Item

Monitoring Initiatives

Timing (Years)

Status

Projects

M1

Design a monitoring and review program for transportation as a basis for guiding future policies and budgeting.

Completed

(1) A report on proposals for monitoring transportation actions and outcomes was approved by Council in 1999. The new program includes increasing the number of manual counts (intersection volumes of pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles), automatic counts (arterial traffic volumes), bicycle counts and truck counts that are conducted annually, and setting up a new database to store and analyze this information. In 2000, a new database for storing and retrieving automatic and manual counts was implemented, additional traffic counting and classifying units were purchased and the use of permanent counting and classifying loops was reviewed.

Requests have also been made to ICBC to expedite provision of accident data. More regularly scheduled periodic studies are planned, including a new pedestrian study in 2001, a travel time study carried out jointly with TransLink (timing to be determined) and a detailed Central Area Work Trip and Parking Study in 2002. In addition, status of Major Initiatives will be updated on an annual basis. Further status reports on the Transportation Plan will be made as new regional data becomes available (see ITEM M7).

(2) A Transportation Plan consistency checklist for use in rezonings and development applications will be updated in 2001.

Traffic counts for the City limits are shown here:

• Figure 16a - Vehicles Leaving City - 24 hours
• Figure 16b - Vehicles Leaving City - Peak Times
• Figure 16c - Vehicles Entering City - Peak Times

M2

Report back to Council on transit service and use patterns, walking and cycling facilities, truck movements and issues, overall road network use.

Ongoing

Initiated - Long Term Program

(1) Reports back will be made following completion of transit, truck and overall road use data collection in cooperation with TransLink (see ITEM M7).

(2) A report back is planned for early 2001, regarding the update and expansion of the 1991 Downtown Vancouver Pedestrian Survey.

(3) Bicycle data, including bikeway volume counts and accident statistics, were reported to Council in Fall 1999. Volume counts indicate that the Adanac Bikeway has been quite successful at attracting cyclists. Counts on this bikeway (Vancouver's first) in September 1998 recorded cycling volumes (855 cyclists) that were almost the same as vehicle volumes over 24 hours, and in the westbound direction in the morning rush the number of cyclists exceeded the number of motorists. 24 hour counts in January 1999 on the Adanac Bikeway showed that as would be expected in the winter, cycling volumes drop, but there is still a significant number of cyclists using the route each day (300 to 400). Counts were also made for the number of cyclists entering the downtown core - these show that from 1991 to 1998 the number of cyclists in a three hour period have almost doubled.  Regarding bicycle accidents, data collected on reported accidents indicates gradual decline since the early 1990's, even though the number of cyclists has increased. Accidents involving cyclists will continue to be monitored to identify intersections and locations that could be modified to improve safety.

M3

Implementation Progress report on measures needed to achieve transportation planning targets.

1-3

Not Started - Awaiting data from TransLink

A report back will be made to Council following completion of the data collection needed to compare current mode splits to Plan targets. Required data will need to be obtained in cooperation with TransLink (see ITEM M7). It is anticipated that some new data will be available from TransLink in 2001.

M4

Report back to Council on Downtown transportation, including parking facilities.

1-3

Initiated - Will be included as part of  Downtown Transportation Plan.

See ITEM D1 for information on the Downtown Transportation Plan.

M5

Prepare impact assessments reports for Council on proposed transportation projects, to show relationship with transportation goals and livability.

1-3

Not Started - Subject to report on guidelines for assessing proposals and projects from Engineering and Planning.

M6

Review Capital Plan and annual capital budgets to report on consistency with CityPlan and Transportation Plan.

Completed

Also see ITEM F2.

M7

Investigate the feasibility of the GVRD establishing a region wide system of monitoring mode splits on a regular basis.

Completed

Collection of regional transportation data is now the responsibility of TransLink.  Accurate and up-to-date regional transportation data is critical for determining the City's progress in meeting the targets described in the Vancouver Transportation Plan. Although the City monitoring program can provide information on pedestrian, cyclist and vehicle use, the City is not able to collect data on transit use. Since completion of the City Transportation Plan in 1997, the regional studies that provide the needed transit and overall mode split data for Vancouver and its sub-areas have not been carried out.

In the TransLink Strategic Transportation Plan that was approved in April 2000, TransLink recognizes the need for establishing a regular regional monitoring program in consultation with municipalities. As follow-up to the 1999 report to Council on establishing an enhanced City monitoring program, staff wrote to the CEO of TransLink in April 2000 requesting that TransLink take action to formalize its regional monitoring program in coordination with and consultation with regional municipalities. In response, the Major Roads Transportation Advisory Committee (MRTAC) of TransLink met on this issue and approved recommendations from TransLink staff to establish an enhanced and coordinated regional monitoring program. A working group of MRTAC consisting of TransLink and municipal staff has been established to undertake the following objectives:

1. Create a coordinated regional monitoring program that supports both regional and municipal transportation planning and administration;
2. Develop guidelines for improved, consistent and standardized data collection, processing, archiving, access, dissemination and application practices;
3. Co-ordinate municipal and regional data collection efforts where there is potential for increased cost savings and more adequate data collection;
4. Develop an integrated regional transportation information network and community for data synergy and sharing; and
5. Identify and develop guidelines to utilize the automated data collection capacity of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) to further increase data quantity and quality.

Figure 16a - Vehicles Leaving City - 24 hours

Click to open a larger version of the map for viewing.