Ribbon Cutting Ceremony May 18

The Big Move

All Day GO Station
Several NEN members attended “The Big Move” workshop on Rapid Transit on February 12 at the Art Gallery. The James Street North GO Station has been identified as a mobility hub within the Big Move, Metrolinx's regional transportation plan and will be designed to comply with Metrolinx's Mobility Hub Guidelines. For example, the station must be integrated into the local community through layout, design, architecture and landscaping and provide safe and convenient access for passengers arriving by all modes of travel including walking, cycling and local transit.

Officials from Metrolinx say Hamilton’s planned GO station on James St. N. will have a station building, a platform, a kiss-and-ride drop-off and pickup, 460 parking spots, a bus loop and pedestrian and cycling trails before the 2015 Games.

Another BIG MOVE information session will be held on March 7 10:00 – 11:30.  Register by March 4 at Maynard@mcmaster.ca or phone 905 525 9140 x22542.

The McMaster Institute for Transportation and Logistics (MITL) is pleased to announce the following upcoming event:
Advancing the Big Move Through the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area

Bruce McCuaig
President and Chief Executive Officer of Metrolinx

Hosted by:
The McMaster Institute for Transportation and Logistics
The City of Hamilton
The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce
Metrolinx
Thursday, March 7, 2013
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
McMaster Innovation Park
175 Longwood Drive South
Hamilton, ON L8P 0A1

A conversation about the plan, the projects underway in the region, and the next wave of projects that will be delivered if funding is obtained.

Implementation Has Begun

A small team met in February with several City Officials including Councillor Farr to begin the implementation process of the "North End Traffic Management Plan". 

This plan, approved and voted on by City Council in 2010, is the plan approved by the OMB.  

NEN was disappointed in the OMB decision as we had appealed this plan and during mediation with the City had suggested several additions and changes.However, now we work within this plan. We recognize the many positive aspects to it.

Residents should realize that in Setting Sail, the Secondary Plan, a traffic plan MUST be implemented to deal with traffic BEFORE any work can be done on Pier 7 &8.  This plan is an attempt to deal not only with present issues of  volume and speed of traffic but FUTURE problems as the waterfront is developed.

Pier 7 is slightly east of Discovery Drive.  The City of Hamilton is negotiating for these key waterfront lands with the Port Authority and would open up the land for new development.

IMPLEMENTATION

In the immediate future, the City and our team will do a “walk-about” the neighbourhood to review the plan.  We are planning a joint, public “Ribbon Cutting Ceremony” tentatively for May, with an “Action Plan” to be released at that time. 

NEN appreciates the many comments and suggestions to implement the traffic plan.  Most of the suggestions/comments are listed on the "Traffic Management" page of this blog.

The Traffic Plan that is being implemented has been written by the IBI, a consultation firm which is rated #3 globally.  IBI is a transportation planning expert and was hired by the City to do the traffic study and the neighbourhood traffic plan. IBI is a recognized leader in transportation planning.  and is "a leader in sustainable transportation, with an approach that integrates transportation, land use, urban design, and engineering design to promote healthy cities and economic competitiveness and to enhance quality of life.The firm has won numerous awards for this approach to our transportation master plans, multimodal integration, transit-oriented development, and rapid transit designs."

By Sheri Selway

Traffic Management Plan to Move Ahead

North End Neighbours (NEN) was disappointed to learn that Burlington East and James Streets are not to be included 30K/hr speed limit for the North End.  In the OMB decision, delivered on December 27, 2012 the OMB ruled that the City's Traffic Management Plan was preferred.  NEN had appealed the Traffic Management Plan to the OMB. 

Final arguments took place August 2011.

However, there were many positive aspects to the decision.  We will have traffic calming on our local residential streets, and a number of calming measures throughout the neighbourhood.

Our major focus was always the vitality of our neighbourhood and the safety of the people who live here. We continue to want to label our community as a “Child and Family-Friendly Neighbourhood”. 

