Items

Committee discussion took place regarding provincial legislation passed banning automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras, and included the following:

• Development of a strategy for alternate uses for the cameras, including shared access with Peel Regional Police
• Continued use of the cameras to collect data
• Resident concerns and disappointment regarding the ASE program ban
• Provincial support for alternate uses of the cameras

Brampton had enacted speed enforcement cameras and the Province was looking to make them illegal.  Brampton Council is to show that they are effective.

OVERVIEW:
 Staff use the Neighbourhood Traffic Management Guide (NTMG) to determine hotspots in the City where traffic calming efforts are required.
 Staff work closely with Peel Regional Police to share data to validate concerns raised so enforcement efforts are conducted where they are mos tneeded. This occurs in an ongoing manner.

 Staff proposed a two-pronged approach that first restricted driver trainers from utilizing the area for training purposes and the second was to collaborate with the MTO to encourage their adoption of a more dynamic selection of testing routes.
 The MTO has subsequently chosen alternative test routes and, while these test routes have been identified via YouTube, and other social media platforms, the more dynamic utilization of alternative routes has not resulted in increased traffic on any singular route within the City of Brampton.
 It can be concluded, anecdotally, that driving instructors have adapted by training to the test requirements as opposed to the test route. In this, the goals of the foundational bylaw have been achieved.
 There is no financial impact resulting from the adoption of the recommendations in this report.

Discussion in response to Ontario Bill 212 and resident push-back to rethink active transportation master plan.

Look at in-boulevard infrastructure for 4 lane streets 

Look at installing urban shoulders instead of bike lanes on 2-lane streets with driveways

In-boulevard infrastructure costs 3X on-street bike lane.

Councillor Brar brought up safety issue on roads like Brisdale at Bovaird where there are lots of commercial driveways, Receiving complaints from residents. Want the bike lane installation to stop in Wards 2 & 6 until the major part of the network is built so that residents are more accepting. Councillor Power asked friendly ammendment to halt bike lanes in 7&8 as well. Just roads.

Councillor Fortini, brought up the issue of all the planted trees, infrastructure, and lack of space in many areas of constraint.

Related to RM21/2023, on March 8, 2023 Committee of Council directed staff to report back on a plan for painting/colouring the active transportation footprint in the City.

Subsequently, through the budget approval process for 2024, funds were allocated through the capital budget for the implementation of green pavement markings in bike lanes.

This report supports Brampton’s Transit & Connectivity by focusing on transportation and a connected infrastructure by incorporation of the Vision Zero framework to prevent fatal and serious injury from motor vehicle collisions.

At the Active Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting of December 12, 2023, staff were directed to report back to the Committee of Council meeting on January 31, 2024, regarding suggested improvements including and not limited to improved By-law Enforcement and increasing penalties related to parking in designated bicycle lanes. The request was made based on observation from the Committee that cars are often parked illegally in bike lanes, making the bike lanes less usable and the infrastructure less safe. It was noted that often, the same car was observed to be obstructing the bike lane at the same spot day after day.

Enforcement and Public Works are proposing recommendations to strengthen the delivery of bike lane enforcement by increasing penalties. Staff conducted a jurisdictional scan of penalties related to parking and stopping in designated bicycle lanes and found that the City of Brampton was below average. The penalties in local municipalities are listed below:
 City of Toronto - $150
 City of Ottawa - $125
 City of Mississauga - $55
 City of Vaughan - $55
 City of Burlington - $47
 City of Hamilton - $33
Based on this scan, staff are recommending increasing the penalty for stopping and parking in designated bicycle lanes from $35 to $150. to align with the penalties in other larger municipalities, like Toronto and Ottawa and to help discourage this illegal activity that is causing additional traffic safety concerns citywide..

Barry had positioned his drone camera along North Park and documented many instances where cars were parked illegally in the bike lanes or interfering with bus stops. The video also shows how cyclists are forced into traffic to go around parked cars impacting safety. https://youtu.be/iuS-OWbbytM

Presentation given regarding the benefits of cycling for a healthy community