County Wide Active Transportation Study (CWATS) Questionnaire
The County of Essex is commencing a study to develop a County Wide Active Transportation Study (CWATS). The study area includes the entire County of Essex which consists of the urban and rural areas of all seven local municipalities:
• Town of Amherstburg
• Town of Essex
• Town of Kingsville
• Town of Lakeshore
• Town of LaSalle
• Town of Leamington
• Town of Tecumseh
The CWATS is intended to establish an integrated cycling and pedestrian network in conjunction with the local municipalities as well as connections to Chatham-Kent, the City of Windsor and Point Pelee National Park.
The County of Essex is committed, through policies in both the Official Plan and Essex-Windsor Regional Transportation Master Plan, to providing the public with the opportunity to choose from a full range of transportation options. The County of Essex along with seven local municipalities and organizations, recognize the many benefits of active transportation, including improved health to residents, cleaner air, a more efficient transportation network and reduced dependence on the automobile. In support of these objectives, the County is committed to improving the pedestrian and active transportation environment and recognizes that walking/cycling and its promotion, is an integral part of a publicly supported and balanced transportation system and that it forms a critical part of every person-trip.
The study is intended to review the current state of cycling and walking within the County of Essex and provide a facilities network plan, implementation schedule and a set of programs that can guide the County and municipality’s efforts to encourage and promote cycling. This CWATS is being conducted with the requirements of Phases 1 and 2 of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment, which is an approved process under the Environmental Assessment Act.
The CWATS will build upon and consolidate the existing active transportation studies across the County and its seven local municipalities as well as identify appropriate connections to Chatham-Kent, the City of Windsor and Point Pelee National Park. This study will focus primarily on non-motorized modes (hiking, cycling, walking, etc.) on County roads and select local roads Active transportation in the County of Essex means:
• Active Commuting which involves journeys to and from work;
• Active Workplace Travel which includes trips during working hours such as the delivery of materials or attending meetings;
• Active Destination Oriented Trips which includes trips to and from school, shops, visiting friends and running errands; and
• Active Recreation which involves the use of an active transportation mode for fitness or recreational pursuits, such as hiking and cycling.
Note: Although this is not a statistically valid survey, the results represent the opinion of a sample of residents regarding active transportation (walking and cycling) and will be used to inform and assist the study team in the development of the County Wide Active Transportation Study. If you have additional suggestions that this questionnaire does not provide the opportunity to express, please e-mail them to: mclaughlind@mmm.ca