master innovation & development plan - quayside · 2019-07-25 · toronto context. most...

The Mobility Technical Appendix provides further detailed information on the mobility and street design-related proposals in the Master Development and Implementation Plan, as well as information on their potential application in the Toronto context.

Most relevant sections: Vol 1 (Quayside Plan, River District Concept Plan) / Vol 2 (Mobility)

© 2019 Sidewalk Labs. The content, documents and materials contained herein are considered Sidewalk Proprietary Information.

Master Innovation & Development PlanTechnical Appendix

TITLE: Mobility Technical Appendix D: FreightAUTHOR: Sidewalk Labs

ABSTRACT

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Appendix D: Reimagining City Deliveries Summary ................................................................................................................................... 2

Key Components, in Brief .......................................................................................................................... 2Forces that Shaped the Plan .................................................................................................... 3

1. Findings: Challenges and Opportunities for a Less Disruptive Urban Freight System ........... 32. Furthering the objectives of existing policies and plans ............................................................... 83. Public and expert input ......................................................................................................................... 11Alternatives considered ............................................................................................................................ 11

Sidewalk Labs’ Proposed Role ............................................................................................... 15Components Deep Dive ......................................................................................................... 15

The Neighbourhood Logistics Hub........................................................................................................ 15Underground Delivery System ................................................................................................................31Next Steps ................................................................................................................................................... 36

Projected Outcomes ..............................................................................................................36

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Summary Quayside will be served by a neighbourhood freight system that integrates digital technology and robotics with traditional transportation infrastructure. The 24-hour goods movement system is anchored by a neighbourhood logistics hub that consolidates all deliveries to and from all buildings on-site, through a network of underground tunnels. This reduces the number of truck trips within the neighbourhood and the incidents of vehicular crowding and double parking. Autonomous delivery vehicles will transport goods in tamper-proof “Smart Containers,” which can keep items secure even in the absence of the receiver, hence reducing the prevalence of missed deliveries. In addition to delivery, the logistics hub is also envisioned to handle consolidation for outbound waste and recycling, to offer storage services to Quayside residents and employees, and to host a library-of-things available for loaning. This freight network allows for an efficient delivery system which will in turn, create more space for public amenities and greater transit accessibility. Note: For the purposes of this document, the terms “parcels” and “packages,” when used in the context of deliveries, refer to both letter mail as well as priority and express envelopes and boxes. In addition, “receiver” refers to both receivers and generators. A receiver is the household or business receiving a delivery. Receivers are also “generators” when they send out deliveries (such as waste or delivery returns) and represent the beginning of a delivery trip.

Key Components, in Brief

Component Description

Neighbourhood logistics hub

Inbound Mail/Parcel Consolidation and Delivery

A sorting, consolidation, and re-distribution system that processes inbound and outbound parcels at the Logistics Hub for all Quayside buildings, reducing freight-related vehicle trips and impact on the streets. Open 24/7, this facility helps reduce delivery time as goods can be accepted at any time.

Waste Collection and Hauling A combination of waste conveyance systems (pneumatic and tunnel) bring waste from buildings to the Logistics Hub for consolidated collection, reducing waste-related vehicle trips and impact on the streets.

Residential and Commercial Off-Site Storage

Centralized, on-site storage capacity for residents and businesses. Inventory management and order fulfillment services for retail storage allow retail spaces to be used more efficiently by holding little to no inventory in stock rooms.

Residential and Commercial Borrowing Library

A “library of things” that rents items to Quayside residents and businesses through a digital request and delivery service, reducing the need to purchase and store infrequently used items.

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Underground delivery system

Smart Container Standardized delivery containers that securely store all goods in transport.

Zero-Emissions, Last-Mile Delivery Robot Dollies

Robot dollies transport smart containers to and from the neighborhood logistics hub. Dollies can travel within buildings to arrive at locations specific by recipients and even complete deliveries inside a specific unit.

Freight Delivery Tunnels A network of underground tunnels connects buildings and the Logistics Hub, removing freight traffic from streets and enabling 24/7 operations without public nuisance.

Forces that Shaped the Plan Sidewalk Lab’s freight plan is shaped by three forces:

1. Sidewalk Labs’ understanding of the necessity, challenges, and opportunities for a less disruptive urban freight system;

2. Existing governmental plans and priorities; and 3. Input from experts and members of the public received in the public consultation and

engagement process

1. Findings: Challenges and Opportunities for a Less Disruptive Urban Freight System Managing freight vehicles is critical for the vision of efficient, people-first streets. Freight vehicles both cause and suffer from street congestion. According to the 2015 Urban Mobility Scorecard published by INRIX and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, freight vehicles are responsible for 18% of urban congestion costs, even though they only make up 7% of urban traffic.1 The last-mile of a delivery — where packages are handed off to consumers and businesses — is a significant contributor to freight-related congestion. In Downtown Toronto, freight-related congestion is often caused by a lack of adequate loading areas. Buildings have few functioning loading docks and streets have limited space for curbside deliveries. As an illustration, the Toronto Regional Board of Trade described a midday traffic scenario on Richmond Street:

“Whereas trucks would once queue to enter a facility, new bike lanes and increased police ticketing mean that a truck arriving when freight elevators are busy will be

1 Texas A&M Transportation Institute. (2015). Scorecard URBAN MOBILITY 2015. Retrieved from https://d2dtl5nnlpfr0r.cloudfront.net/tti.tamu.edu/documents/mobility-scorecard-2015.pdf.

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waived all the way to Jarvis street. It is not uncommon for this to happen two or three times for a single truck, meaning frustration and schedule slippage for drivers, not to mention wasted fuel, increased pollution, and effectively more trucks on congested downtown streets.”2

The absence of adequate loading space in turn causes more congestion and increases costs. With nowhere to go and deadlines to meet, carriers often resort to parking illegally. In 2012, 66% of parking tickets in Toronto’s central business district were issued to commercial vehicles—amounting to $3.7 million in parking fines.3 These fines are a major contributor to the high costs associated with last-mile delivery. The City of Toronto increased parking fines during peak periods from $60 to $150 with the goal of reducing congestion caused by illegal on-street parking. But with no alternatives for where their trucks go, many carriers treat parking fines as a cost of doing business.4

Furthermore, freight activities contribute to street collisions. Freight vehicles were responsible for 13% of Ontario’s traffic-related deaths in 2016.5 In order to achieve the vision of people-first streets, in which streets are safe and pleasant for all users, reducing the number of trucks on neighbourhood streets is critical (see Appendix E: Streets for People for more details). Freight vehicles have such a significant impact on the street and on the curb because the existing urban infrastructure is not designed to accommodate this rapidly growing traffic (discussed in section below). Further, it has not been a priority for real estate developments to plan for diverting trucks from the curb or double-parked in the driving lane. Prioritizing this objective in the site, infrastructure, and building designs, would present an opportunity to significantly reduce freight’s impact on neighbourhood streets. Fast growth in delivery demand implies the necessity to right-size system infrastructure to be able to handle future volumes. Growth of e-commerce is driving an increase in parcel deliveries. From 2015 to 2020 retail e-commerce sales in Canada is expected to increase by 88%, growing from $29.63 million to $55.78 million. Similarly, from 2007 to 2017, Canada Post’s domestic parcel deliveries has increased by 61% (Figure 1).6

2 Toronto Region Board of Trade. (2017, November). Movement of Goods Series Report #2: Movement of Goods Challenges in the TorontoWaterloo Corridor. Retrieved from https://adobeindd.com/view/publications/b4a17024-948f-434b-a72c-9fd2f1a7adbc/mb32/publication-web-resources/pdf/BOARD_GoodsMvt_Rpt2_Nov.17_2017_Final_INTERACTIVE.pdf. 3 Wenneman, A., Habib, K. M. N., & Roorda, M. J. (2015). Disaggregate Analysis of Relationships Between Commercial Vehicle Parking Citations, Parking Supply, and Parking Demand. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, Freight Sy(2478), pp 28–34. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.3141/2478-04. 4 Wenneman, A., Habib, K. M. N., & Roorda, M. J. (2015). Disaggregate Analysis of Relationships Between Commercial Vehicle Parking Citations, Parking Supply, and Parking Demand. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, Freight Sy(2478), pp 28–34. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.3141/2478-04. 5 Road Safety Research Office Safety Policy and Education Branch Ministry of Transportation. (2016). Preliminary 2016 Ontario Road Safety Annual Report Selected Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/publications/pdfs/preliminary-2016-orsar-selected-statistics.pdf. 6 Canada Post. (n.d.). Annual Reports 2007-2017. View our financial reports | Our company. (Rep.). Retrieved from https://www.canadapost.ca/cpc/en/our-company/about-us/financial-reports.page.

