CREATING CONNECTIONS IN THE CITY OF KITCHENER GORD TROUGHTON, DIRECTOR, CORRIDOR INFRASTRUCTURE ERIN MOROZ, DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS KITCHENER CITY COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 CONGESTION COSTS OUR ECONOMY • The average commute in Ontario is already over 45 minutes, and that figure jumps to more than an hour for commuters in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area. That means the average commuter spends nearly an extra work day a week sitting in their car, stuck in traffic. Congestion is costing the Golden Horseshoe between $6 BILLION - $11 BILLION A YEAR in lost economic activity. 2 WE HAVE A PLAN: REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN Since 2008, Metrolinx has been guided by its Regional Transportation Plan, The Big Move. Developed in consultation with municipalities, residents and stakeholders from across the region, the plan provides strategic direction for planning, designing and building a regional transportation network that enhances the quality of life, the environment and the prosperity of area residents. Review for the next Regional Transportation Plan is now underway. The Big Move proposes to build over 1,200 km of rapid transit — more than triple what existed in 2008 — so that over 80 per cent of residents in the region will live within 2 km of rapid transit 3 WHO IS METROLINX? Metrolinx was created in 2006 by the Province of Ontario with a mandate to create greater connection between the communities of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, and now beyond to the Greater Golden Horseshoe. PLAN BUILD OPERATE 4 GO RAIL EXPANSION 150 kilometers of new dedicated GO track will allow for more uninterrupted service. New electric trains will travel faster for longer and reduce travel times. Bridges and tunnels that eliminate intersections with rail and road traffic will provide more reliable GO train service. New and improved stations will make your journey more comfortable, from start to finish. New electrified rail infrastructure will allow Metrolinx to deliver faster, more frequent service. 5 KITCHENER LINE OVERVIEW TODAY WITH RER* • 101 km, Union to Kitchener TODAY 5 million annual 18 million annual • 79% Metrolinx owned boardings boardings • GO Train service began in 85 rush hour trips per ~4 times the rush 1974 week hour trips • 16 stations 65 midday trips per Hundreds of new • Connections with Grand week; no evening or midday, evening & River Transit, Guelph weekend trips weekend trips Transit, Brampton Transit, MiWay, TTC & UP Express Diesel service Electric or mixed electric & diesel** service * - Figures subject to refinement as they do not reflect 2016 expansion of scope 6 ** - Electrification of all GO services is target; conditional on completion of freight bypass SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS 7 KITCHENER GO RAIL SERVICE Kitchener GO Train service has doubled 2011 TODAY KITCHENER GO BUS SERVICE 2016: Three new bus routes including express service from Kitchener with timed connections to and from trains at Bramalea GO station to provide all-day two-way service Monday to Friday. MORE ‘GO’ IN WATERLOO REGION 9 RAIL CORRIDOR INFRASTRUCTURE IN KITCHENER 10 KITCHENER CORRIDOR PROGRAM OVERVIEW Infrastructure Build: • Strachan Avenue Grade Separation • Additional track from Union Station to • Signal improvements Mt. Pleasant GO Station • Bridge structure modifications • New stations: Liberty Village, St. Clair • Layovers at Georgetown, Shirley West, Mount Dennis, and Breslau Avenue, Heritage Road • Station modifications/parking • Improved rail crossings expansion • West Toronto Railpath Extension • Hwy 401/409 Rail Tunnel • Customer experience improvements 11 NEW FREIGHT BYPASS 12 BUILDING A NEW CORRIDOR Building a new corridor is complex and as outlined in initial feasibility work will require: • Up to 35 new bridges for road and water crossings including significant crossings of 401, 410 • Modification and/or relocation of up to 17 hydro towers and as much as 3.4 km of major gas line relocations • Construction of 60 km of new track, new train signal system • Construction of a new rail/rail grade separation where Kitchener line will cross the bypass corridor • Noise and vibration mitigation as required for adjacent properties • Property impacts Next Steps: • Continue negotiations with CN, to progress from the Agreement in Principle (AiP) to a full agreement • Initiate an Environmental Assessment (EA), including public and stakeholder engagement • Continue planning and design to identify route alignment and address potential concerns. 