FINAH, REPORT NORTH AND SOUTH ARM + CROSSING STUDY

PreparedFor: PROVINCE OF Mnvmz~ OF R~ANs~ORTA~ON AND HIGHWAYS BC TRANSPORTATION FINANCING AUTHORITY GREATER REGIONAL DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL LAND COMMISSION BC FERRIES CORPORA~ON BC TRANsrr

PreparedBy: REID CROWTHER & PARTNERS LTD. #300 - 4170 Still Creek Drive Bumaby, BC vsc 6C6 And WARD CONSULTING GROUP #520 - 1112 West Pender Street Vancouver, BC V6E 2Sl

32802-3

July, 1995 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4 Background to the Study

The South Coast Transportation System Plan builds from and responds to the recommendationsof the GIRD’s Livable Region Strategy Plan (LRSP) and Transport 2021’ and representsan important stage in an on-goingtransportation planning process. The general principles set out by the Provincial Transportation Strategy apply to this processand theseare:

o To make betteruse of existing transportationfacilities and services.

o To make more strategictransportation investments

o To developmore costseffective methods for project serviceand delivery.

o To strengthenlinks betweentransportation revenuesand expenditures, and between responsibilityand accountability for transportationinitiatives; and

o To maintain competitivenessof transportation serviceproviders.

The Fraser River North and South Arm Crossing Study is one of four componentstudies of the South Coast Transportation System Plan. The regionalstudies include:

o East-West ConnectorStudy

o Trans-CanadaHighway Study

o HOVStudy

o Fraser River Crossing Study (with a sub-component dealing with the Ladner- TsawwassenArea.)

’ Transport 202 1. ‘A Long RangePlan for .’ A Joint Project of the Greater Vancouver Regional District and the Province of British Columbia. September,1992.

Reid Crowther & Partners Ltd. ES - 1 Ward Consulting Group

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This reportsummarize s an assessmentof the trafk characteristicsof the demandfor the c crossing of the North and South Arm of the Fraser River during the morning peak period. 8 The base land use data for this study is the Livable Region Strategic Plan and the traffic data is taken from the recommendationsof the Transport 2021 Study. The Transport 8 2021 recommendationscould result in increasedtransit and High OccupancyVehicle trips during peak periods through the implementation of selectedinfrastructure and transport demandmeasures. In the analysis,this report examinesthese implications througha series 8 of twelve options. The options are reducedto three using an evaluationtechnique based on Multiple Account Evaluation. A preferred option is identified and an implementation 8 strategydeveloped for inclusion in the regionaltransportation system. I 4 Study Area The Study Area is located in Exhibit ES. 1. The area is boundedby the 8 on the west, the east end .of in the east, Marine Way in the North and the Canada-U.S.border in the south, and encompassesmost of Richmond and Delta.

8 The existing crossingsof the North Arm in the area are the Bridge, the Oak Bridge, the Bridge and the QueensboroughBridge. The South Arm is 8. currently crossedby the and the . Additionally, the Puttallo, Port Mann and Pitt River Bridges east of the study area affect the total trafk 8 in the area at any time. . 8 Major controlled accesshighways in the area include the following: Highway 99 from the United States border to the Bridge. There are 8 interchanges at the Ring George Highway, Crescent Road, Highway 9 l(south interchange),Matthews and Highway 10 south of the Fraser River. Highway 99 crosses the river through the GeorgeMassey Tunnel. There is a southboundaccess to River Road 8 immediately south of the tunnel. On , there are interchangeswith Highway 99 at Steveston Highway, Westminster Highway, Highway 9 l(north interchange) and 8 Bridgeport Road. Peak Hour volumes through the George Massey Tunnel in excess of 8 6000 vph have beenobserved. Highway 91 extends from Highway 99 (north of Westminster Highway) eastward to Hamilton/Highway 91A and then south across the Alex Fraser Bridge to rejoin Highway 8 99 west of 120th Street. There are interchangesat Knight Street, River Road/NordelWay, 80 72nd Avenue, 64th Avenue and Highway 10 before the facility rejoins Highway 99. There 8 Reid Crowther & Partners Ltd. ES-2 Ward Consulting Group are traflic signalson Highway 91 at Hamilton Avenue, Highway 91A, and 72nd Avenue. Northboundmorning peak period volumes havebeen observed in excessof 5800 vph.

Highway 17 between Highway 99 and the ferry terminal has limited access control with signal&d intersectionsat Highway 10, 56th Street and 52nd Street. There is a partial interchangeat Deltaport Way. TsawwassenRoad is an at grade intersection.

