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MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus Final Report - Revised February 2017 – 15-1846
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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 What is Transportation Demand Management (TDM)? .......................................................... 2
2.0 MUN St. John’s Campus Background 3
2.1 Student Enrolment ................................................................................................................... 4
2.2 Student Housing ....................................................................................................................... 4
2.3 Future Growth.......................................................................................................................... 6
3.0 Existing Transportation Conditions 8
3.1 On-Campus Parking.................................................................................................................. 8
3.1.1 Parking Supply ....................................................................................................... 8
3.1.2 Parking Demand..................................................................................................... 8
3.1.3 Parking Space Assignment ..................................................................................... 9
3.1.4 Impact of Recent Campus Construction ................................................................ 9
3.1.5 MUN’s Cost to Provide Parking............................................................................ 11
3.1.6 2010 Transportation and Parking Survey ............................................................ 11
3.2 Transit .................................................................................................................................... 12
3.2.1 Routes and Services ............................................................................................. 12
3.2.2 Transit Fares ........................................................................................................ 17
3.2.3 Trip Characteristics .............................................................................................. 18
3.3 Cycling .................................................................................................................................... 19
3.4 Pedestrian .............................................................................................................................. 22
3.5 Carsharing Program ............................................................................................................... 25
3.6 Existing MUN Transportation Demand Management Programs ........................................... 26
4.0 Planned and Proposed Transportation Services/Infrastructure 29
4.1 Parking ................................................................................................................................... 29
4.2 Transit .................................................................................................................................... 30
4.3 Cycling .................................................................................................................................... 31
4.4 Pedestrian .............................................................................................................................. 34
4.5 City of St. John’s MUN Area Traffic Study .............................................................................. 34
5.0 Stakeholder Engagement and Data Collection 35
5.1 MUN Transportation and Parking Surveys............................................................................. 35
5.2 MUN Parking and Transit Solution Committee Meetings ...................................................... 36
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-1846
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5.3 Working Group Meetings/TDM Shopping Chart.................................................................... 37
6.0 Project Analysis 45
6.1 Commuting and Parking Survey Review ................................................................................ 45
6.2 Issues, Opportunities and Barriers ......................................................................................... 47
6.3 TDM Shopping Cart Review ................................................................................................... 48
6.4 Potential Solutions ................................................................................................................. 55
7.0 Implementation Plan 56
7.1 TDM Program ......................................................................................................................... 56
7.1.1 TDM Coordination Team ..................................................................................... 57
7.1.1.1 Job Description .................................................................................. 58
7.1.2 TDM Coordination Programs ............................................................................... 58
7.1.2.1 Communication ................................................................................. 58
7.1.2.2 TDM Programs ................................................................................... 60
7.2 Parking Management ............................................................................................................. 61
7.2.1 Pricing .................................................................................................................. 61
7.2.2 Divisional Accounting for the Parking Office ....................................................... 61
7.2.3 Education ............................................................................................................. 62
7.3 Transit .................................................................................................................................... 62
7.3.1 U-Pass Agreement ............................................................................................... 62
7.3.2 Off-Campus Park and Ride Lots ........................................................................... 65
7.4 Planning for the Future .......................................................................................................... 67
Figures
Figure 1: Location of MUN St. John’s and Marine Institute Campuses ..................................................... 3
Figure 2: MUN St. John's Campus Map ..................................................................................................... 4
Figure 3: Proximity of Student Residence to MUN St. John's Campus based on Postal Code .................. 5
Figure 4: Newfoundland & Labrador Historical Population Data and Projection Outputs ....................... 7
Figure 5: On-Campus Parking .................................................................................................................. 10
Figure 6: Percentage of MUN Student Transit Users by Route Utilization ............................................. 13
Figure 7: Metrobus System Map ............................................................................................................. 14
Figure 8: Metrobus Service at MUN St. John’s Campus .......................................................................... 15
Figure 9: Fare Payment Methods used by MUN Students ...................................................................... 18
Figure 10: Existing and Planned Cycling Routes in St. John’s .................................................................. 20
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-1846
iii Figure 11: Location of Bicycle Racks on MUN St. John's Campus ........................................................... 21 Figure 12: Bike Racks at MUN St. John's Campus.................................................................................... 22 Figure 13: Bicycle Lockers at MUN St. John's Campus ............................................................................ 22 Figure 14: MUNnel Pedestrian Network at the MUN St. John's Campus ............................................... 23 Figure 15: Grand Concourse Trails near the MUN St. John's Campus .................................................... 24 Figure 16: Potential Future Cycling Network .......................................................................................... 33 Figure 17: Proposed TDM Relationships ................................................................................................. 57 Figure 18: U-Pass Agreements in Place Across Canada........................................................................... 64 Tables Table 1: Student and Staff Summary for the MUN St. John's Campus ..................................................... 4 Table 2: Student and Staff Populations at the MUN St. John's Campus (2006-2015) .............................. 6 Table 3: Existing Parking Capacity ............................................................................................................. 8 Table 4: 2006 MUN Campus Transportation Plan Parking Capital and Maintenance Costs ................... 11 Table 5: Estimated 2016 MUN Campus Parking Capital and Maintenance Costs ................................... 11 Table 6: Key Parking Findings from 2010 Transportation and Parking Survey ....................................... 12 Table 7: Headways by Metrobus Route .................................................................................................. 16 Table 8: Metrobus Fares .......................................................................................................................... 17 Table 9: Key Findings on Transit from 2010 Transportation and Parking Survey ................................... 19 Table 10: Key Findings on Walking from 2010 Transportation and Parking Survey ............................... 25 Table 11: Carshare Rental Rates.............................................................................................................. 25 Table 12: Summary of Existing/Previous TDM Programs ........................................................................ 26 Table 13: Key Awareness Findings from 2010 Transportation and Parking Survey ................................ 28 Table 14: 2007 MUN Campus Master Plan - Planned Parking ............................................................... 30 Table 15: Key Awareness Findings from 2015 Transportation and Parking Survey ................................ 35 Table 16: TDM Shopping Cart .................................................................................................................. 38 Table 17: 2010 and 2015 Commuting and Parking Survey Comparison ................................................. 45 Table 18: Issues, Opportunities and Barriers .......................................................................................... 47 Table 19: TDM Shopping Cart Review ..................................................................................................... 49 Table 20: Potential Solutions ................................................................................................................... 55 Memorial University of Newfoundland Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised February 2017 – 15-1846
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1.0 Introduction
The shortage of on-site parking at the St. John’s campus of Memorial University of (MUN) has been an
issue for a number of years. There are a number of factors that contribute to this:
1. A high share of auto drivers: Based on survey data completed in 2010 and 2015 there is a very high
proportion of faculty, staff, and students that drive to the campus, showing there is a strong driving
culture to access MUN. Faculty and staff are currently guaranteed a parking permit space, while
there is limited parking available for student parking, parking fees are very inexpensive making
driving an attractive alternative.
