1 Report to Rapport Au: Transportation Committee Comité Des Transports
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1 Report to Rapport au: Transportation Committee Comité des transports March 21, 2014 21 mars 2014 Submitted by Soumis par: Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager / Directrice municipale adjointe, Planning and Infrastructure / Urbanisme et Infrastructure Contact Person Personne ressource: Vivi Chi, Manager / Gestionnaire, Transportation Planning/Planification des transports, Planning and Growth Management / Urbanisme et Gestion de la croissance (613) 580-2424, 21877, [email protected] Ward: BARRHAVEN (3), File Number: ACS2014-PAI-PGM-0095 GLOUCESTER-SOUTH NEPEAN (22) SUBJECT: Chapman Mills Extension (Longfields Drive to Strandherd Drive) and Bus Rapid Transit (Greenbank Road to west of Cedarview Road) Environmental Assessment Study – Statement of Work OBJET: Étude d’évaluation environnementale du prolongement de la promenade Chapman Mills (de la promenade Longfields à la promenade Strandherd) et du couloir de transport en commun rapide par autobus (du chemin Greenbank à l’ouest du chemin Cedarview) – Énoncé des travaux REPORT RECOMMENDATION That the Transportation Committee approve the Statement of Work for the proposed Chapman Mills Extension (Longfields Drive to Strandherd Drive) and 2 Bus Rapid Transit (Greenbank Road to west of Cedarview Road) Environmental Assessment Study, as detailed in Document 1. RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT Que le Comité des transports approuve l’énoncé des travaux pour l’étude d’évaluation environnementale du projet de prolongement de la promenade Chapman Mills (de la promenade Longfields à la promenade Strandherd) et du couloir de transport en commun rapide par autobus (du chemin Greenbank à l’ouest du chemin Cedarview), décrit dans le document 1. BACKGROUND A number of planning studies have been approved by Council that are pertinent to this Environmental Assessment (EA) Study: - June 2006: South Nepean (Barrhaven) Town Centre Community Design Plan (CDP) which identifies Chapman Mills Drive as a collector street between Longfields Drive and the Kennedy-Burnett Stormwater Management Facility (SMF). - June 2006: Barrhaven South Community Design Plan. - November 2012: Barrhaven-Riverside South Rapid Transit (BRRT) EA, which shows the transit facility in the median of Chapman Mills Drive between Woodroffe Avenue and Greenbank Road. - November 2013: Transportation Master Plan (TMP) which includes transportation networks for roads and transit and specifically with Chapman Mills Drive extended westerly from Longfields Drive to Strandherd Drive. In response to increased pressures for development around the Barrhaven Town Centre and to guide future development accordingly, there is a need to: 1. Confirm the right-of-way requirement for Chapman Mills Drive between Longfields Drive and Kennedy-Burnett SMF, incorporating the Council-approved EA’s functional design of a median BRRT facility; 2. Establish an alignment and right-of-way protection for Chapman Mills Drive Extension from Kennedy-Burnett SMF to Strandherd Drive; 3. Establish an alignment and right-of-way protection for a bus rapid transit facility from Greenbank Road to west of Cedarview Road (as an extension of the BRRT facility). The study area is depicted in Figure 1. 3 Figure 1 - Study Area The 2013 Transportation Master Plan identifies the Chapman Mills Extension as a new four-lane roadway and an affordable Phase 2 project (to be implemented sometime between 2020 and 2025). The TMP identifies the rapid transit project as post 2031 for implementation. An EA is proposed to address both road and transit facilities as they are inextricably intertwined. The study will be carried out as a Schedule ‘C’, Municipal Class EA. DISCUSSION The 2006 CDP for South Nepean (Barrhaven) Town Centre shows the right-of-way for Chapman Mills (between Longfields Drive and Kennedy-Burnett SMF) as 41.5 m, including a transit facility in the median. This right-of-way for Chapman Mills is superseded by the EA completed in 2012 for the bus rapid transit facility between the Barrhaven Town Centre and Riverside South Town Centre (the BRRT EA). In the Barrhaven section of that transit project, the bus transit facility is identified in the median of Chapman Mills Drive, resulting in a combined road- 4 transit corridor width that varies between 41m and 43m. Although the requirements of Chapman Mills Drive were taken into consideration, the BRRT followed the transit EA process (Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP) which is not mandated to cover off the roadway through that particular process. The EA Study which is the subject of this report is intended to procedurally address that roadway component. Since the work has been completed, level of effort is expected to