comfortable, safe, reliable and valued by its users. To guide progress towards this vision, a number of goals were developed. The Metrolinx goals directly related to Milton transit include: Transportation Choices: People will have a wide range of options available to them for getting around regardless of age, means or ability, including walking, cycling, public transit and automobiles. Comfort and Convenience: There will be a strong emphasis on the traveller. Foundation of an Attractive and Well-Planned Region: The transportation system will be a cornerstone of city building, helping to create a region that is a destination of choice for new residents and businesses. The transportation system will help us create valuable, beautiful and attractive places. Roads, streets, transit lines and stations will be designed to benefit both travellers and local residents. The transportation system itself will use less space, and help curb sprawl by supporting more compact and efficient urban forms. Transportation services, particularly transit, will not lag behind population and employment growth. Multi-Modal Integration: The transportation system will be fully integrated. It will be easy to make a decision on how to get somewhere or ship something thanks to seamless integration, accurate and timely information, and prices determined in a transparent manner. Dillon Consulting Limited Page 5

10 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper Efficiency and Effectiveness: The transportation system will be designed to optimize the use of resources and provide better value to households, businesses and governments. Greater emphasis will be placed on moving people and goods, rather than vehicles. Metrolinx also produced Mobility Hub Guidelines which is relevant to Milton Transit. It identifies the key elements of a successful mobility hub, including the provision of multi-modal transportation, defined as a range of higher-order transportation options with seamless transfers. Figure 1, extracted from the Mobility Hub Guidelines (2011), illustrates the key elements of a Mobility Hub. The RTP identifies the Milton GO Station as an Entry Mobility Hub (large volume of inbound AM trips) and this location must continue to be a focus for future Milton Transit services. Figure 1 Elements of Mobility Hub The Town of Milton has identified the Hub and surrounding area as the primary site for intensification, including residential, commercial and employment uses. The completion of the Main Street grade separation in the Fall of 2015 will act as a development catalyst. The creation of the Mobility Hub at this location will provide numerous benefits. It will increase the attractiveness of Milton s downtown as the high-demand business and commercial centre, thereby accelerating the redevelopment of the surrounding area. It will also enhance the financial viability (as outlined in Figure 1 above) of the Arts and Cultural Centre at the south east corner of Main Street and Thompson Road as the area will become an activity node with increased densities surrounding a multimodal transportation station. Redevelopment opportunities around the Milton GO Station will also be encouraged. The area of interest is along Main Street from Thompson to Ontario and also the area south of the rail corridor. Page 6 Dillon Consulting Limited

11 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February HALTON REGION TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN (2031) THE ROAD TO CHANGE The Halton Region Transportation Master Plan (2031) The Road to Change defines a sustainable, integrated transportation system that considers all modes of travel (automobiles, transit, cycling, walking) and supports the policies and objectives arising out of the Halton Region Official Plan Review to the year 2031 (ROPA 38). The vision for this plan is: The Road to Change must accommodate various travel choices and support a sustainable and multi-modal network. It must encourage people to change their travel characteristics, maximise the use of transit and other alternatives to the single occupant vehicle, and be aware of the consequences if they do not change. On the basis of this vision, the following five Guiding Principles were established: Balanced Needs provide choice for the travel needs of residents; Healthy Communities support a healthy, active lifestyle; Economic Vitality transportation will be a major contributor to the Region s prosperity; Sustainability balance economic, social and environmental goals; and Well-Maintained Infrastructure keep the Region s infrastructure in a good state of repair. All of these goals are directly related to the provision of transit service. The Region has identified aggressive transit mode share targets to be reached over the next 20 years (Table 1). Internal trips are defined as trips that have both the origin and destination in Halton Region while external trips have either the origin or destination outside of Halton Region. Total Trips have at least one trip end in Halton Region. Horizon Year Table 1 - Region of Halton Transit Mode Share Target Transit Mode Share Target Internal Trips External Trips Total % 7% 5% % 20% 10% % 30% 15% % 30% 20% Source: Region of Halton 2011 Transportation Master Plan The mode share targets identified in this plan are very challenging for transit and should be reflected in Milton Transit s Strategic Plan. For Milton, the Transportation Master Plan identifies an internal 2031 transit mode share target is approximately 12 percent, recognizing its rapid population and employment. Since Milton Transit is currently achieving less than 1 percent of the mode share, it will need to transform itself and be a key travel option that will attract ridership, moderate or defer road expansion requirements and help manage congestion. By 2031, the Transportation Master Plan estimates that total peak period person trips within Milton will be at 103,900. Based on the target to Dillon Consulting Limited Page 7

12 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper accommodate 12 percent of these trips on transit, this translates into approximately 12,500 daily AM peak period transit trips (compared to approximately 300 daily AM peak period trips in 2011). While this target also includes inter-municipal transit trips within Halton, it represents a significant increase in ridership and service that will completely transform Milton Transit over the next 20 years. Success will require a significant investment in transit, not only to expand to growing areas but also to improve service levels and attract a higher market share. The result of not doing so will mean greater congestion and a poorer quality of life for residents and employees in the community. 2.3 Town of Milton Policies and Strategies DESTINY MILTON 2 In 2006, a new Strategic Plan, Destiny Milton 2 (DM2), was created in order to establish a basis for making service delivery decisions in a context that represents the community vision of the Town over a ten year period. The intent of DM2 is to establish, at a relatively high level, the over-arching Vision, Goals and Directions the Town will consider in making decisions that are within its sphere of influence. The Town s vision is, Milton: engaging, balanced, connected. On the basis of this vision the following five goals were established: A responsible, cost effective and accountable local government; Well managed growth, well planned spaces; A safe, livable, and healthy community; A diverse and sustainable economy; and A thriving natural environment Based on these five major goals, a number of directions were outlined with policy initiatives that will aid the Town in achieving these goals. Initiatives that are directly related to the transit service include: Encourage the use of and access to public transit throughout the urban area and in a manner that provides access to rural residents; Encourage the enhancement of GO services (train and bus) to Milton; Encourage the development of higher density uses on transit corridors to facilitate the use of transit; Encourage effective traffic management and the streamlined movement of traffic; and Encourage the establishment of an integrated transportation system that safely and efficiently accommodates all modes of transportation. The important role of public transit is a key message in Destiny Milton 2. As such, Milton Transit s strategic plan must set policies and actions that will help achieve the Town s overall vision, goals and directions. Page 8 Dillon Consulting Limited

