Inte

llig

ent T

raff

ic S

igna

ls |

1

IntelligentTrafficSignalsSubmission toProvince of Ontario

MARCH 31, 2019

Inte

llig

ent T

raff

ic S

igna

ls | S

ubm

issi

on L

ette

r2

A TransportationSystem for All

The projects identified in this first submission represent the best opportunity to get London moving, now and into the future.

These are not just transit projects. They represent a city-wide transportation infrastructure opportunity that impacts all forms of mobility, makes commutes shorter and safer, relieves traffic congestion and builds better transit. All Londoners – including those who drive – will have an enhanced experience, thanks to the projects’ investments in intelligent traffic signals, road widening and streetscape improvements, plus dedicated bus lanes that help keep traffic moving smoothly.

These projects will stimulate economic development and growth. They will help connect people to jobs and establish clusters of industry in proximity to transit stations. Businesses and major institutions near the transit corridors can be expected to benefit from improved access to skilled workers and customers, increased productivity and competitiveness resulting from a reduction in travel times and transportation costs.

Importantly, these projects represent the will of the residents of London, as demonstrated by extensive public consultation and stakeholder engagement over several years, including hundreds of hours of consultation through stakeholder sessions and public participation meetings.

We believe these projects will provide the most benefit for the greatest number people in the form of transit capacity, reliability, access and safety. Moreover, these projects will support overall improvements to the movement of all modes of travel, including vehicle traffic, and consequently directly stimulate urban revitalization, economic development and job creation.

The proposed projects will be an important step in transforming London’s transportation system, one that supports our economic growth and propels people and the economy forward. They represent a transformational initiative that creates local, regional, provincial and national economic and community benefits. They will help improve mobility, build strong communities and promote economic opportunity. Most importantly, they demonstrate London is open for business and open for jobs.

Lond

on

Can

ada

| L

ondo

n.ca

3

The Road to HereHow did we get here?

The proposals in this submission package are the result of 15 years of hard work, planning and extensive consultation with Londoners, starting with the 2004 Transportation Master Plan.

The City of London has long prioritized transportation planning as a foundation of overall city-building and development. The need for rapid transit was first identified in 2004 and was reiterated in all major transportation planning strategies since then, including the 2006 London Transit Commission’s Ridership Growth Strategy, the 2013 Smart Moves 2030 Transportation Master Plan, the 2016 London Plan, and the 2017 Rapid Transit Master Plan. As a City, the projects included in this submission represent the natural culmination of years of planning and attention to London’s long-term transportation needs.

Our goal has always been to improve all modes of transportation, while addressing and shaping the city’s population growth and mobility needs. This proposal is designed to work with other planned improvements to make it easier for all Londoners to move around.

We have listened to Londoners, and they have spoken clearly: building better transportation for everyone means providing better transportation infrastructure for everyone, planned and implemented in an integrated way.

Population projections

London is expected to grow by 84,000 people in the next 20 years. Our employment base will grow by 43,000 jobs between 2015 and 2035. Between 60% and 70% of this growth could occur within 800 metres of the rapid transit corridors.

This growth will require millions of square feet of new commercial, institutional and industrial space as well as thousands of new residential units. It is estimated that when complete, the majority of London’s jobs will be within walking distance of the city’s transit network.

Ridership projections

London outperforms in transit ridership per capita, outpacing other municipalities implementing rapid transit systems, including Hamilton, Waterloo and York Region. In fact, London has the fifth busiest transit system in the province, trailing only Toronto, Ottawa, Metrolinx (Go Transit) and Mississauga.

Population and transit ridership in London are growing and are expected to continue to grow. Between 2006 and 2016, bus ridership grew by 20%, from 18.7 million to 22.6 million. Network ridership projections show a steady increase in demand for transit infrastructure.

Inte

llig

ent T

raff

ic S

igna

ls | S

ubm

issi

on L

ette

r4

Public and stakeholder consultation inputs

Consultation with Londoners has been ongoing for over a decade, through some of the city’s largest-ever public engagement exercises. By engaging tens of thousands of local residents, businesses, and First Nation communities these exercises laid the groundwork for a people-focused transportation network as part of the vision to meet our city’s unique transit needs.