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Figure 1. Canada Post: Domestic Parcels Annual Package Volume 2007 - 2017 (in millions of pieces)

Data source: Canada Post7

Buildings are typically developed with insufficient loading areas. As a result, these limited loading docks are often reserved for heavy materials, forcing carriers for smaller items to use the curb in front of the building as staging areas.

“Multi-tenanted buildings such as offices and shopping centers often do not have shared internal logistics staff. This results in drivers delivering goods directly to the receiver, wherever they are located inside the building, rather than leaving the goods with loading bay staff. This increases vehicle dwell time while the delivery takes place, resulting in on-street vehicle queueing for the loading bay, and related noise, pollution, and safety impacts for local residents.”8

The mail room, if there is one, are generally not sufficient for the volume of packages. Building management attempts to deal with the flood of packages by converting closets into storage rooms, or turn the lobby into a makeshift parcel handling area. The burden of sorting, managing, and retrieving deliveries imposes real tolls on building operations. Two years ago, Camden Property Trust, an American property management company, announced that it would no longer accept packages at its 169 properties across the country. Package volume, the company said, was increasing 50 percent year over year. Camden executives estimated each package resulted in 10 minutes of lost productivity, costing $3.3 million in annual employee wages.9 7 Canada Post. (n.d.). Annual Reports 2007-2017. View our financial reports | Our company. (Rep.). Retrieved from https://www.canadapost.ca/cpc/en/our-company/about-us/financial-reports.page. 8 Regional Plan Association. (n.d.). Why Goods Movement Matters. Retrieved from http://goodsmovementmatters.org. 9 Paul Takahashi. (n.d.). Camden: Majority of apartment residents 'fine' with new package policy. Retrieved from https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2015/11/11/camden-majority-of-apartment-residents-fine-with.html.

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It is important that new buildings design for the “last 50 metres” of freight handling from the beginning. Infrastructure and systems for freight should be designed towards capacity and flexibility to handle potential future volumes, instead of aiming for just the minimal possible. When buildings and neighbourhoods are designed with freight requirements in mind, it brings about new opportunities to reduce friction both inside buildings and on the street. Changing consumer expectations compel carriers to innovate on last-mile delivery, aligning private incentives with the public good. Not only is demand for delivery increasing, but consumer expectations are shifting towards faster and cheaper service. A Deloitte study found that in 2015, consumers defined “fast shipping” as delivery within three or four days. However, by 2016, “fast shipping” only applied to anything delivered in two days or less.10 In addition, even as customers’ expectations for fast shipping increased, their willingness to pay for it decreased, with 64% unwilling to pay anything extra for two-day shipping.”11 In order to meet rising consumer expectations, carriers have focused on decreasing the cost of last-mile delivery. The last-mile, where packages are handed off to consumers and businesses, is often the most complicated and costly part of a logistics system. According to The Council of Supply-Chain Management Professionals, the last-mile, accounts on average for 28% of all transportation costs.12 Others have estimated this figure to be as high as 53%.13 In addition, freight-related labor costs may increase due to a driver shortage. The Canadian Trucking Alliance estimated there could be a truck driver shortage of almost 50,000 by 2024.14

One approach for carriers to reduce last-mile cost is consolidating and reducing the amount of freight activities within neighbourhoods and buildings — the last 500 metres of the delivery journey. This aligns well with the public realm objective of reducing freight activities’ impact on the street.

10 Deloitte Insights. (2017, June). The future of freight. Retrieved from https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/focus/future-of-mobility/future-of-freight-simplifying-last-mile-logistics.html. 11 Deloitte Insights. (2017, June). The future of freight. Retrieved from https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/focus/future-of-mobility/future-of-freight-simplifying-last-mile-logistics.html. 12 Goodman, R. (2005, December). Whatever You Call It, Just Don’t Think of Last-Mile Logistics, Last. Retrieved from https://www.kn-portal.com/fileadmin/_public/documents/material/KNUCLRP_LastMile_Logistics.pdf 13 Honeywell. (2016). Honeywell 2016 Annual Report. Retrieved from http://investor.honeywell.com/Cache/1500096766.PDF?O=PDF&T=&Y=&D=&FID=1500096766&iid=4121346. 14 Canadian Trucking Alliance. (2018, September). Regulatory modernization – Request for stakeholder comments: Submission to Lindsay Wild Director, Regulatory Reviews Regulatory Affairs Sector Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. Retrieved from http://cantruck.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Treasury-Board-Report_public.pdf.

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Freight transportation’s high emission of greenhouse gas compels solutions that drastically reduce — or eliminate — emissions. In Toronto, vans, light-duty trucks and SUVs makeup 16.4% of total greenhouse gas emissions.15 In congested areas where delivery vehicles are stopping, starting and idling, their emissions are much greater than in free-flowing traffic.”16 The freight sector is also Ontario’s fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions — increasing by 117% from 1990 to 2015 (Figure 2).17 With the drastic increase in delivery demand since 2015 and into the future, emissions will grow even faster. According to Pembina projections, freight movement emissions will surpass passenger transport emissions by 2030.18

Figure 2. Growth of freight sector greenhouse gas emissions surpasses that of all other Ontario economic subsectors

Source: Ontario's Climate Act (2017) While meaningful reductions of this environmental impact would require actions in multiple parts of the transportation chain, there is still opportunity for innovation in the “last-mile” and “last 50 feet” of the delivery process. Designing for sufficient loading and unloading infrastructure, neighbourhood consolidation systems, and zero-emission delivery vehicles, can all reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from truck circling and idling.

15 Pembina Foundation. (n.d.). Cyclelogistics Opportunities for moving goods by bicycle in Toronto. (Rep.). Retrieved from https://www.pembina.org/reports/cyclogistics-final.pdf. 16 Pembina Foundation. (n.d.). Cyclelogistics Opportunities for moving goods by bicycle in Toronto. (Rep.). Retrieved from https://www.pembina.org/reports/cyclogistics-final.pdf. 17 Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. (2017.). Ontario Climate Act from plan to progress: Annual Greenhouse Gas Progress Report. (Rep.). http://docs.assets.eco.on.ca/reports/climate-change/2017/From-Plan-to-Progress-06.pdf. 18 Pembina Foundation. (n.d.). Cyclelogistics Opportunities for moving goods by bicycle in Toronto. Retrieved from https://www.pembina.org/reports/cyclogistics-final.pdf.

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2. Furthering the objectives of existing policies and plans The City of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area have already established policy priorities for increasing freight system efficiency and robustness and reducing the environmental impact of freight. The Sidewalk Labs’ goods movement strategy is a way to implement these policies and demonstrate their impact (Table 1). Table 1. Relevant policies furthered by Sidewalk Labs’ freight proposal (in reverse chronological order)

Objective Policy / Plan Publisher Clause(s) Corresponding Sidewalk Labs

proposal

Increase system efficiency and robustness

Draft Automated Vehicle Tactical Plan 2019-2021 (2018)19

City of Toronto “Develop and implement a policy and mechanism to manage urban goods movement in automated vehicles.”

Neighborhood logistics hub Underground delivery system Zero-emission last-mile delivery vehicles

Toronto Complete Streets Guidelines (2017)20

City of Toronto “Support goods movement and delivery by different modes.”

Sustainability In-Sight (2011)21

Ontario Ministry of Transportation

“Improving modal choice and intermodal connections is also important for freight transportation… Achieving sustainable freight transportation is critical to Ontario’s economy, health and standard of living… Improved processes and technology can make freight transportation modes more efficient and more sustainable.”

Boost economic competitiveness of the City and the Region

2041 Regional Transportation Plan (2018)22

Metrolinx “Support development of innovative freight hubs, including planning for and protecting complementary land uses.

