Introduction

The City of Niagara Falls is developing a comprehensive Transportation Master Plan (TMP) to build off the existing Sustainable Transportation Master Plan (2011). The TMP will focus on the multi-modal (walking, cycling, transit, and driving) needs of the City of Niagara Falls, including the urban and rural communities, downtown districts, and the world-renowned tourist area. Niagara Falls is projected to receive significant population and employment growth in the coming years, and a robust transportation plan is crucial to ensuring proposed solutions and recommendations are integrated, accessible, and efficient for facilitating the movement of both people and goods, particularly as the City continues to grow.

Throughout the Study, the City will engage with residents, stakeholders, businesses, Indigenous Nations, and decision-makers to shape the vision, objectives, goals, and ultimately the proposed solutions and recommendations of the Transportation Master Plan.

Objective

The goal of the TMP is to provide a safe, equitable, and accessible transportation network promoting connections to areas of growth, neighbouring municipalities, and key economic corridors while enhancing the tourism experience for visitors to the City. The TMP will outline a strategic transportation vision and provide recommendations to shape and support growth into the future, providing attainable goals as the City continues to expand.

Key Actions of the Transportation Master Plan

  • Understanding existing conditions (where congestion currently exists or where the active transportation and transit network gaps are).
  • Forecasting future conditions based on projected population and employment data across the City.
  • Analyzing multiple alternative future scenarios for the transportation network.
  • Identifying and developing a preferred multi-modal alternative to address current and future areas of concern.
  • Developing an implementation plan to outline when the recommended improvements of the multi-modal network should be constructed to accommodate future growth.
  • Consult throughout the project with residents, Indigenous Nations, and stakeholders.

Expected Outcomes of the Transportation Master Plan

  • Provide a Vision Statement to align with Regional and City Objectives.
  • Help transition the City towards a greener future for transportation, emphasizing more sustainable modes of transportation like walking, cycling, and transit.
  • Provide a financially achievable list of infrastructure improvements to ensure the effective movement of people and goods in the City.

Trails & Active Transportation Master Plan

The City is also undertaking a Trails and Active Transportation Master Plan (TATMP) that will support the growth of infrastructure to support walking, cycling, and rolling within the City. The TATMP will focus on identifying key destinations within the Community, including community services, education institutions, parkland, transit facilities, tourist sites and commercial districts, as well as barriers within the network. Both the TMP and the TATMP will be a coordinated effort to develop a community-focused plan that helps residents and tourists move around the City more efficiently.

Study Process

The TMP and TATMP will be completed in accordance with the Master Plan process outlined by the Municipal Engineers’ Association, adhering to the requirements of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment. The TMP and TATMP are being completed simultaneously with the City’s Master Servicing Plan for the purposes of ensuring consistency and financial sustainability.

You are invited to participate!

The City is planning to host Public Information Centre (PIC) #1 to share the preliminary findings of this study and gather feedback on the key concerns within the City.

In-person Public Information Centre

Interested individuals are invited to attend this event, where they will have the opportunity to meet with staff and team members and ask questions.

When: Thursday, December 14, 2023, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Where: MacBain Community Centre, 7150 Montrose Road, Niagara Falls

There will be multiple public and stakeholder consultation opportunities to collect feedback on transportation network opportunities and solutions to shape the development of the Master Plan.

Have your say!

Questions or comments on the Transportation Master Plan Update are welcome and encouraged! Please view the Question or Comment section below.

Thank you!

Questions