The Road AheadProjects under consideration

We have worked with the provincial and federal government to develop a submission that responds to the desired goals of all governments under the Investing in Canada Plan. London’s 10 transportation projects approved by City Council were chosen from a short list of projects selected for consideration using the following two criteria:

1. Alignment with the federal program objectives, including:

u at least one of improved capacity of public transit infrastructure, improved quality and/or safety of transit systems and improved access to public transit;

u active transportation projects if they connect citizens to a public transit system;

u projects that are consistent with a land-use or transportation plan or strategy.

2. Current degree of technical and financial analysis for each project to minimize risk with respect to cost estimates, project implementation and the City’s capital and operating budgets.

Following a Public Participation Meeting on March 20, 2019, Council identified and endorsed ten projects to advance for provincial consideration. The five projects for initial submission to the Province of Ontario are included in our current submission, with the remaining projects moving through the internal development process in anticipation of the Government of Ontario’s review.

Lond

on

Can

ada

| L

ondo

n.ca

5

Top five recommended projects

The five selected projects included herein represent priority projects for the City of London that are ready to move forward immediately, providing the greatest benefit to Londoners.

The recommendation includes three rapid transit projects, combined with the efficiency of intelligent signalling and a long-overdue and resident-supported underpass project designed to improve mobility and transit connectivity. They are:

1. Downtown Loop

2. Wellington Gateway

3. East London Link

4. Intelligent Traffic Signals

5. Adelaide Street Underpass Active Transportation Connections

Why these five?

It is important to note that each of these five projects has been evaluated individually and is able to stand on its own merits.

Most importantly, these five projects present the best possible mix of transportation improvements within the current framework to get London moving forward, to provide the greatest short-term benefits to Londoners and all Ontarians, and to provide the foundations for ongoing transportation system improvements well into the future.

Investment in these high priority transit projects will improve road safety, smooth traffic patterns, decrease congestion, improve reliability, drive investment and job growth and improve transportation for all Londoners.

Inte

llig

ent T

raff

ic S

igna

ls | S

ubm

issi

on L

ette

r6

Highlights of the project benefits include:

u Easing congestion and improving transit reliability and efficiency by separating buses from mixed traffic;

u Supporting greater access to transit services in London’s job-supporting industrial employment areas in association with planned frequency increases and enhancements to transit services;

u Upgrading intersection signals to improve traffic flow;

u Widening roads for lanes that can be flexible for future transportation needs;

u Coordinating construction with necessary upgrades to sewers, watermains, utilities infrastructure;

u Adding sidewalks and facilities for active transportation; and,

u Improving overall safety for transit users and vehicle commuters alike.

Key benefits

Improving transit

u The proposed projects will increase transit capacity. The result will be the ability to meet the expected growth in demand for transit services while maintaining the current vehicle capacity of the majority of roadways.

u Transit riders will have more choices and freedom because of improved frequency. They will have more reliable service because of dedicated lanes. They will have shorter waits at more comfortable rapid transit stations.

Improving vehicle travel

u Vehicle travel will be enhanced, with overall positive impacts on existing road networks, including much-needed infrastructure upgrades.

u By removing buses from mixed traffic, capacity for vehicles will increase while also increasing transit frequency and reliability.

Lond

on

Can

ada

| L

ondo

n.ca

7

Improving opportunity

u Combined, these projects are expected to generate 2,709 person-years of employment, representing $171.3 million in wages, during construction, plus an additional 167 person-years and $9.2 million in wages of long-term employment.

u Construction of separate rapid transit lanes, and accompanying efficiencies, are expected to result in savings of approximately 17.1 million person-hours of travel time by 2050.

u The increases in ridership due to the implementation of rapid transit will reduce congestion on our streets, linking goods to market and addressing the economic costs of traffic congestion.

u Support improved transit connections to London’s highest growth industrial and commercial areas, and to neighbouring communities alongside planned service frequency increases and enhancements to transit services.

u Enhancements to the health of Londoners through the incorporation of active transportation elements, improvements to air quality and overall reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Improving safety

u Road upgrades will improve safety for all vehicles.

u Centre medians will improve safety of loading and unloading passengers.

u Dedicated turn lanes at signalized intersections will improve vehicle safety.

u Critical response times will be reduced by allowing emergency service vehicles to use dedicated transit lanes.