Additionally, major urban arterials in the study area include StevestonHighway, Gilbert Road, Bridgeport Road, No 3 Road, Westmmster Highway and Garden City Road in Richmond. In Delta, major arterials include Highway 10 and River Road.

The population of the study area proper is projected to be 335,000 persons by the year 2021, while employmentis expectedto be 175,000jobs.

Activity centres are defined as centres of economic activity which has significance nationally, provincially, regionally and locally. Many of thesetend to be important trafIic attractorsand generators. It is further assumedthat becauseof the economic significance of the activity centre, a higher value can be placed on thesetrips. As such, service to and from these centres should be available at a very high level of service. Three primary activity centres have been identified in the study area and these are the BC Ferries Terminal at Tsawwassen, the seaport facilities at Roberts Bank, and the Vancouver InternationalAirport. Additionally, four secondarycentres have been identified and these are the Boundary Bay Airport, the North Richmond Industrial area, the South Richmond Industrial Area and the , Marine Drive area. c) Review of Study Approach

A basetransportation network encompassingthe recommendationsof the Transport 2021 Study servedas a basis for developingtrafIic projections for the study area. The traffic simulations for the morning peak period for the year 2021 were examined in respectto capacities of the river crossings in the study area and selected expressway links on Highway 99 and Highway 91. From this examination, it was possible to establish transportation objectives for a series of feasible options. The objectives for the transportationoptions, included the following:

q Improve levels of service for the river crossingsin the Study Area including; George MasseyTunnel, Alex Fraser Bridge, QueensboroughBridge, and

Reid Crowther & Partners Ltd. ES-3 Ward Consulting Group the . Options identifying new capacity and new HOV designations were developed.

0 Improve level of service for the East West trafIic by improving Highway 91 capacity and or addingHOV lanes

0 Reducethe high trafEc accident rate at the southentrance to the Massey Tunnel.

0 Improve serviceto the BC Feries’ Terminal at Tsawwassenby improving the level of service from Highway 99 along the Highway 17 Corridor.

0 Improve service to the Vancouver International Airport by improving network connectivity in a north/south and east west direction. At the same time, cross border and provincial traffic would receiveincreased levels of service.

0 Ensure that transit competitivenessis maintained.

0) Evaluation of the Options

In total, 12 feasible options were identified in three corridors; the Highway 99 Corridor, the Highway 91/Tree Island Corridor and the Boundary Corridor. An analysis of the traffic planning model output indicated that from a traI%icperspective, the options met the objectives to a greater or lesser degree and that they could be implemented. In other words, all the options were feasible.

The feasibleoptions were compared in an evaluation matrix, that identified criteria from a number of sourcesas follows:

o The transportationplanning model provided base information of vehicular and transit volumes, averagespeeds, vehicle kilometers travelled and so on.

o Financial information was developedfor each option through capital and maintenance estimates.

o An environmental overview of the study area provided base information on the environmentalimpacts.

o Estimates were developedfor the land requirementsthat would be neededfor each option from the Agricultural Land Reserveand from Indian lands.

Reid Crowther & Partners Ltd. ES-4 Ward Consulting Group o other variables such as emergencyresponse, transit encouragementand provincial connectivity which were qualitative in nature were basedon descriptions.

The evaluation was usedto identify three favoured options and thesewere:

o One option basedon the Tree Island Corridor

o One Option basedon the Highway 99 Corridor

o One Option combining featuresof the Tree Island and Highway 99 Corridors.

The options were modified to incorporate the recommendations of the Ladner/ Tsawwassenarea and to ensurethe overall network was continuous,logical and flexible. The transportation planning model again served as a basis for projecting the morning peak period travel for the year 202 1. The evaluation criteria were reassessedand a preferred option identified.

The Referred Option’

The preferred option is shown in Exhibit ES.2 and the physical components are summarizedas follows:

9 The Oak Street Bridge3is extendedto five lanes and additional lanes are constructed on Highway 99 from 8th Avenue in White Rock to the Oak Street Bridge, a road distance of approximately 35 kilometers. The deficiency of river crossing capacity over the North Arm in the Highway 99 corridor was identified through sensitivity analysis. The Oak Street Bridge improvement is recommendedas additional infrastructure along with the HOV lanes on Highway 99 South to the Richmond Freeway. These are added to the preferred option for logical system development, HOV and SOV traflic service improvements,and future flexibility.