This plan will have a real impact on our community, and on the City of Hamilton. We are excited to begin!

The OMB found that traffic can have a major impact on the health and safety of our families, especially our children. The OMB decision states that efforts should be made to improve streetscaping and signage as soon as possible “to create the atmosphere of a child and family-friendly community” and that NEN should be given an opportunity to provide input into the process.

In it's conclusion, the OMB stated “. . . it is important to start at once to implement selected measures in order to convey to drivers that they are entering into a different environment where slower speeds and deference to pedestrians is required. Drivers must be given the message that they are potentially in conflict with children and that they must drive in a slower and more cautious manner. Drivers should be induced to feel they are participating in protecting the safety of pedestrians, especially children.”

In summary, we got:

·      5 year pilot project

·      30 K on all residential streets with calming measures

·      NEN on the implementation, review and analysis team.

·      Start up "at once"

·      Recognition that a message needs to be given to drivers.

·      Recognition that we are a vital Child and Family Friendly Community.

The OMB report recognizes that many people from our neighbourhood who would be directly affected came and spoke at the public session in November 2010. 

A meeting was held on January 15 to discuss the decision and implementation of the plan. Over 60 residents attended. Lawyer Herman Turkstra explained the OMB decision and pointed out particular sections. 

Councilor Farr explained moving forward with staff at the City. A few residents expressed concerns and many residents expressed ideas on priorities. NEN will be working with Councillor Farr on implementing with continual feedback and monitoring from residents, whose ideas are important as we move forward.   

Please go to our website page: Traffic Management Plan and fill in the “survey” and give your opinion. Or phone or email NEN. 

A big thanks goes to all our members and residents who have worked on this project over the last 10 years devoting many, many hours to meetings and research of traffic calming on behalf of our beloved North End. Many areas of the city will be watching our progress.

OMB Decision Finally Here.

The OMB's decision has finally been released! Our final argument was August 2011.

We did not win Burlington and James street in the 30K speed limit, nor did we get the traffic management plan imbedded in the Secondary Plan. The safety and vitality of our entire neighbourhood is paramount, and the exclusion of Burlington Street and James Street from the 30K plan will have a real impact on our community. It was a deciding factor in going to the appeal process. 

Here is a copy of the City Traffic management Plan Map.

 

There will be a NEN meeting at Bennetto Rec Centre on Jan. 15 at 7:00.  The meeting was announced in the Breezes to discuss the Simcoe Tot Lot and Casino issues, however, we decided some time will be needed to go over the OMB decision first and hear members comments.  In addition, we want our members to be thinking about how to "make it happen". Where to start? 

We did get something.

The OMB found that we are a vital family oriented neighbourhood and that traffic can have a major impact on the health and safety of our families and particularly on the lives of our children.

The OMB decision states efforts should be made to improve streetscaping and signage as soon as possible “to create the atmosphere of a child and family-friendly community.”  NEN should be given an opportunity to provide input into the process. 

 

The OMB also states in its conclusion that “It is appropriate that traffic calming and management measures be implemented in the Neighbourhood as a pilot project for a period of five years. This will provide time for these measures to have their full effect, for analysis and modifications. However, it is important to start at once to implement selected measures in order to convey to drivers that they are entering into a different environment where slower speeds and deference to pedestrians is required. Drivers must be given the message that they are potentially in conflict with children and that they must drive in a slower and more cautious manner. Drivers should be induced to feel they are participating in protecting the safety of pedestrians, especially children.”

So, we got:

• 5 year pilot project
• 30 K on all residential streets with calming measures
• NEN on the implementation, review and analysis team.
• Start up "at once"
• Recognition that a message needs to be given to drivers.
• Recognition that we are a vital Child and family friendly community.

Thank YOU to our members for supporting our efforts on behalf of the neighbourhood.   The OMB report recognizes that many people attended and spoke at the public session.

We are interested in your questions and comments. We hope to see you on January 15 at 7:00.  Time permitting, agenda items are OMB Decision, Casino, and Simcoe Tot Lot.