ITE Canada Transportation Talk - Winter 2024-2025

TransportationTalk

Designing car-lite communities

Addressing the affordability crisis through planning complete networks

Transformative city-building

The story of Halifax’s Cogswell District

Online Training

ROAD SAFETY for Canadian Practitioners

The Road Safety For Canadian Practitioners online training program, presented by TAC & ITE Canada, allows you to tailor your learning to your specific professional development needs Five courses are offered:

Foundations of Road Safety

Measuring Safety

Human Factors and Road Safety

Solving Safety Problems

Implementing Road Safety Programs

Comprehensive & tailored professional development

FORMAT

Courses are delivered through TAC’s Online Training Centre as self-paced, on-demand modules that include recorded lectures, case studies, exercises, supplemental reading lists & quizzes

DURATION

Lectures in each course range from 3-6 hours. In total, the five courses offer 24 hours of learning. Modules are accessible for 6 months after payment.

PURCHASE

The five modules can be purchased individually or as discounted bundles. Find complete course details and prices at tac-atc.ca.

More Information: www tac-atc ca/en/events-and-learning/online-training

Announcing

Inviting

Preview some of the technical sessions and tours coming to

Elora Wilkinson and Matt MacEachern share the story of one of the biggest city-building projects in the history of Halifax with the conversion of a highway Interchange to a new connective multi-use neighbourhood

How transportation professionals can address Canada’s affordability crisis

Matt Pinder explores the interconnected challenges of housing and transportation and previews a new workshop from ITE Canada to help practitioners plan complete networks to reduce auto-dependence

Meet ITE Canada’s new Secretary who brings a wealth of experience from all levels of

Pedram Izadpanah Ph.D., P.Eng. President, ITE Canada president@itecanada.org

Reflecting on my first year as the ITE Canada President over the holidays, I feel proud of the achievements of our organization. Guided by our 2020-2024 Strategic Plan, we have made significant progress. Last year, we completed a 2025-2027 Strategic Plan Update. Our priority areas for this new phase include membership growth and retention, enhancing the value of our products and services to members, and strengthening our organizational foundation.

During the strategic plan update process, our members emphasized the importance of providing more high-quality technical content and increased support for our sections and student chapters. In response, we have organized ITE Canada’s first Virtual Technical Symposium scheduled for February 5 and 6. The symposium will feature three sessions—Functional Planning & Design, Traffic & Multimodal Analysis, and Safety Plans and Strategies—and offer insights on many topical and innovative projects such as the planning for Taylor Swift’s concerts in Toronto. Additionally, there will be a fascinating opening plenary on Emergency Planning, a timely subject given the increasing impacts of natural disasters. See the full program on page 7 and register here. This initiative is a fantastic opportunity for members who may not have the chance to travel to professional conferences.

Speaking of conferences, our Halifax 2025 Annual Conference is shaping up beautifully thanks to the outstanding commitment and dedication of the Local Arrangement Committee (LAC) and the National Technical Program Committee (NTPC). We had a record 170 submissions to our Call for Abstracts so we can see interest is very high. The program—built around the theme of Complete Communities: Integrating Transportation and Land Use Planning—promises an excellent technical agenda, engaging social events, and interesting technical tours. Save the date for June 1-4 and get your approvals ready for registration opening by early February.

We continue to foster strategic partnerships with other organizations to offer a wide and versatile range of opportunities for our members. Recently, the ITE Canada Board approved an agreement with the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI). This partnership will provide new opportunities for transportation engineers, technologists, and planners to interact and collaborate.

On November 25, 2024, Ontario passed Bill 212, the Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024. While this legislation addresses various transportation issues, it also includes provisions that restrict municipalities’ ability to install bike lanes. Specifically, municipalities now require

provincial approval to install bike lanes if it involves removing existing traffic lanes, and the bill permits the removal of bike lanes on major Toronto streets. ITE Canada members strongly opposed these restrictions, recognizing the numerous benefits of well-designed bike lanes, including improved safety, healthier communities, reduced emissions, and more equitable road access. Our members voiced their concerns through direct feedback to the Ministry of Transportation, social media campaigns, and letters to the government. In an effort to serve the needs of our members affected by this legislation, we are forming a Task Force to develop informative technical and educational materials. Members interested in joining this initiative should contact our District Director, Julia Salvini

In December, we lost one of ITE’s Canada’s Honorary Members, Dr. Stan Teply. He was a professor at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. During my time on the ITE Canada Technical Liaison Committee (TLC), I learned about Dr. Teply’s influential contributions. He was the principal author of the Canadian Capacity Guide (CCG) and many other high-quality research papers. His contributions to ITE Canada and his dedication to technical excellence inspired the naming of our most prestigious technical award, the “Stan Teply Outstanding Technical Project,” in 2014. Although I never had the opportunity to meet Dr. Teply, I have encountered countless successful professionals who were trained or mentored by him. He will be deeply missed by our community.

ITE Canada’s exemplary achievements are the result of the dedication of our volunteers who serve members across the country. I am particularly grateful to our Board members who served in 2024, especially Edward Soldo. Edward has served ITE Canada at the national level on the executive committee from 2013 to 2024. His contributions have been instrumental in many of the organization’s achievements, including improved financial management, strong governance, incorporation of ITE Canada, succession planning, and the establishment of the Future Transportation Leaders Fund Foundation. His experience, thoughtfulness, and pragmatism have been invaluable to our organization. Edward will continue to serve our community as a board member of the foundation. I would also like to welcome our newest Executive Committee member, Madhuri Seera, who will serve as Secretary for 2025-2026.

I look forward to meeting many of you in Halifax this June. If you have any inquiries or insights regarding our organization, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

Pedram Izadpanah, Ph.D., P.Eng. President, ITE Canada

Your 2025 Executive Committee (L-R): Ryan Vanderputten, Destiny Piper, Irini Akhnoukh, Julia Salvini, Madhuri Seera, and Pedram Izadpanah.

Julia Salvini, MEng, PEng, FITE

Canadian District Director, ITE director@itecanada.org

I’m so pleased to be back with the ITE Canada Executive Committee as your District Director to the ITE International Board of Direction for the next three years.

We talk about ITE being a Community of Transportation Professionals. The community aspect of ITE really resonates with me. When I look at photos taken at ITE events across the organization, they usually look like a bunch of friends hanging out together. Whether we are at student chapter, section, district or international events, there is a strong sense of community among the people that ITE brings together. I value the people and relationships that ITE has brought into my life both personally and professionally.

In whatever way you may want to get involved in ITE, there is a place for you. Your Student Chapter, Section, and ITE Canada District all have a myriad of opportunities for you to volunteer and get involved with that we highlight here in Transportation Talk on a regular basis. But there are also opportunities for you to get involved at the International level. Programs like LeadershipITE and the many training programs and webinars that ITE hosts provide for training opportunities. Participating in the Councils and Committees of ITE provides the opportunity for you to get involved in developing products for the membership.

One committee that I want to highlight this month is the Younger Member Committee of ITE. This committee is made up of younger members of ITE (under 35) and provides support for younger members. They post spotlights on younger members regularly on their ITE eCommunity page (thank you to Canadian Fede Puscar for his role in this initiative). They hold online social events. They host a Back to Basics webinar series on technical topics with younger member presenters. Each year, in the lead up to the ITE Annual Meeting, they plan a challenge for younger members to collect points for completing activities (like attending a section meeting) and give awards to the winner. On Wednesday, January 29th, 2025 at 3PM ET they will be hosting a Younger Member Committee Roundtable to make plans for the upcoming year. This is an engaged group of ITE members that would welcome your involvement in the committee. If you are interested in getting involved with the Younger Member Committee, please reach out to me or to Fede, who is on the committee. Or feel free to log into the roundtable meeting on January 29th - meeting information can be found here.

One of the focus areas for ITE this year is road safety and recently ITE released the Safety Roadmap and Action Plan. You may have seen the detailed article in the most recent version of the ITE Journal. The Safety Roadmap and Action Plan outlines the many actions that ITE, through its Board, its staff, its Councils and Committees, and its members, is taking in our collective journey towards achieving zero roadway fatalities. I look forward to sharing the progress as the action plan is implemented, and welcome your input and collaboration.

With the change in the new year, we welcome new leadership for ITE. Rosana Correa steps down as the Immediate Past President and I want to thank her for her friendship and all her contributions to ITE and to ITE Canada. We welcome Canadian Gord Meth to the role of Vice President, Karen Aspelin to the role of President, and John Davis gets to relax just a little as Immediate Past President.

And the ITE Canada executive leadership is shifting as well. I’m looking forward to rejoining my colleagues Ryan, Pedram, Irini, and Destiny, and also working with incoming Secretary Madhuri Seera as part of the ITE Canada Executive Committee. Edward Soldo, you have big shoes to fill and will be missed. Thank you for the legacy of leadership you leave behind.

Thank you all for your ongoing involvement in ITE. Please reach out to me at jsalvini@itecanada.org if there’s anything ITE related that you want to chat with me about.

Julia Salvini, P.Eng., FITE ITE Canada District Director

News from ITE Canada

Annual General Meeting (AGM) Recap | Dec 11, 2024

On December 11, 2024 the ITE Canada Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held virtually for our financial year spanning September 1 to August 31.

Chaired by President Pedram Izadpanah, the meeting began with an overview of the 20232024 Annual Report highlighting progress on Strategic Plan goals, celebrating successes and award winners, and thanking our many volunteers and their employers.

ITE Canada Treasurer Destiny Piper gave an overview of the financial statements for the year, which was subsequently approved by the membership. These and all documents related to the 2024 AGM are available for download here

The membership approved the appointment of the following members elected to the ITE Canada Board of Directors with two-year terms beginning January 1, 2025:

• Madhuri Seera, Secretary

• Breanna Jackson, ITE Greater Vancouver

• Zoran Carkic, ITE Southern Alberta

• Olivia Duong, ITE Northern Alberta

• Mark Hearson, ITE Manitoba

• Tim Kooistra, ITE Southwestern Ontario

• Omar Shams, ITE Hamilton

• John Kingsley, ITE National Capital

In addition, Julia Salvini was sworn in as District Director for a three-year term beginning January 1, 2025.

The motion was followed by a swearing in of the new directors administered by outgoing ITE Canada District Director Edward Soldo.

The following Board members, whose terms ended December 31, 2024, were thanked for their dedication and contributions to the Board:

• Edward Soldo, District Director

• Jael Lumba, ITE Greater Vancouver

• Anne Cataford, ITE Southern Alberta

• Steve Wood, ITE Manitoba

• Gordon Scobie, ITE National Capital

• Jill Juhlke, ITE Hamilton

• Jeff Jongsma, ITE Southwestern Ontario

• Paul Bourque, ITE Quebec

New Directors sworn in at AGM

ITE Canada hiring Administrative Assistant

ITE Canada, a not-for-profit professional association, is seeking a detail-oriented and proactive Administrative Assistant to support its Executive Committee, Board, and members. This position is central to ensuring smooth daily operations and providing outstanding customer service to stakeholders. The successful candidate will handle a variety of administrative tasks, serve as the initial point of contact for queries, and work both independently and collaboratively in a small team environment.

ITE Canada’s day-to-day activities are overseen by a volunteer Executive Committee with two staff members, including this position,

Key responsibilities include:

• Member and Stakeholder Support

• Administrative Tasks

• Event Support

• Technology Administration

• Financial Assistance

• Meeting Support

Our ideal candidate has related experience in administration. We’re looking for a committed and detail-oriented individual who is excited to provide outstanding service to our internal team and external members, clients, and partners.

See additional details in the full job posting. If

Virtual Technical Symposium PROGRAM

February 5 & 6, 2025

ITE Canada invites you to join us for our first-ever Virtual Technical Symposium to be held 8-11:30 am (Pacific Time) / 11-2:30 pm (Eastern Time) on February 5 and 6, 2025. The curated content in the two half-day online sessions will feature presenters from across Canada speaking on emergency planning, functional planning design, traffic and multimodal analysis, and safety.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5

8:00–9:00 (PT) / 11:00–12:00 (ET)

PLENARY SESSION

Emergency Planning

Moderated by: Irini Akhnoukh, City of Calgary

This session will focus on the recovery of transportation systems from disruption due to disasters and emergencies.

