1. Introduction Today: Markham’s traffic problem Two basic and obvious principles in planning   This will be a common sense presentation covering huge issues so 5 minutes is very short!

2. The problem 2016 York Region Transportation Master Plan (TMP): Markham already has “some of the highest travel time indices in the GTA”   But more massive developments are planned York Downs - 7,500 people Future Urban Area - 45,000 people Can only make the traffic problems much, much worse

3. Obvious Principle 1 – land use planning and transportation planning should be completely integrated Planning 101   York Downs is due for completion in 2026 But will the transportation infrastructure be adequate? York Downs is miles away from any decent transit facilities Appears to be no progress on Principle 1 although the planners are aware of it

4. Obvious Principle 2 – high density and good transit go hand in hand See Downtown Markham/Viva/GO (and the huge car parks at the GO and around the employment areas . . .)   But York Downs (and Future Urban Area) are isolated with no good transit at all The new residents will own and use cars just like the rest of us Walks, waits and one or more transfers are major no-nos in transit planning Clearly, Principle 2 is still being ignored

5. York Downs: High density is totally inappropriate Density on rest of 16th Avenue does not support transit (even half hourly buses are nearly empty)   A patch of high density at York Downs will not change that How can 16th Avenue be a genuine part of the TMP’s proposed “Frequent Transit Network”?

6. Widening 16th Avenue 2016 TMP admits that: “Expansion of Regional roads alone will not solve congestion issues.” Some jurisdictions no longer widen roads.   Conservative estimate of peak hour trips from York Downs = 2,000 Traffic Impact Assessment: 93% of York Downs trips will go west and south from York Downs Around 90% are likely to use 16th Avenue Thousands of cars from York Downs will be added to 16th Avenue Additional lane on widened road is for transit and high occupancy vehicles So how does widening 16th Avenue help???

7. We need to face reality: Roads Council planners say 16th Avenue and other roads will cope   Very vague and misleading and just not good enough

8. We need to face reality: Transit on 16th Avenue Densities along 16th Avenue do not justify investment in proper transit   In the TMP, phasing and other details of the “Frequent Transit Network” are vague Frequent buses will not be justified within 10 years, but York Downs development will be there Frequent buses are unlikely to be justified even in the 2041 plan (more than 20 years away)

High-density and infill development sound good, but there are limits   9. Final comments High-density and infill development sound good, but there are limits   Roads have finite capacities and so do transit systems Let’s stop pretending can get a gallon into a pint pot Future infrastructure appears totally inadequate for the scale of development proposed

We owe this to the residents of the future   10. Conclusion Let’s be honest and stop fooling ourselves that it will somehow all work out   We need a complete reassessment of York Downs and the traffic problems and liveability issues already facing Markham We owe this to the residents of the future     A transcript of this presentation will be available on www.savemarkham.ca