Neighbourhood logistics hub Zero-emission last-

19 City of Toronto. (n.d.). AV-Tactical-Plan-Directions-Goals-Tactics. Retrieved from https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/8061-TS_AV-Tactical-Plan-Directions-Goals-Tactics.pdf. 20 City of Toronto. (2019, June 04). Complete Streets Guidelines – Chapter 8. Retrieved from https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/98a2-Chapter-8.pdf. 21 Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation. (n.d.). Sustainability inSight An innovative strategy for Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation. (Rep.). Retrieved from http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/sustainability/strategy/MTO_sustainabilityreport-en.pdf. 22 Metrolinx. (2018, March 8). 2041 Regional Transportation Plan For the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. (Rep.). Retrieved from http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pdf/board_agenda/20180308/20180308_BoardMtg_Draft_Final_2041_RTP_EN.pdf.

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Consider the use of transit stations as a pick-up location for small parcels, and support other innovative urban freight practices to reduce door-to-door delivery. Explore and implement flexible freight delivery times, including off-peak delivery, where applicable.”

mile delivery vehicles Smart containers Underground delivery system

Urban Goods Movement (2016)23

Metrolinx Components of this strategy will include: “Identifying innovative approaches for urban freight movements such as urban logistics centres, centralized lock boxes for end-consumer deliveries, and shared urban freight and delivery centres (e.g., for construction sites); Identifying innovative approaches for regional freight movements such as logistics villages (e.g., next to intermodal hubs), siting, loading and routing optimization, real-time fleet management systems, and off-peak truck delivery”

Toronto Official Plan (2015)24

City of Toronto “The efficient and safe movement of goods is vital to the economic health and competitiveness of Toronto and the larger region....The challenge is to develop and maximize the efficient use of this system by such means as: • joint distribution centres and consolidated delivery services; ... • selectively increasing road capacity for trucks, including priority truck lanes; • increasing off-street loading, servicing and courier facilities; • lower emission freight vehicles and increased local production and distribution; ... • encouraging the freight industry

23 Metrolinx. (2016, July). Urban Goods Movement. (Rep.). Retrieved from http://www.metrolinx.com/en/regionalplanning/rtp/technical/05_Urban_Goods_Movement_Report_EN.pdf. 24 City of Toronto. (2015, June). Toronto Official Plan Office Consolidation - Chapter 2. Retrieved from https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/9048-cp-official-plan-chapter-2.pdf.

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to explore new technologies and practices”

Reduce the environmental footprint of freight activities

TransformTO (2017)25 City of Toronto Develop a city-wide low-carbon freight strategy, and related interdivisional policies, regarding urban goods movement/urban freight in alignment with Metrolinx's Regional Transportation Plan (RTP)

Underground delivery system Zero-emission last-mile delivery vehicles

Villiers Island Precinct Plan (2017)26

“Parking, servicing and loading on the Island will be delivered and provided in a sensitive manner to minimize any negative impact on the public realm and promote active transportation as a priority.”

These objectives have been endorsed by other Toronto-area stakeholders, such as trade and advocacy groups — as well. Table 2 contains select examples. Table 2. Objectives shared by other local stakeholders

Objective Document Publisher Clause(s) Corresponding Sidewalk Labs

proposal

Increase system efficiency and robustness

Movement of Goods Series: Three Bold Solutions for the Toronto-Waterloo Corridor (2018)27

Toronto Region Board of Trade

“Industry and the general public both stand to benefit from OPD (Off-Peak Deliveries). The benefits for carriers are increased asset utilization, faster and more reliable routes, and cost savings. The main region-wide benefit to the public is congestion reduction.”

Neighborhood logistics hub Underground delivery system Zero-emission last-mile delivery vehicles

Modernizing Freight Deliveries (2019)28

Pembina Institute “To respond to industry trends and convert potential threats into opportunities, businesses in many jurisdictions such as London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Berlin are redefining and improving existing business delivery models, and are

Neighborhood logistics hub

25 City of Toronto. (n.d.). Attachment A: TransformTO Short-Term Strategies Business Cases. Retrieved from https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/8ec2-TransformTO-Attachment-to-Short-Term-Strategies-Financial-Estimates-January-2017.pdf 26 City of Toronto. Urban Strategies. (2017, September). Villiers Island and Precinct Plan. Retrieved from https://waterfrontoronto.ca/nbe/wcm/connect/waterfront/f3b6753c-dfbf-486b-b0b5-5917f3c9a6db/2017.10.04_Villiers Island Precinct Plan AODA Attachment 2.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=f3b6753c-dfbf-486b-b0b5-5917f3c9a6db 27 Toronto Region Board of Trade. (2018, June). Three Bold Solutions for the Toronto-Waterloo Corridor. Retrieved from https://indd.adobe.com/view/e838e8e1-c7ce-49a4-adff-dcd4a8faaa28 28 Kim, Carol, Lee, Janelle, and Nitish Bhatt, “Modernizing Urban Freight Deliveries,” Pembina Institute, January 29, 2019, https://www.pembina.org/pub/modernizing-urban-freight-deliveries.

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implementing new urban logistics spaces to increase efficiency, reduce operational costs and mitigate adverse impacts on cities. While there is no one-size-fits all supply chain operating model or utilization of logistics spaces, our research shows there are opportunities across sectors to find further efficient deliveries and logistics models in Canadian cities.”

3. Public and expert input Toronto logistics providers have voiced strong frustrations concerning insufficient loading spaces during last-mile delivery, which results in parking tickets for carriers.29 They emphasize the need for designated, secure spaces for loading and unloading, and the need for buildings to plan for sufficient spaces not only for now, but also for the growing future demand. Public input from conversations during Sidewalk Labs Roundtables has also encouraged us to think about how operating a 24-hour system would affect residents and businesses of all sizes. For example, although off-peak deliveries may reduce congestion, how can we ensure they don’t increase neighborhood noise or require businesses to drastically change schedules and procedures? Members of the Mobility Advisory Council familiar with urban consolidation centre concepts were encouraged by the idea of providing additional revenue generating services within the facility (waste, storage, borrow, etc.). However, they recommended that the facility retain enough flexibility to scale services to meet demand, which may or may not materialize, and to introduce new services that the community may be interested in. Similarly, experts recommended that the Logistics Hub model be adaptable to existing neighbourhoods.30

Alternatives considered While existing last-mile delivery vehicles have succeeded in reducing emissions, nearly all of them require some level of human interaction—either by a driver or receiver. This limits the system’s ability to operate around the clock or to complete a delivery when a receiver isn’t

29 Seth, A. (2014, June 20). Why couriers are forced to get parking tickets in Toronto. Retrieved from https://globalnews.ca/news/1407774/why-couriers-are-forced-to-get-parking-tickets-in-toronto. 30 Conversations with Mobility Advisory Committee members

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present. Existing vehicles are also limited to the outdoors, taking up scarce street space and increasing dwell time as they unload packages.

Alternative Description Limitations

Cargo Tram Freight can be transported on a tram using infrastructure normally used for passenger service. A cargo vehicle can run on regular tram tracks, or freight can be co-located on passenger vehicles. The tram can be operated during off-peak times, though this may need to be coordinated with track maintenance. Alternatively, the tram could be scheduled during and coordinated with regular passenger service, unless local regulations restrict sharing tracks.

Cargo trams rely on existing rail infrastructure, making them difficult to scale. A cargo tram would also require some type of last 50 feet delivery solution.

Cargo Bicycles

Cargo bikes are bicycles, tricycles and pedal-powered four-wheelers that were specifically designed to carry goods. This can vary from a bike with a built-in, reinforced front basket to an electric-assist box tricycle with refrigeration capabilities. Electric bikes with pedal-assist make it easier for bikers to carry larger loads over larger distances. Several companies in Toronto already use cargo bikes, including UPS which launched a cargo bike pilot near York University In November 2017.

Cargo bicycles rely on humans for both driving as well as delivering goods the last 50 feet., This limits their ability to operate around the clock. They also require space at the curb or on the sidewalk to park.

Delivery AVs While a number of technology and automotive companies are developing connected and automated vehicle technologies, a few are specifically applying this technology to long-haul trucks or delivery vans. Staff may still be required to be on the vehicle for handling or administrative tasks. Alternatively, this need could be met by staffing the delivery location or interoperability with other innovations. Partially automated vehicles with driver assist features such as blind spot detection warnings could already improve safety of delivery vehicles.