Safe Systems & Evacuation Planning

Ian Barnes

Fehr & Peers, Principal and Senior Market Leader

Wildfire life safety hazards in California continue to be exacerbated by a combination of factors, including climate change and existing land use development within the wildland-urban interface. After devastating wildfires in California in 2017 and 2018 in which many died in their vehicles during evacuations, California instituted new laws requiring local agencies to plan for multi-hazard events and to identify evacuation routes for their

communities. Subsequently, several California Environmental Quality Act project lawsuits have resulted in projects being overturned on the basis of inadequate analysis of a project’s impact to life safety hazards as measured by evacuation travel times. As a result, transportation planners and engineers in California are faced with new analysis challenges, as well as the need to develop appropriate mitigation measures that are also consistent with the State’s greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Leveraging Human Behaviour Research for Evacuation and Resilience Planning

Stephen Wong

University of Alberta, Assistant Professor - Civil and Environmental Engineering

With ongoing resilience challenges for transportation systems, there is value of human behaviour research in guiding evacuation planning. Several examples of practice-ready recommendations will be shown to help encourage preparation efforts for improved transportation response and recovery in disasters.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5

10:00–11:30 (PT) / 13:00–14:30 (ET)

SESSION 1

Functional Planning & Design

Moderated by:

Adam Howell, Robinson Consultants

This session will focus on new and unique approaches to functional planning and design of transportation facilities to meet demands and promote safety and connectivity of all modes.

Alexandra Bridge Replacement Project

Nina Maher

National Capital Commission, Senior Planner, Bridges Initiative

Karine Delorme-Pigeon

Public Services and Procurement Canada, Senior Project ManagerAlexandra Bridge

The Federal Government is planning to replace the Alexandra Bridge with a signature structure in the core area of the Nation’s Capital. The project is nearing completion of the concept design stage and being advanced by an Integrated Project Team (IPT) comprised of Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) and the National Capital Commission (NCC). The planning and design process has included

recognition of the unique heritage and cultural context of the site, a strong focus on sustainability principles, and alignment with Federal regulatory frameworks including the Impact Assessment Act. The project has been collaborating with Indigenous communities and engaging with stakeholders and the public, respecting, and supporting Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) and universal accessibility principles. Three shortlisted design concepts were developed to provide unique bridge designs that deliver a sustainable multi-modal transportation link prioritizing active mobility, resiliency and durability. This presentation will highlight some of the unique elements of the planning and design development process, as well as present the three bridge design concepts – Echo, Rendez-vous and Motion.

Integrated Transit Planning and Design for BRT Lines in Calgary

Liming Sun

City of Calgary, Senior Transportation Engineer

Michael Ge

WSP, Senior Transportation Planner/Engineer

RouteAhead is Calgary’s 30-year strategic guide for prioritizing transit projects and investments, ensuring we meet the evolving needs of our growing city. RouteAhead shapes the City’s decision-making for functional planning and the selection BRT routes. Ongoing functional plans of the two Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects - 144 Avenue North and Shaganappi Trail, include BRT alignments, station locations, and benefits.

Elevating Urban Walkability: A Holistic Approach to Staircase Inventory & Condition Assessment in Hilly Terrains

Andres Baez

Stantec, Senior Transportation Planning Engineer

Urban planning often assumes flat landscapes, but some cities face complex topography, posing challenges for pedestrian-friendly design. The City of Coquitlam, recognizing the importance of active transportation infrastructure, secured federal funding for a Walkway Planning project in line with its Strategic Transportation Plan. Focused on a Staircase Inventory and Condition Assessment Study, GIS-based spatial datasets were used for citywide evaluation. A MultiCriteria Evaluation and Prioritization Framework, considering hazard levels, industry best practices, and criteria like connectivity to AT networks, road safety, proximity to generators, and equity, guided final recommendations and priority projects.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6

8:00–9:30 (PT) / 11:00–12:30 (ET)

SESSION 2

Traffic & Multimodal Analysis

Moderated by: Carolyn Sherstone, WSP

This session will focus on innovations and emerging best practices in traffic analysis to give practitioners a chance to share their knowledge and continue to move our practice of traffic analysis forward.

Methods to improve multimodal detection at traffic signals

Narayan Donaldson

Mobycon, Integrated Mobility Consultant

Traffic signals in Canada have traditionally had limited detection of approaching road users with at most, one detection zone per lane. The introduction of non-intrusive detection equipment has created the opportunity to affordably improve the capabilities of signals to respond to real-time vehicle and pedestrian movements and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of safety measures such as fully-protected turning phases. There are simple methods to set up detection for automobiles, bicycles, transit and pedestrians to reduce delay and improve safety for all road users. The methods will be focused on the position, length and parameters for detectors, and the signal timing design to maximize the benefits of real-time detection.

Ottawa Multimodal Level of Service (MMLOS) Guidelines

Amir Zahabi

City of Ottawa, Senior Project Manager, Transportation Planning

Muna Awatta

Parsons, Senior Transportation Planning Engineer

Professionals have identified the need to consider the ‘level of service’ of non-auto modes to support the design of “complete streets” that meet the needs of all street users. However, the tension between providing vehicle capacity and developing a street that provides safety and comfort for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users often remains a challenge. In 2015, the City of Ottawa adopted the first made-in-Canada

Multimodal Level of Service (MMLOS) Guidelines, which provided a step-by-step methodology for determining the level of service for different modes and has since been applied to most City of Ottawa transportation planning and operational studies. Recently, the City initiated a MMLOS Guideline Update that provides a detailed overview of how multimodal level of service indicators are to be used to support multi-modal and includes a new Public Realm Level of Service Tool and Design Checklist that incorporates the “healthy streets” approach, in addition to a new refined excel tool and a new Design Decision Making Framework developed to assist in assessing alternative complete street designs.

Taylor Swift Toronto Eras Tour –Traffic Management Plan

Linda Lee

City of Toronto, Manager, Traffic Event Management Planning

The City of Toronto’s Taylor Swift Eras Tour Traffic Management Plan was developed to help manage the flow of traffic and provide a safe environment during the six concert dates, with measures implemented and planning efforts that went into place before, during and after each concert date. The plan included measures such as road closures, parking restrictions, designated drop-off/pick-up areas, and enhanced public transportation options to accommodate the expected large crowds.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6

10:00–11:30 (PT) / 13:00–14:30 (ET)

SESSION 3

Safety Plans & Strategies

Moderated by: Ryan Martinson, Martinson Golly

This session will showcase the development of high-level safety strategies that municipalities have undertaken to create safer streets for their constituents. The initiatives that are highlighted range from new strategies that have begun to chart the course for the implementation of the Safe System Approach to those that have been working at this for decades and are finetuning their programs and processes.

Chatham-Kent Road Safety Action Plan

Marissa Mascaro Amyotte

Municipality of Chatham-Kent, Director of Engineering

In November 2023, the Municipality of ChathamKent adopted its Road Safety Action Plan, using the Safe System Approach, focused on prioritizing initiatives that will be most effective, and cost-effective, to improve safety for all of its road users. Further, as a municipality made up of

CREDIT: FLICKR\BRADROBB

CREDIT: JUSTIN SWAN

urban and rural areas, Chatham-Kent’s road network serves many different functions and users which required consideration through the development of the Road Safety Action Plan; not only travel within the municipality – including significant numbers of agricultural vehicles – but also inter-regional travel through the municipality and connections to the provincial highway network. This presentation will explore the approach to Chatham-Kent’s Road Safety Action Plan given the municipality’s unique geography and transportation network, the emphasis areas identified, and the implementation plan.

Burnaby Vision Zero Framework

Eric Tam

City of Burnaby, Senior Manager Transportation

The City of Burnaby’s Transportation Master Plan adopted Vision Zero as one of it’s three target areas, and outlined several Policies and Actions to advance road safety in the City. The Vision Zero Framework aims to provide a flexible and scalable roadmap to address the policies and actions outlined in the plan. The framework starts with engineering focussed studies and advances to full scale Vision Zero programming while being supported and championed by institutional and community partners.

A third presentation for this session is pending and may be added at a later date.

SYMPOSIUM DETAILS

Date/Time

The symposium will be held over two halfday sessions on:

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 and Thursday, February 6, 2025

8-11:30 am (PT) / 11-2:30 pm (ET) including breaks

Registration

Registration includes access to live virtual sessions. Attendees will receive a calendar event invitation with a virtual meeting link. Recordings will also be made available for a limited period afterward.

Rates

• ITE Member: $150

• Non-ITE Member: $225

• Student: $50

Registration closes Tuesday, February 4

Register at itecanada.org/symposium

Excellence in Transportation Awards

Each year, ITE Canada sponsors an awards program to honour outstanding achievement in the transportation profession, technical excellence, and service to the District. Nominate by March 1, 2025 at itecanada .org/awards.

Recognition of Service Technical Excellence

H. Robert Burton Distinguished Service Award

ITE Canada’s most prestigious award honours an individual with a notable career in the field and a record of service with the Canadian District of ITE

Outstanding Voluntary Contribution Award

Celebrates a member who has made exceptional voluntary contributions to ITE Canada or its programs and projects

Stan Teply Outstanding Technical Project Award

This award showcases quality projects that have shown significant and proven technical excellence in transportation planning/engineering

ITE International Transportation Achievement Awards

ITE Canada will select Canadian nominees for these ITE Awards recognizing achivement in a range of categories spanning many practice areas

Awards & Bursaries for Emerging Professionals

Rising Star Award

Identifying members under the age of 35 who have made an impact on the profession, demonstrated the ability to lead the next generation & implemented innovative techniques to the transportation practice

Jenn and Jan Voss Travel Bursary for Women in Transportation Engineering

$1,000 bursaries to encourage women early in their engineering careers to participate at ITE Canada conferences

David Tam Memorial Award

Proudly presented by Bunt & Associates, this $3,000 award recognizes young professionals under 30 who have contributed to transportation solutions to improve network operations

Section & Student Chapter Awards

These annual awards acknowledge the tremendous work done at the local level of ITE Canada. Section and Student Chapter Annual Reports must be submitted by March 1, 2025 at itecanada .org/awards to be considered for these awards.

Outstanding Section Award

recognizes the overall quality of Section activities, either technical or non-technical in nature

Section Momentum Award

celebrates those Sections who have achieved commendable improvement from year(s) past

Outstanding Student Chapter Award

recognizes outstanding accomplishments in student chapter activities that achieve the objectives set forth in the Charter

Student Chapter Momentum Award

celebrates those Student Chapters who have achieved overall improvement from year(s) past

ITE Canada SCHOLARSHIPS & AWARDS 2025

Scholarships and awards are offered annually by ITE Canada, an association of transportation professionals, to students at accredited Canadian universities and colleges in transportation-related studies such as engineering, planning, and geography. Winners receive registration, travel support, and recognition at our Annual Conference taking place in Halifax, Nova Scotia this June 1-4, 2025.

Dr. Michel Van Aerde Memorial Scholarship

$3,000

For full time students in a transportation doctorate-level program

John Vardon Memorial Scholarship

$3,000

For full time students in a transportation master’s-level program

ITE Canada Undergraduate Scholarship

$3,000

For an undergraduate student in planning, geography, or engineering

NEW! John Morrall Innovation in Transportation Scholarship

$2,000

For full time students in a master’s- or doctorate-level program conducting transportation research

Scan for elgibility criteria and application instructions

ITE Canada/WATT Consulting Group

“Transportation in a Sustainable World” Student Award

$1,000

Awarded based on the quality of writing and appreciation of inter-disciplinary collaboration in a 1,000+ word paper

Student Paper Competition

$1,500

Awarded based on the quality of a paper addressing a transportation topic

Student Presentation Competition

One winner from the local ITE Canada Section competitions will be chosen for this award

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ITE CANADA 2025 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

June 1–4 | Halifax, NS

Save the date for the ITE Canada Annual Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia - June 1-4, 2025!

The Local Arrangements Committee from the Atlantic Canada Section can’t wait to extend a warm maritime welcome and host an unforgettable conference! Attendees will experience a dynamic waterfront, bustling nightlife, and transformative city-building projects all across Halifax at this event to remember.

