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D6 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, June 7,2000 Are you aware? T he Oakville Chamber of Commerce, along late 2001. However, these projects alone will do lit ing to funding healthcare, education, policing, and with other Chambers and Boards of Trade in | tle to alleviate the region's underlying transporta social assistance. But, ultimately, isn't it true that each of these issues are inextricably linked? Simply the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton- tion problems. put, if we M e an efficient transportation infrastruc Wentworth (GTA/H-W), will be staging The 5 Pillars of Support ture, people and businesses will ultimately vote Transportation Awareness Week, June 4th to June 9th, 2000. During the course of this week, these To gain insights into the nature o f the trans with their feet and relocate elsewhere. As a result, organizations will be running a communications portation issues facing the GTA/H-W. it » helpful our tax base will erode and those remaining will program aimed at heightening awareness of the to understand the structure of the transportation sys end up paying more dollars for fewer services. In transportation issues facing the municipalities and tem that supports the GTA. The JBI/Herason study the end, transportation infrastructure ultimately the region. The objective of the communication analyzes the GTA/H-W inter-regional transporta supports everything that is important to us. campaign is to create the impetus to bring all levels tion system on the basis of its five key components To gain some additional insights into how we of government and the private sector together to or 'Pillars of Support' These are: arrived where we are today, consider a few facts -- develop long-term solutions to this rapidly evolving The Expressway System: The 400 series high some `Did You Knows' regarding transportation in problem. The following information highlights the ways such as the QEW/403/4G1 which act as the the GTA. key aspects of the transportation issues faced by backbone of both the province and regional road * r - Did You Know? L residents of the region. system. m m * Halton residents take 750,000 trips per day (6.4 Regional roads: Roads like Highway 5 act as the Trains Lanes and Automobiles: backbone of the Regional transportation system by per household), 90 per cent o f these trips are by car, The Big Picture serving residents, businesses surd commuters and 2 per cent by local transit or GO and 8 per cent by other means. Traffic gridlock and an ageing transportation acting as an alternative to the expressways. Over 70 per cent of all Halton residents travel GO Transit: This system is critically important to infrastructure are threatening the future prosperity ling to downtown Toronto use GO transit. If the moderate congestion on expressways and regional of southern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area. peak roads. TTC: With | Solutions to a very real and complex problem are passengers needed. Until we recognize the true extent of the an annual ridership on GO were threat posed by this issue, we will not be in a posi of nearly 4<A)-milrequired to use tion to influence the decision-making process lion people (2i automobiles, an highest ridership undertaken to deal with it. While the completion of additional 13 system in North the 407 extension and the extension of Rebecca freeway lanes in Street across Bronte Creek will provide commuters America), the TTC either direction will play an with some welcome relief starting in late 2001, would be these projects alone will do little to alleviate the increasingly impor required to han tant role in inter region's transportation problems. dle demand. In its April 1999 report entitled `Funding regional travel; The entire road Local Transit: Transportation in the Greater Toronto Area and and rail network Hamilton-Wentworth' undertaken on behalf of all In addition to the of the GTA was municipalities in these regions, IBI Group/Hemson TTC, there are 15 planned by the Consulting describe the current situation as follows: municipal transit early 1970's or "The Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton- systems across the prior, including Wentworth (GTA/H-W) are heading towards a seri GTA/H-W which the 407. With the ous transportation crisis. Investment in roads and provide local ser exception of the transit has not kept pace with growth in transporta vice and act a s | | Sheppard subtion demand. The result has been growing conges feeders to GO and the TTC. Iway, no major expressway or rail investments planned since that time are planned for construction. tion and its associated increased costs to business A Delicate Balance and society, which is a threat to the future econom In 1985, the QEW was defined as congested ic competitiveness of the GTA/H-W. three of the 12-hour business days. By 1998, it was A disruption to any one of these 5 Pillars of At the same time that the need for investment in icongested 10 of the 12-hour business days. urban transportation is growing...restructuring has Support will influence conditions and service levels The population of the GTA and H-W will grow resulted in municipalities being responsible for cap elsewhere in the network. For example, over the by 45 per cent to 7.25 million between 1996 and ital funding of various transportation-related infra next 15 years, it is estimated that the number of trips 2021. Over this period, travel on expressways and structure. Municipalities are finding it difficult to on Halton's road system will increase from 750,000 roads will increase 60 per cent. Currently, planned find the funds required to pay for the needed infra per day to 1,213,000 per day. Consider the implica improvements to the network will increase network