GO Transit Expansion
Public Meeting #2 Guildwood to Pickering Transit Project Assessment Process
May 2016
Building More Transit to Get You Moving
GO Transit Expansion is bringing more train trips to every GO rail corridor to make moving around the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and surrounding communities faster and easier.
This means electric trains running in both directions, 7 days a week, on GO-owned corridors and significant service increases across the entire network.
In your community, improving existing transit options means all-day, two-way service and 15-minute service or better between Union Station and Oshawa GO Station.
We look forward to working with you, and being a part of the transformation in your community. A Region Under Pressure The GTHA and its surrounding communities “suffer from traffic congestion problems, poorly integrated transit services and relatively underdeveloped transport infrastructure” Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Territorial Review, 2010.
. Average commute time per . Results in $11 billion in . Over 500,000 tonnes of person, per day is 82 travel costs and lost annual greenhouse gas minutes. productivity every year. emissions is due to . Projected to increase to 109 . By 2031, this number could traffic congestion. minutes in the next 25 years. increase to $15 billion. Transit Project Assessment Process
2015
Spring 2016
Summer 2016
Fall 2016
Fall 2016
Late 2016
Early 2017 Guildwood to Pickering Project Area
Proposed Grade Separations Scarborough Golf Club Road Galloway Road Morningside Avenue
Other At-Grade Crossings Poplar Road Manse Road Beechgrove Drive Chesterton Shores Road City of Rodd Avenue Pickering
Rail Bridges Highland Creek Bridge City of Rodd Avenue Rouge River Bridge Toronto
GO Stations Guildwood Station Rouge Hill Station Chesterton Pickering Station Shores
Beechgrove Drive Morningside Avenue Manse Road Poplar Road Galloway Road Scarborough Golf Club Road What We Are Doing To Get There
Legend
Go Track
New 3rd Track
Freight Track
Proposed improvements from Guildwood to Pickering: . Operational ‘bottleneck’ between Guildwood and Pickering GO Stations where 3 tracks reduce to 2 tracks . Addition of 3rd Track . 3 Grade Separations (Scarborough Golf Club Road, Galloway Road and Morningside Avenue) . Modifications to 2 Rail Bridges (Rouge River and Highland Creek) . Electrification enabling works (track and grading design to include provision for future electrification, i.e. Overhead Catenary System (OCS) pole bases, electrical conduits) What we have done since March 2015
. Briefed and engaged with local elected officials, community groups and stakeholders such as City of Toronto, City of Pickering, etc. . Completed the following draft studies: – Natural Environment and Tree Inventory – Air Quality – Noise and Vibration – Socio-Economic and Land Use – Traffic – Cultural Heritage – Archaeology . Advanced preliminary design for grade separations and track alignment
Road Rail Crossings
. The safety of road rail crossings remains a priority and they are equipped with regulatory and best practice or better measures
. Road crossing improvements are a joint effort and typically led by the municipality that has jurisdiction over the local road
. We continue to assess all crossings across the network to identify further improvements where possible, including the 8 road rail crossings between just west of Guildwood and Pickering GO stations
Road Rail Crossing Improvements
Considerations in determining improvements:
Data: Impacts: . Collision history . Safety . Sight lines . Capacity . Geometry . Operations . Volume and type of vehicle . Proximity to GO Stations
Other Considerations . Cost of implementation . Impacts on the Natural Environment . Impacts on the Social and Economic Environment
Road Rail Crossing Review
The Process . Metrolinx is completing an analysis of road rail crossings on a network-wide basis . Options considered include: – Maintain at-grade crossing – Crossing improvements – Road closure – Road overpass – Road underpass – Rail overpass – Rail underpass
All road rail crossings on the Lakeshore East corridor have been removed except for the section between just west of Guildwood and Pickering GO stations Planned Grade Separations . Grade Separations (road underpasses) are planned for Scarborough Golf Club Road, Galloway Road, and Morningside Avenue. – Funding from the federal and provincial government was announced in the summer of 2015. – Feasibility and traffic studies have shown that these at-grade crossings support the need for the construction of a grade separation. High volume of traffic and active at grade crossing at these locations make a grade- separation the best option for replacing the at-grade crossings. – These were also selected in consultation with the City of Toronto. . The remaining 4 road rail crossings will be reviewed as part of the network wide review: – Poplar Road – Manse Road – Beechgrove Drive – Rodd Avenue
PLANNED GRADE SEPARATIONS
Morningside Avenue Scarborough Golf Club Road Galloway Road • Two Existing Tracks • Three Existing Tracks • Two Existing Tracks • Proposed Road Underpass • Proposed Road Underpass • Proposed Road Underpass • Third highest • Highest average volume of • Second highest average average volume of vehicular traffic volume of vehicular traffic vehicular traffic Scarborough Golf Club Road Grade Separation
Scarborough Golf Club Road Grade Separation
Galloway Road Grade Separation
Galloway Road Grade Separation
Morningside Avenue Grade Separation
Morningside Avenue Grade Separation
Traffic Review Morningside Avenue and Galloway Road Scarborough Golf Club Road Situation . Morningside will be reduced to 2 • Closed for at least 2 years during lanes during construction. construction. . Scarborough Golf Club Road will • Construct after grade separating be realigned to the east of the Scarborough Golf Club Road and work zone and remain as 2 lanes during construction. Morningside Avenue. Potential . Minimal traffic effects during . Closure during construction will result Effects construction. in traffic detours to Poplar Road. . Will not impact traffic at other . Traffic may choose to use completed nearby intersections. grade separation at Morningside and Scarborough Golf Club Road. . TTC bus service will continue on . Morningside during construction. Queues not expected to impact traffic at other nearby intersections. Mitigation . Implement a Traffic Staging and Management Plan during construction. . Work with City of Toronto Transportation staff to review traffic calming measures to support the new grade separations. Potential Road/Rail Crossing Closures Poplar Road . Exploring option of closing Poplar road at the rail/road intersection. . Low traffic volume * [46 Northbound/60 Southbound] . Close to proposed grade-separated routes.
