TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY GUIDELINES - …

1 THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF MISSISSAUGA TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY GUIDELINES TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY GUIDELINES City of Mississauga 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 TRAFFIC IMPACT 3 Need and 3 Purpose of 3 GENERAL 5 Need for a TRAFFIC IMPACT 5 Staff 5 STUDY 5 Qualifications to Conducts TRAFFIC IMPACT 5 Data 6 Submission 6 TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY 7 Description of 7 STUDY 8 Horizon Year(s) and Time Periods for 9 Existing TRAFFIC 9 Background TRAFFIC 9 Background 9 Other Area 10 Transportation Network 10 Transit 10 Site Generated TRAFFIC 10 Trip 10 Trip 11 Trip 12 Future Total TRAFFIC 12 Evaluation of Impacts of Site Generated 12 Capacity Analysis at 13 Safety 13 Safety 14 14 Turn Lane 14 Sight Distance 15 Improvement Alternatives to Mitigate TRAFFIC 15 15 APPENDIX A TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY 17 TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY GUIDELINES City of Mississauga 2 INTRODUCTION TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY The goal of a TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY (TIS)

2 Is to assess the potential IMPACT of TRAFFIC generated by a proposed development or redevelopment and to identify the roadway improvements required to ensure that the road network will operate safely and efficiently upon completion of the development. A TIS is an important part of the development review and approval process. A TIS assists public agencies in making land use decisions where the proposal may have a significant IMPACT on TRAFFIC operations within the immediate area of the development and in some cases within the overall transportation network. The TIS benefits the municipality by: Providing decision makers with a basis on which to assess transportation implications of a proposed development applications; Providing a rational basis on which to evaluate if the type and scale of the development is appropriate for a particular site and what improvements may be necessary, on and/or off of the site, to provide for safe and efficient TRAFFIC flow; Providing a basis for assessing existing or future localized transportation system deficiencies which should be improved; Addressing transportation-related issues associated with development proposals that may be of concern to neighbouring residents, businesses and property owners.

3 And Providing a basis for negotiations for improvements and funding participation in conjunction with a development or zoning application. A TIS may vary in scope and complexity depending on the type and size of the proposed development. Need and Justification The City has prepared these GUIDELINES in order to streamline the approval process and provide a standardized framework for consultants to follow when submitting studies for review. At all times, they should be complemented with good engineering judgment. Purpose of GUIDELINES The purpose of these GUIDELINES is to ensure that a TIS prepared for the City s review meet the following criteria: 1. Objective assessment the STUDY will evaluate the impacts of proposed new development in a rational manner. 2. Consistency the STUDY will utilize assumptions consistent with the city s accepted methodologies and parameters and thus be comparable to other TRAFFIC studies in the area; TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY GUIDELINES City of Mississauga 3 3.

4 Recognized by developers and consultants the GUIDELINES will provide a standard approach to be followed and will reduce confusion and delay in processing development proposals; 4. Promote understanding of process the steps outlined in these GUIDELINES will enable proponents, reviewers and elected officials to understand the process more effectively; and 5. Ease of review by staff a standardized set of GUIDELINES will aid staff in the timely review of TISs. TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY GUIDELINES City of Mississauga 4 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Need for a TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY There are a number of criteria under which a TIS may be required. In general, a TIS should be conducted whenever a proposed development will generate more than 75 additional peak hour trips to or from the site.

5 A TIS may also be required when there are less than 75 additional peak hour trips under one or more of the following conditions: The development is located in an area of high roadway congestion and/or a high employment or population growth area. The development requires an amendment to the Official Plan, or Zoning By-Law. The development, its access(es) or type of operation is not consistent with land-use zoning or transportation plans. As part of the proposed development, a new TRAFFIC signal is proposed. If in the opinion of the City, the development has the potential to create unacceptable adverse TRAFFIC operational and/or safety impacts on the road network. The onus is on the applicant to demonstrate that a TIS is not required. Existing access(es) are operating inefficiently or there are TRAFFIC safety concerns.

6 Staff Consultation It is strongly recommended that prior to commencing a TIS that the consultant meet with City staff to review the level of detail required, to confirm the scope and to determine data requirements and their availability. In addition, developments that may IMPACT the regional or provincial road network may require additional information or analysis. The applicant should contact these road authorities, where applicable, to determine these requirements. STUDY Updates A TIS typically has a shelf life of 5 years. Major changes within the STUDY area may reduce the usefulness of the document if they were not considered in the initial assessment. Where the timing of subsequent development approvals exceeds five years, a new TIS will be required. In addition an updated TIS may be required if the TRAFFIC data utilized exceeds two years.

7 Qualifications to Conduct TRAFFIC IMPACT Studies It is the applicant s responsibility to retain a qualified transportation engineering consultant experienced in TRAFFIC engineering and transportation planning. The consultant must be a registered professional in the Province of Ontario as a Certified Engineering Technologist, Professional Engineer or Planner. Alternatively, at the discretion of the City, the City may retain a consultant at the proponent s expense. TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY GUIDELINES City of Mississauga 5 Data Collection The applicant must provide both electronic and hard copies of all raw data collected for the TIS. This includes but is not limited to the following: Turning movement counts; TRAFFIC signal timings; ATR and AADT counts; Collision records; Gap STUDY observations; Proxy site surveys; Cordon counts; etc.

8 Submission Requirements The applicant must submit five copies (unless otherwise advised by the City) of the final TIS complete with all supporting documentation. The applicant must also submit an electronic copy of all analyses contained in Appendices. All information submitted to City staff in connection with any TIS will be considered to be in the public domain. TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY GUIDELINES City of Mississauga 6 TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY REQUIREMENTS The following sections outline the required content for the TIS. In general, the content and extent of the TIS will depend on the location and size of the proposed development and the prevailing TRAFFIC conditions in the surrounding area. The TIS should consist of a main document supplemented by technical appendices containing required detailed analyses.

9 The following is a suggested structure that will aid staff in a timely review of the TIS: Description of the Proposal (with site plan or plan of subdivision if applicable); STUDY Area (with map identifying the STUDY area and site); Horizon Year(s) and Time Periods for Analysis; Existing Conditions (exhibits required); Background TRAFFIC Demand Existing and Future Background (exhibits required); Site Generated TRAFFIC Demands (exhibits required); Total TRAFFIC Demand Future Background plus Site Generated TRAFFIC (exhibits required); Evaluation of Impacts of Site Generated TRAFFIC ; Access Location Analysis; Improvement Alternatives Required to Mitigate TRAFFIC Impacts, including TRAFFIC Impacts for Future Background and Total TRAFFIC with and without Mitigation Measures (tabular summaries); and Recommendations.

10 Maps, graphs and tables should be placed adjacent to relevant text. Description of the Proposal The TIS should include a full description of the proposed development. It is recommended that this include the following elements, as appropriate: Municipal address; Existing land uses or permitted use provisions of the Official Plan, Official Plan Amendments, Zoning Bylaws, etc.; Proposed land uses and relevant planning regulations to be used in the STUDY ; Total building size and building location on the site; Floor space including a summary of each type of use and/or number of units; Anticipated date of occupancy; Approximate days and hours of operation; Planned phasing of the development; Nearby intersections and access points for adjacent developments, including type of TRAFFIC control and existing access restrictions; Proposed access points and types of access ( full moves, right-in-right-out only, specific turning restrictions, etc.)