tions that this will have for the residents of Halton. capacity only 12 per cent structure. Congestion and air pollution increases. Travel Sixty-eight per cent of Ontario's total exports are "It is estimated that total municipal through the Oakville and across the GTA continues shipped to the US by truck while 83 per cent of our investment of $570 mm falls $880 mm to slow, not only for those commuting to work but imports from the US are by truck. In total, there are for inter-regional transport as well. By virtue of short of what is needed to keep pace increased commuting time and higher costs to 250 million truck movements each year in the GTA that move an estimated $10 billion worth of goods. with increasing demand. " transport goods, Halton becomes a less desirable Municipal governments are now responsible for - Andrew Pigott place to work and conduct business. Greater traffic all urban transportation funding with exception of density leads to more accidents and higher insur 400 series highways. It is estimated that total Within the GTA/H-W, the problem is further ance claims. Parents have to pay more for day care municipal investment of $570mm falls $80Qmm complicated by the need for cooperation among a and they see less of their families. Stress levels at short of what is needed to keep pace with increas large number of jurisdictions, as the most serious home and at work increase. Decisions on where one ing demand. problems are with infrastructure to support inter lives, works and plays become increasingly influ It is estimated that if every commuter in the regional travel. Currently, the GTA/H-W lacks a co enced by transportation concerns, not personal GTA loses one hour a week due to traffic, the econ ordinated approach to planning, funding and deliv choice. omy loses 80,000 person years of productive work. To date, the public outcry over the transportation ering the improved transportation infrastructure and Assuming a salary of $30k per year, this translates crisis has been quite muted, despite the evident eco services which are urgently needed." On a more immediate note, the completion of nomic and social costs. Why is it that we, as resi into $2.4 billion annually. Federal governments collect over $5 billion in the 407 extension from our eastern border across dents of the region, grudgingly tolerate this assault fuel excise and other taxes and road user fees but on our quality of life? Perhaps, the problem just the northern reaches of the Town of Oakville and the extension of Rebecca Street across Bronte seems bigger than all of us? Or maybe, the so called spends less than 4 per cent of that amount to the Creek will provide some welcome relief starting in crisis just doesn't rank up there with problems relat system for construction and maintenance. What Else is Being Done? Co-ordinating the interests of the 5.1 million GTA/H-W residents has been one of the main stumbling blocks to decisive action on the transportation issue. For this reason, Jan. 1st, 1999, marked an important date in the evolution of the transportation issue as it was on this date that the Greater Toronto Services Board (GTSB) was formed. The GTSB was established by the province with a mandate tp-- promote and facilitate co-ordinated decision making among the 29 municipalities in the GTA, and on matters related to GO Transit, the Region of Hamilton-Wentworth. The board was also given specific authority to adopt strategies for the provision and optimal use of existing infrastructure and was charged with over seeing GO Transit. Until this point in time, the GTA lacked the unifying voice to bring together the many competing interests of the area's municipalities. In January o f 2000, the GTSB released `Removing Roadblocks -- a Strategic Transportation Plan' which addresses...improve ments to the major elements of the transportation network of the GTA and Hamilton-Wentworth in order to enhance the movement of people, goods and services through and throughout the region. The strategic plan is founded on the following principles: . G reater Use of Public T ra n sit By reducing 'congestion, it is believed that there will be many direct and indirect benefits including efficient goods movement clean air, and reduced urban sprawl. C o-O rdinated Public T ra n sit Transit has to become a much more attractive option for trav ellers. It must be fast convenient, and provide direct connections to where people want to go. O ptim ization of Existing Assets. The expan sion of transit lines and roads will only be effective if the existing system is preserved and used in an optimal way. Phased Im plem entation. In view of funding realities and in order to take advantage of existing infrastructure, the GTSB plan is designed to be implemented over time. So, as residents of the GTA, what can we do to ensure our voices are heard during the upcoming process of consultation? What Can You Do? Prepare to show your support during Transportation Awareness Week, June 4th to 11th, by providing the Halton Region with your input into the transportation problem. Support the region of Halton resolutions, calling upon the federal and provincial governments to share existing gas tax revenues as well as. vehicle, driver licence, and registration fees to help fund infrastructure investment Write your MP and MPP encouraging them to begin working toward a co-ordinated solution to the problem. On an ongoing basis, attend public forums to voice your views and gather information on the developing crisis in transportation. E-mail your suggestions on potential solutions on the Region's transportation crisis to: transportationforum@region.halton.on.ca. To conclude, much needs to be done to create the impetus to the long-term solutions that will be positive for our community. 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