Smart Commute

Smart Commute is a partnership between the cities and regions of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. With the goal of helping to make travel easier, healthier and more enjoyable, Smart Commute’s mission is to reduce traffic congestion and to take action on climate change through transportation efficiency.

Working in these communities, Smart Commute encourages local employers and commuters to explore more sustainable transportation choices like carpooling, teleworking, transit, cycling, walking or flexible work hours. On January 1, 2008, the Smart Commute Association will became part of Metrolinx. Metrolinx will play a role ensuring Smart Commute's ongoing financial sustainability.

<< Link to Smart Commute >>

 

BikeLinx Program

The new BikeLinx Program is a Metrolinx green initiative, designed to accommodate and encourage trips which combine cycling and public transit throughout the GTHA.

Funding for the program is part of the province of Ontario’s financial commitment to the Metrolinx Quick Wins initiatives, confirmed in the March 2008 Budget. Under the $5 million BikeLinx program, municipalities in the GTHA received funding that will be used to make it easier for people to combine the use of their bicycles and public transit on the same trip.

GTHA municipalities will be able to equip each bus in their fleet with a bicycle carrying rack. In addition, Metrolinx will provide funds to purchase and install permanent, secure and/or sheltered bicycle parking facilities, including bike lockers, in strategic locations throughout the region.

Metrolinx is providing a total of $2.8 million for bike racks on buses and $2.2 million for secure bike parking. Municipalities are already starting to plan for the installation of over 2,300 new racks and numerous bike parking facilities across the region.

Communities such as Burlington have been proactive in undertaking active transportation initiatives such as equipping their buses with bike racks. Successes such as these have set an example for other communities to offer the same service.

Recipient	Total Amount Received	Amount for Bicycle Racks on Buses	Amount for Secure Bicycle Parking
Durham Region	$387,328	$240,000	$147,328
Halton Region	$132,658	N/A	$132,658
Halton Region-Oakville	$46,800	$46,800	N/A
City of Hamilton	$190,987	$24,000	$166,987
Peel Region- Mississauga	$733,470	$552,000	$181,470
Peel Region-Brampton	$431,381	$319,200	$112,181
City of Toronto	$2,383,505	$1,183,200	$1,200,305
York Region	$693,872	$480,000	$213,872

BikeLinx Background

BikeLinx is part of Metrolinx’s Quick Wins initiatives; the goal of Quick Wins is to offer quick service improvements to the transportation system in the GTHA. BikeLinx also supports Metrolinx’s work in the active transportation field, aimed at encouraging “people powered” ways of getting around. Given the numerous benefits walking and cycling have to offer the people across our region, Metrolinx believes we need to take these modes of transportation more seriously. We need to give them a significantly larger role in the day-to-day travel patterns around our region. You can read more details in our Active Transportation Green Paper.

Metrolinx and the Government of Ontario decided to undertake this program for the following reasons:

• Commuter cycling is an effective and efficient alternative to the single occupant vehicle
• Installation of bicycle racks on public transit buses allows travellers to combine two modes of transportation for faster and more convenient trips
• Taking public transit is an effective way for potential cyclists to cross barriers that they might not otherwise cycle across, such as highway interchanges and bridges
• Bus rapid transit and other priority bus-based transit services can have a greater market and community penetration when combined with a cycling trip at either end
• Secure and covered trip-end facilities, such as bicycle lockers, make commuting by bicycle a more attractive option to those who might otherwise drive

BikeLinx Program History

In August 2007, the Metrolinx Board approved the first tranche of Quick Win projects with a total value of $106.6 million, which included an Inter-Regional Bicycle Expansion project with a value of $5 million.

The program was defined to include 2,300 new bicycle-carrying devices on municipal transit vehicles and racks and numerous bike parking facilities across the region.

Funding for the program is part of the province of Ontario’s financial commitment to the Metrolinx Quick Wins initiatives, confirmed in the March 2008 Budget. Under the $5 million BikeLinx program, municipalities in the GTHA received funding that will make it easier for people to combine use of their bicycles and public transit on the same trip. Metrolinx is developing the program in collaboration with municipal staff.

Municipalities and transit agency staff were surveyed to determine the:

• current status of bicycle rack installation
• future need for bicycle racks (e.g. fleet expansion for the next three to five years)
• capacity for the installation of additional racks
• the approximate cost of purchase and installation of racks

Responses from transit properties varied; the range of bicycle rack costs was between $1,000 and $1,300. Where a need was identified, funding of $1,200 per rack was allocated to meet it.

The City of Toronto, along with all of the regions in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton region, had to pass council by-laws to receive the funding, which would have been the subject of council reports. These reports were likely very short and to the point in terms of what they proposed to do to receive funding.

Using data from the 2006 Transportation Tomorrow Survey, as well as population information from the 2006 Census of Canada, a formula was developed to determine how to distribute the remaining funding. The funding may be used to purchase and install secure and/or covered bicycle parking facilities, including bicycle lockers.

We have had very positive feedback from the municipalities who have received the funding, and from cycling organizations and enthusiasts, who see bicycling as a legitimate form of green transportation.