Transportation & Communication Theme Team

This team looked at how Township residents can gain better access to services and jobs while in the Township reducing the amount of fuel used driving, through various technologies and behaviour changes. It also looked at the closely related issue of communication, as improved internet and phone services will enable more telecommuting.

Notes of November 29, 2006 Meeting

Projects recommended by team members:

■ anti-idling campaign (Action: Bobbie to research)

■ increase public mobility / access to services and employment (Bobbie)

■ increased access to high-speed internet / other forms of electronic communication (Action: Mike to

invite possible team members to nest meeting)

■ rural public transit system (Action: Maureen to research success stories)

■ conduct a study/survey of commuter patterns - points of origin and destinations (Action: Susan to

research methods for doing this type of study - contact Bob Argue at (tel) 268-2907 (email) bob@ecoperth.on.ca)

■ rationalize in-home services (e.g. 5 different organizations providing in-home services in remote

locations - could be more piggy-backing)

■ rationalize use of existing transportation services (school buses, service clubs, community service

providers)

■ surface-treat gravel roads to reduce fuel consumption (both by municipal maintenance vehicles and

public) (Action: -Vacant- to circulate Twp road surface treatment study to Jeff)

Resources / Contacts for follow-up

Ontario Community Transportation Association (Action: Maureen to research)

■ Frontenac Transportation Service Collaborative (Action: Jeff to research)

■ Lanark Transportation / Lanark Community Programs (Action: Jeff to research)

■ Buckport Main rural public transit system (Action: Maureen to research)

■ Healey's Bus Lines (Action: Jeff to contact)

■ Bob Argue - has done traffic studies elsewhere (see contact info above)

■ Review "The Lanark We Want by 2020" for recommendations related to transportation and

communication (Action: Maureen to review Vision 2020 Plan)

■ Study of road surface treatment options prepared by Township of Lanark Highlands (Action: -Vacant-

to circulate report to Jeff - Jeff to review)

Possible Starter Projects

■ Convene a meeting of transportation providers to ID barriers/opportunities to rationalize services /

increase public access to transportation

Other Notes

■ Each project recommended in our action plan should be backed up by a success story or case study

outlining best practices (to be appended to the action plan)

■ Jeff will maintain a list of contacts and resources, including a short summary describing the content of

each resource