Delivery AVs require access to curbs or other pickup and drop-off areas and can increase dwell time as they wait for a human receiver to unload packages.

Drones Delivery drones are unmanned aerial vehicles with the capacity to transport packages. By traveling through the airspace rather than on the ground, they are able to avoid most existing road congestion and transport packages more quickly. They can also travel where streets do not yet exist, such as to remote villages and over bodies of water.

Quayside is located in close proximity to Billy Bishop Airport which prohibits drone use in its vicinity. Drones currently are unable to carry a large payload, and with the volume of deliveries anticipated at Quayside, the number of drones required would create a public nuisance.

Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs)

UGVs are small delivery robots that usually travel on the sidewalk and can deliver packages to receivers' doorsteps. They can be unlocked by the end user using a phone app, code, or other method, which will then allow them to open the lid and retrieve the package.

Delivery robots compete for sidewalk space and may conflict with pedestrians. Sidewalk robots also require a receiver to be present for unloading.

Pneumatic Capsule

Numerous private firms are in the process of developing networks of sealed, underground freight

High upfront costs.

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Freight Transport

pipelines and tunnels intended to move goods from industrial zones to distribution centers in urban areas. Although most systems are still in early stages of development, several pneumatic capsule systems have been successfully deployed in the mining, steel, cement and construction industries.

In addition to considering delivery vehicles alternatives, Sidewalk also considered a variety of tools currently used to improve freight standardization, tracking, and security.

Alternative Description Limitations

Pallets In addition to loading items loose, standardized wooden or plastic pallets are the most common method of shipping and transporting goods from warehouses to delivery vehicles. Pallets are designed to be stackable and easily accessible by forklift or pallet jack. Most are also stackable, reusable, and easily repairable.

Pallets are inefficient for individual deliveries. They are not trackable or secure beyond barcodes applied to individual packages.

Delivery Tracking Software

Real-time parcel tracking applications have become ubiquitous. According to Canada Post, 96% of online shoppers will track their purchases while in transit.31 By managing customer expectations and increasing visibility, shippers have used tracking software to improve the reliability of their services.

Tracking systems can often be inaccurate with over 45% of online shoppers abandoning a retailer due to poor order tracking and transparency.32 For many campuses or complexes, receivers have to track deliveries using two different systems: 1) from the carrier, 2) from the internal mail system.

Delivery Lockers

A delivery locker provides an opportunity for individuals to receive packages at their convenience. Lockers are located in centralized locations (some have 24/7 access) where parcels are dropped off at the convenience of the carrier without having to worry if the receiver is home to accept the delivery. The receiver chooses which location they would like to use. Once a delivery is made, they are notified and have up to a couple of days to retrieve the delivery using a card, code or other method of accessing the locker.

Delivery lockers don’t solve for the last 50 feet of a delivery, limiting their accessibility for all users and package types. Many delivery lockers can only be accessed by a single carrier.

31 Canada Post. (n.d.). Mastering Your E-Commerce Operations. Retrieved from https://www.canadapost.ca/assets/pdf/blogs/mastering_your_e-commerce_operations.pdf. 32 Supply Chain Quarterly (Oct. 2016). Survey: Online shoppers demand visibility as well as speed in delivery. Retrieved from https://www.supplychainquarterly.com/topics/Logistics/20161004-survey-online-shopper--demand-visibility-as-well-as-speed-in-delivery.

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In 2012, Canada Post launched the use of parcel lockers in multi-tenant residential buildings. The lockers were specifically designed to accommodate increases in online shopping — ensuring that packages can be securely delivered at all hours of the day, eliminating failed first attempts. As of 2018, over one million Canadians had access to parcel lockers in their residential buildings.33

Mobile Delivery Hub

In November 2018, Purolator piloted a Mobile Quick Stop Service in dense city centers where last-mile delivery is cumbersome and failed first attempts are frequent. Mobile Quick Stops are trucks that act as mobile community access points. Consumers in these areas who receive a “doorknocker” alerting them to a delivery attempt at their home can pick up their package at the nearest Mobile Quick Stop instead of travelling to traditional shipping facilities that are farther away.34 Many UPS box trucks have a slot on the side of the vehicle for Express Envelopes. When the truck is parked, shippers can simply drop their envelope inside the truck for delivery.

Mobile hubs require curb or parking space for unloading. Packages must be retrieved by a human receiver.

Last-Mile Delivery Containers

Modeled after maritime shipping containers, standardized last-mile delivery containers allow for easy transfer of goods from long-haul vehicles to zero-emission last-mile vehicles — most often cargo bikes. Rather than loading packages directly from trucks to vans, packages are loaded into standardized containers that can be directly attached to a cargobike in under a minute. In addition to efficiency gains, containers are trackable, weatherproof, and secured with remote control locks — reducing package damage and theft.

Require human carrier for transport.

Warehouse Totes

Plastic, stackable totes and bins are often used for warehouse storage and last-mile delivery. Existing totes are reusable, low-cost containers that can provide insight into right-sizing a delivery container system.

Require human carrier for transport and are not trackable or secure.

33 Canada Post. (n.d.). Canada Post Parcel Locker. Retrieved from https://www.canadapost.ca/assets/pdf/17678_Parcel_locker_Building_manager_sell_sheet_E.pdf. 34 Purolator. (n.d.). Purolator launches first-of-its-kind Mobile Quick Stop service to bring package pickup closer to consumers in densely populated areas. Retrieved from https://www.purolator.com/en/resources-and-support/newsroom/news-item.page?Content Form=templatedata/purolator/news/data/2018/11/mobile-quick-stop-service.

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Sidewalk Labs’ Proposed Role The neighbourhood mobility management entity, named the Waterfront Transportation Management Association (WTMA), will oversee the freight system operations. Working with local agencies, constituents, service providers, and Sidewalk Labs, the WTMA will have the following freight-related responsibilities.

1. Oversight of freight system’s performance, as well as freight-related impact on neighbourhood mobility (e.g. curbside congestion)

2. Contract with a freight system operator 3. Set and collect fees for deliveries made to building loading docks and curbs (as

opposed to the logistics hub) For more details on the WTMA, see Appendix F: Mobility Management. As the lead developer of real estate and advanced systems for Quayside, Sidewalk Labs will develop the freight management system, including the hardware, software, the integrated tunnel network, and operations protocol. The proposed WTMA will manage any direct deliveries including the special permits that will be required to enter the site and regulations for off-peak deliveries.

Components Deep Dive Quayside incorporate existing technologies and emerging innovations into a single, integrated freight system.

The Neighbourhood Logistics Hub Quayside’s Neighbourhood Logistics Hub, located on the ground and subterranean levels of Parcels 1 and 2, will be the central freight processing facility. Its primary function is to aggregate inbound and outbound deliveries within the neighbourhood, similar to urban consolidation centres that have been piloted at city or district levels around the world.35 In addition to consolidation and delivery, the logistics hub will offer the following logistics services:

• Waste collection • Residential storage • Commercial stockholding & inventory management • Library of things (borrowing service for less frequently used items)

35 Higgins, C. and Ferguson, M. (2011) “An Exploration of the Freight Village Concept and its Applicability to Ontario,” McMaster Institute for Transportation and Logistics.