13 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February TOWN OF MILTON OFFICIAL PLAN (OPA 31) (2010) The Town of Milton s Official Plan (1997) is intended to guide development for the next twenty year period. Most recently, Council adopted an amendment (OPA 31) to the Official Plan to bring it into conformity with the Province s Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe as well as Halton Region s Sustainable Halton Plan. Regarding transit service, the Town wants to encourage development that supports public transit while balancing the needs of automobile users with those of cyclists and pedestrians. The relevant public transit policies in this plan are: Public transit service should be introduced in new development areas whenever economically feasible; Transit service should be provided within a walking distance of approximately 400m and at reasonable cost, to all sectors of the public, including persons with physical disabilities; The Town shall complete a Transit Opportunities Study that examines the provision of transit service for the Urban Area, including the introduction of measures to minimize bus travel times and optimize passenger convenience, such as the provision of weather protection for transit users; The Town shall support the expansion of existing GO Rail service to and from Milton and will provide a feeder bus service to the GO Transit station to facilitate integration between the systems; The Town shall recognize the Milton GO Station as a Major Transit Station and the surrounding area as a Major Transit Station Area to which employment intensification including major office and appropriate major institutional uses are to be directed; The Town shall include the provision of a public transit system which targets a high level of public transit usage in the Urban Area of approximately 20 percent of all trips by ; and The Town shall increase accessibility to major areas of employment, shopping and recreation, with an emphasis on accessibility by public transit. The Official Plan policies are supportive of a more effective local and regional transit network and recognize its link to overall quality of life. Intensification corridors are also planned, particularly along Main Street, Bronte Street, Ontario Street and Steeles Avenue. This provides an opportunity to increase the level of service in the short-to medium term. 1 Note: Based on the existing level of service provided and corresponding ridership, this target is not achievable without a significant degree of investment and change is travel behaviour. It is recommended that any update to the Official Plan modify the mode share target based on an update to the Transportation Master Plan. Dillon Consulting Limited Page 9

14 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper It should be noted that the 20 percent transit mode share target identified in the Town s Official Plan is much higher than what the Region has adopted and is not feasible to be achieved by This target should be reviewed in cooperation with the Engineering Services Department and Milton Transit in any update to the Town s Transportation Master Plan or Official Plan INTENSIFICATION AND INFILL STUDY The Town s Intensification/Infill Study establishes a detailed planning framework for the Town's provincially designated Urban Growth Centre (UGC) and its designated Built Boundary. The Province of Ontario's Places to Grow Plan requires that intensification take place within these designated areas in order to promote sustainable development patterns and complete communities. The study outlines how the Town can best plan to accommodate the required intensification in a way that is sensitive to the existing community. The plan recommends that the development of a range of uses be encouraged within the UGC to support the area as a place to live, work and play. For instance, the Milton GO Station area should be fully integrated into the surrounding neighbourhoods by providing quick and easy access for pedestrians, cyclists and local transit users. Intensification is also encouraged at major transportation nodes and along specific corridors. The intensification of these nodes and corridors will be key to moving towards the Region s and Town s mode share targets. Directing growth to these areas will also encourage a pedestrian, cycling and transit-first community, where dependence on the private automobile is minimized. The transit strategic plan must recognize these intensified nodes and corridors as potential areas for improved level of service TRAILS MASTER PLAN The Town of Milton is well known for its recreational and leisure attributes, including the existing network for bicycle and leisure trails. A major attractor in the Town is Kelso Conservation Area. The park offers a wide range of outdoor activities for all ages. As Milton s population expands, the need to establish new walking and biking trails will increase. The Trails Master Plan Update suggests that trails should be developed in coordination with transit routes and stops. By integrating bus stops and bike lanes, Milton residents will be better able to take advantage of alternative modes of transportation. The recent implementation of bike racks on Milton Transit buses has improved the integration of these two modes. In 2013 the Town will be initiating the Cycling and Trails Master Plan Update which will have an increased focus on cycling. Milton Transit will have to work closely with the project team on this study to ensure that trails and cycling routes recommended consider connections to transit TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT POLICY Milton s Transit Oriented Development Policy defines transit-oriented development (TOD) as, a development pattern characterized by the concentration of jobs, moderate and high-density housing, retail uses and services, and complementary public uses in mixed-use developments at strategic points within an area transit system. The location, design, configuration and mix of uses in a TOD provide an alternative to current suburban development trends by emphasizing a pedestrian-oriented environment and reinforcing the use of transit. The Town has shown leadership in the early adoption of such a policy. Page 10 Dillon Consulting Limited

15 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February 2013 Transit Oriented Development is being explored as an option in Milton for three major reasons: 1. Maximize transit ridership; 2. Maximize the return on investment and infrastructure; and 3. Help to achieve the goals of the community, as outlined in the Official Plan. Much of the Boyne Survey Area and Derry Green Business Park was planned and designed using the Transit Supportive Development Guidelines. There is also the opportunity to use these guidelines to plan for intensification around the existing Milton GO Station, any new GO stations and at Milton Education Village. 2.4 Canadian Urban Transit Association Transit Vision 2040 Over the past few years, many municipalities are supporting a national long-term vision for transit that was developed by the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA). Transit Vision 2040 identifies a strategic direction and actions that can maximize transit s contribution to our quality of life, particularly with the changing nature of our society over the next 28 years. Based on anticipated changes in population, lifestyle and environmental conditions, Vision 2040 identifies the contribution transit could make to support the development of strong, liveable and environmentally responsible communities. It is recommended that this vision be incorporated in Milton s own long-term plan and supported and endorsed by Council. Transit Vision 2040 is based on six themes for transit: 1. Theme 1: Putting Transit at the Centre of Communities This strategic direction looks to create a transit-supportive social and political culture in our communities. There must be an overarching recognition of the need for an enhanced context, role and resources for the transit industry if Canada is to both foster and meet rising demands for service. Four strategic directions arise out of this theme: Develop a national transit policy framework Strengthen transit s position as an investment in quality of life Fully integrate transit with community planning Fully integrate transit with community design 2. Theme 2: Revolutionizing Service The continued growth of Canada s urban centres will require a substantial improvement in the availability, frequency, reliability and speed of transit services. There will be increasing demand for transit in growing communities like Milton where automobile travel will become less attractive due to rising congestion and increasing costs of driving. Six strategic directions arise out of this theme: Expand regional rapid transit networks Dillon Consulting Limited Page 11

16 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper Emphasize transit priority solutions Enable a quantum leap in suburban transit Support the revitalization of urban cores Build service in smaller communities Ensure seamless coordination of operations and governance at all levels. 3. Theme 3: Focusing on Customers Travellers have become more diverse by nature and more discriminating in their choices. To be effective, transit must replicate the strong customer orientation exhibited by many other product and service providers. It must be more flexible and responsive and work with existing and potential customers to build supportive attitudes. Six strategic directions arise out of this theme: Accelerate a new customer orientation Focus on serving customers with mobility challenges Take a broad approach to mobility and expand choice Customize fares Enhance safety and security Provide information when, where and how customers want it 4. Theme 4: Greening Transit From the present through 2040, transit will continue to be emphasized as an environmental solution. Transit providers will also face increased public expectations to green their own operations, including the use of energy-efficient vehicles, fuels, suppliers and practices. Today, high capital costs challenge transit providers who seek alternatives to conventional propulsion technologies. Removing these barriers would offer real benefits to transit systems, their customers and communities. Three strategic directions arise out of this theme: Develop a greening strategy for the transit industry Develop an energy strategy for the transit industry Implement local greening and energy initiatives 5. Theme 5: Ensuring Financial Health The ability of municipalities to pay for much-needed infrastructure is in decline and operating cost pressures have grown considerably. To fund increasing needs and rising customer expectations requires a sustainable funding solution. Five strategic directions arise out of this theme: Establish suitable mechanisms for capital investment from senior governments Establish suitable performance-based mechanisms for operating funding from senior governments Maximize municipal government support for transit operating costs Use transportation pricing and alternative funding options more effectively Seek efficiency gains Page 12 Dillon Consulting Limited

