Safety and Security on Calgary Transit Continued...

The following post has been provided by Brian Whitelaw, Coordinator of Public Safety and Enforcement, Calgary Transit (Brian is also a Calgary Police Service Inspector).

The most important point to note when discussing Calgary Transit safety and security is that actual reported crime is very low. In fact it is much lower than reported crime in communities. Despite Calgary Transit experiencing significant growth over the last several years, the actual number of ‘crimes against persons’ (robberies, assaults) has been remarkably stable since the early 2000s ranging between 190 and 240 incidents per year. However, when a crime involving violence does occur it captures media headlines and influences our perceptions about how safe riding transit is.

Transit organizations report crime based on passenger trips (incidents per 1 million passenger trips), which is different than how crime is reported by police. The police report crime based on its incidence per 100,000 people. Transit organizations report crime based on ‘number of trips’ because it highlights the relative exposure of customers to crime. Exposure is an important part of our report card as we take efforts to reduce both crime and disorder incidents observed by our customers.

There is a perception that ‘criminals’ travel on transit, commit crime in the closest neighbourhood, and then return to their own neighborhoods - we regard this as largely myth. Any crime and disorder that does occur is usually localized to the station itself and very infrequent; typically assaults between individuals who are known to one another.

Vehicle crimes are generally crimes of opportunity, often victims have left property in plain view and it has been stolen. Through dedicated efforts over the last three years, such as bait cars, mountain bike patrols, and our partnerships with the Calgary Police Service and Calgary Parking Authority, Calgary Transit has significantly reduced vehicle crime from 807 incidents in 2007 to 140 (estimated) in 2010. This represents an 83 per cent reduction!

The urban environment surrounding this LRT station is characterized as Transit Oriented Development (TOD), which is essentially higher density development, and discourages crime and disorder. The only predicted increase in crime will be due to the vehicle crime associated with the Park and Ride lots, and even this is anticipated to be low given our success to date in reducing vehicle crime.

It is worthwhile to mention that the NW extension is by far the safest LRT line on the system and this trend will continue.

Calgary Transit’s most important challenge is ensuring we address every customer’s perception of safety in an effort to maintain and increase ridership because we know that a thriving and well-used system is its own form of crime and disorder prevention.

I will provide more updates in future as this station moves from concept to creation.

~ Erin Russell, Project Communcations for Brian Whitelaw

Safety and security on Calgary Transit

Safety and security are often a concern for communities when a new LRT station is coming to their area, but the community crime statistics measured before and after an LRT station opens indicate homes near a station are at no greater risk for crime. Calgary Transit understands how important a safe and secure system is and makes it a priority. In 2008 the entire system was reviewed and since then a number of initiatives have been implemented to further improve safety and security throughout the system.

Some of the initiatives include public safety advertising campaigns encouraging riders to report suspicious or undesirable activity, Park and Ride security patrols, and the addition of 65 uniformed peace officers patrolling the system 24 hours a day.

Detailed information about crime and disorder statistics is available from Calgary Transit.

One of the most effective ways to promote safety and security is to incorporate Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles. CPTED is a multi-disciplinary approach adopted by The City of Calgary to deter criminal behaviour by ensuring the design of the facility creates opportunities for natural surveillance. The basic idea behind natural surveillance is that people will be less likely to break the law if there is a possibility someone might be watching them.

In practice, creating opportunities for natural surveillance includes:

• eliminating dark areas or “dead spaces” where there is little or no traffic;
• creating open and transparent sight lines between the community and the station, and within the station itself;
• and encouraging pedestrian traffic in the area to create a sense of community and vibrancy.

CPTED has been a consideration throughout the design of this station, and the designs have been reviewed several times by the Calgary Police Community Liaison Officer for the area to identify areas for improvement. Both the station and Park and Ride areas will be well lit (see rendering below), and security cameras will be installed at strategic locations and monitored by trained staff. Additionally, transit operators, supervisors, and maintenance personnel constantly use the system and are available to provide assistance.

