GETTING ALONG IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY Micro-Infrastructure Session NACTO Designing Cities Conference November 1, 2017 Elyse Parker, Director, Public Realm Section Transportation Services City of Toronto
Wall of Shame
The Legacy of Metropolitan Toronto s First Chairman: Frederick Big Daddy Gardiner Mr. Gardiner was a student of highway engineering and an unabashed fan of big, wide roads, which he argued were essential to knitting together his booming fiefdom. He once said he would cut five or six feet off many sidewalks just to make wider streets. When critics complained he would ruin neighbourhoods, he replied: There have got to be a few hallways through living rooms if we are going to get our metropolitan arterial system built. Globe & Mail, Marcus Gee, May 29, 2015
Many Demands on a limited right-of-way Pedestrians Lay-by Lanes Hydro/Traffic Poles Bicycles AODA Ramps Gas Meters Transit Transit Stops and Shelters Utility Vaults Cars Taxi and Valet Zones Parking Meters Delivery Trucks Bicycle Racks Vendors Courier Services Parked Cars Newspaper Boxes Emergency Vehicles Construction Cafes Green Infrastructure Waste Collection Sandwich Boards Trees and Planters Fire Hydrants Driveways Street Furniture
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Inter-Related Policies Policies & Strategies Provincial Policy Statement Provincial Growth Plans Regional Official Plans Official Plans Transportation Master Plans (not all municipalities have one) Active Transportation Master Plan (not all municipalities have one) Design Guidelines & Standards TAC Geometric Design Guidelines Highway Capacity Manual, Highway Safety Manual Ontario Highway Traffic Act Ontario Provincial Standards for Roads Ontario Traffic Manual Municipal Class EA Road Classification Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act - Standards TIS Guidelines / Development Review Engineering and Construction Standards Municipal Streets Bylaws Operations Practices & Regulations Traffic Services Operating Practices Road safety reviews and audits Right of Way / Road Ops truck turning templates ROW street occupancy permits Parking Bylaws / Speed Limits / Other Regulations Transit Operations Fire services or emergency medical services access How streets are planned, designed and operated
Toronto s Street Furniture Program
Partnership with Astral/Bell Media Consolidation of previous street furniture contracts Bell Astral Media: Install, maintain and own elements Advertising exclusivity Revenue sharing with the City Public: 1-866-8-ASTRAL (27-8725) or quality@astral.com City of Toronto Survey and identify furniture locations Agreement management, monitor performance Public 311 or streetfurniture@toronto.ca Joint Decisions Element design and quantities Street Furniture Program Overview
Making Advertising Work on City Streets Approach to advertising on transit shelters originated in France in the 1960 s, started in Toronto in the late 1970s. Amount of advertising permitted on Toronto city streets 198,000 sq. ft. Street furniture contract acts as the City s policy on advertising on city streets no other advertising permitted. Takes the advertising that was once on litter bins and benches and consolidates it into a higher quality product. Modification to Street Furniture contract in Year 7 provided a limited amount of digital advertising, with up to an additional $16.M over the life of the contract
Vibrant Streets Placement Guidelines BUT THIS IS NOT A STREET Edge Zone Pedestrian Clearway Furnishing and Planting Zone Edge Zone Pedestrian Clearway Furnishing and Planting Zone Green Street Preferred Location Green Street Alternate Location
Transit Shelter Types Basic Shelter with Ad Caisson Front Access Basic Shelter with Solar Ad Caisson Rear Access Basic Shelter with Solar Powered Security Lighting - Rear Access Type Q10-SA Residential Shelter 4 Post with Ad Caisson Rear Access Type RN2 Rear Access
100 Specification pages for elements and varied conditions
Publication Box Licensing: Migrations Corral Kiosk
Shelter Conversion: College and Dufferin Streets Before After
Post and Ring Bicycle Parking Program 17,000 bicycle rings on city streets Contract for 1000 each year 500 new and 500 repairs Development of Bicycle Parking Strategy is underway
Café Guidelines Narrow pedestrian clearways Pedestrians forced to weave Busy sidewalks Café encroachments around sidewalk cafes
Wayfinding System Toronto 360 Phase Two Pedestrian Wayfinding System Map Design Signage Product Design Financial District Pilot Project +UPExpress, TTC Pilot Project Evaluation Placement Guidelines Highway Destination Signage Policy Bicycle Wayfinding Strategy Phase Three Citywide roll-out over next 5 years Consistent citywide and local maps for range of uses (e.g. cycling, tourism, parks) Digital strategy roll-out 600 signs (totems, fingerposts, wall mounted) 4,800 bus shelters + Astral Info-pillars BIAs, BikeShare stations, TTC stations, Crosstown PTIF funding
Wayfinding System Toronto 360 Accessible: Place signage to support universal accessibility. Unobstructed: Maintain a distinct, liner pedestrian clearway, and avoid creating physical obstructions. Visible: Place signage in a manner that is prominent and clearly visible in the urban realm. Placement Goals Coordinated: With applicable policies, other elements, and the physical context Site Responsive: Place signage in a manner that is responsive to specific site conditions Uncluttered: Identify opportunities to relocate obsolete structures near the wayfinding signage
Some Solutions?
Buy It Extend public right-of-way Required exemption to buy land without environmental due diligence (up to 540 square feet) Clustering with space for litter bins (need to Protect Ad Face) Land required from 85 to 290 square feet Land cost from $28 to $235 per square feet (so far not sure where price tolerance is, but not $235 per square feet) Negotiation some property owners request additional public realm enhancements Complications Easements, underground utilities
Redesign It
Developing Visual Acuity and Best Practice
Beautify It
The Future (or what I would like to see) Working from the same plan/drawings Education, shared values and agency alignment Willingness to make tough decisions
GET IN TOUCH Elyse Parker Director, Public Realm Section Transportation Services, City of Toronto Elyse.Parker@Toronto.ca 416-338-2432