Potential for pedestrian/cycling tunnel or bridge will be discussed with the City of Toronto. Potential Road/Rail Crossing Closures Chesterton Shores
Increased pedestrian/ cyclist safety concern Proposed 3rd track due to:
1. Increase in train frequency
2. Increased number of high speed train trips
3. Wider crossing with more tracks
Park users will be able to access the park at a new Rouge Hill GO Station pedestrian tunnel. Change to island platform Assessment of Other Road/Rail Crossings
Beechgrove Manse Road Drive
Proposed Modifications – Manse Road & Beechgrove Drive: . Additional track planned across existing crossings. . Crossings provide access to East Point Park, local industries and City of Toronto services. . Low volume of traffic does not warrant grade separation. . Road/rail crossing safety enhancements will be made. Assessment of Other Road/Rail Crossings
Rodd Avenue
Proposed Modifications – Rodd Avenue: . Additional track planned across existing crossing. . Provides access to residential community and recreational/conservation area. . Low volume of traffic does not warrant grade separation. . Cannot be closed as it is the only access point. . Road/rail crossing safety enhancements will be made. Rouge River Bridge Modifications
Proposed Modifications:
. Adding new bridge deck south of existing bridge . Remove old bridge and replace with new bridge . New bridge will be ballasted deck with metal truss
Rouge River Bridge Modifications Highland Creek Bridge Modifications
Proposed Modifications:
. Adding two new bridge deck on either side of existing bridge . Widening centre pier to support new bridge decks . New bridges will be ballasted deck with metal truss
Highland Creek Bridge Modifications Port Union Waterfront Park Modifications . Addition of the third track requires engineering solutions e.g. expanded embankments, retaining walls . Property requirements and treatment of new infrastructure in this location will be developed during detailed design in consultation with key stakeholders including the City of Toronto, TRCA and Parks Canada . Engineering solutions to enhance park user experience through design excellence/ landscaping The Assessment Process
This project is being assessed under the Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP).
The first step in project planning is determining the need for an assessment, which examines potential environmental effects of a project and how to address or mitigate any potential effects.
In the context of this study, the definition of “environment” is broad, it includes:
. Natural (e.g. vegetation, wildlife) . Socio-Economic (e.g. air, noise, land use) . Cultural (e.g. heritage, archaeological) Next Steps
TPAP Notice of Commencement • Begin the six-month TPAP by completing the draft Environmental Summer 2016 Project Report (EPR)
Public Meeting #3 • To be based on feedback from Public Meeting #2 Fall 2016
TPAP Notice of Completion & • Final EPR released for review and comment 30-day Public Consultation • Formal review of the EPR by review agencies, stakeholders and Fall 2016 the public
35-day Agency Review Period • Minister of the Environment and Climate Change to review Late 2016
Detailed Design • Preferred design will be advance during the detailed design Late 2016 - TBC process
Construction Start • Construction phasing for the new third track, grade separations and rail 2017 bridge widening to be confirmed during detailed design.
Staged Construction in Different • Scarborough Golf Club Road and Morningside Avenue to be completed first, then work on Galloway Road will begin in 2020 Locations
Construction Completion • All construction associated with the project to be completed in 2023 (TBC) 2023 - TBC Tell Us What’s Important To You Your feedback and community perspective is important to informing this project. Please have your say by:
. Completing a feedback form . Email: [email protected] . Checking Project updates and background material at: www.metrolinx.com/guildwoodpickering/ . Call us at: 1-888-438-6646 . Please submit your comments by June 15, 2016 All feedback will be recorded as part of the Environmental Project Report. A summary of this meeting will be posted shortly after the public meetings in June. Thank you for your attendance!