Kingston Transportation Master Plan
2009 Transportation Model Update
The City of Kingston initiated an update to the Kingston Transportation Model (TransCAD) developed in 2004 as part of Kingston's Transportation Master Plan (KTMP) Study. The original model was based on the 2002 Household Travel Survey undertaken as part of the KTMP study and was representative of the PM Peak Hour travel in the Greater Kingston Area. The update to this model was completed in 2009 and incorporated current travel patterns in the City, new development areas that have been built since 2002 and improvements to the transportation network that have recently occurred in the City.
The scope of the model update included a 2008 Household Travel Survey of Kingston area residents, a review and confirmation of the traffic zone system used in the model, refinement of the model road network and recalibration of the model with updated base year data. The updated household travel survey confirmed that there have been a number of changes to travel patterns in the City since completion of the 2002 Household Travel Survey. The updated data used in the model included recent traffic counts, current population and employment data, updated forecasts of future population and employment growth and new household survey data.
The updated Kingston model was used to update forecasts of future travel demands on key City road corridors, assess future road network deficiencies for the 2019 and 2029 horizon years and assess future road network improvement needs at the screenline level. The recommended road improvement needs for the 2009-2019 period are summarized in Table 5.1 of the report.
Background
City planners have completed the Kingston Transportation Plan (KTMP), which outlines strategic direction for the development of its transportation networks, programs and priorities.
The KTMP is a critical policy document that will influence every trip taken by residents
and visitors to Kingston over the next 25 years. Within the City's boundaries, the KTMP
policies will determine the convenience and attractiveness of the different travel modes
resulting from municipal investment priorities, system performance targets, and supporting
programs and infrastructure.
An electronic version of the plan can be downloaded at right. It is also available for review at the 1211 John Countter Blvd municipal office and the Kingston Frontenac Public Library (Pittsburgh, Isabel Turner and Johnson Street branches).
The Kingston Transportation Plan (KTMP) outlines the City's strategic direction for the development of its transportation networks, programs and priorities. Within the City's boundaries, the KTMP policies will determine the convenience and attractiveness of the different travel modes as manifested by municipal investment priorities, system performance targets, and supporting programs and infrastructure.
The KTMP developed a strategic direction for the transportation system to guide the development of networks, policies and programs that adhered to the stated preferences of the community. The strategic direction focuses on satisfying travel demand by making efficient use of the existing infrastructure and by providing the facilities and services to encourage walking, cycling and transit as priority modes, before providing road based solutions.
Kingston has an extensive system of multi-modal transportation networks serving commuter, recreational and commercial goods movement travel demands. The network within the City is primarily centred on road rights-of-way (sidewalks, on-road cycling facilities, transit routes, and general travel lanes), supplemented by an expanding network of off-road, multi-use recreational trails and parking facilities. The intra-city network is supplemented by Provincial highways, a system of local ferries serving Howe and Wolfe Islands, intercity rail and bus stations and a regional airport.
In January 2002, during the afternoon commuter peak hour, 82 per cent of trips were made by car, 11 per cent by walking, 6 per cent by transit (3 per cent school bus and 3 per cent public transit) and just over 1 per cent by cycling. Over the next 25 years, Kingston is expected to grow by between 30 per cent and 45 per cent, based on population figures for the City of Kingston, and travel demands will increase concurrently.
The increase in travel demand will be accommodated through a focussed effort on the promotion on non-automobile modes, including walking, cycling and transit, by managing travel demand, by making the most efficient use of existing infrastructure and by expanding the road infrastructure. Public transit use is forecast to increase from the current 3 per cent of PM commuter peak hour trips to 11 per cent. Despite this substantial shift in the role of transit and other modes, there will still be increases in the number of trips taken by the automobile during the PM commuter peak hour and these too need to be accommodated.
Managing both the demand and existing supply of transportation infrastructure represents all of the actions that the City may take to complement major new infrastructure investments to achieve its transportation vision. The goal of Transportation Demand Management/Transportation System Management (TDM/TSM) strategies is to delay, defer, and possibly even eliminate the need for significant capital investments in new transportation infrastructure (roadways, sidewalks, cycle paths, etc.).
For more information contact the Planning & Development Department at 613-546-4291, ext. 3180.