2. Limited travel options outside of St. John’s: There is limited public transit service outside of St.
John’s and Mount Pearl. In June of 2016, the Town of Paradise began a public transit pilot project
offering Metrobus service between the Paradise Double Ice Complex and the Avalon Mall. Students,
staff, and faculty that live outside of these municipalities have limited travel options but to drive or
carpool, adding to the overall demand for parking spaces.
3. The campus is expanding: The new Core Science Facility is currently being constructed over two
existing parking lots (16 and 16A), further limiting the existing supply. While new parking lots have
been constructed in the southern area of the campus, any future campus expansion will most likely
see a reduction in parking supply.
4. Vacant parcels on the campus are limited: Part of this is due to the location of the campus near a
marshland, which limits development in certain areas and makes it difficult to build underground
parking. There are also limited vacant land parcels available for additional surface parking.
Dillon Consulting Limited (Dillon) was retained by MUN to refine, evaluate, and develop a plan of
workable solutions to address commuting and parking issues for the St. John’s campus. Given the
challenges of building additional parking facilities on campus, the direction provided was to identify
solutions to reduce the overall demand for parking (e.g. promoting sustainable transportation
alternatives such as walking, cycling, carpooling, or transit). Upon completion of the study, a multi-year
program of specific transportation demand management (mobility management) recommendations for
the Memorial University Travel Demand Management program will be provided to the University.
The GOAL is to “Move People Smart(ly)” to the MUN campus and reduce the number of vehicles
traveling to and parking on campus.
St. John’s MUN Alternative Region-wide Transportation
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-1846
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1.1 What is Transportation Demand Management (TDM)?
Transportation Demand Management (TDM) or Mobility Management is an approach to transportation
decision making which uses a series of strategies, programs and investments to:
1. Decrease the demand for inefficient and unsustainable modes of travel (e.g., single occupant
vehicle travel);
2. Shift transportation demand to more sustainable modes of travel (e.g., walking, cycling and transit);
3. Better utiliee existing transportation infrastructure (e.g., parking management strategies, transit
systems);
4. Decrease the demand to travel during the peak periods when roads and parking spaces are fully
occupied.
As discussed in the introduction, the MUN campus is experiencing a parking shortage, and has been for
a number of years. This is largely due to the high ratio of students, faculty, and staff who access the
university by way of single occupant vehicles, partially as a result of limited transportation options as
well as the sieeable percentage of the university population living outside the Metrobus service area.
TDM measures may help to address these issues by encouraging shifts in the transportation behaviour
of students, faculty, and staff between already-existing modes, spreading travel demand across many
modes, and alleviating dependence on single occupancy vehicles.
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-1846
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2.0 MUN St. John’s Campus Background
Memorial University has three campus locations in Newfoundland and Labrador. The City of St. John’s is
home to the Marine Institute and St. John’s campuses, while the Grenfell Campus is located in western
Newfoundland, near Corner Brook.
Figure 1 illustrates the location of the two MUN campuses in St. John’s. The St. John’s campus is the
University’s main campus located north-west of the downtown core. Prince Philip Drive runs east-west
through the main campus, with Westerland Road bordering it to the west, Elieabeth Avenue to the
south, and Allandale Road to the east. The majority of the academic buildings are located south of
Prince Philip Drive. Pippy Park borders the campus to the north, while the remaining areas of campus
are bordered by residential neighbourhoods. The Health Sciences Centre is located just west of the
main campus area. This major building houses the Faculty of Medicine, School of Nursing, and School of
Pharmacy, and is the Province’s largest teaching hospital. The Health Sciences Centre is a major traffic
generator, and can only be accessed via Prince Phillip Drive, the main thoroughfare for the campus.
The Marine Institute Campus is located separate from the MUN St. John’s campus, to the north, and has
a student population of over 1,000. Because it is separate from the MUN St. John’s campus, it does not
affect traffic and parking issues on the MUN St. John’s campus, and therefore has not been specifically
considered within this study.
