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Peterborough Council on Aging
Discussion paper series – #4, 2015
Transportation
“Transportation, including accessible and affordable public transport is a key
factor influencing active aging. …in particular, being able to move about the
[community] determines social and civic participation and access to
community and health services.” (1)
Transportation can take many forms; from driving, to riding transit, to walking, cycling, or scootering. Older
adults and individuals with mobility challenges may require specific forms of transportation to maintain their
mobility and access services and programs in the community. When planning for age-friendly communities it
is important to consider the full range of transportation options to ensure that the needs of older adults and
individuals with varying levels of ability are accommodated.
Roads
Roads are an important part of any community’s driving infrastructure. Older drivers tend to rely on their car
for transportation more than younger drivers; however, local data shows that the proportion of licensed
drivers in the region declines over the age of 65 (2). The responsibility for the maintenance of roads depends
on their classification.
There are three Provincial Highways in the Peterborough region:
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Highway 115 connects the region south to the 401 corridor
Highway 7 connects the region west to the City of Kawartha Lakes and east to Ottawa
Highway 28 connects the region north to Bancroft
The County of Peterborough manages a network of 715 km of surfaced roads (3). Townships are responsible
for the maintenance and repair of local roads, while the City of Peterborough manages the network of
freeways, arterial, collector, and local roads within its limits (4).
Ontario municipalities are required to maintain roads according to the provisions set out in the Municipal
Act, 2001. These ‘minimum maintenance standards for municipal highways’ govern maintenance, signage,
traffic control, snow removal, and patrolling standards (5).
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Transportation
Public Transportation
Public transit offers an alternative means of motorized transportation. The City of Peterborough operates a
public transit system with 12 regular routes, 3 express bus routes, a trans-cab service (available in areas not
serviced by regular bus routes), and a handi-van service (6).
Buses operate seven days a week on a 40 minute schedule
Monday to Friday 6:00 am until 11:20pm , Saturdays
6:40am until 11:20pm, and Sundays 8:00am until 7:20pm.
Additional service is available on select routes. Monthly
transit passes are available for seniors (age 65+) at a
discounted rate. There is no discounted single ride or daily
pass rate for older adults (6).
Fast Fact:
Transit ridership in the
City of Peterborough
declines with age (7).
Regularly scheduled buses operate out of one central downtown bus terminal. A 2012 transit review study
recommends that the City initiate planning for a new downtown bus terminal as a catalyst for downtown
intensification (8). There are 574 individual bus stops in the City, 68 of which have covered shelters and
benches, and a further 72 of which have benches only (9).
The City of Peterborough aims to have 6% of all
daily passenger trips made by public transit by the
year 2031; a 2% increase over 2006 levels (2).
Currently, local transit ridership declines with age.
Transit Stops
City of Peterborough, 2014
12%
Peterborough Transit’s Handi-van service is
available for individuals with physical mobility
challenges. Passengers must pre-register for the
service and book their rides ahead of time. Rides are
provided from accessible door to accessible door
within the city at the same cost as a single fare (6).
Stop only
13%
Benches only
75%
Shelters and
Benches
The 2012 transit review study proposes the phased implementation of two community bus routes in
addition to the existing Handi-van service. This service would be designed primarily to serve seniors and
individuals with mobility related disabilities (8).
There is no local transit service within the County of Peterborough. Coach Canada and Greyhound Canada
both provide limited service between select settlement areas in the County. Greyhound operates a route
between Peterborough and Havelock once per day. Coach Canada offers bus service between Havelock,
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Transportation
Norwood, and Peterborough twice a day (2). In addition, Century Transportation has offered a commuter
service between Peterborough and Lakefield, which is scheduled to be discontinued as of March, 2015 (10).
Community Care Peterborough, through its Care Mobile service, also provides regional transportation
services for seniors and adults with physical challenges. Door-to-door trips must be booked in advance and
are offered on a fee for service basis (11).
Inter-city transit options in the Peterborough region are offered by Greyhound Canada and Go Transit.
Routes to Toronto run frequently; however, other destinations such as Ottawa, Lindsay, and areas north of
Peterborough are less frequently serviced (9).
Walking and Cycling
Non-motorized transportation options include walking and cycling. Studies have shown that older adults
tend to walk more than other segments of the population, with some relying on walking as their primary
means of transportation (2).
Sidewalk Provision by Type of Road
City of Peterborough, 2012
Local
Collector
Arterial
Total
No Sidewalks
52%
28%
38%
44%
Sidewalks on One Side
10%
21%
11%
12%
Sidewalks on Both Sides
38%
51%
51%
44%
For over 10 years the City of Peterborough has prioritized the provision of sidewalks to support walkable
communities. In 2002, the City adopted a sidewalk policy that requires sidewalks to be provided on both
sides of the street on new or reconstructed streets (2). In 2008, the City developed a sidewalk strategic plan
that prioritizes areas of missing sidewalk for construction.
Cycling Routes
The plan identified 65 km of sidewalk as a priority for
City of Peterborough, 2013
construction by 2022 (2).
In the County of Peterborough sidewalks are
provided in some, but not all, settled areas. Sidewalk
availability varies by township, with some “villages
and towns [having] extensive sidewalks networks,
while others have few” (2).
28%
72%
On Road
Off Road
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Transportation
Some older adults also use cycling as a form of
transportation and/or recreation. The City of
Peterborough manages a network of 58 km of on
and off road cycling routes. Over the next 20 years
the City plans to invest in the construction of 131
km of new cycling routes (2).
Did you know?
Share the road signs have been
placed along the 7th line through
to Hwy 29, near the Bridgenorth
Trail in Selwyn Township (2).
As of 2013, there were 47.5 km of off-road
multiuse trails used for cycling, walking, trail
running, and other recreational activities in the County of Peterborough. In 2012, the County’s first on-road
bike lane (the Heritage Line on County Road 134) was developed (2).
The County’s current transportation plan recommends the development of an active transportation plan for
the County which would identify priorities for infrastructure and program development to support cycling
and other forms of active transportation (e.g. walking) (2).
References:
(1) World Health Organization, 2007. Global Age-friendly Cities: A Guide.
(2) Active Transportation and Health Indicators Report, 2014. [Read More]
(3) County of Peterborough, 2014. Transportation Master Plan.
(4) City of Peterborough, 2012. Comprehensive Transportation Plan.
(5) Province of Ontario, 2001. Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways.
(6) City of Peterborough, 2014. Peterborough Transit.
(7) Transportation Tomorrow Survey, 2011.
(8) City of Peterborough, 2012. Public Transit Operations Review.
(9) City of Peterborough Transportation Division, 2014. Personal Correspondence.
(10) Peterborough Examiner, 2015. [Read More]
(11) Community Care Peterborough, 2014. [Read More]
Contact:
Sarah Cullingham
Age-friendly Coordinator
scullingham@peterborough.ca
www.peterboroughcouncilonaging.ca
Multi-Use Trails and Bicycle
Paths in the
County of Peterborough
®
Trail Type
Trail
On-Road Bicycle Path
c
d
28
c
d
7-115
c
d
7a
c
d
115
c
d
7
0
3
6
12
18
24
Kilometers