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Introduction
The Town of Richmond Hill, one of the fastest growing communities in the
country and part of one of the fastest growing Regional Municipalities,
is faced with significant transportation challenges. Arterial roads in
the southern part of the municipality have become very congested as
north-south traffic competes with east-west traffic for available green
time. As residential subdivisions continue to be developed in the
northern part of Richmond Hill and in the northern municipalities of the
Region of York, arterial roads in the southern part of the Town, where
large business parks are located, become increasingly congested.
Arterial congestion affects transit schedule and the quality of service
and diverts traffic to residential streets.
Some of the traffic related issues that have been identified are:
The congestion on arterial roads and on Yonge Street through the core
of Richmond Hill and through 16th Avenue;
Speeding on municipal roads/residential streets and subsequent request
for traffic calming;
Ability for employees to get to and from work in a reasonable time;
Impact of rapid transit on travel demand;
Accommodation of new growth;
Impact, timing and need for new railway grade separation crossings and
Highway 404 mid-block connectors;
Demand for cycling on arterial roads;
Pedestrian accommodation at traffic signals;
Accidents response and alternative routings;
By-pass of the central business district for through trips, and
The provision of all-day, two-way GO Rail service to Richmond Hill.
In 1996, the Town completed the Transportation Planning Study which
recommended a strategy for three time periods, short term to 2001,
medium term to 2011 and long term or ultimate build out 2021. In 1999,
the Town undertook a Transportation Planning Strategy Study to update
the 1996 Transportation Master Plan and provide background documentation
for the Towns development charges by-law. These two documents will form
the basis for the proposed new Transportation Master Plan.
It should be noted that recommendations of these two previous
Transportation Master Plans were made based on a number of assumptions
related to population and employment forecasts in addition to proposed
road and transit improvements. These assumptions will have to be
revisited and validated.
Since the completion of the 1996 and 1999 studies, a number of
transportation initiatives toll place at the Regional, Provincial and
local levels. Those initiatives bear an influence on the transportation
system within the Town and outside and have stipulated the current
update.
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