Tackling 'Traffic Beyond the 6ix' discussion held in Markham

York Region looks at solutions for 905 congestion woes

Yorkregion.com
May 26, 2016
By Amanda Persico

During the morning commute, every 10 minutes or so, a GTA driver can hear a report on the radio about traffic issues or incidents.

But more often than not, the trouble is south of Steeles Avenue.

The impact of just one incident on Hwy. 404 south of Steeles can be felt as far north as Newmarket, said Angela Gibson, head of performance, monitoring and research with York Region’s transportation services department.

“The discussion about congestion is dominated by Toronto,” she said. “We always hear about things south of Steeles.”

The region is hosting a free three-part, interactive discussion panel, Traffic Beyond the 6ix, tackling the issue of congestion and its impacts in an effort to come up with creative solutions.

“We don’t have all the answers,” Gibson said. “We want to hear what the issues are for different residents using different modes of transportation. We want to hear their stories and how they respond to congestion.”

Beyond the 6ix goes beyond looking at traffic signals, road widening and public transit.

“This is not about just the nitty gritty traffic lights,” Gibson said. “This is about how congestion impacts the day-to-day.”

The panel discussion will feature experts from various sectors discussing the impacts of congestion, including health care, academics, car insurance and transit.

Several traffic and congestion studies have revealed residents in the region on average have one of the longest commute times, about 32 minutes one way.

Congestion not only impacts quality of life, but also where people choose to live and work and where businesses choose to locate, Gibson added.

The focus will be on finding and optimizing solutions, whether it be road tolls, car pool lanes or using automated cars.

Another component is how technology and transportation can go hand-in-hand.

Along with solutions, the region wants to learn how residents get information about local traffic issues - radio, traffic apps or real-time GPS notifications.

Ideas stemming from the Traffic Beyond the 6ix series will be part of the region’s congestion management plan scheduled to be complete later in the fall.