The MUN
St. John’s
Campus is laid
out as illustrated
in Figure 2. The
campus covers
approximately
0.5 km² and
includes a
significant
amount of open
space between
buildings and
roads. Academic
and service-
oriented
buildings are
scattered
Figure 1: Location of MUN St. John’s and Marine Institute Campuses
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-1846
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throughout the campus, while student residences are clustered into two areas at the east end of
campus near Burton’s Pond. Designated permit parking areas are provided near to each building and the
student residences, while metered and pay and display parking areas are interspersed more sparsely
throughout campus.
Figure 2: MUN St. John's Campus Map
Source: mun.ca
2.1 Student Enrolment
MUN has an enrolment of just under 18,500 undergraduate students and approximately 5,000 faculty
and staff across its three campuses. The table below provides detailed information for the St. John’s
campus for the 2014-2015 academic year.
Table 1: Student and Staff Summary for the MUN St. John's Campus
Full-Time Part-Time Total
Undergraduate/diploma students 10,501 764 11,265
Graduate students 2,135 1,280 3,415
Faculty 1,040 158 1,198
Staff 2,268 735 3,003
Total 15,944 2,937 18,881
Source: Memorial University of Newfoundland Annual Report 2014-2015
2.2 Student Housing
On campus there are multiple residential complexes; Paton College, Macpherson College, Coughlan
College, and Burton's Pond. The Paton College dormitories offer accommodations for approximately
1,000 students in nine residences, called "Houses". Macpherson College consists of two "halls" which
house 250 students each, and were officially opened in 2013. Feild Hall has accommodations for
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-1846
5 approximately 30 graduate students. The four "courts" of Burton's Pond apartments accommodate a total of 500 students. There are also 12 family apartments in Baltimore Court that provide accommodations for students with young children. Overall, there are approximately 2,000 students that are housed on-campus within walking distance of their classes. Off campus housing is scattered throughout the City of St. John’s and adjacent municipalities. A postal code analysis was completed for all registered students of MUN St. John’s campus based on the 2013/14 school year. It was noted that 49 percent of students provided a postal code within St. John’s and Mount Pearl (within the Metrobus service area); and 14 percent of students provided a postal code within other municipalities that are within a reasonable commuting distance of the St. John’s campus. Of these, the highest proportion provided a postal code in Conception Bay South (5 percent) and Paradise (4 percent). The remaining 37 percent gave permanent addresses which are outside of the typical commuter area of MUN. It is believed that these individuals either commute from outside of the greater St. John’s area or live in proximity to MUN during the school year however have provided their permanent address for mailing purposes. Assuming the majority of the 37 percent are students from outside of the commuting distance to MUN then it can be reasonably assumed that approximately 5,000 students utiliee on or off campus housing. Figure 3: Proximity of Student Residence to MUN St. John's Campus based on Postal Code Based on 2014 postal code data for all registered students at all MUN campuses. Memorial University of Newfoundland Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised February 2017 – 15-1846
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2.3 Future Growth
Based on data obtained from the Memorial University Annual Reports for the last nine years, the
University population has fluctuated from 17,900 to 19,900 people, see Table 2. The latest year of data
provided (2014-2015) shows a slight increase in student and faculty/staff population from the previous
year. No future projections were provided by the University for student population growth.
However, several expansions have the potential to impact population on campus. These include:
The expanded Medical Education Centre officially opened in October 2014, allowing MUN to
increase its Faculty of Medicine class siee by 20 and provide better laboratory facilities to students.
The Suncor Energy Offshore Research and Development Centre expansion to the existing Faculty of
Engineering and Applied Sciences building opened in December 2014, providing increased research
and development opportunities to approximately 100 additional full-time researchers.
Construction began in September 2015 on the new Core Science Facility, which will allow
interdisciplinary collaboration between sciences and provide expanded engineering facilities to
support the University’s 2012-2020 growth plan to double academic and research capacities within
the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. The MUN Faculty of Engineering and Applied
Science anticipates an additional 50 faculty, 300 undergraduate students, and up to 500 graduate
students by the year 2020. (Our double vision is 2020, By Jackey Locke,
http://www.mun.ca/engineering)
Table 2: Student and Staff Populations at the MUN St. John's Campus (2006-2015)
Academic Year Students Faculty/Staff Total
2006-2007 14,440 5,425 19,865
2007-2008 14,305 5,387 19,692
2008-2009 13,428 5,231 18,659
2009-2010 13,863 4,022 17,885
2010-2011 13,715 4,187 17,902
2011-2012 14,075 4,130 18,205
2012-2013 14,884 4,121 19,005
2013-2014 14,469 4,335 18,804
2014-2015 14,680 4,201 18,881
Source: 2006-2015 Annual Reports
Additionally, provincial population projections provided by the Government of Newfoundland and
Labrador show that the province’s population is expected to remain constant for the next 20 years, see
Figure 4. Since 85 percent of existing students are assumed to be from the province, a large increase in
MUN’s population is not expected in the coming years. It is worth noting that any increase in campus
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-18467 population is believed to occur within the international/non-Newfoundland and Labrador resident student population. Source: Statistics Canada and Economic Research and Analysis Figure 4: Newfoundland & Labrador Historical Population Data and Projection Outputs Memorial University of Newfoundland Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised February 2017 – 15-1846
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3.0 Existing Transportation Conditions
This section discusses the characteristics of the existing transportation network on and leading to/from
the MUN’s St. John’s campus. The assessment includes a summary of baseline conditions for on-campus
parking, transit routes, and service levels and active transportation networks leading to the campus, and
existing transportation demand management strategies.