~Erin Russell, Project Communications

Overflow parking in communities

Someone recently posted a comment regarding parking in communities once the LRT station opens. LRT parking in communities is often a concern for nearby residents when a new station is proposed. The City recognizes this, and policies are in place to address overflow parking should it become an issue. There are successful parking management strategies in communities adjacent to existing LRT stations throughout Calgary.

Approximately one year before the station opens (current opening is scheduled for 2014), Transportation Infrastructure will work with the Community Consultation Committee (CCC) and Roads to develop residential parking zones in both Tuscany and Rocky Ridge/Royal Oak. The residential parking zones establish the area within which residential parking permit applications can be made and must be approved by Council. Once the residential parking zones have been approved, The City will work with impacted residents to implement parking restrictions in the area, if desired by the community.

Typically parking restrictions are not initiated until after the Park and Ride lots have been in service because it is worthwhile to match solutions to the actual parking issues before installing the restrictions. Transportation Infrastructure and Roads will work with residents to have the parking zones in place and will educate community representatives on the process so that solutions can be implemented quickly. More information about the Residential Parking Permit Program can be found here.

~Erin Russell, Project Communications

Transit Oriented Development

In recent months, particularly at the last round of open houses, we’ve received several questions about transit oriented development (TOD) and how it might be implemented at this station. Since there is plenty of information available online, I will use this post to guide you to information written by experts.

According to The City of Calgary’s Municipal Development and Calgary Transportation Plans, TOD is a compact, mixed-use community within walking distance of a transit stop, that mixes residential, retail, office, open space and public uses in a way that makes it convenient to travel on foot or by public transportation instead of by car. Walking distance is typically around 600 metres.

The City of Calgary has done some significant work in developing and implementing TOD policies and is considered a national leader in the field. Several station areas within the city, such as Anderson Station and Westbrook Station (as part of the West LRT) have been identified as priority for TOD and development or redevelopment plans are in progress. Council has already approved other TOD plans, like Brentwood and Chinook Stations.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) provides 10 TOD case studies on the Sustainable Community Planning section of their website, including Calgary’s first fully-implemented example – The Bridges.

As for implementing TOD at this station, it is expected that the residual lands will be designated for TOD but redevelopment is not anticipated in the near future. It is unlikely that any redevelopment will occur without some public consultation regarding the land use; opportunities for community input will be provided.

As always, if you have any questions or comments for the project team feel free to leave a comment on the blog or call 3-1-1.

~Erin Russell, Project Communications

Feedback Summary from the June Open Houses

Approximately 312 people attended the recent open houses; ~113 at the Tuscany open house and ~199 at the Rocky Ridge open house. At the opens houses, a total of 63 feedback forms were collected: 48 in Rocky Ridge and 15 in Tuscany. Feedback is still being collected until August 22 (see here for details), but you can view the feedback collected so far here.

Generally, people were very pleased with the quality and type of information available at the open houses. More specifically, we asked what people liked the most and they said:
• Station concept;
• Station location; and
• No access from Crowchild Trail.

When asked what they liked the least, respondents said:
• More trees/landscaping is needed;
• Completion date is too far away; and
• Extra traffic in the community.

The majority of respondents thus far support the name Tuscany Station, and feel the locations for bike storage facilities are convenient (several people suggested additional storage may be required).

A complete summary of all of the feedback collected will be posted here and on the project web page in early September.

~Erin Russell, Project Communications

The Calgary Greenway

The following information about the Calgary Greenway was provided to us by the Parks Foundation. There are proposed pathway links from both the north and south Park and Rides to the pedestrian bridges across Stoney Trail and the Greenway.

Connecting People… Creating a legacy of outdoor destinations - all around Calgary.

The approximately 100 kilometres of pathways and greenspace created for this project, which is led by Parks Foundation Calgary, encompass the city and offers a year – round destination for healthy activities such as walking, cycling, jogging and nature watching. The Calgary Greenway links more than 40 communities along its route. Once complete, The Calgary Greenway will be a world-class destination and a significant addition to Calgary’s vast network of parks and pathways, already one of the most extensive in North America. Some 900 kilometres of pathways will connect dozens of community, regional and provincial parks, including Nose Hill Park and Fish Creek Provincial Park, two of Canada’s largest urban parks.