Keep up to date with all conference-related news at our official website—conference.itecanada.org, via the ITE Canada email list, and by following #ITECanada2025.

Complete Communities

Integrating Transportation and Land Use Planning

With a record 170 abstracts submitted and significant innovation happening in Halifax on the ground, there is no shortage of quality content to create an uparalelled technical program for ITE Canada 2025. Here are some of the technical sessions and tours you can look forward to:

TECHNICAL SESSIONS

• Transit Priority Coast to Coast

• Designing with Dialogue: the Power of Public Engagement

• One for All: Complete Streets Panel

• Small Communities: Bet on the Underdog

• Regional Mobility: Scaling Up Connections

• Ctrl+Alt+Traffic: Rebooting Mobility with Data

• Canada’s Next Top Transportation Model

• Two Wheels, One Vision: Cycling Planning and Design

• Three Perspectives on Project Prioritization

• Signalization Strategies for the Future

• Parking in Complete Communities

• ...and many more panels and sessions!

TECHNICAL TOURS

• Demolishing Highways and Building Neighbourhoods: Cogswell District

• Transformative Streets: Argyle Street & Spring Garden Road

• From Design to Maintenance, and Anything In-Between: Halifax’s Tactical Infrastructure

• A Ferry Good Time: An Overview of the Halifax Ferry Network

• Joining Adjacent Spaces: Water Street and Halifax Waterfront Placemaking Tour

• A Tale of Two Corridors: Highway 107 Sackville-Bedford-Burnside Connector and Windmill Road

• Expansion and Electrification: Ragged Lake Transit Centre

Sponsor & Exhibit

Join leading companies including Diamond Sponsor EXP and Platinum Sponsors, BA Group and Stantec, to connect with transportation professionals from across Canada. Limited spots remaining.

SPONSOR

EXHIBIT

Registration opening soon

Everything you need to start your approvals can be found on the conference website.

Registration will open by early February with early bird rates available until March 31. Regular rates will be apply until registration closes on May 22.

Transformative City-Building in Halifax

The Cogswell District Story

By Elora Wilkinson and Matt MacEachern, Halifax Regional Municipality

Halifax’s waterfront has always been a defining feature of the city, a place where history, commerce, and community converge. Yet for decades, the Cogswell Interchange stood as an imposing structure that separated downtown from the north end, a concrete barrier that symbolized an era of unfinished plans and missed opportunities. Now, a bold initiative is transforming this space into the Cogswell District, a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood that reimagines urban living. This is the story of a city reclaiming its potential, connecting communities, and embracing a vision for the future.

A Concrete Legacy

The story of the Cogswell Interchange begins in the 1960s with the Harbour Drive Transportation Plan, an ambitious blueprint to modernize Halifax’s transportation network. The plan aimed to build a series of expressways to streamline traffic flow, but community opposition—fueled by concerns about the destruction of historic neighborhoods—led to its abrupt halt in 1971. What remained was the partially completed Cogswell Interchange, a web of overpasses and roadways that disrupted the urban fabric and became a persistent reminder of what could have been.

Project Timeline

• 2014: Approval of Master Plan

• 2015: Project Initiation

• 2016: Prime Designer engaged

• 2017: Design Development up to 30%

• 2018: 60% Design Development complete with a Class D budget

• 2019: 90% Design Development phase

• 2020: Approval to tender

• 2021: Contract awarded by Council

• 2021: Construction site work commences

• 2025: Substantial completion expected

It divided the city’s downtown from its waterfront and isolated the north end from the heart of the city. Over the decades, the question of what to do with the interchange surfaced and many plans have looked at what might be possible at this gateway to downtown. Calls to address the site grew louder, but it wasn’t until the adoption of the 2014 Cogswell Master Plan by the Halifax Regional Municipality that a clear vision for its transformation began to take shape. This marked the beginning of an ambitious journey to reclaim and reimagine this critical 16-acre space.

Transformative Vision

The Cogswell District redevelopment project is more than just a construction initiative; it’s a transformative vision for urban living. By removing the outdated interchange and restoring the urban street grid, this multi-year, multi-phase initiative aims to reconnect downtown Halifax with the north end and waterfront, fostering a stronger and more inclusive network of communities.

At the heart of this redevelopment is the idea of mixed-use functionality. The project will transform 16 acres of road infrastructure into a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood, expanding the

northern entrance to downtown and reuniting areas previously divided by the interchange. The reinstatement of the urban street grid will create development blocks for new residential and commercial spaces, eventually housing over 5,000 people. Dedicated cycling lanes, multi-use trails, new parks, and open spaces will ensure that the area prioritizes active transportation and leisure. A redesigned transit hub and a central urban square will serve as focal points for connectivity and community engagement. This transformation of a trafficheavy site into a pedestrian-friendly community where people can live, work, and relax will not only enhance the city’s aesthetics but also foster economic growth, sustainability, and inclusivity.

Planning and Design

The 2014 Master Plan kicked off this iteration of planning, leading us into complex design work including a redesign of all utility infrastructure in the area and an overhaul on the transportation network. A project of this scale of transformation pushes the envelope of design standards and requires a large team of internal and external design experts to work together to come up with solutions to an extremely constrained environment. The 90 per cent construction design plan was approved by Regional Council in February 2019.

Key components of the design include:

• Narrowing roadways, including Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) minimum lane standards, as well as dedicated bus and bike lanes.

• A full redesign of utility infrastructure (Communications, Electrical, Natural Gas, Water, Sanitary and Storm sewers), which includes relocating existing underground infrastructure, as well as the undergrounding of any remaining above ground infrastructure.

• Working with large changes in elevations and fixed building entry points

• A new district energy system based on ambient heat recovery from the Halifax Wastewater Treatment Plant provides a green energy source for buildings constructed within the Cogswell District.

• Specific design elements to enhance overall accessibility have been incorporated within the district and will allow the project to apply for gold level certification under the Rick Hansen Certification program.

Renderings of the planned northern gateway to downtown (left) and gathering spaces in Granville Park (shown on the cover of this publication) highlight the prioritization of active transportation, gathering areas, and green space in Cogswell District. More than 40% of the district is devoted to the public realm. See more details of the design here

Additional components which were mandated to be incorporated into the project over the design development period were:

• Economic Growth Plan 2016-21

• Integrated Mobility Plan

• Rick Hansen Accessibility Certification Program

• HalifACT

• Halifax Transit’s Moving Forward Together Plan

• Downtown Halifax Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy (DHSMPS)

• Centre Plan

• DES Feasibility Study

• Urban Forestry Master Plan

• National Flood Mitigation Plan

These efforts reflect a commitment to creating a community that is not only sustainable but also inclusive for all. Overall, the design process from 30% design to final tender and construction documents took about four years.

Engaging the Community

Community engagement has been a cornerstone of the Cogswell District project. The Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) recognized the importance of building trust

and maintaining open lines of communication with stakeholders.

The municipality maintains an online engagement portal which includes background information, reports, presentations, plans, and insights from public engagement to date. In 2018, public input was sought on design ideas and residents contributed roughly 100 ideas about parks, plazas, streetscapes, greenways, public art, and commemoration of history within the area. Nearly 80 percent of these comments and ideas were incorporated, either fully or partially, into the approved design.

Now in the construction phase, the project team continues to implement a robust engagement strategy, including quarterly updates to the city council, monthly virtual meetings open to the public, and regular updates on social media. Five time-lapse cameras were installed around the site, allowing residents to track progress in real time. Weekly meetings with businesses and residents directly impacted by construction ensured that concerns were addressed and disruptions minimized.

These ongoing efforts have allowed the project team to work well with our stakeholders to minimize disruption where possible, and to maintain project support over the four-year construction period.

This commitment to transparency and collaboration has fostered a sense of shared ownership over the project. By involving the community, the HRM has worked to have the redevelopment reflect the values and aspirations of Haligonians.

Construction

The construction phase of the Cogswell District project has been a complex and resourceintensive undertaking. With a budget of approximately $138.1 million, the project’s success depends on meticulous planning and execution.

One of the biggest challenges has been maintaining traffic flow through the site, a vital trucking route connecting the Port of Halifax with regional CN rail lines. To address this, the project team implemented phased construction

One of five time-lapse cameras available for residents to view in real time

A detour map from December 2022 informing residents of the opening of a temporary multi-use path and road closures

to maintain two lanes of traffic in each direction at all times. Detour Roads were constructed to reroute traffic around key work zones, allowing the contractor to demolish overpass structures and install underground infrastructure, while keeping the motoring public moving. In addition to vehicle movement, a multi-use path was also required to be maintained through the project site, providing access and safe passage for pedestrians and cyclists during construction.

Through this project phasing, the contractor also was required to create temporary utility feeds to ensure that we did not disrupt service to any of the abutting buildings. This included the installation of temporary power and utility connections. Utility providers had been engaged from the initial design periods, to approve the design of their infrastructure, as well as prepare their resources to support and implement this project. Partners such as Nova Scotia Power, Bell Aliant, Eastward Energy and Halifax Water have worked closely with the project team throughout the project duration.

Managing risks and adhering to a tight schedule have been critical to the project’s progress. Project scheduling and risk

management is a complex and resourceintensive exercise for both the contractor and municipal project teams. Working in tandem to manage risks ahead of time, and working to a tight schedule, becomes more difficult when dealing with unknown underground conditions and complex phasing. These unknown conditions resulted in significant redesign requirements, keeping the prime designer busier than expected, especially during the early years of construction. To date, regular meetings between HRM and the contractor to closely manage schedule milestones and risks have allowed the project to stay on time and on budget. With one year left of the four-year construction timeline, attention is now shifting to construction of four green spaces for the future community and finalizing development lots and the road network.

This project has the potential to be primarily self-funded in the long term once construction is over and the redevelopment of the area is completed. The sale of land, utility cost sharing, and the subsequent property taxes will help off-set the front-end investment and generate long-term recurring revenue for the municipality.

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Demolition of old Cogswell Interchange overpass ramp

Installation of pipes for district energy heating systems

A Model for Urban Renewal

As the Cogswell District project nears completion, the transformation is already evident. Roads are taking shape, green spaces are emerging, and development lots are being prepared for future construction. What was once a concrete barrier is now a canvas for community, innovation, and growth.

The redevelopment of the Cogswell Interchange is more than a physical transformation; it’s a symbol of Halifax’s resilience and vision. By turning an outdated and divisive structure into a thriving neighborhood, the city is demonstrating its commitment to sustainability, accessibility, and connectivity. This project is not just about reclaiming space; it’s about reimagining what Halifax can be.

For Haligonians, the Cogswell District represents a bold step forward. It’s a testament to the power of collaboration and the potential of urban renewal to shape a brighter future. As the final pieces of this transformative puzzle fall into place, the Cogswell District will stand as a shining example of what can be achieved when a city comes together to build something extraordinary.

AUTHOR BIOS

Elora Wilkinson, PMP, MCIP, LPP is a Project Manager with the Cogswell Redevelopment Project for the Halifax Regional Municipality and has been with HRM for 9 years. Prior to joining the Cogswell Team, Elora led the Spring Garden Road Streetscaping project. Elora has a Bachelor’s of Community Design from Dalhousie University and is a Licensed Professional Planner and certified Project Manager.

Matt MacEachern, MScE, P.Eng, PMP has been a Project Manager for the Cogswell Redevelopment Project at the Halifax Regional Municipality since August 2022. He previously worked as a consulting engineer specializing in municipal design and construction. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from the University of New Brunswick and is a licensed member of Engineers Nova Scotia.

TRAINING OPPORTUNITY

Developing Solutions for Social Inclusion

S

TRAINING SUMMARY

TRAINING FORMAT FACILITATORS

This course will be delivered as one half-day virtual sessions g

This workshop is offered by the ITE Canada Training Committee and will be facilitated by Dewan Karim, P.Eng., Abdulrahman Madani, Dr. Julia de Lange, and Mehemed Delibasic, P.Eng. of 30 Forensic Engineering.