13 ELECTRIFICATION • Metrolinx can only proceed with • EA underway now to plan and design the required electrification on owned corridors infrastructure for electric service on the Kitchener line • Electrification requires traction between Bramalea and Highway 427 in Toronto. This EA is power substations, switching on track to be complete by the end of 2017 stations, paralleling stations, • The Kitchener line west of Bramalea can be electrified only overhead contact systems, and once the new freight bypass is built various safety modifications 14 NEW TRACK & NEW STATIONS 15 NEW TRACK & NEW STATIONS • New Track – Kitchener Corridor • An additional track from Union Station to Mt. Pleasant GO Station to support 15-minute service between Union and Bramalea GO Station • 30 km freight bypass between Bramalea and Milton (30 km x 2 tracks) • 2nd 52 km track between Georgetown and Kitchener • New Stations • Liberty Village • St. Clair West • Mount Dennis • Breslau 16 BRESLAU GO STATION • Plans for a new station at Breslau near Greenhouse Rd. • Identified in a previous EA. • Good opportunity to attract new riders from a wide catchment • Will support adjacent transit- oriented development Will provide limited impact to existing passengers • Township of Woolwich plans an EA for a grade separation. • Working with Waterloo Region staff and Township staff as we advance the station design 17 KING-VICTORIA TRANSIT HUB • Working with the Region on its King-Victoria Transit Hub project • Kitchener GO station will shift west to co-locate with the ION LRT, Grand River Transit, and VIA services • Details of GO Bus and Rail facilities are in development with the Region 18 SHIRLEY AVENUE TRAIN LAYOVER • Shirley Avenue Train Layover complete and fully operational • Used to store trains overnight for efficient deployment during morning commute 19 KITCHENER GO BUS FACILITY Scope • Indoor storage for 20 buses • Can accommodate both single- and double-decker buses • Indoor fuelling lane and equipment, underground tank system • Indoor bus wash bay • Admin and staff support areas Milestone Schedule Design Completion October 2015 Procurement November 2015-March 2016 Construction April 2016-February 2018 In-Service February 2018 20 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 21 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: PROJECT CYCLE • Introduce the project to • Formal consultation the community and ask period included in the for initial feedback Transit Project Assessment Process • Work with residents to establish why the project is needed and proposed approach Environmental Planning & Assessment Feasibility (only applies to new infrastructure ) Design & Construction Procurement • Focus on minimizing impact to residents, • Work with the community keeping the community to inform the details of informed and the project, address managing/being design concerns and responsive to issues as build momentum. they arise. 22 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT • 2015: community notices to mark start of construction of Shirley Avenue Layover/Kitchener GO Bus facility • April 6 2017: MPP Daiene Vernile’s transit townhall update on RER projects in KW • April 24 2017: Mx Board Member Carl Zehr presentation to Rotary Club of Kitchener • Today: Community pop-up at Kitchener Public Library • Moving forward: planning on-the-ground engagement in post-secondary institutions in Waterloo Region 23 CONTACT US • Laura Durie • Community Relations Specialist • T:416-202-3467 • E: [email protected] • Erin Moroz • Director, Community Relations & Communications • T: 647-298-1843 • E: [email protected] • Gord Troughton • Director, Corridor Infrastructure - Kitchener • T: (416) 202-4728 • E: [email protected] 24 APPENDIX INSERT FOOTER 26 PARKING • Serve rural and urban communities – parking needs vary • Driving and parking at stations is not sustainable in the long term. • Working with the City and the Region on active transportation options at King- Victoria Transit Hub – first and last mile • Carpool lots and park and rides 27 NOISE • Noise is a key concern among residents in communities throughout the network • Metrolinx will work with Waterloo Region and the local municipalities on modelling proposed areas of noise mitigation • That work will commence during the EA for the freight bypass 28 REQUIREMENTS FOR THE BYPASS CORRIDOR • Preliminary planning and design work is underway at the same time negotiations with CN move forward. • Remaining work cannot begin until an agreement is secured. Phases Durations (*some can be done in parallel) • Technical and feasibility studies 2-3 years (approx.) • Planning studies • Design studies • Project Planning • Community engagement 3 years (approx.) • Community impact and mitigation • Environmental assessment • Permit and approvals • Procurement 4 years (approx.) • Construction • Commissioning • Community impact and engagement Ongoing 29 GO BUS SERVICE TO/FROM KITCHENER-WATERLOO GO Transit currently operates a number of express GO bus services connecting Kitchener/ Waterloo Region with the Greater Toronto Area. These include: Route