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Table 3 provides a high-level estimate for the total square footage needed to support the Quayside logistics hub operation. Increased service offerings allows logistics hubs to improve their financial feasibility, while delivering additional logistics benefits to users. This reflects a key lesson learned from existing urban consolidation centres (mostly in Europe) — freight consolidation alone produces net social benefits like reduced pollution and traffic, but it requires offering additional services to offset the higher cost of operations (See “Urban Consolidation Centres Precedents” section below).36 Quayside’s logistics hub will leverage automated systems to complete most of the sorting and handling. In addition to improved efficiency and accuracy, automated processing systems would lower long-term operating costs, thus improving the financial viability of the logistics hub. The cost of labour has traditionally been a pain point for existing urban consolidation centres, which typically require a large crew to unload, sort, and reload shipments. As a result, labour constitutes between 40% and 80% of a conventional urban consolidation centre’s annual operating costs.37 Table 3. Quayside Logistics Hub Indicative Freight Program Sizing, Year Considered: 2047

Level Function Source Notes Program Area (SF)

Surface UCC (Freight Handling) Stantec

32,000

Basement 115,000

Surface Envac Stantec 4,000

Surface Storage Estimated by BBB 47,000

Surface Borrow Stantec 2,000

Basement Building Utility/Electrical/Mechanical

Estimated by BBB 98,000

Total 298,000

Table 4 provides working assumptions regarding the expected vertical clearances needed for the various functions in the Logistics Hub. For information on general Envac locations in Quayside, please refer to Chapter 3.0 Solid Waste. 36 Leonard, J. et. al, “A Review of Urban Consolidation Centers in the Supply Chain Based on a Case Study Approach. (2015). Supply Chain Forum: An International Journal, 1/2014, ISSN: 1625-8312, Volume 15, Issue 4, p. 100. 37 Van Duin, J. et al, (2016) “Understanding Financial Viability of Urban Consolidation Centres: Regent Street, Bristol/Bath & Nijmegen,” Transportation Research Procedia, Vol 16, p. 61-80.

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Table 4. Height of Logistics Hub Program Elements

Function Height Notes

UCC Truck Circulation

7.5m clear Accounts for height of freight trucks and ceiling-mounted MEP equipment.

Receiving 7.5m clear Accounts for height of forklifts, height of dock, and ceiling-mounted MEP equipment.

Induction 7.6m floor-to-floor Based on Stantec volume requirements. Accounts for ceiling-mounted MEP equipment.

Cross-Dock 7.6m floor-to-floor

Buffering 7.6m floor-to-floor

Robot Fleet - Storage / O&M

2.9m floor-to-floor Assume same height and structural requirements as unstacked parking.

Freight Utility / Electrical / Mechanical

2.9m floor-to-floor Although utility or MEP equipment has not been designed, it is possible that once designed some equipment could have differing height and / or clearance requirements.

Envac 9.0m clear Required by Envac

Storage

2.9m floor-to-floor Lower heights possible with innovative storage solutions. Clear heights less than 2.1m in some basement areas may be allowed with restrictions per Ontario Building Code.

Borrow 2.9m floor to floor

Building Utility / Electrical / Mechanical

2.9m floor to floor Although utility or MEP equipment has not been designed, it is possible that once designed some equipment could have differing height and / or clearance requirements.

Inbound Mail/Parcel Consolidation and Delivery The logistics hub for Quayside will be located on Parcels 1 and 2. The vast majority of inbound items for all Quayside buildings will be unloaded from trucks at the Hub, and the logistics system will then sort, consolidate, and deliver them in batch to their destination buildings. The exceptions are large, heavy items (e.g. furniture), or shipments with special requirements (e.g. food deliveries, a chef who wants to first inspect the ingredient shipment), which will be delivered directly to the limited loading docks at each building.

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Outbound deliveries follow the reverse path, consolidating from various buildings to be picked up at the Hub by outbound vehicles. This consolidation increases the load factor of freight vehicles and reduces the number of trucks on the road in a neighbourhood.38 Based on analysis by consultants WSP and Stantec, Quayside itself, at full occupancy, will generate almost 15,000 non-exception parcels on a typical day (Table 5). This forecasted demand forms the basis for the preliminary design for the neighbourhood freight distribution system; for methodology and calculation details, see Appendix G: Modelling and Transportation Analysis, “Freight: Volume forecast.” These designs are appropriate for this stage of planning; they would need to be refined as part of the design process if the proposal proceeds. Table 5. Phase 1, 2025 Estimated Packages and Handling

38 Gogas, M. and Nathanail, E. (2017) “Evaluation of Urban Consolidation Centers: A Methodological Framework,” Procedia Engineering, Vol 178, p. 461-471, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877705817300899?via%3Dihub.

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Table 6. Quayside 2047 Expected Packages and Handling

Number Of Packages (Per Day) To UCC Direct Delivery Total

Approx. # Residential Packages 8088 0 8088

Approx. # Commercial Packages 10362 121 10483

Number Of Packages By Parcel Residential Packages

Commercial Packages

Parcel 1 2127 2037

Parcel 2 2450 3622

Parcel 3 1383 2226

Parcel 4 1200 1516

Parcel 5 928 1082

Total 8088 10483*

*According to analysis by WSP, the volume of freight that is attracted and generated by businesses is not expected to increase after opening; this is because the number of firms and employees is not anticipated to change considerably. Over time, some firms will be replaced by others, but the amount of economic activity that can be supported by the allocated commercial real estate will remain relatively constant. As such, there is no indication that new businesses decades after opening will require greater freight volumes; they could in fact attract and generate less freight than businesses today. Therefore, escalating commercial freight demand volumes was judged not to be realistic. Stantec’s expected commercial freight calculation therefore maintains a constant volume, but adds a 20% safety/contingency into this constant for both the 2025 and 2047 scenarios in order to provide capacity in the case of unforeseen escalation at some point in the system. This UCC is projected to handle all residential freight (other than exception deliveries), and all but the heaviest commercial freight for Quayside Parcels 1-5. This equates to approximately 57% of commercial freight by weight (and approximately 98% by package count). Percentage of Standard Freight the UCC is Designed to Handle*

By Weight By Package

Count

UCC can handle consolidated freight goods up to 200kgs, which can be broken down for via automated machinery for distribution. A single package is assumed to weigh up to 23kgs.

Residential 100% 100%

Commercial 57% 98%

*Not including Direct Delivery Exemption (e.g. oversized packages) Receiving Loading docks in the logistics hub interface with vehicles bearing inbound or outbound goods. The loading docks will be located at grade, off of Lake Shore Blvd East (

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Figure 4). Loading and unloading will occur at the surface, for ease of truck maneuvering. On arrival, the freight will be removed from the courier delivery truck and placed onto an extendable conveyor moved into, or adjacent to, the back of the delivery vehicle. The conveyor system will transport the freight packages to the remainder of the UCC operations via a declining conveyor (nominally -15 degrees) that penetrates the ground floor and travels below grade. Freight arriving in the 24’ straight trucks or large truck trailers is assumed to be loaded into the vehicle in a single layer (no stacking) and contained in monotainers, or on shrink wrapped pallets. Upon arrival at the UCC, monotainers or pallets will be unloaded and delivered to one of the required vertical indexing conveyors or vertical reciprocating conveyors, which will then transport the freight below grade for induction into the sortation and dispatch system. Outgoing freight will be loaded to vehicles (largely those that have delivered inbound freight). Space is required in the receiving area for short-term accumulation of outbound freight, including individual packages (e.g. on racks), monotainers filled with packages, and potentially palletized materials (anticipated to be unlikely, but possible depending on the commercial spaces in the development).

Loading dock demand Loading dock calculations have been developed to reflect the expected demand for these docks during the peak period when most freight deliveries are expected to occur (Table 7). If Quayside was designed with current by-law requirements and without a UCC, the site would contain 31 loading docks spread across 5 parcels.

Table 7. City of Toronto By-Law Requirement for Loading Docks

Loading Docks BAU (By-law) Type A Type B Type C Type G Total

Parcel 1 0 3 3 1 7

Parcel 2 0 3 3 1 7

Parcel 3 0 2 3 1 6

Parcel 4 0 2 3 1 6

Parcel 5 0 2 2 1 5

Total 0 12 14 5 31

Parcels 1 & 2 make up the loading docks for the UCC. Parcels 2-5 make up the loading docks for direct delivery. The loading dock types are described below:

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• Type A: minimum length 17m, minimum width 3.5m, minimum vertical clearance 4.4m • Type B: minimum length 11m, minimum width 3.5m, minimum vertical clearance 4m • Type C: minimum length 6m, minimum width 3.5m, minimum vertical clearance 3m • Type G: minimum length 13m, minimum width 4m, minimum vertical clearance 6.1m

Figure 3. Map of Business As Usual freight infrastructure in Quayside

The number of docks shrinks to 16 when designed for UCC freight operations and direct deliveries to each parcel. To the extent possible, residential and non-residential loading dock requirements have been rationalized for greater efficiency. It is anticipated that these docks would be highly programmed and managed throughout the day to ensure the efficient utilization of these spaces. Table 8. Option 1: Loading Dock Demand for UCC and Direct Delivery

Loading Docks UCC & Direct Delivery Type A Type B Type C Type G Total

Parcel 1 3 0 1 2 8

Parcel 2

Parcel 3 0 0 1 1 2

Parcel 4 0 0 2 1 3

Parcel 5 0 0 2 1 3

Total 3 0 8 5 16

Type A/G Dock

Type B/G Dock

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Figure 4. Map of Option 1 freight infrastructure in Quayside

This base plan could be pushed even further with a more ambitious scenario where the greatest efficiency could reduce the number to 13 loading docks. Table 9. Option 2: Loading Dock Demand for UCC and Direct Delivery

Loading Docks UCC & Direct Delivery Type A Type B Type C Type G Total

Parcel 1 3 0 2 2 7

Parcel 2

Parcel 3 0 0 1 1 2

Parcel 4 0 0 1 1 2

Parcel 5 0 0 1 1 2

Total 3 0 5 5 13

Type A/G Dock

Type B/G Dock

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Figure 5. Map of Option 2 freight infrastructure in Quayside

We would work to determine exactly which option is most appropriate for maximizing throughput, supporting carriers and receivers and improving the public realm.