be minimal – primarily documentation for the road EA process. The area west of the Kennedy-Burnett SMF to Strandherd Drive is subject to the Secondary Plan for the South Nepean Town Centre. In this area, Chapman Mills Drive was shown on early preliminary drawings as a 24m wide roadway. These drawings were prepared as part of the early design stages for the South Nepean Collector sanitary sewer. The stakeholders involved are aware that the alignment and right-of- way for Chapman Mills Drive were still to be established through the EA Study, similarly for the bus rapid transit facility west of Greenbank Road - and as such the final alignment and road design were not shown in the Secondary Plan. The study area (Figure 1) partially includes the Jock River Floodplain (north of Jock River). The effects on and of the floodplain area will be an important factor in the development of corridor options. Over the coming decades, the south urban area will be among the fastest-growing communities in the city. Before these areas are fully developed, it is imperative to identify and protect for future transportation corridors to ensure effective integration with the planned land uses. The purpose of this EA Study is to establish the alignment, identify the right-of-way protection and complete the functional design for Chapman Mills Drive Extension and the bus rapid transit (BRT) facility identified in the 2013 TMP. The Study will also identify measures that will be undertaken to provide efficient transit service through the area during the interim period until such time that a dedicated BRT is implemented. The Statement of Work or scope of this EA Study is described in Document 1. It outlines the tasks that will be undertaken along with consultation and study deliverables. This project will be carried out as a Schedule ‘C’ Class EA as set out in the Municipal Engineers Association’s “Municipal Class Environmental Assessment” document (2007). Some tasks such as the extension of future transitway corridor, Jock River Floodplain and Kennedy-Burnett SMF will require examination of a broader area in order to address environmental effects; operational issues; to co-ordinate with relevant 5 on-going/ completed studies and projects; and, to study and identify tie-ins to existing and/or future roadway and transit connections. Key considerations in this study include: Detailed evaluation of travel demands in the east-west direction; Assessment of transportation elements that support people movement and sustainable travel solutions; Identification of infrastructure needs including rapid transit station locations and park-and-ride requirements; Development of cycling and pedestrian facilities and their linkages to existing and future facilities; Evaluation of potential effects on the natural environment, including the Jock River Floodplain, the Kennedy-Burnett SMF; Assessment of stormwater management and hydrology; Assessment of effects on the existing and future community; and Cost. The study duration is approximately 15 months from the award of contract to a consulting firm to assist with the undertaking. RURAL IMPLICATIONS There are no direct rural implications associated with this study. CONSULTATION Consultation with stakeholders, public agents, First Nations and individuals will be an integral component of the EA Study. The consultation process will include meetings with key stakeholders through the Agency Consultation Group (ACG), Business Consultation Group (BCG) and Public Consultation Group (PCG). Consultation with the general public will occur principally through Public Open Houses and also through the project web page, e-mail, and additional meetings as required. 6 COMMENTS BY THE WARD COUNCILLORS Councillor Harder provided the following comments: “This project is of significant importance to the development of the Regional Prestige Business park lands at Hwy 416 and Fallowfield. Currently there is no transit connection. Approximately 9,000 employees will work here and therefore it is necessary that we have transit options available to bring those employees to this significant prestige employment development. As well, employees will need to be connected to this area via vehicle access, cycling, and transit to the Riverside South community (via the new Strandherd Armstrong Bridge) as well as to the east and west. Additionally Chapman Mills Drive will parallel Strandherd Drive through the Clarke Lands community west of the Kennedy Burnett Drain that Minto will soon market. This work will also complete the extension of Chapman Mills through Barrhaven’s downtown between Longfields Drive and the Kennedy Burnett drain. Bottom line is I am pleased to support the commencement of this work.” Councillor Desroches provided the following comments: Councillor Desroches is supportive of the Statement of Work for the Chapman Mills