’ The timing and need for specific facilities will ultimately be influenced by transportation demandinitiatives which are outsidethe scopeof this study but which couldbe in effect at the time of implementation. 3 Additional north arm crossing capacity is recommendedon the Highway 99 Corridor. The Oak StreetBridge location may not be the best location. Feasibility analysis of alternativecrossing capacity is recommended.

Reid Crowther & Partners Ltd. ES - 5 Ward Consulting Group

L . . . ,:: ,:,. :’ L . . pi .~ L.. . I c RECOMMENDED I I I I PI 3

- NEW HIGHWAY CHANGES TO LANE USAGE Y ADDITIONAL LANES BOUNDARY BAY NEW INTERCHANGE a+b - SOUTHBOUND SOV + HOV

/ cd- NORTHBOUND SOV l HOV

INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY

Exhibit ES.? PREFER- OPTKIN

FRASER RIVER cFlossu4G STUDY =s A new two lane tunnel tube is addedat the GeorgeMassey crossing. This includes two additionallanes betweenthe Steve&onHighway and Highway 99117interchanges. Further, both of these interchangesare modified to accommodatethe additional lanes. The Highway 99/17 northbound ramps from Highway 17 are realigned southeastto reducethe difficulty of the mergebetween that interchangeand the tunnel.

a Highway 17 betweenHighway 99 and the causewayis upgraded. New interchanges are provided at Highway 10 and 56th Street and an overpass is provided at 52nd Street.

3 The Tree Island Componentadds two lanesto the entire length of Highway 9 1. A new four lane connectionis provided betweenthe Highway 9 1191A interchangeand Marine Way. This includes a new four lane crossingof the North Arm at Tree Island

3 Lane designationscall for the Oak Street Bridge to operate with two SOV lanes in eachdirection and one HOV lane reversible with the peak traffic direction. Highway 99 would operateas two SOV’s and one HOV in each direction. The length of the Highway 91 Corridor will operateas two SOV’s and one HOV lane in both directions. The Tree Island Corridor including the crossing, will operateas one SOV and one HOV in each direction. Transit buseswould operateon the HOV lanes.

The preferredoption has a number of strengthsand thesewere identified as follows:

The Highway 99 Corridor will have one additional HOV lane across the North Arm directly on the corridor. This is achievedby adding the lane to the Oak Street Bridge superstructure.

HOV capacity will be addedto the Highway 99 Corridor.

The Highway 99 Corridor will have superior flexibility and be able to respondin traffic serviceto tral3’ic increasesoutside of the Transport 202 1 projections.

The increasedroad capacity in the north/south direction will improve accessto the Tsawwassen Ferry terminal, Vancouver International Airport and the Vancouver Central Business District. Access to the secondaryactivity centresat Mitchell Island and the Richmond Industrial Centre will also be improved. The level of service to trans-bordertrafk will also be positively afkcted.

Transit and HOV usageare encouraged.

Reid Crowther & Partners Ltd. ES-6 Ward Consulting Group 9 The Livable Region StrategicLand Use scenariosare encouraged.

= The use of current facility location for improvementsminimizes the intrusion on new facilities on Indian Lands and the Agricultural Land Reserve.

a The Tree Island crossing provides a new crossinglocation spreadingout the vehicles enteringthe Vancouverand Bumaby road systemsacross the North Arm. There is the opportunity to improve connectivity to the provincial systemand reduce congestionon the QueensboroughBridge.

The preferred option will operate more than satisfactorily under the TDM and land use assumptionsmade in the traf3ic simulations. Sensitivity analysisexamined what is likely to happenif the actual land use is not as concentratedor if the Traffic Demand Measures are less successfulthan assumedwith the transportationplanning model. u Sensitivity Analysis

The sensitivity tests on the preferred alternative includedthe following:

0 Removal of all river crossing tolls in the study area. The crossings include the Oak Street, Knight Street and Tree Island Bridges on the North Arm and the George Massey Tunnel and the Alex Fraser Bridge on the SouthArm.

Cl Removal of all TDM measures,including tolls, gas tax increasesand HOV priority.

Cl Imposition of trend land use growth, that is the cluster densitiesof the livable region strategicplan were assumednot achieved.