Expected daily volume of freight trips Based on the data provided by the WSP Freight Tool, the expected daily volumes of freight trips was estimated for the 2025 and 2047 design years.

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Table 10 and Table 11 provide freight trip estimates for a typical/conventional “Business As Usual” scenario, where most packages are delivered on courier trucks, and the “UCC & Direct Delivery” scenario, in which most packages are delivered via the UCC, with limited direct deliveries mostly for heavier goods. For each scenario, the freight trip estimates are broken down by time of day. In the “UCC & Direct Delivery” scenario, the total freight trips by time of day is further broken down to indicate the expected distribution of trips to the UCC and for direct deliveries within the neighbourhood. The analysis suggests that the “UCC & Direct Delivery plan” presents an approximately 78% reduction in neighbourhood truck trips when compared to the “Business As Usual” scenario.

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Table 10. 2025 Expected Daily Volume of Freight Trips

Business As Usual Large Trucks Straight Trucks

Courier Trucks Total

AM Peak (6 AM - 9 AM) 4 14 52 70

Midday (9 AM - 3 PM) 4 10 34 48

PM Peak (3 PM - 6 PM) 4 4 4 12

Evening (6 PM - 6 AM) 4 4 6 14

Total 16 32 96 144

UCC & Direct Delivery - All Trips Large Trucks Straight Trucks

Courier Trucks

Total

AM Peak (6 AM - 9 AM) 4 16 10 29

Midday (9 AM - 3 PM) 3 11 8 21

PM Peak (3 PM - 6 PM) 1 5 5 12

Evening (6 PM - 6 AM) 1 5 5 12

Total 9 37 28 74

To UCC (only) Large Trucks Straight Trucks

Courier Trucks

Total

AM Peak (6 AM - 9 AM) 4 8 4 15

Midday (9 AM - 3 PM) 3 5 3 10

PM Peak (3 PM - 6 PM) 1.3 1.3 1.3 4

Evening (6 PM - 6 AM) 1.3 1.3 1.3 4

Total 9 15 9 33

Direct Delivery (only) Large Trucks Straight Trucks

Courier Trucks

Total

AM Peak (6 AM - 9 AM) 0 8 6 14

Midday (9 AM - 3 PM) 0 6 5 11

PM Peak (3 PM - 6 PM) 0 4 4 8

Evening (6 PM - 6 AM) 0 4 4 8

Total 0 22 19 41

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Table 11. 2047 Expected Daily Volume of Freight Trips*



AM Peak (6 AM - 9 AM) 4 14 69 87

Midday (9 AM - 3 PM) 4 10 46 60

PM Peak (3 PM - 6 PM) 4 4 4 12

Evening (6 PM - 6 AM) 4 4 8 16

Total 16 32 127 175


Courier Trucks

Total

AM Peak (6 AM - 9 AM) 4 18 10 31

Midday (9 AM - 3 PM) 2 12 7 22

PM Peak (3 PM - 6 PM) 1 5 5 12

Evening (6 PM - 6 AM) 1 5 5 12

Total 9 40 28 77


Courier Trucks

Total

AM Peak (6 AM - 9 AM) 4 10 4 17

Midday (9 AM - 3 PM) 2 6 2 11

PM Peak (3 PM - 6 PM) 1.3 1.3 1.3 4

Evening (6 PM - 6 AM) 1.3 1.3 1.3 4

Total 9 18 9 36


Courier Trucks

Total

AM Peak (6 AM - 9 AM) 0 8 6 14

Midday (9 AM - 3 PM) 0 6 5 11

PM Peak (3 PM - 6 PM) 0 4 4 8

Evening (6 PM - 6 AM) 0 4 4 8

Total 0 22 19 41

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*It is Sidewalk Labs’ intent to manage UCC deliveries such that the majority of deliveries are made outside the traditional peak freight delivery period of 6am to 9am, and to work with freight carriers to consolidate freight so that fewer, larger trucks are making the deliveries. For this analysis, however, a conservative approach was taken that assumes the majority of trucks will still visit during the AM peak.

Induction The induction operations will be located below grade. Freight arriving via the declining conveyor will remain on conveyors and be routed to the cross dock. Freight arriving in monotainers or pallets via the vertical indexing conveyors (or vertical reciprocating conveyors) will be unloaded from those conveyors and transported to one of the cage unloaders/cage dumpers or depalletizing stations, where the freight will be loaded in bulk onto conveyors and routed to the cross dock. Outgoing freight will be loaded into monotainer cages in this area and conveyed to the receiving (and shipping) area via the vertical conveyors.

Cross Dock Freight will enter the cross-dock operation on conveyors in bulk (side-by-side; closely packed) and will need to be singulated (edge-aligned, spaced, single file) for downstream processes including scanning, sortation, and dispatch. This process often involves a series of accumulation conveyors and one or more singulation tables or conveyors with activated rollers to separate the freight. Following singulation, the packages will be scanned to identify the package and its final location; to determine the dimensions of the package; and to confirm or determine its weight before its conveyance to the loading process, and then “dispatch” process. Two important functions will occur while the freight is being conveyed to the dispatch process: buffering to smooth flow, and sortation to direct the packages to the appropriate loading station. The final stage in the UCC process is the loading of packages into Smart Containers and then onto autonomous delivery vehicles.

Spatial Requirements Table 12 outlines a high-level estimate for the total square footage of the inbound/outbound delivery handling within Quayside’s logistics hub. This is only a partial spatial requirement of the logistics hub, as additional spaces are also needed for the solid waste terminal, storage, borrowing system, and the necessary utility / electrical / mechanical systems.

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Table 12. Pre-Concept Indicative Freight Program Table, Year Considered: 2047

Level Function Approx.

Area (SF) Unknown System

Contingency Factor Program Area

(SF)

Surface Truck Circulation 21,000 1.0 21,000

Surface Receiving 10,000 1.1 11,000

Total Surface 31,000 32,000

Basement Induction 17,000 1.3 22,000

Basement Cross-Dock 40,000 1.3 52,000

Basement Buffering 4,000 1.0 4,000

Basement Autonomous Freight Transport Vehicle Storage / O&M

17,000 1.5 25,000

Basement Freight Utility / Electrical / Mechanical 9,000 - 12,000

Total Below Grade 87,000 1.4 115,000

Total Program Area 118,000 1.3 147,000

Direct Deliveries Certain types of deliveries, due to their special characteristics should be delivered to the building directly (or picked up directly from the building). These include:

• Heavy freight (individual items over 23kg); • Large or oddly-shaped items, such as furniture and large appliances; • Moving in/out; • Fresh ingredient shipment to restaurants; and • Food take-out deliveries.

To limit the building loading facilities to these exception deliveries only, carriers will likely either require a special permit or incur a fee, both of which would be managed by the non-profit neighbourhood mobility manager (see Appendix F: Mobility Management for details). As a result, most of the deliveries will envisionably consolidate through the logistics hub, but the system will accommodate carriers who need or want to deliver directly to a building.

