Transportation Master Plan

Hi Old Skier,

Thank you for sharing your comments and concerns regarding road safety along Hamilton Boulevard and in the City broadly. I want to acknowledge that we have received your comments and concerns and I am sorry to learn about your collision in this area.

Our team consulted with stakeholders, interested parties, and community last year on what the major issues and opportunities in our transportation network. We heard many comments and concerns regarding road safety for all road users including pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, and drivers. Based on the feedback we received (see Phase 1 Engagement Summary Report), it became readily apparent that road safety is a major issue among residents and a key theme (among others) and area of focus for our Transportation Master Plan.

Road safety is influenced by a variety of factors including policy, engineering design, enforcement, and education and the City does have a variety of tools available, within its jurisdiction and control, to influence road safety. For reference, the City has administration and jurisdiction over roads, sidewalks, crosswalks, street signage, traffic signals, etc. within City limits. The City, however, has limited jurisdiction over motor vehicle regulations (Motor Vehicle Act, Yukon Government), vehicle standards and safety devices (Federal Government), enforcement of moving traffic (RCMP), among other things that also have an impact on road safety. Under the current Motor Vehicle Act (currently under review by the Yukon Government), the City does not have the authority to implemented automated speed enforcement or red-light cameras and would require a revision to the Motor Vehicle Act.

Through the Transportation Master Plan, we are identifying ways that we can work towards developing an accessible, equitable, safe, and sustainable transportation network that are directly within the City's control. We will also be identifying opportunities for the City to partner with other levels of government in achieving our collective transportation vision, values, and goals.

We have recently posted a discussion forum on improving road safety. I encourage you to check it out and provide your input.

Cheers,

Stefan Baer, E.I.T.
Project Manager, Transportation Master Plan
Engineering Services, City of Whitehorse

Hi YukonDaisy,

Thank you for your question.

As part of preparation for the Canada Winter Games bid package, bid committee determined that demolition and upgrades of the existing Takhini Arena at the existing Takhini Arena site was the most reasonable and feasible option to accommodate the needs of the community and the games. As part of this process, a Transportation Impact Assessment was conducted which identified on-site transportation measures to accommodate people accessing the site such as transit, bicycle parking, on-site parking, etc.

With respect to Range Road and Two Mile Hill Road, the City has carried out multiple planning processes to determine what should be done to accommodate the needs of the intersection and corridor. Through the Range Road Corridor Study, it was determined that a bi-directional cycling facility on the west side would be beneficial to encourage more sustainable transportation choices along the corridor. Through the Range Road & Two Mile Hill Intersection Study, it was determined that intersection upgrades and signal timing improvements are required to improve roadway geometry, enhance road safety, enhance active transportation facilities, and accommodate the anticipated growth in traffic.

We will be reviewing all of these proposed improvements and other transportation network level requirements as part of the Transportation Master Plan.

Cheers,

Stefan Baer, E.I.T. | Engineering Services

There are two considerations for GHG emissions reductions that need to be considered here: project-specific GHG emissions associated with transportation capital project implementation and broad city-wide GHG emissions associated with transportation use.

Project-specific GHG emissions
Measurement of GHG emissions associated with a project is not difficult nor cost-prohibitive to perform. These GHG measurements include quantification of GHG associated with capital project implementation. For example: labour and materials associated with concrete, gravel, and asphalt works in transportation projects.

Each year, the City prepares a capital expenditure plan for the following years. This plan outlines the capital priorities for the City. Projects that are proposed as part of the capital expenditure plan are ranked with both corporate and community GHG emission reductions targets in mind, where projects that result in an increase in GHG emissions are negatively scored. The capital expenditure plan also considers other benefits and costs of proposed projects such as economic and societal considerations.

City-wide GHG emissions

Measurement of City-wide sustainability performance in transportation could be measured by mode share mode share. While mode share is an indicator of the percentage of use of a mode of transportation such as walking, cycling, transit, and driving, it only gives us a proxy for representation of community GHG emissions from transportation.

It is technically difficult to measure both GHG emissions reduction and mode share change as a result of transportation improvements as it requires a detailed analysis on behaviour change. This process has many assumptions associated with it.

The City has proposed development of a Community Emissions Inventory as part of the 2022-2026 Capital Expenditures Plan which seeks to fill in the gaps on GHG emmissions. Please note that this project is ultimately subject to Mayor and Council approval. 

Transportation Master Plan

The Transportation Master Plan seeks to provide a strategy for how the City invests in its transportation infrastructure in the short, medium, and long term horizons that considers relative benefit to cost and society, economy, and the environment. In essence, this plan intends to provide a list of “pre-screened” projects that inform the capital expenditure planning process.

As part of this Transportation Master Plan, the City will be checking in with our previous targets and targets proposed by international, national, and terroritorial agencies. It is anticipated that projects ultimately proposed as part of this plan will likely (depending on what we ultimately hear from the public and weighed against other environmental, social, and economic considerations) feature sustainability considerations.

Stefan Baer, E.I.T. | Engineering Services
Sara Thompson | Planning and Sustinability Services

Hi RedBird53,

Thank you for your question.

I have now posted a preview of the survey so that you can solicit input from members of your organization. See Transportation Master Plan - Survey #1 (for Organizations) description (below) or at the following links. Please note that we prefer submissions through the online form.

https://whitehorsetmp.ca/26725/widgets/110335/documents/71650

https://whitehorsetmp.ca/embeds/projects/26725/survey-tools/25414

I am unsure what "supports" that could be made available or that you could be referring to. Please get in touch with our project team to discuss further and suggest any ideas you think would be helpful.