3.1 On-Campus Parking
3.1.1 Parking Supply
The St. John’s campus currently has a total of 3,724 parking spaces owned and operated by MUN.
Parking areas are scattered throughout the campus. There are designated lots for permit holders and
spaces for non-permit parking (metered parking and pay and display parking areas). There are also
designated motorcycle parking areas separate from the permit and non-permitted areas. Figure 5
illustrates the existing parking areas throughout campus. Table 3 provides a detailed breakdown of the
type of parking available.
Table 3: Existing Parking Capacity
Year Cost
(As of July 1,
Type of Space 2014 2015 2016
2016)
Permit 2,982 3,020 3,044* ~$44 -$307 / year
Non-permit
(metered and pay 801 904 817** $1.50/hr.
and display)
Total 3,783 3,924 3,861
Source: Provided by Office of the Chief Risk Officer
* Includes non-owned parking spaces controlled by MUN
** Only 680 parking spaces are owned and managed by MUN, with the remaining available from and
managed by third parties.
3.1.2 Parking Demand
A parking utilieation study was not within the scope of this report however in 2006 a study was
conducted which indicated parking occupancy exceeded the practical capacity of the parking facilities,
which occurs when parking demand exceeds 85 percent of the available parking supply. MUN actively
monitors the parking occupancy and has noted and received complaints that there are times when
parking demand exceeds the practical capacity of the parking supply.
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-18469
3.1.3 Parking Space Assignment
There are approximately 3,044 on-campus permit parking spaces that are utilieed by faculty, staff and
students. Of these available spaces, 2,807 are Memorial owned with the remaining 237 spaces made
available by third party usage agreements.
Approximately 510 permit spaces are reserved for students through a lottery system. Students who
meet the credit requirement are eligible for the lottery which is held at the beginning of each semester.
A second lottery is held for permits that are not picked up in the first allocation by the end of the first
month of each semester. There are an additional 120 permits for Medicine Students, 93 for on-campus
housing, and students requiring accommodation are provided parking as needed.
3.1.4 Impact of Recent Campus Construction
The University Campus Master Plan provides for a number of new structures to be built over the coming
years. Many of these new and proposed buildings are to be constructed on existing surface parking lots.
The recent construction of the new Core Sciences Facility removed almost 340 parking spaces within lots
16/16A on the north side of the St. John’s Campus
In 2015 MUN was able to construct 258 new parking spaces in three new lots on the south side of
campus to compensate for the loss of parking in lots 16/16A. Additionally, MUN was able to enter into
an agreement with the Arts and Culture Centre to provide parking for students. This allowed the
University to replace the parking spaces that were removed to accommodate the construction of the
new Core Sciences Facility.
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-184610 Figure 5: On-Campus Parking Memorial University of Newfoundland Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised February 2017 – 15-1846
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3.1.5 MUN’s Cost to Provide Parking
The Memorial University Campus Transportation Plan, completed in 2006 identified the capital cost of
providing new parking spaces and operating cost of maintaining the existing parking facilities. Table 4
summariees the findings:
Table 4: 2006 MUN Campus Transportation Plan Parking Capital and Maintenance Costs
MUN’s Monthly Cost
Construction Cost Per Maintenance Cost Per
Parking Type to Supply Parking
Space Space / Year
Type*
Surface Parking $1,200 $257 ~$31 / month
Above Ground Parking
$16,000 $257 ~$145 / month
Structure
Below Grade Parking
$25,000 $257 ~$215 / month
Structure
*Monthly costs include amortized annual capital cost over 25 years using an 8 percent interest rate.
In 2015 MUN constructed 258 surface parking spaces at a construction cost of $6,600 per space and in
2010 the Parking Garage was constructed with 840 parking spaces at about $16,800 per space. Table 5
below updates the findings of the 2006 parking capital and maintenance cost.
Table 5: Estimated 2016 MUN Campus Parking Capital and Maintenance Costs
MUN’s Monthly Cost
Construction Cost Per Maintenance Cost Per
Parking Type to Supply Parking
Space Space / Year*
Type**
Surface Parking $6,700 $310 ~$80 / month
Above Ground Parking
$18,500 $310 ~$170 / month
Structure
*Maintenance costs adjusted for inflation based on 2006 MUN Transportation Plan values.
**Monthly costs include amortized annual capital cost over 25 years utilizing an 8% interest rate.
3.1.6 2010 Transportation and Parking Survey
In April of 2010 Memorial University conducted a survey to gather information on transportation
practices and issues for employees and students of the St. John’s campus. Different surveys were
conducted for facility/staff and students. A total of 716 people responded to the faculty and staff survey
and 2,452 to the student survey. Both surveys were administered by the Memorial University
Sustainability Office and were available online through a link to Survey Monkey on the Memorial
University website (www.mun.ca).