DATE & TIME

Ǭ February 18, 2025

Ǭ 11 am to 4 pm (Eastern Time) / 8 am to 1 pm (Pacific Time)

Ǭ ITE Member (Individual or Public Agency): $250

Ǭ Non-Member: $350

Ǭ Student: $150

This training course seeks to help transportation professionals understand how changes to transportation systems can be more socially inclusive and address issues of inequality. The goal of this course is to identify procedural exclusion and its impact on affected areas, communities, and populations, mitigate any unintended consequences, and address existing gaps in transportation equity. The curriculum also includes a special session on gender disparities and the absence of women’s representation in automotive safety standards, led by a biomechanics expert.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Ǭ Define transportation equity and its pivotal role in fostering accessible, sustainable and social justice-based multi-modal transportation systems.

Ǭ Explore various types of equity, including spatial, social, environmental, economic, and procedural equity.

Ǭ Learn how transportation equity principles, tools, and solutions translate into real action and change the course of transportation infrastructure programs and delivery.

Ǭ Learn from real-life examples of safety incidents, collisions and practice safety measures where transportation equity plays a significant role in fostering inclusion, upholding human rights and providing liability and judicial perspectives.

Facilitated by 30 Forensic Engineering

Dewan Karim

Mehemed Delibasic

Abdul Madani

Julia de Lange

TRAINING PREVIEW

Designing Car-Lite Communities

How transportation professionals can address Canada’s affordability crisis

By Matt Pinder, Mobycon

Expenditure Data Sources

Canada’s housing crisis has sparked urgent action across all levels of government, driving policy reforms and accelerated efforts to construct new housing and communities. Intensification and infill development - key strategies in these efforts - are reshaping our approach to community and transportation network design. These changes compel transportation practitioners to reassess their roles in addressing housing affordability by designing sustainable, livable communities.

Evaluating Transportation Affordability

Victoria Transport Policy Institute

on average 15% of their household budgets on transportation costs. Concurrently, land use changes like intensification increase travel demand, placing additional pressure on existing transportation systems.

Various sources provide expenditure data The most useful are comprehensive surveys such as the U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey (summarized in the table below), Statistics Canada’s Survey of Household Spending, the European Union’s Structure of Consumption Expenditure, and the OECD’s Consumer Spending website. These reflect lower-bound transportation costs because motorists often underestimate infrequent expenditures such as repairs, insurance and parking fees (Andor, et al. 2020), and some expenses, such as residential parking, at-home electric vehicle charging, and uncompensated crash damages, are not usually categorized as transport costs

Table 1 U.S. Household Transportation Expenditures (BLS 2023)

The Housing Crisis and Transportation: An Interconnected Challenge

The affordability of housing is closely tied to transportation choices. Parking requirements and street network designs significantly affect both housing construction costs (with parking a significant portion of those costs) and residents’ mobility expenses. Canadians spend

To accommodate growth and reduce car reliance, cities across Canada are increasingly pursuing dense, mixed-use, walkable developments. Realizing this vision requires a transformative and fundamental shift in how transportation networks are designed. By reducing per-capita parking provisions and prioritizing sustainable mobility options, these developments aim to provide viable alternatives to car ownership. However, making this vision a reality demands expertise in integrating land use planning and transportation design.

This table shows transportation expenditures by income quintile (fifth of all households) (HH = households)

In 2025, ITE Canada is offering a new training opportunity to provide transportation professionals with this expertise.

Transportation costs vary widely; their relative standard error (RSE) is 2.47, much higher than the 1.18 for housing, indicating that some households spend much more than average on transport (BLS 2023). U.S. and Canadian households spend a larger portion of their budgets on transport than in peer countries, as illustrated below. These values do not include indirect costs, such as residential parking, so total transportation costs are actually higher than these statistics indicate.

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Share of HH Budgets

North American households spend more of their budgets on transport than in peer countries despite low fuel prices and vehicle fees.

Note: this does not include indirect costs such as residential parking.

FIGURE 1: Comparison of household spending on transportation by country. North American households spend more of their budgets on transportation than in peer countries despite low fuel prices and vehicle fees. Note: this does not include indirect costs such as residential parking.

The U.S. National Household Travel Survey includes affordability-related questions concerning unmet mobility needs and excessive financial costs; these burdens tend to be higher among people with low income, minorities and non-drivers, particularly in rural areas (Espeland and Rowangould 2024).

SOURCE: EVALUATING TRANSPORTATION AFFORDABILITY, TODD LITMAN, VICTORIA TRANSPORT POLICY INSTITUTE (2024)

Figure 4

Transportation Spending by Country (BLS 2023; EU 2020; SC 2023; Walker 2023)

Defining Car-Lite Communities and Their

Benefits

A key component of this training involves defining what it means for a community to be “car-lite.” This concept revolves around ensuring residents can meet their daily needs without owning a car. In these communities:

• essential services like grocery stores, schools, and healthcare are within walking or biking distance.

• destinations are located along thoughtfully designed streets that encourage active transportation.

• reliable transit options that support longer trips are provided.

• parking is reduced to limit car ownership.

• shared mobility services are available to seamlessly fill gaps.

Equity considerations are central to this concept. While some Canadians choose car-free lifestyles, many are car-less out of necessity. By reimagining how residents move within their neighbourhoods, car-lite planning creates environments where equitable access to sustainable transportation modes fosters inclusivity and mobility for all.

Car-lite does not mean banning cars and removing roads everywhere, but it does involve consciously thinking about where cars should go and what level of priority they receive.

Car-lite is also not just an aspiration for dense, urban communities. Smaller communities often have even more potential due to many more trips being made over shorter distances.

Planning the Mobility Network

Designing multimodal transportation networks requires close coordination between land use planning and street design. As part of the training, participants are introduced to the concept of “Complete Networks,” an evolution of the “Complete Streets” approach. While Complete Streets often place transit corridors alongside high-traffic motor routes, Complete Networks emphasizes minimizing residents’ exposure to fast-moving traffic and maximizing access to sustainable modes of travel.

Training participants will learn strategies to prioritize corridors by mode, integrate land use designations, and balance the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, and motorists at the network level. This approach ensures a complete framework for creating accessible and functional mobility systems.

Overcoming Practical Challenges

The final part of the training addresses the real-world barriers to implementing car-lite initiatives in Canada and the U.S. Traditional engineering guidance often prioritizes autooriented infrastructure, resulting in streets that conflict with sustainable mobility goals. Participants will explore solutions to overcome these challenges, including rethinking traffic modelling assumptions, overcoming signal spacing requirements, and advocating for policies that support multimodal design. By examining these barriers, practitioners will be equipped with actionable insights to navigate constraints and advance car-lite initiatives within their communities.

Learning from Experience

Tangible examples of car-lite communities in Canada, the U.S., and Europe provide valuable insights for practitioners. Participants will evaluate built infrastructure and land use patterns, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and transferable strategies. By examining completed and ongoing projects, they will develop a nuanced understanding of the opportunities and challenges inherent in car-lite design.

Case studies form a cornerstone of this training, showcasing real-world projects such as Toronto’s Port Lands, Surrey City Centre, Canmore’s town centre, and Gatineau’s Agora mixed-use development (shown in Figure 2). These Canadian and U.S. examples illustrate diverse approaches to integrating sustainable mobility and urban development with varying levels of success.

To further inspire participants, international examples from Europe, including Dutch masterplanned communities, highlight cutting-edge innovations. By analyzing these projects, participants will uncover practical strategies that can be adapted to their local contexts, enhancing their ability to implement car-lite principles effectively.

Addressing Housing Affordability through CarLite Communities

Canada’s housing crisis demands bold action from all sectors, and transportation practitioners have a critical role to play. By rethinking how communities are planned and transportation networks are designed, professionals can help create car-lite, sustainable neighbourhoods that address the interconnected challenges of

FIGURE 2: Example of a master-planned mixed-use community in Gatineau, QC

mobility and housing affordability. These solutions are not only vital for large urban centers but also adaptable to smaller towns and rural areas, ensuring broad applicability across diverse contexts.

This training equips participants with the skills and knowledge to tackle these challenges effectively. Drawing on Canadian and international best practices, it emphasizes intensification and urban expansion while offering principles that support car-lite living as a universal goal. By the end of the program, participants will leave equipped to drive transformative change in their communities, addressing housing affordability while fostering equitable, sustainable mobility for all.

Training Summary

This half-day training offered by ITE Canada in 2025 equips Canadian transportation planners and engineers with the tools and knowledge to support denser housing development while fostering transportation networks that prioritize sustainable modes. With an emphasis on reducing car dependence, this training explores strategies to create “car-lite” communities where residents can comfortably rely on transit, walking, and cycling for their daily needs. The key technical focus of the course is multimodal network planning, or “Complete Networks.”

Training Objectives and Outcomes

This program empowers participants to deliver ambitious mobility plans that align with housing goals. Key outcomes include the ability to:

• Understand the Intersection of Housing and Transportation: Participants will grasp the role of transportation professionals in addressing housing challenges and recognize how mobility systems impact affordability and accessibility.

• Analyze Car Dependence: The course unpacks concepts such as car-dependent, car-free, and car-lite living, exploring their implications for access to opportunities and mobility equity.

• Evaluate and Design Communities: Practitioners will learn to assess street network layouts for multimodal travel and develop network structures conducive to sustainable modes.

• Innovate in Street Network Planning: Participants will design multimodal street networks for new or retrofitted neighbourhoods, using forward-thinking approaches to prioritize sustainable mobility.

Transformative Outcomes for Transportation Professionals

Canada’s housing and transportation systems are deeply interconnected, requiring coordinated efforts to meet the needs of a growing population. By redefining transportation planning practices and focusing on equitable, sustainable mobility, practitioners can play a vital role in shaping affordable and livable communities.

By completing this training, participants will gain expertise in designing car-lite communities that align with housing goals while supporting sustainable mobility. They will develop a robust toolkit to evaluate and improve layouts for multimodal travel and build the confidence to advocate for innovative practices. Additionally, participants will acquire practical knowledge to produce transportation master plans, secondary plans, and impact assessments tailored to modern challenges.

DATE & TIME

• Thursday, January 23, 2025

• 12 pm to 4 pm (Eastern) / 9 am to 1 pm (Pacific)

g FACILITATORS

• Matt Pinder, Narayan Donaldson, Arianne Robillard of Mobycon

REGISTRATION FEES

• ITE Member (Individual or Public Agency): $250

• Non-Member: $350

• Student: $150

g

TARGET AUDIENCE

Matt Pinder is an Integrated Mobility Consultant with Mobycon with nearly 10 years of experience planning and designing safe and equitable streets for all users. His work involves community-wide master-planning for active transportation improvements, designing roadways from a complete streets perspective, developing street design guidelines, and providing training to municipal staff on how to apply these guidelines.

AUTHOR BIO

News from CARSP

Upcoming Events

CARSP Webinar Series

CARSP is offering its members a series of free monthly webinars on a variety of road safety related topics. Information on CARSP webinars can be found in the “Events and Training” area of the CARSP website Non members can participate for a fee of $50. Our next webinar is a joint webinar with ITE Canada:

Date: February 27, 2025 - 12:00-1:00 pm ET

Topic: Sustainable Safety Versus Vision Zero

Speakers: Anna Luten and Narayan Donaldson, Mobycon

CARSP/ICTCT 2025 Road Safety Conference, co-hosted with Parachute

(this is a bilingual event)

Dates: May 20-23, 2025

Location: Quebec City, Quebec

Theme: Innovative Interventions and Technologies for Safer Roads: A Global Perspective

Description:

• A key focus of this year’s conference is on the intricate relationship between technology and road safety. This conference invites road safety professionals and advocates to engage in vital discussions on how technology can both mitigate and exacerbate the risks of serious injury and death on our roads. While our focus this year is on technology, we also want to discuss other important and relevant topics within the road safety discipline.

• This international event will feature cutting edge invited speakers from Europe, expert panels, and many technical sessions (a record 126 abstracts were recently submitted).

Recent Announcements and Deadlines:

• Sponsorship and Exhibitor Opportunities are still available!

• Stay tuned – the Registration and Preliminary Program will be opened/posted in February!