Quick facts

u The projects will generate 2,709 person-years of employment, representing $171.3 million in wages, during construction, plus an additional 167 person-years ($9.2 million in wages) of long-term employment.

u Efficiencies gained will reduce the time Londoners spend commuting by 35.2 million person-hours by 2050.

u It is estimated that 60-70% of London’s future population growth will occur within 800 metres of rapid transit corridors throughout the city.

u The City of London has a large supply of vacant land close to proposed transit projects, including at least 43 parcels of land eligible for redevelopment with access to Wellington Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway.

u Travel in London, whether by transit or car, will be safer and more reliable.

Inte

llig

ent T

raff

ic S

igna

ls | P

roje

ct D

escr

ipti

on8

Estimated Cost

Shovel ready?

Projected Timeline

$19.5 million 2021 – 2028 Yes

Intelligent Traffic Signals are designed to help prepare London’s transportation network for the future by reducing delays at intersections and keeping traffic flowing smoothly.

Providing buses with priority signals would help them to maintain reliable service schedules and get transit users to their destinations on time.

Other traffic signal improvements – such as sensors and video cameras – would be installed along major corridors. These enhancements would build capacity for future systems, which could include other modes of public transit, including connected and autonomous vehicle technology.

Project Description

u Upgrade to a high-bandwidth intersection communication network

u Upgrade traffic signal management system for improved transit signal priority

u Implement GPS-based transit signal priority to improve transit reliability

u Install video camera and travel time monitoring equipment along key corridors

u Build Transportation Management Centre

Construction Summary

Lond

on

Can

ada

| L

ondo

n.ca

9

Eligibility Criteria

Improved transit capacity

Improved transit safety and quality

The project would include a Transportation Management Centre (TMC) where staff could adjust signal timings to improve traffic flow and, when needed, co-ordinate with emergency operations and the transit service, in real time. The TMC would share data with the transit management centre to ensure transit operations are running with the best available information in order to inform passengers of any current or impending delays.

Specific elements include:

u Transit Signal Priority

u Adaptive “smarter” traffic signals on select corridors that modify signal timings in real time

u A new Transportation Management Centre (TMC) with an Advanced Traffic Management System

u Sensors that would track transit, monitoring travel times and assist with schedule adherence

u A real-time incident and event management system supported by closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras

u Fibre Optic communication upgrades

This project would be implemented in priority sequence, according to transit and general traffic demands. An additional $8.5 million total is included across the proposed Wellington Gateway, East London Link, and Downtown Loop rapid transit projects, for a city-wide total of $28 million.

Inte

llig

ent T

raff

ic S

igna

ls | P

roje

ct D

escr

ipti

on10

The strategic case

u The City’s existing traffic control system does not allow for real-time adjustments to signal timing to ease congestion.

u The City’s existing traffic control system does not include effective transit-supportive elements such as transit signal priority or tracking sensors.

u Improved transit reliability is known to encourage modal shift to transit.

u Capacity is improved by the efficient movement of transit vehicles.

u The intelligent system must be implemented on rapid transit corridors to manage the more complex intersection signal operations.

Benefits

Transit for tomorrow

u Intelligent traffic signals will smooth traffic patterns, decrease overall congestion, and improve transit reliability.

u Transit-supportive elements such as GPS Transit Signal Priority and tracking sensors prioritize the movement of transit along corridors, improving the capacity and reliability of the transit system.

u The proposed rapid transit projects also include intelligent traffic signals for the rapid transit corridors. This project expands the benefits to other busy transit corridors.

Economic opportunity

u Transit user time savings has an economic value of $85 million over the evaluation period (2018 - 2050).

Improving car travel

u Improved transit signal technology will reduce delays at intersections and can be adjusted in real-time to clear congestion due to unexpected events or incidents.

