Traffic Impact Study Guidelines

New developments can affect traffic, so the City works to keep roads safe and running smoothly by reviewing transportation impacts. These guidelines help developers design sites that support safe and efficient travel for everyone.

The municipal road system serves as a network of routes for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. It was constructed and maintained at great public expense and is an irreplaceable public asset. The City has a responsibility to effectively manage and maintain each roadway and intersection within its jurisdiction to preserve its safety, functional integrity, and public purpose for present and future generations.

To manage and maintain existing and future roadway facilities, it is essential that the amount of new traffic entering the road system from adjacent developments be assessed, and the access and layout configuration of the developments be designed in such a manner that the safety and integrity of the roadway are maintained. Therefore, the goal of a transportation impact study is to assess the potential effects of traffic caused by a proposed development on local roadways and to identify the total roadway improvements needed to ensure that the roadway system will operate at an acceptable level upon completion of the proposed development.

Transportation impact studies are an important part of the development review and approval process to assist developers and public agencies in making land use decisions, such as Official Plan amendments, zoning amendments, subdivisions, site plans, planning approvals, and other development reviews, where the proposal may have a significant impact on traffic and transportation operations.

The Niagara Region, in consultation with local municipalities, updated their traffic impact study guidelines as of July 2023. The City of Niagara Falls have adopted these guidelines for assessing municipal roads and intersections.

Niagara Region Transportation Impact Assessment Guidelines - July 24, 2023.

Traffic considerations for site plan guidelines

To assist developers in preparing site plans, the Traffic Considerations for Site Plan Preparation provides an overview of relevant transportation issues that are reviewed by City staff.