CARSP Completed Events

CARSP webinar series

CARSP has offered ten webinars in 2023, seven in 2024, and one so far in 2025. All but the most current of the past CARSP webinars are made available to the public in CARSP’s Youtube Channel as well as in the CARSP website. The most recent webinar is only available to our members. These are the webinars offered in 2024 and in 2025 to date:

• Topic: Exploring the Use of Wireless Sensors in Pedestrian Safety Analysis

Speaker: Karim Ismail; Salah Fakhoury

• Topic: Perceptions and behaviours of cannabis-impaired drivers: 2024 results from CAA’s annual cannabis-impaired driving survey of Ontario and Manitoba drivers

Speaker: Teresa Di Felice

• Topic: How We Can Make School Zones Safer

Speaker: Jeffrey Suggett

• Topic: Centering Disability in the Design and Implementation of Cycling Infrastructure

Speaker: Ron Buliung, Professor

• Topic: E.R.A.S.E. (Eliminate Racing Activity on Streets Everywhere) – Innovative Police and

Municipal Strategy for Dealing with Car Meets

Speaker: Todd Snooks

• Topic: Understanding mandatory alcohol screening

Speakers: Joanna Wells; Douglas J. Beirness

• Topic: Comparison of the number of pedestrian and cyclist injuries captured in police data compared with health service utilisation data in Toronto, Canada 2016– 2021

Speakers: Linda Rothman; Alison Macpherson

• Topic: Hearing from police leaders: perspectives on surveying police personnel about traffic enforcement attitudes and behaviours

Speakers: Brenda Suggett; Navoda

Madhuri Seera

P.E.(AZ).,P.Eng.,P.T.O.E

Employment: City of Calgary, Senior Corporate Liaison for a Mega LRT Project, Green Line

Education: 2006 - University of Nevada - Master of Science in Engineering, Civil and Environmental; 2003 - JNT University, India - Bachelor’s in Technology, Civil Engineering

First job in transportation: Transportation Engineer, PB (now WSP), in Las Vegas, Nevada and Phoenix, Arizona (2006-2007)

Family: Married to Ravi Seera, Manager of Mobility Operations for City of Calgary and Chair of Transportation Association of Canada’s (TAC) Traffic Operations and Management Committee (TOMC).

Two sons - Ishaan and Yuvaan.

What roles have you taken on as a member of ITE:

• Vice-President, University of Nevada Las Vegas Student chapter

• Conference Co-Chair, Southern Arizona ITE Section

• Section Director, Saskatchewan ITE Section

• Southern Alberta ITE Executive (Secretary to Past President)

• Chair & Vice Chair, ITE Urban Goods Movement Committee

ITE INVOLVEMENT

When did you first attend an ITE event?

In my first month as a student in North America at the University of Nevada, I attended a monthly luncheon hosted by the ITE Nevada Section. I was grateful for a platform that connected students with industry professionals. One of my fondest memories was presenting my Master’s Thesis on Transportation Safety at a Nevada Section luncheon many months later.

What is your ITE involvement (past and present)?

ITE has been a consistent part of my life, accompanying me as my career has taken me to different places and countries. From being an active member at the student chapter level

to now serving on the ITE Canada executive, I have come a long way. Over the years, I have held various roles and had the pleasure of collaborating with colleagues across Canada, the United States, and the Australia-New Zealand sections.

At the university level, I served as VicePresident of the Student Chapter at UNLV and as an active member of the Southern Arizona Chapter where I led a conference committee. My experience with the Southern Alberta Executive was incredibly rewarding. Additionally, I have served the Urban Goods Movement Committee in both Vice-Chair and Chair roles, contributing to awareness of Goods Movement initiatives. I am also a proud graduate of the LeadershipITE program after participating in 2019.

What do you value most about your ITE membership?

I greatly value the opportunity to connect with professionals across borders and collaborate to collectively give back to the transportation profession. The sense of community and shared purpose within ITE is incredibly rewarding and inspiring.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

What attracted you to the transportation profession? Did you have another career in mind?

My interest in the transportation profession began during my undergraduate years, which led me to pursue a master’s degree in civil engineering with a specialization in Transportation Engineering. I haven’t thought much about an alternate career, as I enrolled in Civil Engineering right after high school and always envisioned being part of the engineering profession.

If my life had not led me to public service in the United States and then to Canada, I might have been attracted to the Indian Administrative Services, a prestigious public service leadership position in India. Given my involvement in extracurricular activities growing up, I could have also seen myself becoming a TV anchor or presenter.

What is the most daring thing you’ve done in your lifetime?

Questioning norms and envisioning better possibilities is probably the most daring thing I have done and continue to do. Growing up in a very orthodox family in South India, I was the first woman engineer in my family, the first to cross borders for higher studies, the first to choose my own path in love and career, and the first to move to the United States and eventually Canada. Each step felt daring at the

time, given the context of my family and the societal expectations.

What is the last book that you read or are currently reading?

Recently, I appreciated reading a book I received from a past colleague from City of Phoenix titled Managing for Meteors by Shane Silsby. This guide for emerging leaders and managers in local government provides a valuable toolkit for navigating the unexpected events that leaders often encounter in public service.

What is your favourite mode of transportation?

It really depends on the context and my needs, so I use all modes of transportation. For commuting to work in Calgary, my favorite mode is the LRT. Working on a mega LRT project, my everyday commute helps me think from a rider experience perspective and understand the demographics of the City I serve as a municipal professional. I also love going on long road trips with my family. When it comes to spending time with friends, I enjoy long walks and bike rides with my kids on the pathways, sidewalks, and beautiful trails in Calgary.

PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVES

How would you describe your job to someone you just met at a party?

Personally, I prefer not to talk about work at a party. However, I recently described my role as being in the center of a critical, super interesting, politically sensitive, and controversial mega project.

What is one aspect of work that you enjoy?

I particularly enjoy working on complex and large initiatives, bringing people together to solve puzzles and problems. I am passionate about creating respectful and inclusive

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workspaces so great outcomes can happen. When diverse and inclusive teams are built, a dynamic and collaborative atmosphere is created, leading to innovative and effective solutions. I find inclusive leadership to be incredibly powerful, and I consciously strive to practice it in my work.

Who has had the greatest influence on your career?

Many individuals have influenced my career. I take inspiration from every walk of life and from everyone I meet, always seeking deeper learnings from the little things. My journey in ITE has been made possible by the encouragement, inspiration, and influence of several individuals. I am particularly grateful to Dr. Shashi Nambisan at UNLV for introducing me to ITE, Alyssa Rodriguez from Las Vegas for being an inspiration to my journey, Jenny Grote

Shaping our Shared Future

Associated Engineering provides customized, strategic transportation planning and traffic engineering services.

Complementing our technical expertise, our specialist team brings strong project management, consultation, and facilitation skills. We work with communities, stakeholders, and First Nations to develop sustainable and resilient transportation solutions. Our services include:

▪ Transportation Master Plans

▪ Active Transportation Plans

▪ Modelling & Model Interpretation

▪ Business Case Development

▪ Policy Studies

▪ Functional Corridor Planning

▪ Intelligent Transportation Systems ▪ Safety Reviews & Audits ▪ Intersection & Network Analysis ▪ Traffic Operation Analysis ▪ Traffic Impact Assessments ▪ Traffic Accommodation Plans

Traffic Signal Design

from my days at City of Phoenix for continuing to be a mentor, inspiration and a champion, Alf Guebert and Ryan Vanderputten from Calgary for the support, encouragement, trust, and their nomination leading to my current role. I am incredibly blessed to be working with employers who have supported my ITE journey. My continued contribution wouldn’t be possible without the tremendous support of City of Calgary.

What will you hope to have accomplished at the end of your career?

Great question. While I have a long way to go before considering an end-of-career perspective, I hope to have made a significant impact, served a meaningful purpose, and inspired a few individuals along the way. My goal is to leave a legacy of innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity that continues to benefit the profession and society as a whole.

If you could change one thing about the transportation practice, what would it be? What is the greatest opportunity you see for the field?

The greatest challenge and opportunity I see for the transportation field is balancing innovation with affordability. I believe universities play a crucial role in addressing both. Strong research programs can drive innovation, while a well-prepared workforce can help improve affordability. For these reasons, I look forward to working with our Student Chapters in my role on the ITE Canada Executive.

Dr. Stan Teply 1933–2024

ITE Canada is deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Stan Teply. A true luminary in the field of transportation engineering, Stan’s extraordinary career spanned decades, continents, and disciplines, leaving a profound impact on our profession and our community. He is the namesake of our highest technical award and one of only six ITE Honorary Members from Canada.

Stan’s journey began in Czechoslovakia, where he served as a transportation engineer and municipal manager in Prague during the transformative era of the “Prague Spring.” After the 1968 invasion, he courageously emigrated to West Germany, continuing his work in traffic control and electronics. In 1973, Stan made his way to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, where he became a Senior Transportation Consultant and later joined the University of Alberta as a Professor of Transportation Engineering, a role he held until becoming Professor Emeritus in 1999.

Stan’s achievements were as diverse as they were influential. He was instrumental in planning Prague’s subway system, contributed to transportation projects across Europe, Hong Kong, Kuwait, and Canada, and authored or co-authored 13 books and more than 100 papers. His expertise profoundly shaped traffic control

systems, public transit, and transportation planning on a global scale. Renowned for his vision and dedication, Stan served as a key coordinator for the Highway Capacity Manual and was a respected contributor to the Transportation Research Board and numerous professional committees.

Beyond his remarkable professional achievements, Stan was a passionate advocate for education and collaboration. As the founding president of ITE’s Northern Alberta Section, he fostered connections among transportation professionals. Known as an inspiring mentor, he received numerous teaching awards and recognitions, including our prestigious and highest honour, the H. Robert Burton Distinguished Service Award, in 1997.

Stan’s legacy continues to resonate through ITE Canada’s Stan Teply Outstanding Technical Project Award, which bears his name and honours his dedication to technical excellence in transportation planning and engineering.

Dr. Teply’s contributions to our field and the lives he touched will never be forgotten. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. His legacy will continue to inspire transportation professionals across Canada.

Tributes for Stan Teply from Canada’s transportation community

It is difficult to find words to express my gratitude to Stan as a teacher, mentor, supervisor, colleague and friend over more than 45 years. I can honestly say that Stan has had more positive influence on my professional education and career than anyone else, and has always been there to guide me through some of the difficult challenges along the way. My story is only one of many engineers whose careers have been guided through Stan’s teaching and advice.

Brice Stephenson

Retired, City of Edmonton

Stan was my Supervisor for my Masters degree. A consummate professional with a warm heart for his students, I remember great Christmas parties at his home! He was the person that got me interested in transportation engineering as an undergraduate and then approached me to pursue a Masters degree. I considered Stan a mentor, a friend and an outstanding example of what a transportation engineer should aspire to. Thank you Stan for all that you did for this, once young, engineer.

Gary Vlieg Vice President, CTS

My first job after graduation was with the City of Edmonton in 1980. That’s where I met Stan, a wise and caring person. At the time, he was developing the first Canadian Capacity Guide (CCG) and as a junior at the City, I was to assist in site observations, counting and measuring gaps, volumes, etc.

He instilled in me a foundation of good understanding of basics of human factors, capacity calculations, etc, which stuck with me through my entire career. Stan had not only ingrained good technical foundations with in me but also demonstrated a humble, intelligent, warm, caring approach to working with colleagues and friends. A great example and a great guy!

Michael Skene Director and Principal, Watt Consulting Group

Dr. Stan Teply was well recognized as a leading educator and researcher in traffic engineering in Canada for many decades. His leadership on the Canadian Capacity Guide for Signalized Intersections and his work with the Transportation Research Board on the Highway Capacity Manual are just a few of his contributions. He also helped with the organization of the UofA/UofC joint transportation meetings that involved grad students and professors from both universities. As well Dr. Teply was an external examiner on theses at the UofC and he invited me to be an external examiner of theses at UofA. These are just a few examples of contributions to the field of transportation engineering made by Dr. Teply and a testimony to his dedication to education and research are the many engineering students that entered the transportation engineering field.

Dr. John Morrall

President of the Canadian Highways Institute

Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering, University of Calgary

As a second year civil engineering student at the University of Alberta in the early 90s, I wasn’t sure which direction to take and specialize – transportation, water resources, structural. It was a class with Dr. Teply that helped me decide. The rest, as they say, is history. Like so many others in our field, Dr. Teply was my first inspiration and first teacher of Transportation Engineering. Sad to hear of his passing, but grateful to have known him and had him as a professor.

