Invitation:
The Liberty Village BIA (LVBIA) invites qualified consultants with a background in traffic consulting services (traffic planning and transportation engineering) to submit their proposals for a Traffic Congestion Study Project. The Liberty Village BIA aims to better understand the impact and challenges of Metrolinx-Ontario Line construction on traffic flow in the neighborhood, and develop a strategic plan that will significantly reduce traffic congestion in Liberty Village. The project will be funded under the Transit Expansion Construction Mitigation Grant Program, City of Toronto.

Background:
The Liberty Village BIA (LVBIA), established in 2001, was Canada’s first “campus-style” commercial-based Business Improvement Area. We proudly represent over 600 businesses and over 11,000 employees. Over 25,000 people call Liberty Village home. The LVBIA is a community-driven, non-profit organization that is committed to improving the experience of our business owners, employees, visitors, members, and stakeholders.

Ontario Line Construction Overview:
The Ontario Line will be a 15.6-kilometre subway line that will make it faster and easier to travel within Toronto and beyond and will span from Exhibition Place, through the heart of downtown, all the way to the Ontario Science Centre.

The construction of the Exhibition Station, the new SmartTrack GO Station in Liberty Village(King-Liberty), and the integrated transit-oriented community (Atlantic Ave.) will have major impacts on the lives and livelihood of 25,000+ residents, 600+ businesses in our boundary, and 11,000+ employees who live and work in Liberty Village.

Project Description:
Addressing the traffic congestion in Liberty Village is of paramount importance. In a recent study done by the BIA to understand the impact and challenges of Metrolinx-Ontario Line construction on the people living and working in Liberty Village, 87% of stakeholders voted traffic congestion as the top problem to be solved through a traffic congestion study. Not only does it align with the broader municipal goals of promoting sustainable urban living, but it also responds to the immediate needs and concerns of the community. The time to act is now, as further delays will only exacerbate the problem and its associated impacts.

The primary objective of the project is to develop a strategic plan that will significantly reduce traffic congestion in Liberty Village. This plan will aim to enhance the efficiency of the existing transportation infrastructure, promote alternative modes of transportation and improve the overall quality of life for local businesses and property owners.

● To assess the current and historical levels of traffic congestion in the study area using relevant, contemporary data inputs. Specifically, collect relevant traffic and transportation network data in the study area;
● To understand the economic impact of traffic congestion on the local business environment and property owners, including the loss of revenue, customers, and tenants (current and prospective) through a business impact analysis.
● To perform a spatial analysis of traffic congestion and flows. Specifically, analyze transportation performance measures such as levels of service, delays and travel speeds. Identify both congestion hotspots and areas that work efficiently;
● To identify contributing factors to congestion by comparing and analyzing the characteristics of congested areas versus well-functioning areas to identify probable causes of congestion;
● To provide a foundation for potential future studies to further understand the mechanics of congestion, and its impacts on stakeholders and the environment.

Project Scope:
The scope of the project will encompass a comprehensive analysis of the current traffic patterns, infrastructure limitations, and potential for the integration of smart traffic management solutions. It will also consider the feasibility of various interventions, ranging from short-term fixes to long-term infrastructure projects.

SCOPE ITEM 1 – CURRENT STATE ANALYSIS
A. Acquire data from various sources, including governments, third parties, and in-house data gathering using the latest traffic monitoring technology. Specifically, current and historical traffic data, potentially including traffic volumes, travel times, average speeds, vehicle types, temporal variation, and transportation mode choice will be amassed as available;

B. Gather local economic data to understand the impact of congestion on local businesses and property owners, and demonstrate the benefits of the traffic congestion study on impacted stakeholders.

C. Concurrently, collect data on characteristics of road/transportation network segments (to the extent that public information is available), potentially including:
● Road network characteristics, including lane configuration and on-street parking;
● Infrastructure and use of other transportation modes including transit, walking, cycling, and alternative transportation;
● Presence of off-street parking facilities;
● A unique spatial and geometric analysis of the transportation network’s interaction and connectivity, to identify incomplete paths and bottlenecks; and
● Collision, construction, road closure, and weather data, as available.

D. Using advanced analytical tools, process and interpret the data, ensuring accurate and actionable insights;

E. Assess major arterial roads individually and the network of roads in the study area as a whole;

F. Depict the mobility and transportation network variables graphically using various
thematic map layers.

SCOPED ITEM 2- ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS
Building on the current-state analysis, we will conduct a thorough investigation into the causes of congestion, implementing both quantitative and qualitative methods, including event studies of significant disruptions to mobility. Specific tasks include:
● Compare the current-state travel patterns with the inherent capacity of the transportation network, and identify hotspots, weak links and areas where transportation needs are not being met as well as any well-functioning areas;
● Analyze the interactions between congestion and potential causation factors and develop a shortlist of problem areas and potential root causes;
● Present the results of all data collection and analyses spatially on map overlays for ease of communication and root-cause analysis.

SCOPED ITEM 3 – MEETINGS & PRESENTATIONS
Attendance of required team meetings either with the internal project team or external stakeholders, as specified.

The successful applicant will: research, uncover findings, organize, and run co-creation workshops, and develop current state reports and recommendations reports. The consultant will be required to engage with key stakeholders such as the working group composed of:
➔ Local Businesses
➔ Commercial Property Owners
➔ Top-10 Employers of LV
➔ City of Toronto BIA Office
➔ City of Toronto Construction Hub
➔ City of Toronto (Transportation & Planning Department)
➔ Metrolinx
➔ Ontario Transit Group
➔ Residents
➔ Liberty Village Resident Association

The consultant will be responsible for running the project in collaboration with the LVBIA and developing the final recommendations.

Project Deliverables:
➔ Project Proposal: The hired consultant will put together a project proposal to outline the scope of work, approach, timelines, detailed budget and criteria for the Traffic Congestion Study.
➔ Current State Report: The current state report will include the current state and root cause analysis using the data collected. A detailed written report summarizing the current state of traffic congestion, including a record of the study assumptions, data and analyses used, conclusions, and recommendations for implementation
➔ Recommendations Report: An in-depth analysis of the causes of congestion & recommendations for alleviating congestion and improving traffic flow
➔ Tool Kit: A one-page ‘toolkit’ document describing how to implement the project.

Please submit:
➔ Detailed Project Proposal (overview of services, detailed plan, timeline, core team)
➔ Detailed Budget Breakdown
➔ References
➔ Samples of work

Timeline: The deadline for submission is August 26th at 4:00 PM.

Proposals can be submitted electronically to Abhi Kathuria, Executive Director of Liberty Village BIA at admin@libertyvillagebia.com