17 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February Theme 6: Strengthening Knowledge and Practice Collective research and development, information sharing and training will play an important part in achieving this Vision. The industry will need to continually improve its internal capacity in areas that include technology, customer service, development, and funding and delivery models. Three strategic directions arise out of this theme: Develop human resource strategies for a more diverse and competitive workforce. Develop transit resources for smaller communities. Identify and disseminate current knowledge and practice within the transit industry and among its stakeholders. Recommendations The following present a summary of recommendations from the review of policy s and plans. 1. That the Town continue to focus on intensification opportunities within the Urban Growth Centre, particularly the designated Mobility Hub at the Milton GO Station, along Main Street and Bronte Road and at the future Education Village. 2. That Milton Transit continue to work with the Planning Department to promote transit supportive development using the Transit Supportive Development Policy (2006) approved by Council as a guide. 3. That the Town work towards achieving the transit mode share target identified in the Halton Transportation Master Plan and also critically review its own target identified in the Official Plan with the development of the Town s own Transportation Master Plan. 4. That Milton Transit work closely with the project team on the Trails Master Plan Study Update to ensure that trails and cycling routes recommended consider connections to transit. 5. That the Town of Milton confirm its support for a national long-term vision for transit in CUTA s Transit Vision 2040 document. The strategies identified in this vision should be incorporated in Milton s own long-term plan and supported and endorsed by Council. Dillon Consulting Limited Page 13

18 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper Page 14 Dillon Consulting Limited

19 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February THE FUTURE OF MILTON The rate and type of growth in Milton will have a significant impact on the future of Milton Transit. This section of the Strategic Plan outlines the rate of growth and type of growth that is anticipated over the next ten years. Both are important when developing a long-term strategic plan. The rate of growth influences how much transit service will be required to serve the travel demands of residents and employees. The type of growth, including the key markets, influences the service delivery mechanisms that should be in place (i.e. services geared towards seniors, commuters, students, employees, shoppers, etc.). 3.1 Population and Employment Growth By 2031, the Town of Milton will grow to a population of 228,084 with employment of 114,330 and become the second largest municipality in Halton Region. Population growth in Milton is occurring at an accelerated rate, exceeding the Best Planning Estimates provided by the Region of Halton. The 2011 population of Milton was 84,362, which is forecasted to increase to 124,645 in 2016; an increase of 48 percent. By 2021, Milton is expected to have a population of 161,750. Employment will also grow at a rapid pace, expected to reach 62,553 by 2016 and 81,106 by The projected population and employment growth for the Town of Milton is shown in Table 2 and Figure 2 illustrates the densities by traffic zone area. It should be noted that detailed population and employment estimates shown in Figure 2 for Derry Green Business Park were not available at the time of these estimates were produced and it is not adequately represented in the figure. Table 2 Forecasted Population and Employment Growth Year Population Employment ,362 44, ,645 62, ,750 81, ,735 96, , ,330 Source: Halton Best Planning Estimates These projections suggest that to accommodate the needs of transit users in Milton and achieve the current mode share by 2031, Milton s transit service will need to grow to a similar size as current systems in Burlington or Oakville. If the Region s mode share targets are to be achieved, the amount of transit service required in Milton will be even higher. Dillon Consulting Limited Page 15

20 %Ð CAMPBELLVILLE ROAD NO 5 SIDE ROAD TOWN OF MILTON MILTON TRANSIT MASTER PLAN ^ no!h!h JAMES SNOW PARKWAY POPULATION/EMPLOYMENT DENSITY FIGURE # 2 MCNIVEN ROAD TWISS ROAD GUELPH LINE WALKERS LINE APPLEBY LINE STEELES AVENUE BRONTE STREET I2 LOUIS ST LAURENT AVENUE BRITANNIA ROAD MAIN STREET JAMES SNOW PARKWAY %Ð DERRY ROAD 0 ^ High School Velodrome Highway Road GO Rail Education Village Combined Population & Employment per Hectare !H!H Derry Green Corporate Business Park Target Distribution Facility Target to Replace Zellers v Hospital I2 GO Station BELL SCHOOL LINE TREMAINE ROAD FIRST LINE REGIONAL ROAD 25 FOURTH LINE FIFTH LINE SIXTH LINE TRAFALGAR ROAD EIGHTH LINE Kilometers SCALE 1:70,000 ² MAP DRAWING INFORMATION: DATA PROVIDED BY TOWN OF MILTON MAP CREATED BY: JJA MAP CHECKED BY: DK MAP PROJECTION: NAD 1983 UTM Zone 17N 0 FILE LOCATION: I:\GIS\ Milton TMP\Mapping\ Population/Employment Density MXD PROJECT: STATUS: FINAL DATE: 03/08/13

21 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February Demographics Unlike most Canadian communities, the median age of Milton residents is not increasing despite the aging of the resident population, as a younger population moves into the Town. This is illustrated in Figure 3. The median age of Milton residents has remained at 34 from 2006 to 2011 creating a young, diverse and educated workforce. Milton s young working-age population (people aged 24 to 44) accounts for almost 36 percent of the Town s population and its 0 to 14 age group represents 25 percent. The population aged 15 to 19 represents 5.5 percent of the Town s population and the student population is expected to continue to grow as more young families move into Milton. The Town has committed itself to investing in youth through recreational facilities, fitness centres and sports venues. It will be important for transit to focus on this key demographic and adapt services to all the changes that are occurring. Figure Town of Milton and the Province of Ontario Population Pyramids Source: Town of Milton Older Adult Strategy Although the median age of the population is quite low, as the population increases so too will the number of seniors. The Best Planning Estimates state that, communities that experience low to moderate growth rates tend to see an increase in the age percentage for the sixty-five plus age group - the senior population. Between 2006 and 2011, Milton saw a small increase in the proportion of seniors. The number of seniors in Milton is still growing and consideration must be given to how best to accommodate this group on public transit. In 2011, senior s represented 8 percent of Milton s population compared to 13 percent in Halton Region as a whole. While no demographic projections are provided for Milton, demographic projections for Halton Region show a 3 percent growth in the percent of seniors by 2023 (representing 16 percent of the population). A similar growth rate should be anticipated in Milton (representing 11 percent of the population). Dillon Consulting Limited Page 17