Safer roads

u More people using transit reduces vehicular collisions, and reliable transit would encourage this modal shift.

u Reduced delay at intersections reduces driver frustration and unsafe movements at intersections, particularly during yellow and red signal phases.

Appendix 1TECHNICAL BUSINES S CASE

Inte

llige

nt T

raffi

c Si

gnal

s | T

echn

ical B

usine

ss C

ase

1

Intelligent Traffic Signals / Transportation Intelligent Mobility Management System Transit Project Business Case Introduction The Intelligent Traffic Signal project, also known as the Transportation Intelligent Mobility Management System (TIMMS) project aims to reduce intersection delays and carbon emissions, ensure shorter travel times for transit users, and prepare London’s transit network for the future. The TIMMS project would include priority signals for transit, as well as other traffic signal improvements – such as sensors and video cameras – along major corridors.

It would include the following specific elements:

• GPS Transit Signal Priority, which is required for Rapid Transit;

• Adaptive “smarter” traffic signals along select corridors that would modify signal timings in real-time;

• A new Transportation Management Centre (TMC) with an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS);

• Sensors that would track transit – monitoring travel times and assisting with schedule adherence.

• A real-time incident and event management system supported by a closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras; and,

• Fibre Optic Communication Upgrades.

The plan is to roll out TIMMS in priority sequence, according to transit and general traffic demands. Initially, the new technologies would be installed on busy corridors with high travel demands from local transit (Figure 1). Over the long term, infrastructure that is being installed as part of this plan would lay the ground work for the possibility of expansion in the future.

TIMMS aims to improve capacity, safety, and quality for transit users and is required for implementation of Rapid Transit.

Inte

llige

nt T

raffi

c Si

gnal

s | T

echn

ical B

usine

ss C

ase

2

Figure 1: Proposed TIMMS Priority Corridors

Background London’s traffic control system has been in place since 2005 and is becoming outdated. The current system connects more than 400 traffic signals across London to City Hall where traffic signal timings can be modified centrally. However, it does not allow “real-time” management of traffic. As the city grows and roads become busier, we are seeing a need to be able to adjust signals to ease congestion, especially at peak travel periods. TIMMS for the City of London would address shortcomings by enabling real-time communication between signals and the traffic management centre, where staff would be able to respond to delays and adjust signals immediately. TIMMS would provide significant benefits to a number of major and feeder transit routes and it is necessary for the implication of a Rapid Transit system. The City hired LEA Consulting Limited in 2017 to assist staff in evaluating the need for a new Intelligent Transportation System, also known as TIMMS. LEA Consulting Limited

Inte

llige

nt T

raffi

c Si

gnal

s | T

echn

ical B

usine

ss C

ase

3

also helped to evaluate the potential elements of the traffic management system and formalized the framework of TIMMS. In 2018, the planning process for TIMMS began with the approval of the LEA contract assignment. In 2019, the City of London procured high-bandwidth cellular modems that would be installed separately from this TIMMS program and would support the fibre optic system that gets installed as part of TIMMS. This project plans initial operations to begin in 2021, with expansion in following years. Public Consultation In coordination with LEA Consulting Limited, stakeholder consultation was carried out with involvement from Roadway Lighting and Traffic Control Division, London Transit Commission, the Rapid Transit Implementation Office, Information Technology Services, Corporate Security, Facilities, and Corporate Communications. Through these consultations, LEA developed a concept design and roll-out plan for TIMMS. A Public Participation Meeting was held on March 20, 2019 regarding 19 transit focused projects, including this TIMMS project. Council received feedback regarding this project at that PPM and provided direction to move forward with a new TIMMS. TIMMS evolved out of the rapid transit project and therefore was also informed by the lengthy consultation process associated with the larger project. Costs

The City of London is submitting the capital costs of TIMMS for Federal and Provincial funding support. The total nominal capital cost is estimated at $19.5M. Ongoing operating costs would be borne by the City of London.

The City would apply a multi-phased approach to the implementation of the TIMMS project. Based on the roll-out plan developed by LEA Consulting, major project phases have been identified (short-term (up to 2 years), medium-term (3 to 5 years) and long-term (beyond 5 years)). The timing of specific TIMMS project elements would be subject to synergies with Rapid Transit, other city projects, available budget, and staff resources.