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-184612
The results of this survey showed an average (winter and non-winter months) of 87 percent of staff and
faculty and 71 percent of students drive to campus. The majority of these people travel alone. Since
there are only 300 permit parking spaces reserved for students, this suggests that many students use
non-permit parking or find off-campus parking in adjacent lots or neighbourhoods. Other key findings
from the 2010 Transportation and Parking survey are included in Table 6 below:
Table 6: Key Parking Findings from 2010 Transportation and Parking Survey
Staff/Faculty Students
87% travel to campus by automobile
71% travel to campus by automobile
96% have a parking permit
75% of students do not have a parking permit
52% always find space in their designated lot
57% of students traveling to/from campus do so
and 47% most of the time find a space to park
in a single occupant automobile
in their designated lot
20% of students living on campus have a vehicle
54% have parked in an alternative lot in which a
Of those who do not have a parking permit, 66%
Campus Enforcement and Patrol officer has
tried to get a parking permit
given permission
52% have at one time been unsuccessful in
finding a parking space in permitted lots
3.2 Transit
3.2.1 Routes and Services
Transit service to campus is provided by Metrobus by way of 13 local and express bus routes. Metrobus
Transit is a public transit system owned by the City of St. John’s and is currently operating in St. John’s
and Mount Pearl. Local routes have frequent stops to provide greater access to residential
neighbourhoods. Express routes provide more direct service to the University with fewer
neighbourhood stops. GO Bus also provides demand responsive service for persons with disabilities.
Passengers must be eligible and registered to use this service.
Figure 6 displays the existing transit routes, including those that connect to the MUN St. John’s campus.
Table 7 provides a summary of the existing service characteristics of each route serving the campus.
Figure 7 provides more details on bus stop locations and terminal locations on campus. The main transit
terminal on campus is located at the MUN University Centre, with other stops located at the Health
Sciences Centre and along Elizabeth Avenue.
Figure 8 displays the percentage of MUN student transit users that currently ride each route. The routes
with the highest student ridership are 13, 17, 21 and 23.
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-184613 Route 23 provides access to MUN, the Health Sciences Centre, Avalon Mall to the southwest, and two residential communities to the northeast, therefore connecting several key origins and destinations. On weekdays, Route 23 only operates from 6:30pm onwards on 1-hour headway, and can therefore be assumed to be used by the majority of students and staff traveling home from MUN. Route 17 provides access to MUN as well, serving Torbay Road and Torbay Mall to the northeast. The route includes only one trip in the morning (arriving at MUN just before 9am), and one trip in the afternoon (leaving MUN at 4pm). Route 21 and 18 do not serve MUN directly as they terminate at the Village Mall. Route 21 serves Mount Pearl and several other residential communities to the southwest, while Route 18 serves residential communities to the south. Both run at an approximately constant 1-hour headway from 7:00am onwards, with the last run for Route 21 at 10:30pm, and the last run for Route 18 at 11:30pm. To access MUN from the terminus of these routes (at the Village Mall), riders must transfer to Route 1 or 13. Route 1 offers service at a 15- to-30-minute headway throughout the day, and 1- hour headway in the evening. The service runs from 6:30am to midnight. Route 13 is an express route offering only three trips, which arrive at MUN between 8am and 9am. There are no stops serviced between the Village Mall and MUN, which is likely the reason for this route’s Figure 6: Percentage of MUN Student Transit Users by Route Utilization popularity over Route 1. Based on 2014 Metrobus on/off survey, with representative sample size. Memorial University of Newfoundland Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised February 2017 – 15-1846
14 Figure 7: Metrobus System Map Memorial University of Newfoundland Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised February 2017 – 15-1846
15 Figure 8: Metrobus Service at MUN St. John’s Campus Memorial University of Newfoundland Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised February 2017 – 15-1846
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Table 7: Headways by Metrobus Route
Average Headway (min)
Route Route Type Hours of Service Early Late
AM/PM Peak Midday Saturday Sunday
Evening Evening
Weekdays: 6:30am – 12:20am
1 – Village/Institutes Local Saturday: 7:40am – 12:20am 15 min 15 min 30 min 60 min 60 min 60 min
Sunday: 8:40am – 8:30pm
Weekdays: 7:00pm – 11:00 pm
5 – Virginia Park/MUN/Avalon Local Saturday: 6:00pm – 11:00 pm 60 min N/A N/A 60 min 60 min 60 min
Sunday: 10:30pm – 5:00 pm
9 – MUN Centre/Torbay Road Local Weekdays: 6:45am – 6:40pm 60 min 60 min 60 min N/A N/A N/A
Weekdays: 6:25am – 12:25am
10 – Downtown/MUN
Local Saturday: 7:05 am – 12:25am 15 min 30 min 15 min 30 min 30 min 45 min
Centre/Avalon
Sunday: 8:30am – 8:40pm
13 – Village/Institutes Express Weekdays:7:30am – 9:05am 30 min N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
14 – Airport Heights/Torbay
Local Weekdays: 6:45am – 6:25pm 60 min 60 min 60 min N/A N/A N/A
Rd/MUN
Weekdays:6:40am – 11:30pm
15 – Cuckholds Cove/MUN/Avalon Local Saturday: 8:30am – 11:30pm 30 min 30 min 30 min 60 min 60 min 60 min
Sunday: 8:40am – 8:30pm
Weekdays:6:45am – 11:10pm
16 – Kenmount Terr./MUN Local Saturday:8:10am – 11:10pm 60 min 60 min 60 min 60 min 60 min 60 min
Sunday: 9:15am – 6:10pm
17 – MUN/Torbay Road Local Weekdays: 8:00am run; 4:00pm run N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Weekdays: 6:30pm – 10:30pm
20 – Avalon/Airport Heights Local 60 min N/A 60 min 60 min 60 min N/A
Saturday: 8:30am – 6:30pm
Weekdays: 6:30pm – 11:30pm
23 – Avalon/MUN/Stavanger Local 60 min N/A 60 min 60 min 60 min N/A
Saturday:9:30am – 6:30pm
24 – Airport Heights/MUN Semi-Express Weekdays:7:40 am run N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
26 – Kenmount Terrace/MUN Semi-Express Weekdays: 7:35am – 8:55am 20 min N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-184617
3.2.2 Transit Fares
MUN students, faculty and staff fall under the adult fare category. Several payment options are
available, with discounts provided based on frequency of use. Table 8 provides a summary of the fare
options available for students, faculty and staff.
