Greenbelt Cycling Route Implementation

Greenbelt Cycling Route Implementation

Greenbelt Cycling Route

Greenbelt Cycling Route Implementation

DurhamRegion Meeting

Thursday May 30, 10:00am

Durham Regional Headquarters

Present:

Steve Parish – Mayor of Ajax

Peter Windolf – Clarington Parks

Lisa Warth –Ajax Tourism and Economic Development

Prasenjit Roy – Durham Transportation Planning

Paul Foster – Durham Transportation Infrastructure

Nick Colucci – Brock Public Works

Grant McGregor – City of Pickering Sustainability

Paul Gee – Durham Transportation Design

Jeff Brooks – Durham Planning

Sandra McElleney – Durham Planning

Michael Prevedel – Durham Traffic Operations

Michael May – Whitby Project Engineer

Ranjiy Gill – Ajax Planning

Kerri King – Durham Tourism

Steve Edwards – Whitby Marketing and Community Services

Aimee Pngeoe – Whitby Parks Planner

Louisa Mursell – Transportation Options

Marlaine Koehler - Waterfront Regeneration Trust

Peter Lipscombe – Waterfront Regeneration Trust

Introductory Remarks by Mayor Parish

-Very supportive of project, provides great loops with Waterfront Trail route

-Noted Durham proximity to 6M potential visitors and New Jersey economic spinoff data presented at the Ontario Bike Summit by Rutgers University researcher--$500 M annually due to active transportation in 2012 (

- Would like to see more communities connected – Port Perry and others

- North/South Connections will be important to the project

- involve grassroots, cycling clubs in vetting the route

Route Feedback:

General Notes:

- Durham Cycle Tours map is based on routes currently marketed by tourism department

- Suggested routes are not all part of Regional Bike Plan

- Durham Cycle Tours use a combination of Regional and Local roads

- Suggested Tours were a multi-year project involving extensive cooperation between regional departments and public consultation

- GBCR should build on the work done on those routes

- Signage program on suggested routes is planned for near future

- Greenbelt Cycling Route can build on that signage program

- possibility of co-branding between suggested routes and GBCR

- Region is still receiving feedback from the suggested cycle tours

- this version is first year of map

- Region is expecting feedback in order to improve on first iteration

- routes may be tweaked or changed based on feedback

- approvals could be expedited by sticking to routes identified in Durham Cycle Tours

- identified route through Durham is a good starting point

- Touches on some communities: Uxbridge, connection to Port Perry

- Can leverage those from a Tourism perspective

York-Durham Connection

- York-Durham Line an appropriate connection, popular cycling route farther south

- Regional Rd 8 is a good connection point

- must use caution with regards to aggregate haulage around Uxbridge

Uxbridge

- route needs official approval

ACTION: WRT to coordinate a meeting with Jeff Brooks and Kerri King and Sandra McElleny to meet with Uxbridge and others to review final route in Durham in June/July.

Raglan to Burkton

- alternate to currently identified routedeserves consideration

- East on Raglan Road, east on 10th concession to Old Scugog Rd, south to Con Rd. 7

Clarington

- Meeting needed to determine approvals process

- See contacts listed below in Northumberland-Durham Connection

Northumberland-Durham Connection

- Regional Road 9 is not appropriate connection

- Concession Road 5, 6 are possible alternatives

ACTION: WRT to follow-up with Municipality of Clarington (co-ordinate with Peter Windolf) and Region of Durham (Jeff Brooks) to work on alternate route

- Other Northumberland contact may include Leslie Benson, Ron Albright, Jennifer Cook.

North South Connections

Whitby

- Routes shown on map are best north-south connections

- Ashburn Road already approved in cycling master plan

Pickering

- will consult with bicycling master plan to determine best north-south connections

- bicycle facilities being installed on Brock in 2016-17, with new bicycle friendly crossing of HW 7

- could be future connection

Ajax

- Duffins Creek is natural N/S connection; could be on the East and/or west side of Duffins

- Audley is another option – included in cycling master plan

Approvals Procedure

Letter from WRT to staff at region, Public Works, Planning and Finance Commissioners, copy staff.

- cc clerks office to inform council of work towards project

- Staff to begin reviewing plans and tentative route when developed

- Staff to prepare reports and recommendations to committees and council as appropriate

- Council meeting in Fall

 WRT to provide next iteration of route to staff

 Staff to prepare reports and recommendations

- WRT send letters informing staff in Whitby, Ajax and Pickering and Clarington. Determine process for Uxbridge at June/July meeting.