RCE Peel - 2024

Surface infrastructure improvement for goods movement in Peel Region
CSV
Basic Information
Title of project : 
Surface infrastructure improvement for goods movement in Peel Region
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Peel
Contributing organization(s) : 
Peel Region, Smart Freight Centre, York University
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
RCE Peel
Organizational Affiliation: 
Peel Region
E-mail: 
rcepeel@peelregion.ca
Format of project: 
Report
Language of project: 
English
Date of submission:
Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Web link: 
N/A
Additional resources: 
N/A
Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
Yes
The study follows Long-Term Pathways 2 and 18 of Peel Region’s Long-Term Goods Movement (2019): Investigate Additional Policy to Increase Efficiency of the Local Goods Movement Industry & Encourage Long Combination Vehicles
At what level is the policy operating?: 
Local
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Americas
Country: 
Canada
Location(s): 
Peel Region
Address of focal point institution for project: 
N/A
Ecosystem(s):
Urban/Peri-urban
Target Audience:
Community
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
Peel Region is a regional municipality in the province of Ontario, Canada. It encompasses the cities of Brampton and Mississauga, and the Town of Caledon. Peel is characterized by a diverse and rapidly growing region with a strong industrial and commercial base, and extensive transportation network.
Peel Region is a major economic hub, particularly in the logistics and manufacturing sectors, due to its strategic location near Toronto and its access to key transportation infrastructure. Peel benefits from its proximity to major highways which enable efficient goods movement across Ontario and into the United States. Peel Region is also home to Toronto Pearson International Airport, the busiest airport in Canada, which plays a vital role in air cargo operations and connects the region to global markets. This combination of robust transportation infrastructure supports Peel's role as a key logistics and manufacturing center, attracting businesses that rely on efficient access to domestic and international markets.
Environmentally, Peel Region faces challenges related to urban sprawl, traffic congestion, and air quality, but is also home to significant green spaces and agricultural areas, balancing urban development with environmental preservation efforts.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
Peel Region faces sustainable development challenges such as balancing rapid urbanization with environmental preservation, mitigating traffic congestion, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from freight and passenger transport.
Additionally, ensuring equitable access to green spaces and transit, addressing air quality and health impacts, and implementing resilient infrastructure to withstand climate change are critical areas of focus for sustainable growth.
Contents
Status: 
Completed
Period: 
January, 2023
Rationale: 
Proposing dedicated truck lanes and signal priority systems, this project directly benefits local logistics and transportation networks, promoting economic growth and sustainability in the transportation industry. By segregating freight and passenger transport, it can improve traffic flow, reduce air pollution, and ensure more equitable access to green spaces and transit. This contributes to a healthier, more sustainable urban environment while significantly lowering the carbon footprint in Peel Region.
The project fosters innovation by incorporating advanced transportation technologies, positioning Peel Region on the right path to sustainable freight transport solutions and resilient infrastructure. These advancements are vital for long-term sustainability and equitable access to efficient transit networks. Moreover, enhancing traffic management and reducing congestion will lead to fewer collisions, improving overall transportation safety. By providing detailed and real-time data, the project supports better decision-making processes and enables policymakers to identify pollution hotspots and implement targeted measures to mitigate emissions.
Ultimately, this project addresses the urgent need to reduce GHG emissions and improve air quality, which are both critical to public health and environmental sustainability. It supports the development of sustainable transportation systems, contributing to broader goals of reducing carbon footprints and promoting healthier urban environments.
Objectives: 
Investigate the feasibility of introducing dedicated truck lanes and associated infrastructure improvement (e.g., truck signal priority) for long combination vehicles (LCV) and truck platooning on selected highways in Peel Region.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
The project investigated surface infrastructure improvements to enhance truck travel time using Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) such as Traffic Signal Priority (TSP) for freight transportation and dedicated truck left-turning lanes (DTLL).
A micro-simulation model was developed with the traffic simulation software PTV VISSIM to replicate traffic flow along 32 signalized intersections (19.2 km) in the study area. Among the freight vehicles in the corridor, 5% were assumed to be Long Combination Vehicles (LCV), while the rest were single-unit trucks.
To assess the operational impact of TSP and DTLL, the study used eight models for comparative analysis. These scenarios combined different strategies for implementing LCV and DTLL, both together and individually.
Size of academic audience: 
N/A
Results: 
The results show that while individual implementations of TSP and DTLL yield slight improvements, their combined application (TSP+DTLL) significantly reduces travel time for all vehicle types, even with 5% LCVs and 5% Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV) platooning. This suggests that combining TSP and DTLL is more effective than individual strategies. The overall travel time results for all vehicles show that the use of combination of TSP and DTLL, Model 4, decreases travel time by 5.47 minutes (2.53%) per vehicle compared to the existing conditions.
The results also show that the combination of TSP and DTLL reduces GHG emissions by 1.61%, the highest decrease in overall GHG emissions. DTLL performs significantly better in reducing emissions than TSP. Individual assessment of gases comprising GHG emissions shows a decrease proportional to the total GHG emissions across all three components (N2O, CH4, CO2).
Lessons learned: 
The cooperation of TSP and DTLL proves to be an effective combination, highlighting the importance of integrating these strategies. The study advocates for the implementation of both TSP and DTLL in tandem, as this collaborative approach yields better results and contributes to a more streamlined, efficient, and sustainable transportation network.
The study recommends further cost-benefit analysis to identify the most suitable solutions and concludes that the joint application of TSP and DTLL is promising for improving efficiency in transportation networks.
Key messages: 
The role of trucks in contributing to the economic vitality of the region and identifying that efficient truck travel time is important for promoting economic growth. However, this also translates into increased congestion on urban roads, along with notable environmental implications such as GHG emissions.
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
This project is an outcome of the Smart Freight Centre’s activities by York University. The Smart Freight Centre (SFC) has established a collaborative network with the Peel Region, McMaster University, the University of Toronto, and York University. SFC works to reduce community and environmental impacts of moving goods in the Greater Toronto Area
Funding: 
This study was funded by Peel Region and York University.
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 7 - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 
Indirect
SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all 
Direct
SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and foster innovation 
Direct
SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 
Direct
SDG 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 
Indirect
SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 
Indirect
SDG 16 - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 
Indirect
Theme
Traditional Knowledge  
Indirect
Forests/Trees 
Indirect
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 3 - Developing capacities of educators and trainers 
state: 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
No
I acknowledge the above: 
Yes