Stefan Baer, E.I.T.
Transportation Engineer-in-Training | Engineering Services

Hi dorothy,

Thank you for your question. Though land use and transportation are very interconnected and related, your question relates more to land use while the purpose of this project is more oriented towards the transportation network.

The City is currently in the process of updating both its Official Community Plan and the Transportation Master Plan. This past summer the Official Community Plan – Emerging Directions was released which highlights some of the major proposed land use changes and considerations and provided an opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed policy directions. Based on the Official Community Plan - Emerging Directions, the answer to your following questions is found in the following policy directions:

5.4.1 Pursue a compact development pattern that focuses higher density residential growth within strategic locations. 

a. Establish an Urban Core that permits higher density development generally within a 10-minute walk or bike ride of Downtown (See 5.7 Urban Core on page 14). 

b. Establish Urban Centres in Whistle Bend, Takhini and McIntyre/Tank Farm that encourage each area to have the densest populations of any nonDowntown location.

5.5.2 Keep Downtown vital by continuing to encourage a broad mix of uses, including additional residential developments. 

a. Retain Downtown’s focus as the primary employment and cultural area for the city and region by directing major office development and cultural facilities primarily into the Downtown. 

b. Review policies and regulations to facilitate an increase to the number of people living Downtown to ensure a critical mass of people living and working in the area to support a thriving downtown.

5.5.4 Reinforce Main Street district as a central destination in Whitehorse that is welcoming and comfortable for people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities. 

a. Retain Main Street as Downtown’s primary retail high street and ensure a vibrant mix of retail, office, entertainment, arts, cultural and institutional uses, supported by a range of programming efforts. 

b. Enhance Main Street as a vibrant commercial village with a continuous row of small, engaging storefronts, low building heights, significant public realm and gathering spaces.

5.6.1 Establish an urban structure that optimizes transportation networks, intensifies land uses and creates opportunities for new jobs and homes in vibrant nodes of development that complements a strong downtown. 

a. Urban Centres – to be the most densley populated areas outside of the Downtown. i Support transit investment and the viability of new neighbourhood-serving commercial uses, by establishing three Urban Centres with additional homes and retail and service, including minor office above the ground floor. 

b. Neighbourhood Centres i Establish four neighbourhood Centres to support additional commercial and transit services and encourage additional homes within a 5-minute walk of these areas 

c. Support higher residential density on sites adjacent to transit routes and within an approximate 10-minute walk (800m) of Urban and Neighbourhood Centres.

The proposed policy directions imply that shopping (major retail) will be retained in Downtown over the planning horizon. However, commercial uses will be allowed in the proposed Urban Centres (Takhini, Whistle Bend, Tank Farm) and Neighbourhood Centres.

Please note that this is a policy direction. The policy is yet to be adoped by Council.

Stefan Baer

Transportation Engineer-in-Training | Engineering Services

Mélodie Simard

Manager | Planning and Sustainability Services

Hi darren,

Thank you for your question.

Registration for the survey was recommended to us for the following reasons:

• Registration helps us understand who is responding to the project.
  • It is commonly understood among people involved in public engagement that the the same people often contribute towards public processes and provide public input.
  • Registration helps avoid duplicate survey responses and thus overrepresenting certain opinions.
• Registration helps us understand how people are interacting with a project.
  • Registration helps provides enhanced reporting and analytics. This helps provide decision-makers (Council and Administration) with helpful statistics regarding public engagement and consultation.
• Registration helps the City incorporate equity and inclusion into a project.
  • Registration helps us understand how various groups or segments of the population that have an interest or influence in the project are represented in public input.
  • Without registration and self-identification questions that relate to equity and inclusion, there is simply no way to understand who is providing public input.
  • Equity, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) strengthen research and the quality, social relevance and impact of research.

Our team recognizes that registration may pose a barrier to some participation in the public input. However, we felt that the quality of public input was more important than the quantity of public input at this time and for this project.

As a result, registration is only a requirement for participation in the survey. All other tools such as the Ideas, Interactive Map, and this Questions and Answers are still accessible to anyone with an email address.

I have edited some of the questions in the registration form for clarity and convenience. If you feel that registration continues to be a barrier for your participation, please get in touch with our team and we can discuss potential options for your participation.

Stefan Baer, E.I.T.
Transportation Engineer-in-Training | Engineering Services

Hi Northstar,

Thank you for your question and sharing your concerns, comments, and experience using our transportation network.

The City recently completed a review of its Snow and Ice Clearing Policy. I encourage you to review the new policy and the updated priorities here. If you have any further questions, I encourage you to reach out to our Fleet and Transportation Maintenance Department as they are best suited to answer this question.

Cheers,

Stefan Baer, E.I.T.
Project Manager, Transportation Master Plan
Engineering Services, City of Whitehorse

Hi Dylan Laird,

Thank you for your great question.

The City has been approached on multiple occasions about this right of way for a variety of purposes including active transportation, riverfront area placemaking and urban activation, among other ideas. 

As a part of the Transportation Master Plan, we will review whether the corridor is required for existing and anticipated future functional active transportation needs/requirements.

Cheers,

Stefan Baer, E.I.T. | Engineering Services
Project Manager | Transportation Master Plan