Waste Collection and Hauling To reduce truck traffic from waste collection, the logistics hub will house an outbound waste consolidation point. Waste and metal/glass/plastic/paper recyclables generated within Quayside will be transported by pneumatic tubes or via underground tunnels (all others waste types, including baled cardboard, clothing for recycling, and hazardous household waste such as paint). The terminals for waste in the logistics hub will be located on ground level surface, near the loading docks for easy loading onto outbound trucks.

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For further details on Sidewalk Labs’ proposed waste management and processing system, see MIDP’s Sustainability Chapter.

Off-Site Storage and Borrowing Library Quayside’s logistics hub will also offer inventory storage for retailers, personal storage for residents, and a “library of things” from which residents can borrow infrequently-used items instead of purchasing them. These storage and borrow services will be located on a mezzanine above the loading docks.

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Urban Consolidation Centre Precedents Quayside’s Neighbourhood Logistics Hub is largely inspired by Urban Consolidation Center concepts. Urban Consolidation Centers (UCC) are facilities that aggregate deliveries for an urban area — similar facilities are also called micro-consolidation centers, micro-hubs, urban distribution centers, or urban logistics depots.39 A UCC’s primary role is to collect inbound and outbound deliveries, sort and consolidate packages, and complete last-mile deliveries. By increasing the load factor of freight vehicles, UCCs reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions related to freight transportation.40 In addition to basic consolidation and delivery, UCCs can offer additional logistics services including off-site stockholding, inventory management, consignment unpacking, goods return, and waste collection.41 By increasing service offerings, UCCs can improve their financial feasibility while offering additional logistics benefits to users. In the 1990s, more than 100 UCC facilities emerged throughout Europe. However, by 2012, few remained operational. In most cases, UCCs failed to reach profitability as stakeholders were not willing to pay for the additional cost of consolidation. Without government subsidies, many UCCs were not financially viable.42 Knowing that UCCs regularly succeeded in reaching sustainability goals but often failed to reach economic viability, Quayside’s Logistic Hub aims to replicate and innovate off of successful UCC models deployed in Italy, France, and the Netherlands. Padua, Italy Padua is a medium-sized city with 250,000 residents. In 2004, Padua established a limited traffic zone (LTZ) that restricts freight vehicle deliveries to a two-hour period from 10-12 AM. Outside of this window, only authorized vehicles are allowed to enter the zone. Alongside these regulations, Padua established a UCC on the City’s outskirts where deliveries are collected, consolidated, and loaded onto low-emission vehicles that have unrestricted access to the LTZ.43 As of 2015, the Padua’s UCC included service for perishable goods.44 Padua’s UCC produced significant environmental benefits, reducing freight-related CO2 emissions by 70% in the LTZ and 10-15% city-wide.45 Although developed to meet environmental goals, Padua’s UCC also prioritized economic sustainability, conducting an annual cost-benefit analysis to ensure the facility’s performance remained feasible.

39 Higgins, C. and Ferguson, M. (2011) “An Exploration of the Freight Village Concept and its Applicability to Ontario,” McMaster Institute for Transportation and Logistics. 40 Gogas, M. and Nathanail, E. (2017) “Evaluation of Urban Consolidation Centers: A Methodological Framework,” Procedia Engineering, Vol 178, p. 461-471, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877705817300899?via%3Dihub. 41 Leonard, J. et.al, “A Review of Urban Consolidation Centers in the Supply Chain Based on a Case Study Approach. (2015). Supply Chain Forum: An International Journal, 1/2014, ISSN: 1625-8312, Volume 15, Issue 4, p. 100. 42 Kin, B., Verlinde, S., Lier, T. V., & Macharis, C. (2016). Is there Life After Subsidy for an Urban Consolidation Centre? An Investigation of the Total Costs and Benefits of a Privately-initiated Concept. Transportation Research Procedia,12, 357-369. doi:10.1016/j.trpro.2016.02.072. Ville, S., Gonzalez-Feliu, J.and Dablanc, L. (2012), “The Limits of Public Policy Intervention in Urban Logistics: Lessons from Vicenza (Italy),” European Planning Studies. Volume 21, No. 10, p. 1528-1541; Leonard, J. et.al, “A Review of Urban Consolidation Centers in the Supply Chain Based on a Case Study Approach. (2015). Supply Chain Forum: An International Journal, 1/2014, ISSN: 1625-8312, Volume 15, Issue 4, p. 100. 43 Gonzales-Feliu, J. and Morana, J. (2010), “Are City Logistics Solutions Sustainable? The Cityporto Case,” TeMA. Journal of Land Use, Mobility and Environment, Vol 3(2), p. 55–64. 44 Dotter, F., Zunder, A., ed. (2016), SMARTSET – Experiences of a European project for cleaner, safer and more efficient freight transport, smartset-project.eu/download/file/fid/1181. 45 Gonzales-Feliu, J. and Morana, J. (2010), “Are City Logistics Solutions Sustainable? The Cityporto Case,” TeMA. Journal of Land Use, Mobility and Environment, Vol 3(2), p. 55–64.

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Padua’s UCC reached profitability in year two; however, the UCC’s budget did not have to finance capital costs including the building infrastructure and vehicle fleet, which were financed by the City.46 Paris, France In 2006, Paris established Urban Logistics Spaces (ULS) throughout the city, which are similar to traditional UCCs, but smaller in size and located closer to city centers. ULS facilities are operated by private companies (including La Petite Reine, Chronopost, Natoora, Colizen, Distripolis, and La Tournée) who generate revenue by charging delivery fees and selling advertising space on delivery vehicles. However, like Padua’s UCC, ULS operators also receive important regulatory advantages. First, ULS facility lease agreements subsidize the cost of renting space in city centers, and second, municipal regulations ban large trucks entirely and limit small truck access to certain hours of the day. By relying on cargo bikes for last-mile delivery, ULS operators are given unrestricted street access.47 As of 2011, seven ULS locations were operational, delivering 1.5 million packages per year.48 More recently, Paris’ 2020 Sustainability Plan set the goal to create 60 urban logistics spaces throughout the City.49 Nijmegen, Netherlands Binnenstadservice (BSS) operates a UCC in Nijmegen, Netherlands — a city with 165,000 residents. The UCC was developed in 2008 as a public-private partnership with the municipality and received subsidies for its first two-years of operation. Participation in BSS’s services is voluntary, and BSS primarily targets small and independent retailers who do not have the internal capacity to optimize their deliveries.50 In addition to delivery scheduling, consolidation, and distribution, BSS has improved its business model by adding value-added services including stock holding facilities, home-deliveries, and reverse logistics for clean waste.51 As of 2015, the BSS business model was projected to be financially sustainable.52

46 Gonzales-Feliu, J. and Morana, J. (2010), “Are City Logistics Solutions Sustainable? The Cityporto Case,” TeMA. Journal of Land Use, Mobility and Environment, Vol 3(2), p. 55–64. 47 Tario, J. et. al, (2011) “Urban Distribution Centers: A Means To Reducing Freight Vehicles Miles Traveled,” NYU Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management, https://wagner.nyu.edu/files/faculty/publications/NYSERDA20UDCs20Final20Report202011-201.pdf; http://www.sugarlogistics.eu/pliki/handbook.pdf 48 Tario, J. et. al, (2011) “Urban Distribution Centers: A Means To Reducing Freight Vehicles Miles Traveled,” NYU Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management, https://wagner.nyu.edu/files/faculty/publications/NYSERDA20UDCs20Final20Report202011-201.pdf; Sustainable Urban Goods Logistics Achieved by Local and Regional Policies (Rep.). (2011, November). Retrieved http://www.sugarlogistics.eu/pliki/handbook.pdf. 49 Paris Ville Intelligente et Durable. (n.d.). Paris Smart and Sustainable LOOKING AHEAD TO 2020 AND BEYOND. Retrieved from https://api-site-cdn.paris.fr/images/99354= 50 Tario, J. et. al, (2011) “Urban Distribution Centers: A Means To Reducing Freight Vehicles Miles Traveled,” NYU Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management, https://wagner.nyu.edu/files/faculty/publications/NYSERDA20UDCs20Final20Report202011-201.pdf; Sustainable Urban Goods Logistics Achieved by Local and Regional Policies (Rep.). (2011, November). Retrieved http://www.sugarlogistics.eu/pliki/handbook.pdf. 51 Van Duin, J. et al, (2016) “Understanding Financial Viability of Urban Consolidation Centres: Regent Street, Bristol/Bath & Nijmegen,” Transportation Research Procedia, Vol 16, p. 61-80. 52 Van Duin, J. et al, (2016) “Understanding Financial Viability of Urban Consolidation Centres: Regent Street, Bristol/Bath & Nijmegen,” Transportation Research Procedia, Vol 16, p. 61-80.