Table 8: Metrobus Fares
Fare Option Adult Fare
Cash $2.25
10-ride Pass $20.00 (~$2.00 pay per use)
Monthly Pass $70.00 (~$1.75 pay per use*)
Semester Pass (students only) $245.00 (~$1.50 pay per use*)
* Pay per use assumes 10 uses per week
The semester pass (4 months) is available only to students registered in full-time post-secondary classes
and provides a 12.5 percent discount to students who would normally purchase four consecutive
monthly passes.
A two-day on-board ridership survey was completed for Metrobus in 2014. The survey achieved a
representative sample of ridership based on a 95 percent confidence rate, with a 5 percent margin of
error. The results of the survey indicated that of MUN students, 40 percent had a semester pass, 22
percent used a monthly pass, 17 percent paid cash and 17 percent had a 10-ride pass, see Figure 9.
Based on the results of the 2010 Transportation and Parking Survey, 51 percent of students indicated
that they would use transit if a fee similar to that of The Works was charged.
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-184618
Figure 9: Fare Payment Methods used by MUN Students
Based on 2010 Transportation and Parking Survey (361 student respondents in total).
3.2.3 Trip Characteristics
In general, MUN is well connected by Metrobus and benefits from a high degree of connectivity to
surrounding areas in all directions. Still, 87 percent of faculty/staff and 71 percent of students drive to
campus. As shown in Figure 3, it is believed 14 percent of students at MUN St. John’s campus live
outside of the Metrobus service area, but within commuting distance and have no choice but to drive to
campus. For those who live within the Metrobus service area, the restricted service and long headways
on certain routes as shown in Table 7 may be preventing usage.
Results from the 2010 Transportation and Parking Survey indicate that less than one-third of
staff/faculty and students use public transit, despite at least half having access to public transit service
at their place of residence.
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-184619
Table 9: Key Findings on Transit from 2010 Transportation and Parking Survey
Survey Topic Staff/Faculty Students
4% use transit all/most of the time. 17% use transit all/most of the time.
Transit Use
17%use transit some of the time. 32%use transit some of the time.
54% have public transit service at their 67% have public transit service at their place
Transit place of residence. of residence.
Availability 22% would use public transit regularly if 37% would use public transit regularly if it
it was available in their area. was available in their area.
16% require a car to take other 17% feel that public transit takes too much
Reason for Not members of their household to/from time.
Using Public work/school. 14% prefer to drive so that they can make
Transit 13% feel that public transit takes too their own schedule.
much time.
3.3 Cycling
The City of St. John’s Cycling Master Plan was developed in 2009, with the goal to provide increased
opportunities for physical fitness and alternatives to vehicular travel. Existing and planned routes were
identified as shown in Figure 10.
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-184620 Source: City of St. John’s Cycling Master Plan Figure 10: Existing and Planned Cycling Routes in St. John’s Memorial University of Newfoundland Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised February 2017 – 15-1846
21 The Plan includes off-road routes within and to the north and south of campus. On-road walking routes (as defined by the Grand Concourse Authority) are included on this graphic as they contribute to the overall active transportation picture. However, these off-road cycling routes only connect to a few of the surrounding areas, and therefore cyclists must ride on the road to access the University. Bicycle parking is available across campus as shown in Figure 11. Sheltered and unsheltered racks as shown in Figure 12 are featured throughout the campus, and are free for use. Five bicycle lockers (shown in Figure 13) are situated near the middle of campus, and can be rented by full-time students, staff, and faculty for a $25 key deposit, plus a rental fee of $25 per semester for full-time students, and $35 per semester for staff and faculty. Locker rentals are awarded by a lottery system. Source: MUN Sustainability Office Figure 11: Location of Bicycle Racks on MUN St. John's Campus The volunteer-run Bikeshare program provides space (in the underground parking lot across from the Metrobus University Centre terminal), tools, and bike parts as well as rental bikes to both students and non-students. Bikes can be rented for up to one year for a flat up-front fee of $70, $50 of which is refunded upon return of the bike in “reasonable rideable condition”. The Bikeshare program runs a Bike to Work Week in St. John’s during May to encourage bicycling as a main mode of transportation. Though there are no dedicated showers for cyclists’ use, showers are provided at The Works. Students’ membership fees to the Works are included in their tuition, while faculty and staff are offered a discounted rate. Memorial University of Newfoundland Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised February 2017 – 15-1846
22
Source: MUN Sustainability Office
Figure 12: Bike Racks at MUN St. John's Campus
Source: MUN Sustainability Office
Figure 13: Bicycle Lockers at MUN St. John's Campus
3.4 Pedestrian
There is a high degree of pedestrian connectivity within the St. John’s campus, thanks to the MUNnel
System of tunnels and pedways connecting most buildings across campus as shown in Figure 14. This
system links directly to the Paton College Residences, MacPherson College, and near to the front of
Coughlan College, but does not connect to Burton’s Pond Apartments. The green line provides access to
the main Metrobus stop on campus, and the University Centre.