22 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper Taking into consideration the number of new housing developments expected over the next ten to fifteen years that will attract young families, it is expected that Milton will continue to have a young population in comparison to other communities in the province. This age distribution will serve as a guide to develop transit routes for secondary school students that are not eligible for the Yellow School Bus service and to accommodate their after school activities, and for residents that are home to work commuters. 3.3 Development Patterns The development of residential units is increasing at a rate higher than the rate of population growth. This is evidenced by the rapid urban expansion taking place in the northwest, southeast and southwest areas of the Town. It is important for Milton to ensure that adequate transit service is in place prior to the completion of these developments. If transit service is introduced after these developments are completed, new residents may have already made a decision regarding vehicle needs, leading to an increase in the number of car drivers in the Town and a loss of potential transit ridership. Efficiency of transit service delivery must be weighed against the benefits of early implementation and in some cases the initial use of Trans-Cab may provide an effective transition to fixed route service. Some of the population growth will occur through intensification within the existing built area of the Town and this type of growth is very supportive of improved transit system efficiency as intensification creates a higher density of potential riders adjacent to existing transit routes. In greenfield development areas, it is also essential to have transit supportive land uses and higher densities along proposed transit routes and the Town has shown leadership in having guidelines in place to encourage this type of development (Transit Oriented Development). The Town s employment base is also forecast to increase steadily, largely due to the supply of designated employment lands within the Town along the Highway 401 corridor and the adoption of the secondary plan for the Derry Green Corporate Business Park. Continuing population growth also results in a steady increase in population-related employment (i.e. retail/non-retail commercial and institutional employment). Although there is a substantial growth in the number of employers in Milton, the rapid growth in residential population is outpacing the job creation rate. This suggests that more inter-regional travel may occur between Milton and neighbouring regions, as residents live in Milton but work in other GTHA municipalities. Economic Development staff indicates that in general established employers in Milton typically attract 30 percent of their work force from Town residents and new employers typically start at 20 percent local residents. Many jobs in Milton require workers from surrounding communities (Cambridge, Brampton, Mississauga, etc.) and to provide a transit option for these commuters also requires a better inbound interregional transit service and a stronger linkage between interregional and local transit. Page 18 Dillon Consulting Limited

23 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February 2013 Considering the implications for Milton of the rapid growth in both residential and employment uses and the associated transportation demands, the strategic plan for Milton Transit must recognize and proactively respond to this growth as well as better servicing the needs of established residents. Many major employers in Milton are situated in the Highway 401 Industrial Business Park, located north of Steeles Avenue between Tremaine Road and James Snow Parkway. The transit service to this area is limited due to the difficulty in efficiently servicing this low density auto-oriented environment and the higher number of workers that do not live in Milton. Consideration will be required to determine how best to service the travel demands of a growing workforce in this area as the extension of the fixed route service may not be the best allocation of municipal investment dollars. Availability of public transit service is increasingly important for labour force mobility and as a criterion for location decisions by employers. Many employers are attracted to facilities with LEEDS certification (requiring transit access) or have a corporate mandate to support transit access. 3.4 New Growth Areas Since the approval of the 1997 Official Plan, a number of secondary plans have been approved and adopted as amendments to the Official Plan. These are illustrated in Figure 4 and include: OPA #3 Bristol Survey Secondary Plan (Residential) OPA #15 Sherwood Survey Secondary Plan (Residential) OPA #30 - Boyne Survey Secondary Plan (Residential) OPA #4 Central Business District Secondary Plan OPA #7 401 Industrial / Business Park Secondary Plan OPA #29 - Derry Green Corporate Business Park II The majority of these growth areas have already been built out, and over the next few years most new residential growth will occur in the south end of the municipality and along Tremaine Road. Since the Highway 401 Business area is nearly complete, the majority of employment growth will occur in the Derry Green Corporate Business Park. The following sections describe the population and employment growth projected over the next 5 to 10 years in each of the secondary planning areas. This analysis provided input into the development of a long-term transit strategy and the phasing of that strategy OPA #3 BRISTOL SURVEY SECONDARY PLAN The Bristol Survey Area is nearly fully built out. New growth will mainly occur around Laurier Avenue east of Costigan Road when the street is extended east to eventually connect to Croft Avenue. The other area that is still growing is the greenfield lands east of Regional Road 25 and south of Derry Road. Both areas should be fully built out in the next few years. New development and intensification continues to occur on Main Street east of Thompson Road. Dillon Consulting Limited Page 19

24 %Ð NO 5 SIDE ROAD KELSO ROAD REGIONAL ROAD 25 BOSTON CHURCH ROAD ESQUESING LINE TOWN OF MILTON MILTON TRANSIT MASTER PLAN PERU ROAD Hwy 401 Industrial Park JAMES SNOW PARKWAY LAWSON ROAD TOWN OF MILTON PLANNING AREAS FIGURE # 4 STEELES AVENUE I2 GO Station Highway Road APPLEBY LINE %Ð GO Rail Existing Urban Area Bristol Survey Sherwood Survey NO 14 SIDE ROAD Boyne Survey Hwy 401 Industrial Park Existing Urban Area I2 Derry Green Corporate Business Park Education Village TREMAINE ROAD Bristol Survey Derry Green Business Park DERRY ROAD BELL SCHOOL LINE Education Village Sherwood Survey BRONTE STREET BRITANNIA ROAD REGIONAL ROAD 25 ONTARIO STREET LOUIS ST LAURENT AVENUE Boyne Survey THOMPSON ROAD FOURTH LINE JAMES SNOW PARKWAY FIFTH LINE BRITANNIA ROAD SIXTH LINE Kilometers MAP DRAWING INFORMATION: DATA PROVIDED BY TOWN OF MILTON MAP CREATED BY: JJA MAP CHECKED BY: DK MAP PROJECTION: NAD 1983 UTM Zone 17N FILE LOCATION: I:\GIS\ Milton TMP\Mapping\ Milton - Planning Areas.MXD SCALE 1:36,000 PROJECT: STATUS: FINAL DATE: 08/07/12 ²

25 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February OPA #15 SHERWOOD SURVEY SECONDARY PLAN The Sherwood Survey area is in the second big phase of development in Milton. A large portion of this area is built out and much more development is expected to occur within the next 5 years. Residential growth continues to occur west of Bronte Street, primarily along Savoline Boulevard and south of Derry Road between the rail corridor and Regional Road 25. New Milton Transit routes are required to service these growing residential areas and two new routes were implemented in September OPA # 30 - BOYNE SURVEY SECONDARY PLAN The Boyne Survey Secondary Plan is the third planned area of residential growth within the Town of Milton. It is being implemented as part of the Halton Urban Structure Plan to accommodate growth to the year This Secondary Plan Area is planned to accommodate an additional 50,000 residents when fully developed. The area is located south of the Bristol Survey and Sherwood Survey Secondary Plan Areas. It is approximately 930 hectares in size and is bounded by Louis St. Laurent Avenue to the north, James Snow Parkway to the east, Britannia Road to the south and Tremaine Road to the west. Development will begin in the west end of the secondary plan area, expected to break ground between 2013 and Development will begin near Bronte Street and move east. One of the challenges with this area is that Sixteen Mile Creek crossings will likely be limited, which will limit east-west transit routing options. It should be noted that development is proceeding slower than planned in this area due to various issues, which may require an adjustment in the pace of overall population growth in Milton OPA #7-401 INDUSTRIAL / BUSINESS PARK SECONDARY PLAN The 401 Industrial Business Park (Phase 1 Employment Lands) is bounded by Highway 401 to the south, James Snow Parkway to the east, a future extension of James Snow Parkway and No. 5 Side Road to the north, and Tremaine Road to the west. The area is largely developed with low density office/industrial and warehousing and a small area of large format retail. The extension of James Snow Parkway in 2013 west to Highway 25 will open up significant employment lands in the central area north of Highway 401. The current workforce is largely from Mississauga and Brampton, and to lesser extent Cambridge and Hamilton. Rural areas around these industrial parks also contribute to the labour force. Any reliance on a labour force resident in Milton is difficult given the relative lack of an industrial based labour pool. This development pattern is very difficult to serve with fixed route transit and a custom-designed service may be more successful. It will be critical for the Town of Milton to work with employers in this area to design customized transit services that will meet their needs OPA # 29 - DERRY GREEN CORPORATE BUSINESS PARK (PHASE II EMPLOYMENT LANDS) The Derry Green Corporate Business Park is the second of two planned employment areas being implemented as part of the Halton Urban Structure Plan (HUSP). Once complete, this 800 hectare Business Park will accommodate the majority of Milton s employment land growth to the year The Phase II Business Park is located east of the Bristol Survey residential area and is bounded by Highway 401 to the north, Sixth Line to the east, James Snow Parkway to the west and Britannia Road to the south. Development in this area has an anticipated 20 to 25 year build-out. Dillon Consulting Limited Page 21