Russ Coulombe

Deputy Director – Transportation, CIMA+

I was one of the first group of masters students under Stan’s supervision, starting I believe, in his second year at U of A. I echo everything Gary and Mike said in their comments. Stan had a profound impact on my career, for which I am eternally grateful. He was an exceptional teacher and person.

Ken Zondervan President, Zondervan Associates Engineering Ltd.

Stan had an extraordinary career and had a profound impact on our industry. Many students entered the profession as a result of Stan’s influence and guidance. He will be missed but never forgotten.

Doug Allingham Chair, Board of Directors at Greater Toronto Airports Authority

Stan was an early inspiration to my career in transportation planning. Wonderful to read about all the careers and colleagues he has touched.

James Hnatiuk

Regional Director Transit – Western Canada, Hatch

I was fortunate to have met Dr. Teply when I was a grad student at the University of Calgary, during the joint transportation meetings that John Morrall mentioned, and a few years later at a TRB conference when he generously escorted some of us new graduates around Alexandria, Virginia on a break during the conference.

Ann Coffin

Senior Transportation Planning Engineer, British Columbia Ministry of Transportation

Dr. Teply was one of the highlights of my engineering program at the U of A, and like many others, instrumental in my career direction in transportation engineering. Saddened to hear of his passing, hope he was as blessed as those he had blessed.

Terry Gee

Principal Project Manager, Parsons Corporation

The Greater Vancouver Section has had a busy wrap-up to a successful 2024!

November

On November 16, 2024, the ITE Greater Vancouver Section hosted an interactive panel discussion on island platform bus stops, focusing on their planning, design, and accessibility challenges in Metro Vancouver. The event built on the award-winning Design Guide for Bus Stops Adjacent to Cycling Infrastructure, released earlier in 2024 by TransLink and the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

The panel featured insights from transportation and accessibility professionals, including Mackenzie Fleming (City of Vancouver), Adrian Yau (City of Vancouver), Mo Bot (City of North Vancouver), Sabrina Lau Texier (TransLink), Stan Leyenhorst (Universal Access Design), and Brian Patterson (Urban Systems). They shared their experiences implementing island platform bus stops and addressed ongoing challenges in improving accessibility and removing barriers for people with disabilities.

December

On December 4, 2024, the ITE Greater Vancouver Section hosted a virtual seminar featuring Amir Hassanpour, a Ph.D. candidate at UBC and researcher at the REACT Lab. Amir presented his research on the 4-year trends of personal mobility devices in Metro Vancouver, exploring the evolution of mode shares, speeds, and comfort on off-street paths.

The seminar highlighted the growing role of devices such as e-bikes and e-scooters in personal transportation and their potential for climate mitigation. Attendees gained valuable insights into how these technologies are shaping mobility trends and reducing GHG emissions, including findings from BC’s e-bike incentive program.

2025 Executive

We’re excited to announce that Matt Woo will step into the role of President, Trevor Demerse will take on the role of Vice-President, and Breanna Jackson will transition to Past President. Breanna will also represent the Greater Vancouver Section on the ITE Canada Board of Directors. Thank you to Matt, Trevor, and Breanna for their ongoing support, leadership, and dedication to the ITE Greater Vancouver Section.

Welcome to Bev Ng, who will be joining our executive as Secretary! Bev is a Transportation Engineer-in-Training with WSP, passionate about active transportation, traffic management, and transit planning. Beyond her professional work, Bev has spent over 10 years

volunteering with local youth programs, where she fosters leadership and personal growth through activities like mentoring, service projects, and community events. We’re excited to have her enthusiasm and dedication on the team!

Welcome to Zheng Luo, our new Treasurer! Zheng is a Senior Transportation Engineer with R.F. Binnie & Associates, bringing over 11 years of diverse experience in transportation consulting across Canada, the U.S., Asia, and beyond. His expertise spans transportation planning, traffic engineering, roadway design, traffic modeling, and more, bolstered by his Ph.D. in Transportation Engineering. Zheng has held multiple leadership roles with ITE Northern Alberta, including President, and is excited to bring his passion for advancing transportation and his extensive leadership experience to ITE Greater Vancouver. We’re thrilled to have him on board!

2024 Award Winners

Congratulations to our Section Award winners:

BILL CURTIS OUTSTANDING TRANSPORTATION PROJECT AWARD

• R6 RapidBus Project

• R.F. Binnie & Associates Ltd. & TransLink

MAVIS JOHNSON ROAD SAFETY PROJECT OF THE YEAR AWARD

• 8 Avenue Roundabout Turbo Reconfiguration – Highway 99 North at Exit 2

• BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit

DON HENDERSON LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

• Kenneth Curry, Parsons

OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONAL AWARD

• Federico Puscar, WSP

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD

• Trevor Demerse, BC Ministry of Transportation and Transit

Follow us on our new LinkedIn Page ITE Greater Vancouver Section for more news and future events.

The 2025 Greater Vancouver Executive (L-R): Breanna Jackson, Bev Ng, Zheng Lou, Trevor Demerse, and Matt Woo.

Federico Puscar (middle) accepts his Outstanding Professional Award.

The Northern Alberta ITE Section closed out 2024 with two luncheons and the introduction of a new exec team to lead the section into 2025.

Luncheons

The November 2024 ITE Northern Alberta luncheon featured a presentation entitled 103 Avenue Streetscape: Design Evolution of a Shared Street, by Ainsley Brown, P.Eng. of Arcadis IBI Group (pictured). Ainsley’s presentation provided an in-depth look at the evolution of 103 Avenue’s design from concept to construction, highlighting the many influences shaping the final design, including public engagement, internal stakeholder input, design reviews, surrounding land uses, safety considerations, feedback from the Edmonton Design Committee, and technical specifications.

The December 2024 luncheon featured a presentation by Roy Symons and Dan Zeggelaar of ISL Engineering. Their presentation, entitled The Dutch Way – Innovation in Active Transportation showcased innovative approaches to active transportation, focusing on lessons learned from the Netherlands’ 50 years of expertise in designing and refining active transportation infrastructure.

The session began with an overview of ISL Engineering’s recent active transportation project highlights, followed by discussion of innovations in active transportation which are not yet widely adopted in Canada. These innovations demonstrate the value of drawing inspiration from international best practices to address local challenges.

The December 2024 luncheon was also our section’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). Representatives from the exec team updated

members on the status of the section as it wraps up 2024, as well as some of our plans for 2025. Be sure to subscribe to our monthly newsletter at nothernalberta.itecanada.org to hear more about our plans in 2025!

2025 Executive

We’re delighted to announce our 2025 executive team for the ITE Canada Northern Alberta Section. Jackie Prior is our new President, with David Mason serving as both Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer. Olivia Duong will serve as our District Representative on the ITE Canada Board.

We also want to give a special shoutout to Alyssa Lefebvre, who recently served two terms as Section President. Alyssa, a Transportation Engineer at Bunt & Associates, has been involved with the Northern Alberta Section since 2017, serving as a member-at-large before joining the executive. After a brief hiatus during her maternity leave, Alyssa rejoined the executive as Section President in 2023. We’re grateful she will continue to support us as Past President, sharing her invaluable knowledge.

We’re looking forward to an exciting year with this amazing team!

For this quarter, the Southern Alberta Section (ITESA) started off by welcoming our new executive members for 2025:

• President: Annie Wang

• Vice President: Kayla Royce

• Secretary: Bidoura Khondaker

• Treasurer: Kennith Lin

• Publicity Coordinator: Karan Arora

• Past President: Lou Mak

• Section Director: Zoran Carkic

The Southern Alberta Chapter held its annual elections and had two new members joining the Executive Committee: Karan Arora as Publicity Coordinator and Zoran Carkic as representative on the ITE Canada board and serving as the Section Director.

ITESA organized the AGM in November announcing the new executive members for 2025-2026. The AGM highlighted that a total of 13 events were held by the chapter on diverse topics and events with over 300 attendees

attending the events throughout the year. The 2024 Project of the Year award was also announced during the Gala, McElhanney Ltd. was the recipient of the award for their project on Hwy 3 & Hwy 40 Rehabilitation Work.

ITESA also organized the traditional year end Winter Gala in November at the Calgary Zoo for celebrating and reminiscing over ITE Southern Alberta Section’s successful year. Jen Malzer presented on “Community” in the Gala where she highlighted how community matters and talked about several community projects.

ITESA is already kicking off 2025 events by organizing the January luncheon on the Town of Peace River’s Active Transportation Plan. The presentation will focus on the overview of the Active Transportation Plan project including a look into Peace River’s current network, a highlight of some of the geographical and climate challenges.

Scenes from the Winter Gala

Over the last few months ITE Manitoba hosted three luncheons at the Winnipeg Winter Club and co-hosted a strike-ingly fun networking event with the University of Manitoba ITE Student Chapter at a local bowling alley.

On Halloween Morgan Glasgow, Supervisor of Traffic Signal Timings, and Cassidy Zrobek, Traffic Signals Timing Engineer co-presented on the City of Winnipeg’s implementation of an Emergency Vehicle Preemption Pilot Project. The City has recently implemented a pilot study for emergency vehicle preemption (EVP) to improve response times and safety as firetrucks and ambulances attend calls throughout the City. Morgan and Cassidy discussed the City’s journey to this point, how the system is being piloted, and next steps.

Our November technical luncheon was an engaging panel discussion on speed and road safety. We welcomed Yadili OkwumabuaGbakima, Assistant Manager of Road Safety Programs at Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI), Sam van Huizen, Traffic and Transportation Planner with the City of Brandon, and Greg Blatz, Traffic Management Engineer at the City of Winnipeg to share details of projects they are working on related to speed and road safety. Yadili’s presentation focused on ways MPI is addressing speed in Manitoba, including results from their 2022 Speed Observation study and details of their Speed Display Sign program. Sam summarized the City of Brandon’s Reduced Speed Pilot project and how the lessons learned from the pilot are influencing future reduced speed limit plans in Brandon. Greg provided an overview of Winnipeg’s Reduced-Speed Neighbourhood Pilot, the traffic calming program and other speed related studies in the City of Winnipeg.

In early December, ITE Manitoba and the University of Manitoba ITE Student Chapter

co-hosted another successful bowling networking event. ITE Manitoba is looking forward to more events with the Student Chapter in 2025.

To wrap up 2024, we held our Annual Business Meeting (ABM) in December. The ABM featured a presentation on the upcoming launch of Winnipeg’s Primary Transit Network, by Kevin Sturgeon from Winnipeg Transit. This exciting change, which will launch on June 29, 2025, will transform transit service in Winnipeg.

At the ABM, we also introduced our new Manitoba Executive members for 2025:

• President: Mark Hearson

• Vice President: Karalee Bloch

• Secretary: Adam Budowski

• Treasurer: Jaime Lacoste

• Past President: Steven Wood

• Director: Mark Hearson

We’re looking ahead to a busy and exciting schedule for 2025. Follow us on our LinkedIn page to see what we’re up to!

The ITE Southwestern Ontario Section has hosted several events over the last few months in 2024.

In September, we hosted a bike ride on the Guelph to Goderich (G2G) Rail Trail outside of Elmira, Ontario. we met in Elmira for our initial ride on the Goderich to Guelph (G2G) Rail Trail.

This year we rode from Elmira to the West Montrose Covered Bridge. In the coming years, we plan to ride other portions of the G2G Trail to ultimately cover most of the trail.

In October, we had a great turnout for an on-site tour and presentation of the first BRT bus stop that was constructed in London. Presented by Jennie Dann, Ardian Spahiu, and Andrea Hamilton of the City of London’s Major Projects group, we were happy to learn about the site selection criteria, choosing centre or edge running, and the lighting, benches, accessibility, and safety factors which were all considered in the shelter layouts.

We also held our Annual General Meeting in late November in London. The event was well attended with updates provided by both section and district representatives. Special thanks to Patrick J. Anckaert (City of St. Thomas) and Martin Van Haren (R.V. Anderson Associates

Limited) for their presentation on the significant developments and changes along Highbury Avenue.