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-184623 Source: www.mun.ca Figure 14: MUNnel Pedestrian Network at the MUN St. John's Campus The main arterial through campus, Prince Philip Drive, and the arterial roads bordering the campus (Elieabeth Avenue, Allandale Road, and Westerland Road) have sidewalks directly adjacent to the road for the majority of their length. Sidewalks are generally provided on both sides of the road, however certain sections only have a sidewalk on one side. Allandale Road is the only case where lighting is provided continuously on both sides of the road. In all other cases, lighting is provided on one side only for a portion or the entire length. MUN’s internal network of sidewalks and pathways connect to these arterial roadway sidewalks at various locations. The internal roadways within MUN typically provide sidewalks on one side. These sidewalks are supplemented with concrete pathways which normally provide the most direct route to buildings. The Grand Concourse is an integrated trail system throughout St. John’s, Mount Pearl, and Paradise covering approximately 125 kilometres in total. The trails link to lakes, rivers, ponds, parks, and green spaces, and form an expansive network throughout the region. The trails near to campus are shown in Figure 15, and comprise of off road trails, and sidewalks. Memorial University of Newfoundland Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised February 2017 – 15-1846
24 Source: www.grandconcourse.ca Figure 15: Grand Concourse Trails near the MUN St. John's Campus Pedestrian safety is taken very seriously by MUN’s administration, faculty, staff, and students. In 2014, MUN upgraded the pedestrian crossings on Westerland Road at Pedagogues Close and at Lambs Lane by constructing curb extensions at the crossings and by providing Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) at the pedestrian crossings to increase motorist awareness of pedestrians wishing to cross the roadway. The improvements were put in place due to a history of vehicle and pedestrian collisions on Westerland Road. These improvements have made noticeable improvements in pedestrian safety at these intersections. A WalkSafe program has been run by the MUN Students’ Union since 1993, which offers students, faculty, staff, and guests of the University accompaniment when walking on campus after dark. The service is student volunteer-run and available from 7:00 pm to 12:00 am, Sunday to Thursday. Anyone desiring accompaniment while walking can call the volunteer dispatcher, who will assign a volunteer walker to meet them at their current location. Memorial University of Newfoundland Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised February 2017 – 15-1846
25
Key findings from the 2010 Transportation and Parking Survey are shown in Table 10. These
demonstrate that most students and staff/faculty do not walk to campus due to distance. About half the
student population is aware of the WalkSafe program, but barely any have made use of it.
Table 10: Key Findings on Walking from 2010 Transportation and Parking Survey
Survey Topic Staff/Faculty Students
7% always walk to campus. 15% always walk to campus.
Walking to Campus 21% sometimes walk to 32% sometimes walk to campus
campus.
Reason for Not 67% noted that the distance 63% noted that the distance was too
Walking to Campus was too far. far.
Awareness and Use Not surveyed. 55% were aware of the program.
of WalkSafe Program Only 3% had used the program.
3.5 Carsharing Program
Student Carshare is a service partnered with MUNSU and operated through Discount car rentals to offer
students inexpensive rental cars. Annual membership is $50, and MUNSU waives the $25 application fee
and first year of membership. While it is partnered with MUNSU the service is open to everyone. Rental
rates are as shown in Table 11 below.
The Carshare program has been offered at MUN since February 2015, with three cars offered between
two locations – immediately north of Burton’s Pond in Area 14 (near to the Child Care Services building),
and at the intersection of Freshwater Road and Elieabeth Avenue. Unfortunately, Carshare has recently
shut down its operations and services because of financial difficulties. However, there are efforts being
undertaken to have a new carsharing program brought in to replace the program.
Table 11: Carshare Rental Rates
Rental Period Rate
Weekday Hourly
$10.00
Monday – Thursday, 6:01 am – 11:59 pm
Weekday Hourly
$5.00
Monday – Thursday, 12:00 am – 6:00 am
Weekend Hourly
$11.00
Friday – Sunday, 6:01 am – 11:59 pm
Weekend Hourly
$5.50
Friday – Sunday, 12:00 am – 6:00 am
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-184626
Rental Period Rate
Weekday Daily
$87.00
Monday – Thursday
Weekend Daily
$107.00
Friday – Sunday
3.6 Existing MUN Transportation Demand Management Programs
In 2007, MUN created a Sustainability Office and hired its first ever Sustainability Coordinator. As part of
this initiative, an Advisory Committee on Sustainability was formed. The goal is to promote, develop, and
implement effective sustainability practices such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, paper
consumption, and energy use.
Since its inception, a number of transportation initiatives have been implemented on campus to help
promote sustainable transportation practices. Table 12 provides a summary of the current and previous
programs in place.
Table 12: Summary of Existing/Previous TDM Programs
Program Description
MUNSU Rideshare: Run by the Students’ Union and the Canadian Federation
of Students. The service was run as a website which allowed students to
search locally, in the region, or across the country to find or offer rides to any
Rideshare destination in Canada. The service is currently not in operation
MUN Rideshare: Run by the University, Rideshare was a carpool matching
service designed to assist members of the MUN community to find partners
to share transportation. The service is currently not in operation.