The rollout plan anticipated that the capital costs, operating costs and maintenance costs for TIMMS would be based on multi-phased implementation of each TIMMS element. The capital costs are distributed across the project phasing and this phasing over a number of years has implications on the Present Value (PV) of the cost in 2018. The PV in 2018 was used to calculate the Benefit-Cost Ratio, as shown in Table 2. Single-year operating and maintenance costs were developed and nominalized costs

Inte

llige

nt T

raffi

c Si

gnal

s | T

echn

ical B

usine

ss C

ase

4

were determined for every year until 2050. The costs used for the Business Case are the Present Value (2018$) of the sum of all the nominalized costs. The costs are presented in Table 2.

Benefits The economic benefits of TIMMS are quantified through internal and external impacts, including travel time savings, greenhouse gas emission reductions, and air quality benefits. These impacts are quantified by applying a value to each impact. The value applied to each impact is detailed below and the results are summarized in Table 2. Evaluation of the TIMMS economic case is focused on transit ridership. Looking at transit ridership allows us to evaluate TIMMS impact on transit capacity, safety, and quality. The transit ridership forecasting approach is based on London’s existing network transportation model. In order to evaluate the benefits of TIMMS independently from Rapid Transit, the ridership projection used for this business case is the Business as Usual (BAU) scenario. The decision on where Transit Signal Priority should be implemented was based on information received from the London Transit Commission (LTC) of their most congested routes. While the percentage of ridership along the identified corridors may vary from year to year it has been established that a large majority of transit trips will benefit from TSP. To ensure a conservative approach a 25% trip benefit ratio was chosen. Meaning, 25% of all transit trips will experience a time savings as a result of transit signal priority. Internal User Impacts refers to the travel impacts experienced by the users of the transportation system. For the purpose of this Business Case, these are generally based on travel time savings by transit users. Additional considerations include improved reliability and reduced crowding. The internal benefits are summarized in Table 2. Travel time savings to transit riders would occur as a result of increased intersection efficiency and transit priority signals. Transit travel times along TIMMS priority corridors could decrease by 10%1, according to research completed by the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO). The resulting value of time savings is calculated using an assumed value of time, based on a medium income of $16.71/hr. Table 1 illustrates travel times in minutes, in free flow traffic, between major trip generators in London by transit. The average trip time savings multiplied by the number of trips and the medium income was used to determine the value of the transit user time savings shown in Table 2.

1 https://nacto.org/publication/transit-street-design-guide/intersections/signals-operations/active-transit-signal-priority/

Inte

llige

nt T

raffi

c Si

gnal

s | T

echn

ical B

usine

ss C

ase

5

Table 1: Transit Travel Times (in Minutes), 20172

ORIGIN DESTINATION

Downtown

Western

Fanshawe College

Masonville

Oxford/ Wonderland

White Oaks

Average Transit Travel time in Minutes 2017 Downtown 18 21 15 22 18 Western 18 31 8 18 40 Fanshawe 21 28 29 21 43 Masonville 16 10 32 27 31 Oxford/Wonderland 21 16 19 24 32

White Oaks 18 38 41 33 37 External impacts include impacts experienced by society as a whole, including greenhouse gas emissions reductions and air quality improvements. The external benefits are summarized in Table 2. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions saving would be realized through a reduction in intersection idling time by buses. The reduction in GHG is calculated from travel time savings, multiplied by the average mass of greenhouse gases produced by idling over a certain amount of time. The Metrolinx Business Case Guidelines suggest a societal cost of $0.155 per tonne of CO2 equivalents. Air quality benefits include reductions of criteria air contaminants caused by vehicle emissions. The Metrolinx Business Case Guidelines suggest a simple approach to estimating air quality benefits which is to multiply the mass of GHG reduction by $0.002.