The Section was also able to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the University of Waterloo Student Chapter.

We also have welcomed in our new executive that will represent the section in 2025-2026:

• President & Section Director: Tim Kooistra

• Vice-President: Adam Morrison

• Treasurer: Ian Lindley

• Secretary: Mavjot Kaur

• Student Liaison: Chris Bachmann

• Past President: Jeff Jongsma

Follow us on LinkedIn in order to keep an eye out for our upcoming events.

ITE Toronto has had an exciting and impactful end to 2024, with a series of engaging events that highlighted key issues in transportation planning, accessibility, innovation, and community building. Here’s a look back at some of the events that brought our community together this past fall.

October 28 – Transit Priority Measures in the City of Toronto

The TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) webinar was an insightful session on the challenges and future plans for one of North America’s largest transit systems. The event focused on Transit Priority Measures (TPMs) aimed at improving the speed and reliability of surface transit, particularly buses and streetcars. Attendees gained a behind-the-scenes look at policies, technologies, and infrastructure projects that support transit improvements, including dedicated transit lanes, transit signal priority, and new enforcement measures. This session sparked valuable conversations about the future of Toronto’s transit and the need for continued investment in efficient, reliable surface transportation.

November 19 – Accessibility and Inclusion in the Built Environment

Accessibility and inclusion took center stage during this event, which explored ways to make transportation systems and the built environment more inclusive for all users. The webinar included both presentations and interactive discussions, emphasizing practical strategies to improve accessibility in urban spaces. The conversation centered around designing public spaces that are safe,

welcoming, and accommodating for all individuals, regardless of ability. Key takeaways from this event included the importance of universal design principles and the need for continuous community engagement to ensure that the built environment evolves to meet diverse needs.

December 6 – 50th Anniversary Gala and AGM

ITE Toronto capped off the year with a spectacular 50th Anniversary Gala and Annual General Meeting (AGM). The event was a time to reflect on five decades of accomplishments, recognize the contributions of past presidents, and celebrate the ongoing growth and success of the section. Held in a festive and welcoming atmosphere, the evening brought together members from across the region to share stories, network, and toast to the future of ITE Toronto. The gala was a heartfelt reminder of the strength of our community, and we look forward to continuing to work together to make a difference in transportation for years to come.

As we look ahead to 2025, we’re excited to continue fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and building a safer, more inclusive transportation network. Stay tuned for more upcoming events, and thank you to everyone who participated in making 2024 a success!

The National Capital Section wrapped up 2024 with exciting events that had great participation from ITE members and other transportation professionals.

November

In November, we hosted our third and final lunchtime webinar of the year with an in-depth learning of the importance of Road Safety Audits (RSA), including what they are and why we need them in many projects. Special attention was brought to the TAC Canadian Road Safety Audit Guide (2001) and City of Ottawa’s RSA requirements. The webinar was presented by Geoff Ho, P.Eng. and Suzanne Woo, P.Eng., who have a combined 55+ years of experience in Road Safety Engineering and there were nearly 80 attendees. The webinar recording can be found on the ITE Canada YouTube channel.

December

The year ended with an election to fill an open position for the 2025 Executive committee. There were a total of 5 candidates and the voting period ended on December 6th, 2024. Jenny Park was the successful candidate, and she will join the NCS Executive committee in 2025 as the Communications Coordinator.

January 2025

The Annual General Meeting took place on January 17th, 2025, and closed out our activities for 2024 with a year-end review of the 2024 Annual Report. The meeting included the assignment of our 2025 Executive committee and an engaging discussion of ideas for this year’s activities. There were 10 attendees, including 2024/2025 Executive committee members and ITE members.

Fall 2024 marked a special milestone for the ITE Atlantic Canada Chapter—our 50th anniversary! We celebrated this momentous occasion during our Fall Technical Session, held in Fredericton on November 7th, where we returned to the UNB campus for the first time in several years, adding a nostalgic touch to the event. The session included a range of insightful presentations and concluded with a lively Jeopardy-style game that highlighted the outstanding contributions of our Atlantic community over the past five decades.

Jeopardy categories including Memorable ITE Atlantic Presentations, UNB Potpourri, Intersection Nicknames, Modelling in the Maritimes, and Navigating Notorious Nodes kept everyone entertained and informed. A standout moment was the question, “You don’t need to travel to Disney World to see this intersection named after one of its most famous flying characters.” The answer? The Peter Pan Intersection in Charlottetown, PEI—a whimsical nod to a unique piece of our local infrastructure history.

In addition to celebrating our history, we also looked ahead by electing a new Vice President. This fall, we were thrilled to have three outstanding candidates step forward for this role. After a successful election, we welcomed Bri Benson, MScE, P.Eng., to the ITE Atlantic executive this January. Her addition marks a historic milestone as the first all-female executive committee for our chapter—a development that reflects the growing diversity and leadership within our community.

Looking forward, we are eagerly planning for the ITE National Conference, which will take place in Halifax this June. Our local team is hard at work preparing to showcase the best of what Atlantic Canada has to offer, and we can’t wait to welcome ITE members from across the country to our region.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to making this past quarter so memorable. Here’s to another 50 years of excellence in transportation engineering and planning!

Celebrating our 50th anniversary with a game of ITE Atlantic Jeopardy

Announcing our new Executive Member, Bri Benson

November 27 - Lunch & Learn: Goods Movement Planning

The UBC ITE Student Chapter hosted the second event in its 2024-25 Lunch and Learn series, proudly sponsored by TransLink. The session provided attendees with an engaging exploration of regional goods movement priorities as outlined in the Transport 2050 planning document. Key topics included:

• An overview of the existing goods movement network and planning considerations.

• The economic implications of regional goods movement and the application of the Commercial Vehicle Model.

• Innovative approaches to urban freight, including cargo e-bikes and their required infrastructure.

Attendees also gained insights into a micro hub project for cargo e-bike operations, learning valuable lessons about site selection, execution, and collaboration with stakeholders. A heartfelt thank you to TransLink for sharing their expertise.

The event emphasized the multifaceted nature of goods movement, highlighting its role in our economy and the opportunities it presents. We are also grateful to the ~20 students who joined us for this inspiring session.

Upcoming event in January

The UBC ITE Student Chapter, in collaboration with ITE Greater Vancouver (GVITE), is hosting Transport Visions: Student Presentation Competition on January 29, 2025. This exciting initiative will provide students with a platform to showcase their innovative transportation ideas, share their research, and receive valuable feedback from industry professionals.

The competition will feature a panel of judges, including representatives from academia and industry, ensuring participants receive insightful and constructive feedback. We’re looking forward to seeing the creativity and expertise of our student community on display as they address transportation challenges.

The ITEUA Student Chapter welcomed a new executive committee late last year. Our new committee aims to continue to highlight the diverse and intricate nature of transportation engineering to those attending the University of Alberta. Last year, through presentations, faculty talks, and industry networking, the student chapter showcased the wide variety of transportation to undergraduate and graduate students. We are currently planning to run similar events in the upcoming year and further branch out our network across campus.

The UofM ITE Student Chapter continued their momentum as planned into the Fall 2024 semester! Thanks to a terrific executive team, we managed to stay on track with established activities, as well as create a few new ones along the way.

Our team started off the year with a pumpkin painting competition, a fun way to get to know other members of ITE & the university, as well as show off our painting skills! Thanks to the UofM Engineering Society, we had two hockey game tickets to give away to the lucky winner (Go Jets Go!).

In the Fall term, we held two fundraisers, one for empanadas and the other for samosas, to help raise money for our technical trip and conference fees! The fundraisers were

successful, with UofM students hungry to support UMITE’s future endeavours.

In addition to hosting a technical speaker, UMITE collaborated with ITE Manitoba to put on a bowling networking night! An annual tradition, students and professionals alike had a fantastic time bowling, rotating rosters halfway through to ensure that multiple connections could be made! A huge thank you to ITE Manitoba for spearheading this event, and bringing the professionals!

UMITE was happy to have a booth at the Young Friends of Engineering (YFOE) Technical Expo, an expo meant to show off the activities and projects of various UofM technical societies, like ITE! Additionally, we held an information session for the Traffic Bowl & ITE Canada

conference in Halifax, where we presented to students who were interested in competition, transportation trivia, and attending the ITE Halifax conference in June of this year!

Finally, we were happy to be invited to the nearby Pembina Trails Collegiate middle school to present to career class students on transportation engineering as a potential career option, some of the responsibilities and challenges a transportation engineer may face, and bringing to light a career that students might not have known about before! A format

that UMITE has been developing for awhile, we thank the students for being extremely receptive and interested in what we had to say!

The rest of the semester is bright for the student chapter! Our technical trip will bring six student chapter members to Amsterdam, NL and surrounding areas to learn more about the transportation systems present and to see how they are able to support the Dutch population. We’ll be sure to put our findings in the next edition of Transportation Talk!

The University of Windsor ITE Student Chapter has welcomed its new 2025-2026 executive board:

• President: Saba Ikhlaq

• Vice-President: Ochuko Keren Eyeta

• Treasurer: Steve Oteng-Owusu

• Secretary: Oluwasogo Ogunfuwa

On November 30, 2024, the chapter hosted the workshop “Introduction to Data Analysis with R Using Transportation Data (Part 1)” by Umair Durrani, PhD. The workshop included: Reading, transforming, and analyzing vehicle trajectory data

We are excited to announce that we have planned a series of events for 2025, including workshops, networking opportunities, and more!

Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram at ITE University of Windsor Student Chapter to stay updated on future events and activities.

Gordon Meth talk

The student chapter was extremely privileged and honored to host Gordon Meth, the ITE International VP, to give a talk in October to the student chapter to describe his background and professional experiences. The event was well attended by graduate and undergraduate students in Civil engineering and planning. Mr. Meth is an expert witness in Highway engineering and a Group leader at his company. He is also an alumnus of the University of Waterloo where he obtained his Masters and Bachelors in Civil Engineering.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Plant tour

In December, the student chapter hosted a tour of the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) plant. This tour allowed UW students to personally see up-close a major car manufacturing facility. TMMC is composed of three facilities, manufacturing the Toyota RAV 4, Lexus NX, and Lexus RX. TMMC is the top

producing auto manufacturer in Canada and is the first plant outside of Japan to manufacture Lexus. This was an amazing experience for our students who took a 90 minute motorized tram tour through the Cambridge plant to see the entire process of manufacturing a vehicle.

Walking tour with Professor Doucet

In December, the student chapter participated on a walking tour with Professor Brian Doucet. Professor Doucet is an associate professor in the University’s planning department. His research interests include Gentrification, neighbourhood change, displacement, and inequality with regards to housing. The walk included analyzing infrastructure in the City of Kitchener, with themes surrounding social change.

End of term social

ITE chapter enjoyed a final meeting at a local restaurant to celebrate the end of a successful semester. We look forward to 2025 with more exciting events planned on the way!

Student chapter at Toyota Motor Manufacturing

Student Chapter hosting Gord Meth presentation

Moccasin Identifier Event

ITE McMaster hosted our second major event of the year with Carolyn King, the founder of the Moccasin Identifier, an Indigenous-led initiative dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding of Indigenous Treaties and history across Canada; and Craig King, the Consultation Manager for the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation’s Department of Consultation & Accommodation. The presentation discussed the intersection of engineering infrastructure projects and Indigenous communities, Indigenous consultation in transportation engineering, and the ongoing relevance of Indigenous Treaties.

CPKC Holiday Train

At the end of November, the chapter attended the CPKC Holiday Train at its stop in Gage Park in Hamilton with a large group of McMaster students. ITE McMaster was happy to support this initiative, which partnered with Hamilton Food Share to raise non-perishable food donations and awareness for the importance of food banks in our community. It was a heartwarming and fun event for all involved during the busy exam season!

Transportation Industry Night and How to Network Event

ITE McMaster has been hard at work organising our 2nd Annual Transportation Industry Night, which will take place on January 30th, 2025, feature over 15 hiring employers from the transportation industry, and offer attendees the opportunity to network, build connections, and discuss all things transportation. The theme of this year’s event is “Connecting Communities”, and will feature a keynote

speaker, to be announced soon. To prepare attending students for this event, particularly those seeking co-op or post-graduation opportunities, ITE McMaster recently hosted a very well-attended “How to Network” event in collaboration with the McMaster Heavy Construction Student Chapter. Participants had the opportunity to build their networking skills and learn the ins and outs of networking events. This prep will help students hit the ground running at Industry Night.

Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for all our updates in the lead up to Industry Night, and be sure to check out our Instagram story on January 30th to see the event in action.

In October the ITE student chapter hosted a Halloween themed trivia night. This was a great opportunity for all new students to meet the current members and executive. This was a joint event hosted with the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering student chapter.

In November we had the pleasure of hosting Kate Whitfield for a Career Connect with Kate. Students could book a 15 minute session to review their resume and get a jumpstart in their carrer. We really appreciated Kate making the time.

The UNB ITE student chapter welcomed students back to the 2025 winter semester with a networking night. We put on a learn to curl session hosted by Dr. Trevor Hanson at the Fredericton Capital Winter Club. The event brought industry members and students together on the ice to network and curl. This event was a great introduction to the sport and the past graduates of the UNB Transportation Group now in industry.

Welcome to these new Canadian members who joined ITE between October and December 2024. We look forward to connecting with you and supporting your professional learning and growth in our community of transportation professionals!

Darine Ahdab Weihing, City of Calgary, Alberta, Calgary, AB

Rayhan Ahmed, City of Regina, Saskatchewan, Regina, SK

Shereen Almosallem, University of Regina, Regina, SK

Khaled Amin, City of Regina, Saskatchewan, Regina, SK

Emily Anderson, Montréal, QC

Oluwatomisin Bakare, New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, Fredericton, NB

Isaac Baker, City of Burnaby, Burnaby, BC

Jishnu Balan, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON

Nicole Barber, City of Regina, Saskatchewan, Regina, SK

Jeneva Beairsto, City Of Coquitlam, Coquitlam, BC

Anu Bharathi, City of Regina, Saskatchewan, Regina, SK

Isabella Biondi, J.L. Richards, Waterloo, ON

Cameron Blaney, City Of Toronto, Toronto, ON

Chad Bosgoed, City of Regina, Regina, SK

Justin Bui, City of Burnaby, Burnaby, BC

Paul Croft, Parsons, Halifax, NS

Kate Cusack, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, NB

Manuela D’Cunha, Univeristy of Waterloo, Mississauga, ON

Andrew Deng, Queen’s University, Maple, ON

Ethan Deswaef, Brampton, ON

Wendy Ding, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON

Tyrone Dollano, Hamilton, ON

Justin Fan, University of Waterloo, Toronto, ON

Bilal Farooq, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON

Eric FitzGibbon, Carleton University, Stittsville, ON

Cooper Fraser, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB

Mark Fraser, , Brockville, ON

Fatemeh Golmohammadian, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB

Alan Ha, University of Alberta, Calgary, AB

Sary Hafez, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON

Sana Haji, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

Talia Halwani, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON

Logan Harris, EXP Services Inc., Moncton, NB

Irene He, City of Regina, Saskatchewan, Regina, SK

John Hicks, City of Victoria, BC, Victoria, BC

Haoran Home, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON

Tyler Hu, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON

Allan Hung, City of Calgary, Alberta, Calgary, AB

Nathan Jianopoulos, Belleville, ON

Ravi Kainth, Brampton, ON

John Kazilis, Regional Municipality of York, Newmarket, ON

Jeremy Kearns, Robinson Consultants, Ottawa, ON

William Kennedy, University of Waterloo, Victoria, BC

Shivam Khaddar, City of Vernon, Vernon, BC

Kelly Kovach, City of Regina, Regina, SK

Amar Lad, TYLin, York, ON

Tayler Lam, University of Waterloo, Bradford, ON

Xiaoyu Liu, Urban Systems Limited, Kelowna, BC

Steven MacInnis, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS

Hemanth Manedi, City Of New Westminster, New Westminster, BC

Steven Mater, City Of New Westminster, New Westminster, BC

Sheldon McBride, City of Calgary, Calgary, AB

Karla McCallum, University of Waterloo, Charlottetown, PE

Ramy Mikati, Parsons, Montréal, QC

Catherine Mills, WSP, Kelowna, BC

Asif Mirza, Regional Municipality of York, Newmarket, ON

Sami Moffatt, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, NB

Igweluesi Momodu, City of Regina, Regina, SK

Huvaida Nishat, Toronto Metropolitan University, Caledon, ON

John Norman, City of Regina, Saskatchewan, Regina, SK

Malak Ouaaziz, University of Regina, Regina, SK

Stefan Papuc, McGill University, Brossard, QC

Francisco Paredes, City of Regina, Regina, SK

Josh Patterson, City of Regina, Regina, SK

Joshua Paul, New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, Fredericton, NB

Hamed Rahimi, City of Burnaby, Burnaby, BC

Fatima Rao, McMaster University, Mississauga, ON

James Robinson, University of New Brunswick, Rothesay, NB

Andrew Salvagio, McMaster University, Toronto, ON

Sania Sami, University of Regina, Regina, SK

Gargi Sandhu, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB

Banzoumana Sanogo, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB

Kalena Scheifele, McMaster University, Waterloo, ON

Avery Schneider, City of Kelowna, Kelowna, BC

Alexander Sereda, EXP, Ottawa, ON

Nahal Seyed Aboutorabi, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON

Rishav Sharma, Ottawa, ON

Joanna Sirett, City of Kelowna, Kelowna, BC

Aidan Sirkett-Wetherald, University of Waterloo, Hamilton, ON

Claire Smith, , Toronto, ON

Anahita Sourate, City Of Coquitlam, Coquitlam, BC

Michelle Tang, Transoft, Burnaby, BC

Martin To, City of Burnaby, Burnaby, BC

Cameron Van Beers, City of Maple Ridge, Maple Ridge, BC

Jenna Van Lanen, City Of London, London, ON

Isaac Wagner, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB

Hnin Wai, The University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC

Guilaine Flora Wangap, Edmonton, AB

Dayton Weisgerber, City of Regina, Saskatchewan, Regina, SK

Brent Wilson, City of Regina, Saskatchewan, Regina, SK

Mengmei Xu, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON

Andrew Xuereb, Strathcona County, Sherwood Park, AB

Habiba Youssef, Calgary, AB

Abid Zaman, City of Regina, Regina, SK

Henry Zhao, City of Regina, Regina,

SKAo Yun Zhang, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON

Jinjing Zhang, CIMA+, Mississauga, ON

Kelly Jiaqi Zhang, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

Yue Zhao, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON

ITE Canada Executive Committee

President .............. Pedram Izadpanah, Ph.D., P.Eng. president@itecanada.org

Vice President .......... Irini Akhnoukh, M.Eng., P.Eng., PTOE vicepresident@itecanada.org

Treasurer Destiny Piper, P.Eng. treasurer@itecanada.org

ITE Canada Staff

Interim Administrator Steven Garner sgarner@itecanada.org

Communications Lead ... Evonne Winchiu Donaher edonaher@itecanada.org

Secretary .............. Madhuri Seera, M.Sc., P.Eng., P.T.O.E secretary@itecanada.org

Past President .......... Ryan Vanderputten, P.Eng., M.Eng., MBA, FITE pastpresident@itecanada.org

District Director Julia Salvini, MEng, PEng, FITE director@itecanada.org

Technical Liaison Committee

tlc@itecanada.org

Chair Farhad Shahla, M.Eng., P.Eng. Vice-Chair Borg Chan, M.Sc., P.Eng., PTOE, RSP, FITE Committee ...... Erin Toop, M.A.Sc., P.Eng. Syed Atif Ali, M.Eng., P.Eng., PMP

Past Chair ....... Ryan Martinson, M.Eng., P.Eng.

National Technical Program Committee

technicalprogram@itecanada.org

Chair ........... Garrett Donaher, P.Eng.

Vice Chair Amy Do, P.Eng. Committee Omar Shams, CET

Erica Bayley, P.Eng. Breanna Jackson, P.Eng. Past Chair ....... Paula Sawicki, P.Eng.

Sections & Presidents

Vancouver Island Bruce Beames vancouverisland@itecanada.org

Greater Vancouver Matthew Woo vancouver@itecanada.org

BC Interior ............. Maciej Wysocki bcinterior@itecanada.org

Northern Alberta ........ Jackie Prior northernalberta@itecanada.org

Southern Alberta Annie Wang southernalberta@itecanada.org

Saskatchewan Ellen McLaughlin saskatchewan@itecanada.org

Manitoba ............... Mark Hearson manitoba@itecanada.org

Training Committee

training@itecanada.org

Chair Adam St. Amant, P.Eng., PTOE Vice Chair Marcia Eng, P.Eng. Committee ...... Karin Huang, EIT Hamed Esmaeeli, P.Eng. Past Chair ....... Ian Roth, P.Eng.

Southwestern Ontario Tim Kooistra southwestontario@itecanada.org

Hamilton Omar Shams hamilton@itecanada.org

Toronto ................ Stephanie Pham toronto@itecanada.org

National Capital ......... Jordan Papazoglou nationalcapital@itecanada.org

Québec Paul Bourque quebec@itecanada.org

Atlantic Hannah McBride atlantic@itecanada.org

Student Chapters

Student Chapter Advisor

President(s)

Carleton University ........................ Adam Weiss ........................... Rulla Al-Haideri carleton@itecanada.org Adam.weiss3@carleton.ca

Dalhousie University

Ahsan Habib Niaz Mahmud dalhousie@itecanada.org ahsan.habib@dal.ca

Lakehead University Juan Pernia

Omotunde Adeniran lakeheadu@itecanada.org jpernia@lakeheadu.ca

McMaster University .......................

Moataz Mohamed ...................... Zoe Meth & Dominic Mothe mcmaster@itecanada.org mmohame@mcmaster.ca

Mohawk College........................... Craig Sherwood ....................... Patrick Hehl mohawkcollege@itecanada.org craig.sherwood@mohawkcollege.ca

Montréal-Québec Étudiants

Ciprian Alecsandru Sandra Ristovic quebecstudents@itecanada.org ciprian.alecsandru@concordia.ca

Toronto Metropolitan University Bilal Farooq Vacant tmu@itecanada.org bilal.farooq@torontomu.ca

University of Alberta ...................... Tony Z. Qiu............................ Reza Mousapour ualberta@itecanada.org zhijunqiu@ualberta.ca

University of British Columbia .............. Tarek Sayed ........................... Elena Abu Khuzam & Eric Seto ubc@itecanada.org tsayed@civil.ubc.ca

UBC Okanagan

Mahmudur Fatmi

Imrul Kayes Shafie ubco@itecanada.org mahmudur.fatmi@ubc.ca

University of Calgary

Lina Kattan

Amin Ashena ucalgary@itecanada.org lkattan@ucalgary.ca

University of Manitoba ..................... Babak Mehran ......................... Joshua Rushka umanitoba@itecanada.org Babak.Mehran@umanitoba.ca

University of New Brunswick ............... Eric Hildebrand & Trevor Hanson ........ Madeline Whitehouse unb@itecanada.org edh@unb.ca / thanson@unb.ca

University of Toronto Marianne Hatzopoulou Hesam Rashidi utoronto@itecanada.org marianne.hatzopoulou@utoronto.ca

University of Saskatchewan Vacant

Vacant usask@itecanada.org usask@itecanada.org

University of Victoria ...................... Laura Minet ........................... Muhammad Qasim uvic@itecanada.org lauraminet@uvic.ca

University of Waterloo ..................... Chris Bachmann ....................... Shrinidhi Elangovanneela & uwaterloo@itecanada.org chris.bachmann@uwaterloo.ca William Duy-Anh Pham

University of Windsor ...................... Hanna Maoh .......................... Saba Ikhlaq uwindsor@itecanada.org Hanna.Maoh@uwindsor.ca

Western University

Mohamed Zaki Hussein

Michael Mariano westernu@itecanada.org m.zaki@uwo.ca

York University

Mehdi Nourinejad

Won Mo (Tony) Jeoung yorku@itecanada.org mehdi.nourinejad@lassonde.yorku.ca

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