MEASURING CONGESTION: THE GTA TRIP TRAVEL-TIME STUDY, A METHODOLOGICAL DISCUSSION

In 1996, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation in Canada undertook a comprehensive travel-time survey of the principal road network of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to measure congestion. This feature presents a synopsis of the methodology deployed and some of the lessons learned. The project achieved it goals by establishing a benchmark of travel times and speeds on the major highway network in the GTA, allowing for future updating and comparisons; providing a common measurement to enable the evaluation of alternative network improvements (capital and operational as well as alternative modes such as intercity bus); providing a measure of accessibility to suburban nodes; and generating data for use in detailed operational simulations and testing of alternatives. The results of the study are being used as input into the ongoing GTA Transportation Plan exercise, which will help identify and prioritize capital and maintenance expenditures for the GTA transportation network by both provincial and municipal governments in coming years

STUDY FOR HIGHWAY 407 TRANSITWAY SYSTEM PLAN AND STATION SITE PLAN

A 36-km section of a tolled highway bypass of Toronto, the Highway 407 Express Toll Route, has been completed and is in operation. Included in the planning for the aforementioned is a transitway function. A property protection study was initiated to develop a transitway system plan and a station site plan. This study generated estimates of future transit ridership and developed hierarchical station configurations based on technology choices