The pictures above illustrate the recently completed Phase I - East Calgary Greenway. For more information on the Greenway please see the recent article in the Calgary Herald, or Summer 2009 and Summer 2010 Parks Foundation newsletters.


~Erin Russell, Project Communications

Landscaping plans, parking facility layouts, and station name for public input

If you missed the open houses in June, there’s still an opportunity to provide your input. This newsletter will be delivered to residents in Tuscany, Royal Oak, and Rocky Ridge the week of August 9. We wanted give folks not particularly inclined to attend open houses the same opportunity to provide their feedback, so you’ll find all of the plans available on the project web page. You can also download a feedback form and fax or email it in (as directed on the back of the page), or you can answer the questions online.

Landscaping
These preliminary landscaping plans (click here to view Tuscany or Rocky Ridge) have been developed with several purposes in mind: aesthetics and beautification of the site, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), stormwater retention, and wind screening in some areas. The location and type of landscaping has been carefully designed to provide some screening from the wind and for adjacent residents, while maintaining an open feeling that enhances security and provides a pleasant experience for Calgary Transit customers.

Some features to look for include:
• Rain Garden Beds
• Location of bike racks and lockers
• Proposed bike lanes in Rocky Ridge
• General pedestrian and cyclist movements to and from the station

Pathways and bike lanes
As part of the continuing City-wide focus on pedestrians and cyclists, the project team has paid particular attention to the pathway and bicycle connections in and around the station. Designated bike lanes are proposed in Rocky Ridge/Royal Oak, and all of the pathway and sidewalk connections linking to the station have been designed (or reviewed if they already exist) to ensure they can accommodate multi-user traffic when necessary. The pathways and bike lanes immediately adjacent to the station can be seen in the landscaping plans.

Station Name
Under The City's Municipal Naming Policy, LRT stations are to be named for their geographical location or proximity to a significant landmark. Administration makes a recommendation for a name and submits a report to the Municipal Names Committee. The Committee then reviews the report and determines if it should be forwarded to Council for approval.

The Community Consultation Committee representing the communities of Rocky Ridge, Royal Oak, and Tuscany have suggested the name Tuscany Station. At the most recent open houses in June 2009 and 2010, the majority of attendees that filled out comment sheets also supported this name.

Please see Why Tuscany Station for additional details on the proposed station name.

Focus on Sustainability
At the beginning of this project, the project team, The City of Calgary, and the community identified sustainability as a key element for success. Sustainable design has been considered and investigated throughout the project, incorporating The City's Sustainability Principles as outlined in Plan It Calgary.

Several areas within the Park and Ride and bus terminal facilities have been identified to implement bioswales, also known as Rain Garden Beds. Rain Garden Beds are similar to stormwater retention ponds in that they provide storage for run-off from the paved parking areas.

The Rain Garden Bed is a shallow ditch with an engineered base and specific vegetation that helps slow down and reduce the amount of water entering the stormsewer system, as well as filter the water before discharge removing silt, salts and hydrocarbons. During typical rain events most of the water will be retained in the beds and absorbed by the plantings.

Station concept
Station design is nearing completion. Many stakeholders have had a positive impact on the design including the Community Consultation Committee, residents, Access Calgary, Calgary Transit, and the Calgary Police Department. A post on the final station design including some new renderings will be up in late August.

Schedule
In May 2009 City Council approved a budget update to reflect the current economy, and changes to Provincial funding. The overall project budget was increased to $115 million based on the preliminary design estimate. Although total project funding has increased, the timing of distribution has changed. As a result, this project is currently scheduled for completion in 2014 based on the projected funding availability in the coming years.

Please see Project Timeline for more information.

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to leave your remarks here or call 3-1-1 and we'll be sure to get back to you.

~Erin Russell, Project Communications