26 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper The development pattern in Derry Green is expected to be more supportive of transit than the Highway 401 Industrial Park. This may better enable the extension of Milton Transit service into this major employment area. Page 22 Dillon Consulting Limited

27 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February MARKET ASSESSMENT The Transit Strategic Plan for Milton is a long-term strategy responding to existing and growing markets. Several key Milton Transit markets were identified in this study and include the interregional commuters, secondary school students, Education Village, hospital market, seniors, newcomers, retail shoppers and major local employers. 4.1 Interregional Commuters In 2006, there were 26,783 2 trips being made to/from Milton during the AM peak (between 6:00am and 9:00am) according to the 2006 Transportation Tomorrow Survey. Total AM peak period trips made within Milton is less than half the amount made between Milton and surrounding municipalities. This statistic is a testament to the interregional commuter market that exists in Milton. The breakdown of these local and interregional trips by travel mode, trip purpose and location is provided in Table 3 and Table 4. It should be noted that transit travel is likely somewhat under-represented in the TTS survey due to the sample size and there was significantly lower local transit ridership in 2006 than occurs today. Nevertheless the TTS travel behaviour illustrates the challenge facing public transit. Based on this 2006 TTS data, the following observations can be made: The majority of people travelling from Milton to another municipality (all modes) during the AM peak period are destined for the City of Mississauga (21 percent). While a number of people are travelling from Milton to Mississauga, only 0.6 percent of the total AM peak trips are on transit. Therefore, regional transit does not accommodate travel demand from Milton to Mississauga in the AM peak period very well. Other significant travel markets include Oakville, Toronto and Brampton. Thirty percent of all trips to downtown Toronto are via GO Transit and 9 percent of trips to other Toronto destinations are on transit. However there are virtually zero transit trips to Oakville, Burlington or Brampton. There are limited inbound transit trips from surrounding municipalities to Milton during the AM peak period (only Mississauga to Milton at 2.3 percent of trips registers any transit usage in the TTS survey). This is likely a lack of convenient transit services for inbound commuters, the long travel times by bus if a connection to Milton Transit is required and a lack of walkable destinations in Milton once a commuter gets off a GO Bus. There are more trips being made from Milton (56%) than to Milton (44%) during the AM peak period. This means that more Milton residents go to work outside of Milton than residents from other municipalities come to work in Milton. With the growth of employment at Derry Green and Education Village, this should change. For markets where there is some transit usage (Toronto, local trips, Mississauga) transit accommodates the home-based-work demand better than the home-based discretionary and nonhome based demand. This is likely due to limited schedules and services outside of the peak periods. 2 Trips = Total Trips Trips being made within the Town of Milton Dillon Consulting Limited Page 23

28 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper Table TTS AM Peak Travel and Transit Demand from Milton Origin Municipality Home Based Work Home Based School Home Based Discretionary Non-Home Based Total Transit Transit All Modes Transit All Modes Transit All Modes Transit All Modes Transit All Modes Mode Share Toronto (Downtown) % Toronto (Other) % York Region % Brampton , % Mississauga 37 1, , % Halton Hills , % Milton 33 3, , , , , % Oakville % Burlington , % Flamborough % Hamilton % Region of Waterloo/Guelph 0 1, , % Other % Total 70 12, , , , , % Table TTS AM Peak Travel and Transit Demand to Milton Destination Municipality Home Based Work Home Based School Home Based Discretionary Non-Home Based Total Transit Transit All Modes Transit All Modes Transit All Modes Transit All Modes Transit All Modes Mode Share Toronto (Downtown) , % Toronto (Other) 119 1, , % York Region % Brampton 0 1, , % Mississauga 36 4, , % Halton Hills % Milton 33 3, , , , , % Oakville 0 1, , % Burlington % Flamborough % Hamilton % Region of Waterloo/Guelph % Other % Total , , , , , % Page 24 Dillon Consulting Limited

29 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February 2013 The above trip tables are for peak period travel on a typical weekday. Therefore, it is heavily dominated by the home-based-work trip. It is also important to highlight travel markets that are not necessarily concentrated around the weekday peak periods that future transit service expansion plans should consider: University and College Students There are currently no major post-secondary institutions in Milton and students from Milton will travel to surrounding municipalities to attend classes. Students travelling to downtown Toronto (University of Toronto, Ryerson University, George Brown College, etc.) will likely take advantage of the convenient peak period/peak direction GO Train and Bus services. This travel market is evident in the tables above. There are also Milton students travelling to other parts of Toronto to attend York University, Humber College and a variety of other post-secondary institutions as well as Oakville (Sheridan College), Brampton (Sheridan College), Mississauga (University of Toronto - Erindale), Hamilton (McMaster University and Mohawk College), Guelph (University of Guelph), and Kitchener-Waterloo (Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Waterloo, Conestoga College) during the peak and offpeak times using cars. Industrial Employees It is evident that during the peak periods, home-based-work trips dominate. Most of these trips are from Milton to surrounding municipalities. There are also a number of trips that originate in surrounding municipalities that are destined to key employment areas in Milton, particularly around the Highway 401 corridor. These types of establishments rely heavily on an external workforce and often involve shift work during nontraditional hours. This may increase the potential off-peak demand to Milton for transit trips. 4.2 Secondary School Student Market The Town of Milton has three major high schools: Milton District High School, E.C. Drury High School and Bishop Reding Catholic School. Milton District High School is located in the southwest of town at 396 Williams Avenue and has 1,172 students. Currently, it is not directly serviced by any transit route. Route 2 provides the closest service, stopping along Commercial Street near Laurier Street. Many of Milton District High s students are from Campbellville and other rural areas and require long-distance transportation to get to and from the school. E.C. Drury High School is located slightly northeast of Milton District High on Ontario Street and has 925 students. E.C. Drury is currently serviced by Route 5. It has a number of special needs students, many of whom live in Georgetown and Acton. Depending on their level of need they are either integrated into the regular school bus service (yellow bus) or ride on an accessible bus. The opening of a new school, the Craig Kielburger Secondary School located at 1151 Ferguson Drive (on the southwest corner of Forth Line and Louis St Laurent Avenue) is anticipated for September The new school, which will replace the E.C. Drury High School, will help address growth occurring in south Dillon Consulting Limited Page 25