MUNSU offers a free SafeDrive program operates between 7:00pm to
12:00am, Sunday to Thursday, with extended hours during exam periods. A
contracted van is used to pick up students from a designated pick-up point at
Safe Drive the clocktower and drop them off to a safe location within a 4.5km radius of
the campus (between Torbay Road in the east and the Village Mall to the
West). The service area may be expanded based on space and time
permissions.
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-184627
Program Description
Prior to 2016 special designated student carpool parking spaces were
available in lots 16 and 16A. MUN is looking at reinstating this program.
Two or more users, employees or students, who carpool to campus were
Carpool Parking able to apply for a carpool permit, at the regular fee for lots 16 and 16A.
Permits Currently staff and faculty can share a permit, by registering multiple
vehicles on one permit at the parking office. The permit is then shared and
displayed in whichever vehicle is on campus.
Currently students who have a permit may add another vehicle.
MUN Bikeshare is a volunteer operated program which provides space and
material (tools, bike parts) to help people learn more about bike issues and
repair. Primarily, the program operates as a rental bike service for anyone
Bikeshare
attending Memorial University. Their services are available for Memorial
University students and non-students in support of St. John’s bike
community.
MUN currently has a number of outdoor sheltered and unsheltered bike
Bike Racks racks located throughout the campus.
Figure 11 displayed the locations of bike racks throughout campus.
MUN currently has five bike lockers outside the Biotechnology building on
the St. John’s campus. They are available for full-time students, staff and
Bike Lockers faculty to rent for the spring/summer 2015 semester. There is a cost of $25
per semester for full-time students, $35 per semester for staff and faculty,
plus a deposit of $25 for the key to the required lock.
Developed by the MUN Students’ Union in 1993, WalkSafe is a service that
enables students to actively foster a safe and supportive environment for
their peers on campus. It is a student-run program that offers students,
Walk Safe
faculty, staff, and guests of the University accompaniment when walking
around campus after dark. WalkSafe operates from 7:00 pm to 12:00 am,
Sunday to Thursday.
The Sustainability Office also hosts and organiees a number of events. Some of the past events related to
transportation include:
Sustainability Fair: Displays on sustainability projects at MUN and from other organieations.
Various lectures: Building Healthy Communities: Bringing Health to the Planning Table
The 2010 Transportation and Parking survey asked respondents about their familiarity with the existing
TDM programs in place. Table 13 summariees key findings:
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-184628
Table 13: Key Awareness Findings from 2010 Transportation and Parking Survey
Survey Topic Staff/Faculty Students
40% are aware of MUN’s Rideshare 49% are aware of the Rideshare
Awareness and Use of Rideshare
program; however, the majority has program; however, the majority
Program
never used it. has never posted on the site.
50% are aware of the Bikeshare 38% are aware of the Bikeshare
Awareness and Use of Bikeshare
program; however, the majority has program; however, the majority
Program
never used it. has never used it.
55% are aware of the WalkSafe
Awareness and Use of WalkSafe
Not surveyed. program; however, the majority
Program
has never used it.
51% are aware of the SafeDrive
Awareness and Use of SafeDrive
Not surveyed. program; however, the majority
Program
has never used it.
32% are aware of the designated
Awareness and Use of Carpooling 28% are willing to try carpooling. carpool spaces.
51% are willing to try carpooling.
23% of staff who would not use transit 51% indicated they would use
Attitude Towards Subsidieed if it were available in their area would transit if a fee similar to that of
Unlimited Transit Pass (U-Pass) consider using transit if bus passes The Works was charged.
were subsidieed.
42% of drivers indicated they would
leave their car at home if the
University were to provide access to a
car for the purpose of doing university
business off campus during the day.
35% of drivers indicated they would
leave their car at home if the
University were to provide access to
inexpensive car rentals for the
purpose of running errands during the
Attitude Towards Leaving Car at Not included in survey – applicable to
day.
Home staff only.
30% of drivers indicated they might
leave their car at home if there were
monetary incentives to leaving their
car at home and using a different form
of transportation. This dropped to 17
percent when non-monetary
incentives were suggested.
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
February 2017 – 15-184629
Survey Topic Staff/Faculty Students
22% of drivers indicated they might
leave their car at home if they were
guaranteed a free ride off campus for
an emergency.
29% are likely to use a shuttle service 55% are likely to use a shuttle
that travelled from certain points in St. service that travelled from certain
Attitude Towards Shuttle Service
John’s and adjacent municipalities to points in St. John’s and adjacent
the university. municipalities to the university.
4.0 Planned and Proposed Transportation
Services/Infrastructure
4.1 Parking
The 2007 Campus Master Plan identified a number of parking projects to accommodate future parking
demands. Table 14 provides a summary of the planned parking facilities. The Plan identified an
additional 691 parking stalls to be added within above grade parking structures, below grade lots,
surface parking lots and on-street parking stalls. Since 2007, a number of these projects have advanced.
The parking structure on the north side of Arctic Drive was constructed in 2010 and provides 616 stalls
for use by MUN. New buildings on parking lots 16 and 16A are in the planning and construction stage;
however, do not include parking due to cost limitations.
The proposed parking structure behind the Aquarena requires road access to be viable. The Master Plan
recommended a new road alignment between Prince Phillip Drive and Elieabeth Avenue to service the
new parking structure however land agreements have yet to be reached with adjacent property owners.
It is likely that MUN will not be able to provide the number of parking stalls identified within the Campus
Master Plan. The inability to provide additional parking increases the need to invest in transit, active
transportation and other TDM measures.
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Commuting and Parking Strategies - St. John’s Campus - Final Report - Revised
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