0 Removal of the Richmond Sky Train from the network and no Richmond Skytrain or bridge tolls.

0 Implications of not improving the Highway 99 capacity north of the Richmond Freeway.

If the north end of the Highway 99 Corridor is improved through additional crossing capacity, the system can respondto unanticipatedgrowth in traffic. The system is flexible, delays are reducedand provincial level traffic on the Highway 99 Corridor is appropriately served. The importance of improving the roadway capacity of the Highway 99 Corridor betweenthe Richmond Freeway and 70th Street regardlessof the level of TDM measures

Reid Crowther & Partners Ltd. ES’- 7 Ward Consulting Group or the success of the Richmond Skytrain is demonstrated in the sensitivity analysis. If the Oak StreetBridge, f& financial or technical reasons,cannot accept an additional lane, then other options in the area should be pursued.

G) Implementation Strategy

An implementation strategy for the preferred alternative is shown in Table ES. 1.

Table ES.l: Proposed Implementation Strategy for the North South Crossing Study

Component and Individual Tasks Comments Time Frame Phase I Des&n Phase Detaikd design of Oak Bdg Seismic review of Oak Bdg and 1996-2002 lanes, tunnel tube, merge tunnel. Implement TDWs. lanes, I/C modifications on Monitor success of TDM’s. Use Hwy. 99. Traflic operations performance measures as design for Highway 99. Land input. Obtain approval and requirements, negotiations, financing. Initiate constmction EIS if req’d & approvals phase I for summer of 1998. Construction S/l3 lane on Hwy. 17: 56th St Construction Estimates 1998-2000 to Causeway. HOV lanes . Hwy. 17: 56 to Cswy %3.OM from Oak B.to Steveston. l HOV Ins to Steveston $13.0 M Modify interchanges l l/C modifzations $8.OM Performance Measures Measure success of TDM’s, Understand TDM’s. Identify land 2000-2008 track tolls, Hwy. 99 Corridor use patterns. Identify traffic patterns. Growth in traffic on Hwy. 99 corridor Construction Hwy. 99: Construction Estimates: 2001-2005 Oak Bridge HOV lane l Oak Bdg HOV lane $43.0 M Steveston to Hwy. 17 l Steveston i Hw-y. 17 $16.0 M Two lane tunnel tube . Tube $68.0 M I/C Steveston l I/C Steveston $10.0 M I/C Hwy. 99/17 . I/C 99117 $8.0 M Construction Hwy. 17: Construction Estimates 2006-2010 HOV lanes . Addt’l Lanes $2 1.2 M Hwy. 17 Interchanges . Interchanges $42.5 M

52nd St Overpass l 52nd St. Overpass % 5.0 M Hwy. 99: HOV lanes Hwy. 17- 8th l Addt’l Lanes $48.0 M Ave. Modi@ Interchanges . Modify I/C $8.0 M ?erformance on Measure success of TDM’s, Understand TDM’s. Identify land lhvy. 91 track tolls, Hwy. 91 Corridor use patterns. Identify traflic 1004 - 2008 patterns for Tree Island. Growth in traffic on Hwy. 91 corridor %ase II Construction Highway 9 1: Construction Estimates: !008-2012 Knight - 9 1A, HOV lanes l HOV: Knight - 91A $22.5 M 91A - 99 via Fraser l HOV: 91A-99 South $22.0 M

Interchange Modifications l I/C modifications $18.0 M

Reid Crowther & Partners Ltd. ES - 8 Ward Consulting Group Componeht and Individual Tasks Comments Time Frame Construction Trek Island Connector: Construction Estimates: 2013-2016 4 lanes 91A -Marine Way l HOV & SOV lanes $16.0 M River Crossing l Bridge$45.0 M I/C @ Marine Way l l/C @j Marine $22.0 M

Performancemeasures are recommendedfrom the time TDM’s are implemented through the first Phase of construction. This will provide the opportunity to develop better planning information and to review the decision to upgradeHighway 17 from 56th Street to Highway 99 and the advisability of proceedingwith the Highway 99 and Tree Island improvements. The opportunity is available to implement the most approprmte transportationnetwork servingthe Richmond / Delta area.

H) Construction Scheduling

The proposedconstruction schedule covers the period from 1998to 2016. Phase I of the schedule is the Highway 99 corridor. This includes the improvements from the Ladner/Tsawwassenarea through the tunnel and on Highway 17.

PhaseII of the scheduleis for the Highway 91 and Tree Island Corridors. It is proposedto begin construction on the Highway 91 Corridor in 2008. The Tree Island connectionsare scheduledto begin constructionin 20 13 and be completedby the year 20 16.

The total estimatedconstruction cost for all improvementsis $460.0 million spreadover a twenty year time frame. The proposed construction scheduling is summarized in Exhibit ES.3.

R&d Crowther & Partners Ltd. ES-9 Ward Consulting Group