30 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper Milton. The school will accommodate approximately 1,200 students. This location is currently serviced by Route 3 and Route 4. Bishop Reding Catholic School is located at 1120 Main Street East and has a student population of approximately 1,200. It is close to the transit terminal, is serviced by Route 2 and is the only Catholic high school in the Town. Another Catholic School high school is also planned to open in September 2013, located south of Louis St. Laurent Avenue at Bronte Street. The planned student population is currently unavailable for this school. Students that live outside of the 4 to 4.5 kilometre distance of their school are provided yellow bus transportation to and from school. Thus, there is a local transit market to address students not meeting this criteria and who are walking or relying on parents to be dropped off. All existing schools are serviced by Milton Transit school specials that specifically address the travel patterns of high school students. They each provide one run connecting the schools with the surrounding neighbourhoods and are timed to meet school bells times. These school specials accommodate the overflow of students during a peak hour of service. There is also the potential for Milton Transit to better address the travel needs of students for extracurricular and after school activities such as employment, volunteer and community service activities, library and recreation with improved service and potentially later evening service. From a discussion with riders and drivers it is clear that many students are being dropped off by transit then rely on other means for their return trip. Approximately 12 percent of Milton s current population is between 10 and 19 years of age. As the population continues to grow so too will this market. This emerging generation of teens and young adults are beginning to make decisions about where they will live and how they will make their travel choices. This new generation has a reliance on technology and expectations of constant innovation. Teenagers and their families are making many travel choices and decisions on household auto ownership that will have long term impacts on transit in terms of ridership trends and the future service decisions. It is important that the Town of Milton provide special transit services to address home-toschool trips, but also adequate transit service levels for trips after school and on weekends to part-time jobs or leisure/activity trips. 4.3 Education Village The Town of Milton is actively engaged in a project called the Milton Education Village (MEV), with the goal of bringing a university campus to Milton as soon as possible. Establishing a post-secondary school in Milton is a priority approved in the Destiny Milton Strategic Plan. The MEV will be a comprehensively planned, 400-acre integrated neighbourhood that will include: A university campus (enrollment between 10,000 and 15,000 students, with 5,000 to 6,500 resident in Milton); Student housing and residential developments; Page 26 Dillon Consulting Limited

31 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February 2013 Research/business park with emphasis on cleantech programs; and Commercial supporting services. The Education Village is a 150 acre site located south of Derry Road, west of Tremaine Road and north of Britannia Road. Wilfrid Laurier University has committed to locate in Milton and the University and Town are currently waiting for provincial funding approval to proceed with development. It is currently not known when funding will be secured from the province and thus when the University will be in place. For the purposes of this report, the year 2018 was assumed for the University to open in Milton. Wilfrid Laurier University has stated that it wants to be a residential campus (i.e. students from out of town establish a temporary residence locally); not a commuter campus (i.e. students commute to school from their permanent residence) and hopefully a self-contained community. As such, a housing component will be developed within the Education Village, as well as retail outlets to ensure adequate services are offered within the new neighbourhood. Serving Education Village with Milton Transit is a very significant transit opportunity. As has been demonstrated in many Canadian communities, establishing a Universal Transit Pass (U-Pass) program for Laurier students at the outset will create a strong demand for transit service and an ongoing major market for Milton Transit. Laurier already has a successful U Pass program at its Waterloo campus. 4.4 Hospital Market The Milton District Hospital is located at 30 Derry Road. It is a 65-bed community hospital that serves mainly the population of Milton. As such, it is a major destination in Milton and service to the hospital is provided by Route 2. With the expected rapid increase in population, the hospital plans to use its remaining 20 acres of land for future development. The Province has approved and will fund the business planning and design for the expansion/redevelopment of the Milton District Hospital. The expanded facility may be open within the next 10 years. In March 2007 the Province of Ontario donated 50 acres of provincially owned lands for the construction of a new hospital in Oakville. The hospital will be located at the corner of Dundas Street West and 3 rd Line. The new state of the art facility will have more beds than Oakville s existing hospital and will provide a full range of health services, including acute care, pediatrics, surgical care, mental health programs and complex continuing care. Construction has begun and is expected to be completed by 2014/2015. It is expected that many residents from south Milton will also use this hospital. 4.5 Seniors Market Statistics 3 indicate that Milton seniors (65 and older) represent 8 percent of the total Milton population, or 6,455 residents. This is roughly half of the Provincial average (14.4 percent). As the population increases, so too will the total number of persons aged 65 and older, even if their relative proportion 3 Statistics Canada 2011 Census Dillon Consulting Limited Page 27

32 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper compared to the provincial average is lower. If the demographic trends in the Region are consistent with the Town, approximately 11 percent of Milton s population will be over 65 years of age by This increase in the number of seniors will require additional consideration from Milton Transit to ensure adequate services are available to this market. It will be important for Milton Transit to address the needs of an aging population. Seniors are often very dependent on transit as they may not have access to private automobiles or may prefer not to drive at certain times (poor visibility and inclement weather). To stay active and in their own homes, more seniors will require transit or specialized transit to make shopping, medical, entertainment or leisure trips. Providing travel options that are accessible will also reduce the growing number of persons that require the use of Milton s specialized transit service. The Government of Ontario is providing considerable funding and attention to keeping the increasing senior population at home and self-sufficient. It is important to ensure that this market is addressed and transit market share increased, particularly as the population ages. The Town of Milton has one major centre for seniors. The Milton Seniors Activity Centre, located at 500 Child s Drive, offers quality programs for seniors that promote physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. It is located across from the Milton Mall and is accessible by Route 5 and the Community Bus. The Centre offers a wide variety of recreation and leisure programs and is open Monday to Thursday from 9:00am to 9:00pm and Fridays from 9:00am to 4:00pm. The Milton Library on Main Street is also a major destination for seniors that need to be accommodated by transit (currently by the Community Bus and Route 2). Allendale is a long-term care facility located at 185 Ontario Street South. It has 200 beds and provides 24 hour nursing and medical services, as well as social, therapeutic and nutritional care to residents. It also offers Meals on Wheels services and is serviced by Route 5 and the Community Bus. The Bruce Apartments is a senior citizens apartment building consisting of 88 housing units. It is located across from Milton Mall and a block from the Milton Seniors Centre. It is also serviced by Route 5 (in the northbound direction) and the Community Bus. The other major seniors residence is Martindale Gardens Retirement Residences located at 45 Martin Street. It is a private residence that offers independent living for seniors in studio, one or two bedroom suites. It has 71 suites and is serviced by Route 2. A new senior s residence is being constructed on Derry Road at Farmstead Drive. This is serviced by Route 2 and the Community Bus. An Older Adult Strategy is being developed to plan for the current and future recreational needs of residents who are, or will soon be, older adults. Draft recommended actions include working with Milton Transit to improve transportation options for seniors. Page 28 Dillon Consulting Limited

