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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, October 19, 2011 · 4 One in five residents should be on the bus by 2031 By Christina Commisso METROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUP Will one in five residents be taking public transit by 2031? Halton Region is banking on it, according to its master transportation plan that goes before council today (Wednesday). The report, entitled Road to Change, looks at road, highway and GO Transit expansions, along with increasing active transportation and local public transit use. The Region's latest estimates show five per cent of trips in Halton during rush hour are made on public transit, while 92 per cent are made by car. Twenty years from now, planners are forecasting that 72 per cent of trips will be made via cars. That percentage will be the basis for the road widenings and new roadways planned between now and 2031. The remaining 20 per cent will be accommodated by public transit, five per cent by walking or biking and three per cent through telecommuting or ride sharing. But members of the planning and public works committee said achieving that transportation split will take a major shift in attitude amongst Halton's car-reliant population. During last week's committee meeting, Oakville Councillor Allan Elgar asked what Halton's roads will look like if the 20 per cent transit target isn't reached. "When you get into the details, it's pretty scary if we don't get to 20 per cent," he said of the report. "I don't see the funding and residents supporting increased transit at this time." Elgar said development charges for transit wouldn't increase if Halton's municipalities expand the service (DCs don't cover increases to services that's above the historic 10-year average), leaving taxpayers to pick up the cost. The Region's director of transportation Tim Dennis said without the 20 per cent transit usage, there will be increased congestion. "We're not anticipating complete gridlock. We do believe the road widenings and "We're not anticipating complete gridlock. We do believe the road widenings and improvements to accommodate transit will enable us to meet the demand." Tim Dennis, director of transportation, Halton Region enable us to meet the demand." Burlington Councillor John Taylor asked staff to prepare a presentation on what Halton's roads will look like if the transit goal isn't reached. "Council, in order to make this decision, has to know what the impact is on all the services. Will the taxpayer notice? How noticeable is it and how does it vary per municipality," he asked. While transit is the responsibility of local municipalities, the Region plans to create bus-only rapid transit lanes along Dundas Street (from Brant Street to Trafalgar Road) and along Trafalgar Road (from Speers Road to Steeles Avenue). But transit isn't the only piece in the transportation puzzle. The Region hopes in the future, trips between five and 10 kilometres will be made by walking or cycling, which will require more sidewalks and bike lanes. In order to DON'T MISS THIS FREE EVENT!! Halton Women's Place and the Burlington Community Foundation Present A Community Information Session meet the five per cent active transportation target, 25,000 drivers will have to make the shift. Statistics show 34 per cent of trips made via cars in Halton during afternoon rush hour are less than five kilometres long. Car pooling, a rise in telecommuting (working from home), flexible work hours and more live/work developments will take another three per cent of cars off the road, according to the report. However, curbing car usage in Halton doesn't mean the need for new and expanded roads isn't there. Fifteen regional roads are slated for an expansion, the vast majority of which will grow from four to six lanes. The report sets a six-lane maximum in terms of road width. Five municipal roads are also recommended for expansion, and the report mentions the widening of Hwy. 401 through Milton and Hwy. 7 through Acton. The master plan recommends linking the North Service Road across Bronte Creek with a four-lane road and building a new six-lane road between Fifth and Sixth lines in Milton (tentatively called 5-½ Line) from Steeles Avenue to Britannia Road. The total cost of required regional transportation infrastructure is estimated at $1.13 billion. 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