2 LTC Actual Travel Time, June 2017, 4:00 – 5:00pm

Inte

llige

nt T

raffi

c Si

gnal

s | T

echn

ical B

usine

ss C

ase

6

Table 2: TIMMS Benefit – Cost Analysis (Values in Millions)

Description TIMMS FINANCIAL CASE

Total CAPEX (PV 2018$) 14.6 Total CAPEX (Nominal$) 19.5 Total OPEX to 2050 (PV 2018$) 40.0 Total OPEX to 2050 (Nominal$) 89.0 Total Costs (PV) 54.6

ECONOMIC CASE (PV 2018$) Internal Benefits

Transit User Time Savings 85.0 NPV (Internal Benefits-Costs) 30.43

External Benefits GHG Emissions 3.3 Air Quality 0.03 Sub-total 3.3

Benefit - Cost Ratio (PV 2018$) Total Benefits (Internal+External) 88.3 Total Costs (For BC Ratio) 54.3 NPV (Net Benefits-Costs) 34.1 Benefit - Cost Ratio 1.63

The TIMMS project has nine objectives which provide qualitative benefits. These benefits are outlined below and relate to the ability for TIMMS to address the guiding objectives of the City.

• Support for transit signal priority for rapid transit; • Improved schedule adherence for transit vehicles; • Improved reliability for transit vehicles; • Increased travel efficiency along key corridors and intersections; • Increased ridership as a result of the benefits listed above; • Improved capacity as a result of less delay; • Improved incident management along key corridors and intersections; • Support for the efficient travel of emergency service vehicles; and, • Obtaining big data analytics to aid in real-time operations and future planning.

Inte

llige

nt T

raffi

c Si

gnal

s | T

echn

ical B

usine

ss C

ase

7

Risk Mitigation The risks associated with this intelligent transportation system project are low. The technologies are well established and delivery lies solely with the City of London with no external approvals. The project scope needs to be carefully managed and this has been proactively addressed with the initial discovery, scoping and phasing development. There are construction and efficiencies if the Downtown Loop, Wellington Gateway and East London Link Rapid Transit projects and TIMMS are implemented at the same time. The efficiencies are maximized if the projects are approved together and phased implementation can be coordinated between the projects. Funding Eligibility The project meets the following criteria:

- Improved transit capacity - Improved transit safety and quality

Based on the NACTO research, transit signal priority, which is a key part of TIMMS, can reduce transit travel times by around 10% and reduce delay at target intersections by up to 50%3. Reductions in travel time improves transit quality and would also increase schedule adherence. Schedule adherence reduces operational inefficiencies, increases capacity and creates a more reliable quality service. The combination of the reductions in travel times and schedule adherence has the potential of attracting new riders who have the choice between their personal vehicle and public transit. Conclusion The proposed TIMMS project is a response to an outdated traffic signal system and aims to provide significant benefits to transit. This project is the result of a process that included consultation with London Transit Commission, the Rapid Transit Implementation Office, Intelligent Traffic Systems, Facilities, Corporate Security, and peer municipalities. Rapid transit as well as local transit would experience benefits including reduced intersection delays, reduced carbon emissions, and shorter travel times.

3 https://nacto.org/publication/transit-street-design-guide/intersections/signals-operations/active-transit-signal-priority/

Inte

llige

nt T

raffi

c Si

gnal

s | T

echn

ical B

usine

ss C

ase

8

Appendix A: Input Assumptions

Parameter Value Reference

Discount Rate (Real) 2.50% Metrolinx 2015 Discount Rate (Nominal) 4.50% Metrolinx 2015 Inflation Rate 2.00% Metrolinx 2015 Discount Year/Price Base 2018 Project Assumption

Evaluation Period 2018-2050 Project Assumption

Value of Time ($/hr) $16.71 Metrolinx 2015 Air Quality Benefits ($/kg) $0.002 Metrolinx 2015

kg of CO2 per minute idling (kg/min) $0.07

https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/efficiency/communities-

infrastructure/transportation/idling/4463

Average Cost of CO2 per kg ($/kg) $0.155 Metrolinx 2015

Accessibility

Alternate formats of this document are available upon request. Contact accessibil ity@london.ca

City of London

300 Dufferin Avenue London Ontario PO BOX 5035 N6A 4L9

Tel: 519-661-CITY (2489)London.ca