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Underground Delivery System Through coordination of three system components — Smart Containers, zero-emissions, robot dollies, and freight delivery tunnels, Quayside’s system will move last-mile delivery into buildings and away from the curb.

Smart Containers: increase security while retaining flexibility Smart Containers is a concept by Sidewalk Labs At the neighbourhood logistics hub, goods would be scanned and sorted into smart containers, while still in their original packaging (nothing is opened). The Smart Containers would be designed to be able to carry the vast majority of standard-size packages. They can be filled with a single package or filled with several packages, depending on the destination and delivery urgency. If a receiver has multiple packages arriving in one day, the container would wait until it is filled up before making its way out of the logistics hub in order to be as efficient as possible. For urgent delivery of an item that may be perishable or that has other immediate delivery needs, a Smart Container would leave as soon as the package is placed inside. Smart Containers would be designed to be handled by a variety of delivery vehicles, from cargo bikes to self-driving vehicles to delivery drones (as well as by traditional trucks and hand carts). Made of durable materials, these containers would be stackable, enabling them to become lockers and to be assembled easily onto delivery vehicles, such as self-driving delivery dollies. They would also be embedded with location-based capabilities to track movements. A Smart Container is not only for mail and package delivery; it can be used to move other items within the logistics hub, including waste, storage, and borrowing items. After a smart container delivers a parcel or stored item, recipients can send back the container filled with a new type of cargo; for example, after receiving a package, residents can then send out their recyclable cardboard in the same container. This makes for a highly efficient “backhauling” system, which reduces the amount of time containers travel while empty. The design of these containers would allow for the safe and healthy handling of multiple types of cargo through the use of liners, inserts, and innovative cleaning methods. In addition to improving package logistics, the smart container is envisioned to contain the following features that would empower residents and businesses to receive shipments on their own terms, thereby eliminating missed deliveries.

Flexible scheduling. Recipients can reroute containers if they prefer to have their items delivered to a location other than the one it has been scheduled to arrive at, all

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the while knowing exactly what is inside and where the container is located. The app also allows recipients to provide container access to approved friends, family, or associates, in case they need items to be received while they are unavailable. Users can also request a container for pick-up when outbound items are ready to go to waste, borrowing, storage, or delivery facilities. Delivery security. The smart container’s digital lock enables it to be safely left in a building’s mailroom or locker system — or even at a recipient’s door. Instead of needing someone to be present for a delivery, the container acts as a permanent receiver; all it requires is a space where it can be placed. They will be designed to be tamper-proof, and will only allow the assigned receiver to access the contents.

Package tracking. Mail and package tracking would be managed through software that integrates with existing carrier software so receivers can track their items from origin to final destination. Confirmation signatures and other delivery requirements would be handled through a profile set up by the recipient. Package recipients can unlock the container with a code. And if the container makes an unauthorized movement, suggesting a theft, its location transmissions would alert the system.

Sidewalk Labs has explored this concept to identify the priority functionalities and examining various form factors. A Fall 2018 design sprint produced early conceptual drawings of several potential designs.

Figure 6. Design Sprint Concept Exploration

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Figure 7. Smart Container Conceptual design #1


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In 2019, Sidewalk Labs will conduct additional exploration, concepting, testing and validating relevant use cases that enable decisions on functional requirements and a more detailed design system. Functional requirements to be considered include: sizing, weight, materials, stackability, folding, handling, mobility, and forms of connection to delivery vehicle. Sidewalk Labs will also further define and validate the physical and digital ecosystem that will integrate the smart container with a comprehensive delivery system for individuals and businesses. System service requirements to be considered include: point of delivery, infrastructure touch points, tracking, security, business model, inventory system, software UI, and partner integration.

Zero-Emissions, Last-Mile Delivery Robot Dollies Fully autonomous last-mile delivery vehicles will transport goods through the tunnels. Within buildings, the vehicles will use smart elevators to deliver goods straight to the door of an apartment or a business. The vehicles will be able to complete deliveries by dropping off or picking up parcels at a user’s preferred location. Using an app, users will be able to digitally sign for a delivery, change their drop-off location, or allow friends and family to receive a package on their behalf. Receivers could choose to pick up a package at a delivery locker or in other locations on the go or at work or home.

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Quayside’s delivery dollies aim to improve upon existing tech by eliminating the need for human interaction for loading and unloading. This means that when a vehicle arrives at its destination, it will not have to wait at the curb or on the sidewalk until someone arrives to pick up the package — reducing public realm congestion.

Freight Delivery Tunnels A system of tunnels will interconnect Quayside’s building basements with the logistics hub, forming an underground distribution network. The self-guided robot dollies will move throughout these tunnels carrying smart containers to their final destinations. By separating dollies from the public right of way we can improve the public realm while also ensuring uninterrupted delivery movement.

Figure 10. Cross-section diagram of Quayside’s freight tunnels

Several design considerations are taken to reduce the cost of construction. First, Quayside’s freight tunnel system will travel through building basements, therefore only actual tunnels only need to be built between — not inside — buildings. Second, the tunnels are smaller than a typical tunnel, which need to accommodate human-driven vehicles, since the autonomous operations requires less space and clearance. Third, the design and construction of the tunnel system will be done together with the buildings and horizontal infrastructure, hence significantly reducing the cost compared to a retrofit.

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Next Steps Sidewalk Labs has done a market assessment of technology capability in April 2019; through in-depth conversations with over a dozen vendors and external logistics automation experts, the team is confident that the technological components are already feasible and on the market today. These components include conveyance, sorting, automatic storage and retrieval, automated logistics vehicles/dollies, and elevators capable of communicating with robotic dollies. Sidewalk Labs has recently begun working with logistics integration consultants, building on top of simulation-based modelling that demonstrates operational feasibility, to develop a plan for integrating existing technologies and devise software integration requirements. This will lead to a layout design of the logistics hub, tunnel, and in-building infrastructure.

Projected Outcomes

In Quayside, a business as usual freight system would add roughly 144 trucks to Quayside’s streets each day. Table 13. 2025 Expected Daily Volume of Freight Trips



AM Peak (6 AM - 9 AM) 4 14 52 70

Midday (9 AM - 3 PM) 4 10 34 48

PM Peak (3 PM - 6 PM) 4 4 4 12

Evening (6 PM - 6 AM) 4 4 6 14

Total 16 32 96 144


Courier Trucks

Total

AM Peak (6 AM - 9 AM) 4 16 10 29

Midday (9 AM - 3 PM) 3 11 8 21

PM Peak (3 PM - 6 PM) 1 5 5 12

Evening (6 PM - 6 AM) 1 5 5 12

Total 9 37 28 74

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Courier Trucks

Total

AM Peak (6 AM - 9 AM) 4 8 4 15

Midday (9 AM - 3 PM) 3 5 3 10

PM Peak (3 PM - 6 PM) 1.3 1.3 1.3 4

Evening (6 PM - 6 AM) 1.3 1.3 1.3 4

Total 9 15 9 33


Courier Trucks

Total

AM Peak (6 AM - 9 AM) 0 8 6 14

Midday (9 AM - 3 PM) 0 6 5 11

PM Peak (3 PM - 6 PM) 0 4 4 8

Evening (6 PM - 6 AM) 0 4 4 8

Total 0 22 19 41

By using a logistics hub which encourages carriers to use their fleets more efficiently, Quayside would generate only 74 daily truck trips, 41 of which would occur internally inside the neighbourhood for direct delivery of exceptional items. And because the logistics hub is located on the outskirts of the neighbourhood, there is a 72% reduction in truck trips within Quayside (only direct deliveries will take place within the neighbourhood). With less square footage dedicated to loading docks, an additional 20,000 square feet of space can now be used by Stoa, the commercial spaces on the first floor of the buildings.

master innovation & development plan - quayside · 2019-07-25 · toronto context. most...

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