33 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February Newcomers Given the expected growth in population, a large portion of this growth is expected to be accommodated by newcomers. The majority of newcomers will establish themselves in the expanding residential areas. It will be important to have public transit established in these areas early in the development stages. Providing appropriate communication regarding public transit to newcomers will also be essential to ensure transit becomes a viable transportation option. 4.7 Major Employers Market Most major employers north of Highway 401 are not serviced by current transit routes. As described above, this area is characterized by low density industrial/commercial/warehouse employment with large parking areas for employees. Route 1 services the Highway 401 Park and Ride and the employment area northeast of the park and ride. Ridership on this route is low and as a result it was recently converted to a Trans-Cab during the midday period. Route 2 services the Milton Crossroads Centre which is the primary retail destination north of Highway 401. The centre is a large format retail complex which includes a Walmart store. Some employers in the area have expressed interest in public transit, while others are unsure how many of their employees would want to use a transit service. The other major employment area is located along Industrial Drive and Market Drive. The closest route to this area is Route 1, which provides two-way service on Martin Street. It includes a number of light industrial facilities, strip retail and low density office. Major employers in Milton include: Karmax Heavy Stamping (950 employees); Manheim Auto Auctions Company (750 employees); Sobeys Milton Retail Support Centre (500 employees); Gordon Food Service Canada (450 employees); Modatek Systems (400 employees); Monaghan Mushrooms (400 employees); and Mohawk Racetrack and Slots (351 employees). The Target big box chain is also coming to Milton and will be building a large distribution centre north of Highway 401 in Milton s Industrial Park. This will be a major employer and opportunities to develop a partnership should be established early. As mentioned above, Milton continues to import the majority of its workforce from communities outside of Milton including Mississauga, Brampton and to a lesser extent Cambridge and Hamilton. Dillon Consulting Limited Page 29

34 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper 4.8 Retail Services and Entertainment Market There are four major concentrations of retail activity in Milton. Milton Mall, located on the corner of Main Street and Ontario Street, is Milton s largest shopping centre. It is serviced by Routes 1, 2, 6 and 5. Trinity Common retail centre, which includes a Loblaw s Superstore is located on the corner of Thompson Street and Main Street. It is located within a short walk from the Milton GO Station where all routes converge. Also, the new Milton Centre for the Arts and the Main Library are located in the same area. The Milton Centre for the Arts features the 500-seat Mattamy Theatre for performing arts; MinMaxx Hall, a large multi-purpose room suitable for rehearsal space, small theatre performances and conferences; and the new main library. A Walmart along with other large format retailers (Milton Crossroads Centre), is located at James Snow Parkway and Highway 401. This retail complex is serviced directly by Route 2 (a bus goes into the retail property). Downtown Milton (Main Street), is Milton s historic core which offers unique and specialized stores and services for residents, as well as a range of service and dining options (which attract many people to the downtown on Friday and Saturday evenings). The Downtown Milton Business Improvement Area organizes a range of cultural and entertainment events such as the Downtown Milton Street Festival in June (which attract many people). The downtown is serviced by Route 2 and Route 6, but does not have evening and weekend service, which would help ease parking demands and give residents the option of taking transit downtown. Other commercial areas in Milton include the western side of Bronte Street between Main Street and Derry Road and the Metro Plaza at Louis St. Laurent Avenue and Thompson Road. A future commercial plaza is being proposed at the same intersection. Plans are also underway to begin developing the next major commercial area in the Town at Louis St. Laurent Avenue and First Line to service the growing residential areas in the southwest portion of Milton. Page 30 Dillon Consulting Limited

35 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February LONG-TERM INTER-REGIONAL TRANSIT NETWORK The Strategic Plan for Milton Transit should be compatible with the long-term regional transit rail and bus network being proposed and planned by Metrolinx and the Region of Halton. This is particularly important due to the high volume of inter-regional travel that occurs, with both trips to and from Milton. The following section outlines the existing and planned long-term regional transit network which will provide spine services that Milton Transit can feed as well as opportunities for transit supportive development in the Town. 5.1 Existing GO Transit Network GO Transit operates train services in Milton at the Milton GO Transit Station and bus services with bus stops at the train station, the intersection of Main Street and Martin Street as well as at the Martin Street and Highway 401 carpool lot. Milton Transit provides a feeder role, particularly to the GO Train and train-bus service. An integrated, discount fare also makes this feeder service an attractive option for local residents MILTON GO TRAIN The Milton GO Train provides peak time and peak direction service. Eight trains travel eastbound from Milton GO Station through Mississauga to downtown Toronto in the AM peak and 8 trains travel in the reverse direction during the PM peak. The eighth train was recently added to the Milton corridor in June, The Milton GO station is the western terminus station for the GO Rail service that shares the corridor with CP mainline freight services. Approximately, 15 percent of all boardings and alightings occur at Milton GO Station, making it the fifth busiest station of the nine stations on the line (including Union Station). AM peak period eastbound service runs approximately every 15 minutes from 6:23am to 8:08am departing the Milton GO Station. Intervals between trains are not consistent, making it difficult to coordinate Milton Transit services with train departures. Return PM peak period westbound train service runs from Toronto Union Station to Milton GO Station, with arrivals in Milton between 4:58pm and 7:58pm. The eight return trains are spread over a longer period than the morning trains to accommodate commuter travel patterns. In train, travel time between Milton and Union Station is 58 minutes. During the off-peak periods, the service is operated by GO Buses (known as train-buses). They depart Downtown Milton (Main Street and Martin Street) when the train is not in operation every 20 to 60 minutes to 10:20pm weekdays. These train-buses provide connections for Milton residents to GO Trains terminating at downstream stations, extend the hours of commuter service and allow Milton residents to access other destinations in the corridor between Milton and Union Station. Train-buses supplement the service in the westbound direction similar to the eastbound direction. Other than stops at the GO Dillon Consulting Limited Page 31

36 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper stations, train-buses also stop at Meadowvale and Meadowvale Town Centre. Train-buses depart Toronto Union Station for Milton every 15 to 60 minutes between 6:20am and 2:30am (when the GO Train is not in service). Train-buses also provide service on weekends. On Saturday train-buses depart Milton every 30 to 60 minutes between 5:25am and 11:25pm in the eastbound direction and between 9:00am and 3:00am from Union Station in the westbound direction. Hourly service in both directions is provided on Sundays and holidays GO BUS ROUTES GO Transit also operates a number of GO Bus routes that pass through Milton. 1. Route 27 Milton/North York - Route 27 travels from Milton to Meadowvale, Yorkdale, York Mills, North York and Finch subway station. Weekday eastbound service runs every 15 minutes between 5:10am and 7:15am, with limited service operating afterwards until 5:15pm. There are 15 departures from Milton on a typical weekday. In the reverse direction, there are 16 departures destined to Milton, with the peak frequency of arrivals occurring between 4:50pm and 7:10pm. Service is not provided on weekends. Based on 2011 ridership reported by GO Transit, this route carries approximately 963 daily trips (average March 2011) along the entire length of the route. While this is one of the higher ridership GO Bus routes in Milton, it is considered one of the lower ridership routes on the GO Bus network. Both the Milton Train Bus and Route 27 Bus travel along Derry Road, Thompson Road, and Main Street. The Route 27 GO Bus originates at Main Street and Martin Street, while the Train-Bus originates at the Milton GO Station. Figure 5 illustrates both routes and the GO Bus stops along these routes. Figure 5 Existing GO Train-Bus and Route 27 Bus Route and Stops Page 32 Dillon Consulting Limited

37 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February Route 20 Milton/Oakville - Route 20 travels from the Milton GO Station to the Bronte Carpool Lot, Oakville Carpool Lot, Sheridan College and Oakville GO Station. This service facilitates a connection to the Lakeshore West GO Train Line for Milton residents. The weekday southbound service offers three AM peak trips (6:25am, 7:35am and 8:35am), three midday trips, and four PM peak trips (3:35pm, 4:40pm, 5:25pm and 6:35pm). Total trip time is approximately 40 minutes. In the reverse direction, there are 10 departures destined to Milton. Service is not provided on weekends. Based on 2011 ridership reported by GO Transit, this route carries approximately 252 daily trips (average March 2011) along the entire length of the route. This is a low ridership route for GO Transit. 3. Route 25 Waterloo/Mississauga - Route 25 travels from the University of Waterloo to Kitchener, Cambridge, Aberfoyle, Milton Carpool Lot and Square One (Mississauga). There are two AM peak trips and two PM peak trips that connect with the Milton GO Train. The remaining Route 25 trips only stop at the Milton Carpool Lot and then continue on to Square One in Mississauga. Service is also provided on weekends and holidays. Based on 2011 ridership reported by GO Transit, this route (all daily runs) carries approximately 752 daily trips (average March 2011) SUMMARY As the current western terminus station on this GO line, the Milton GO Station attracts many users from beyond the local transit service area. According to the 2011 GO Rail Passenger Survey (illustrated in Figure 6 below), approximately 25 percent of destinations of persons alighting the GO Train are beyond the Milton Transit service area (many heading all the way to the Region of Waterloo). This suggests a number of people that drive to the GO Station because they do not have access to a local transit option. Use of the commuter rail corridor by Milton residents is fairly high and growing. GO Rail passenger boarding counts in Spring 2006 were 1,172, and this grew by 48 percent to 1,707 in Spring Providing feeder services to the GO Train and Bus services will continue to be a major market for Milton Transit with significant growth potential. A well designed feeder service can achieve a greater penetration of this market, particularly with the attractive fare integration strategies that are in place. Many families moving to Milton have two income earners with one job tied to a Toronto/Peel location. Using local transit to access GO services for this daily commute may allow the family to have one fewer car in the household. GO Bus services augment the train and also operate in additional corridors and are beginning to address the need for east-west transit between Milton and Mississauga and north-south transit travel within Halton Region. Integration of Milton Transit with commuter bus services outside of the Milton GO Station is not yet well developed and presents a further market opportunity. The opportunity to operate some cross boundary service with Milton Transit should also be explored in the long-term if the market presents itself. Several neighbouring municipalities in the GTHA operate cross boundary services using local transit very effectively. The market seems strongest between Milton and Mississauga as indicated in the TTS survey and the opening of the Wilfrid Laurier campus in Education Village will be a further catalyst. Dillon Consulting Limited Page 33

38 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper Figure 6 Alighting Destinations for GO Trains Users at the Milton GO Station (2011) The opportunity to use inter-regional commuter transit services in the reverse direction to transport some of the labour force required by Milton employers also has longer term potential. A strong local transit connection to the inter-regional services will be required to fully realize this opportunity. Metrolinx has recently initiated a first mile last mile study that will explore potential stations to pilot this program. This first mile last mile trial program will look at opportunities to capture the trip made to the GO Train from home (first mile) and the trip made from the GO Train to work (last mile) on local transit services. The initiative is meant to reduce the need for parking at GO stations and promote Metrolinx s vision for sustainable and integrated mobility by capturing the whole trip. 5.2 Long-term Regional Transit Network GO RAIL The 15 year plan in Metrolinx Regional Transportation Plan (The Big Move) identifies all-day, 2 way train service and weekend service to/from Milton, with Express Rail only between Cooksville and Union Station in the 25 year plan. The much anticipated Investment Strategy for Big Move is set to be released in summer By 2031, it is also anticipated that the Milton GO Line will be extended to Cambridge, although this may be limited to peak period service only. Two additional GO Stations will be present in Milton. The Page 34 Dillon Consulting Limited

39 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper February 2013 existing Milton GO Station will be a Mobility Hub, with the area surrounding the station consisting of high density mixed use development. Another GO Station is planned at Trafalgar and a third potentially at Tremaine Road. While the Tremaine Road GO Station is of strategic significance for Mobility Hub development, it is not yet included in any of Metrolinx existing plans. Over the ten year period of this strategic plan, it is anticipated that all day GO Rail service will be in place and progress will be made on transforming the Milton GO Station to a Mobility Hub. However, the planned and proposed GO Stations at Trafalgar Road and Tremaine Road will likely not be in place. Nonetheless, it is important for the Town to continue to push for the implementation of these stations as early as possible, particularly with the development of Education Village and the Velodrome (Pan Am Games). The Tremaine GO Station in particular will be a key interregional access point for these two destinations and will alleviate parking demand at the Milton GO Station, allowing it to transform into a true Mobility Hub. In the event that neither the Tremaine nor Trafalgar GO Stations are in place by 2023, the focus of the Milton Transit network for the ten year period should continue to be on providing connections to the inter-regional network at the existing Milton GO Station REGIONAL BUS NETWORK The Region of Halton Transportation Master Plan identified a 2031 higher order transit network to help support the Region s 11 percent internal transit mode share target. This higher order transit service concept is illustrated in Figure 7 along with the planned GO Transit network. Three types of corridors are identified within Milton: Transit in reserved rights-of-way; Transit in semi-exclusive/exclusive rights-of-way; and Corridors with transit priority. There are three higher order transit corridors identified in Milton: 1. Highway 25 This north-south transit corridor extends from the Milton GO Station to the Bronte GO Station in Oakville with a potential connection to the Education Village. The corridor is planned as HOV lanes which will occur with planned road widening to 6 lanes between 2021 and Transit priority features will be included. The corridor will help accommodate travel demand between north and south Halton and connect to the future Dundas BRT service. This service should be well utilized with the opening of Wilfrid Laurier University campus. 2. Britannia Road This east-west corridor extends from the Education Village in Milton to Mississauga, with a likely terminus at the Meadowvale Town Centre. The corridor is planned as HOV lanes which will occur with planned road widening to 6 lanes between 2021 and The corridor will accommodate some east-west interregional travel demand and some local travel demand on the south side of the Boyne Survey area. Dillon Consulting Limited Page 35

40 February 2013 Town of Milton Moving Milton Forward Transit Master Plan Strategic Plan Working Paper Figure 7 - Region of Halton 2031 Transit Servicing Concept Page 36 Dillon Consulting Limited