Environmental Study Report. Vista. Alta. Transportation Corridor. Prepared for: Prepared by:

Transcription

1 Environmental Study Report Alta Vista Transportation Corridor Prepared for: Prepared by: November 2005

2 ALTA VISTA TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY REPORT Prepared for: 110 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 1J1, Canada Prepared by: Michael Street, Gloucester, Ontario, K1J 7T2, Canada November 2005

3 Table of Contents SUMMARY... SI S.1 Introduction...SI S.2 Need Assessment...SI S.3 Development of Alternative Solutions...SIII S.4 Evaluation of Alternative Solutions...SIV S.5 Development and Evaluation of Alternative Designs...SVI S.6 Noise Attenuation Measures... SVII S.7 Transit Priority at Intersections... SVIII S.8 Landscape Concept... SVIII S.9 Stormwater Management...SIX S.10 Overview of Preferred Design...SIX S.11 Stage 1 Hospital Link...SIX S.12 Consultation...SX 1.0 INTRODUCTION Overview Background Environmental Assessment Process Study Design Document Report Organization PROJECT NEED Historic Need Confirmation of Need Initial AVTC Needs Assessment and Update Year 2021 Projected Transportation Needs Assessment Official Plan Growth Projections to Travel Parameter Assumptions Southeast Sector Screenline Capacity and Projected Traffic Volumes Sensitivity Analysis Needs Assessment Summary PUBLIC CONSULTATION Advisory Committees Public Advisory Committee Technical Advisory Committee Committee of Special Advisors Study Commencement Walk-a-bout Public Open Houses and Meetings Public Meeting # Public Meeting # Public Meeting # Public Meeting # Web Site City of Ottawa Transportation Committee Public Consultation Summary...19 i

4 4.0 EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS Overview Methods of Investigation Study Area Boundaries Social Conditions and Values Transportation Physical Environment Biological Environment ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS AND THEIR EVALUATION Description of Alternative Solutions Do Nothing Rapid Transit Transportation Demand Management Roadways, Routes and Combinations Evaluation of Alternative Solutions Evaluation Criteria Weighting or Ranking of Criteria Concordance Method Sensitivity Analysis ALTERNATIVE DESIGNS Common Design Objectives South Section Alternative Designs Central Section Alternative Designs Riverside Section Alternative Designs Nicholas/Lees Section Alternative Designs Evaluation of Alternative Designs South and Central Section Evaluation Results Central Section Evaluation Results Riverside Section Evaluation Results Nicholas/Lees Section Evaluation Results Evaluation of Alternative Intersection Designs Evaluation of Alternative Road Profiles PREFERRED DESIGN AND ASSESSMENT Refinements To The Preliminary Preferred Design Concept Transit Priority at Intersections Noise Attenuation Measures Landscape Concept Stormwater Management Overview of Preferred Design South and Central Sections Riverside Section Nicholas/Lees Section Project Activities Pre-construction Phase Pre-Construction Mitigation Construction Phase Construction Mitigation Operation Phase...88 ii

5 Operation Mitigation Assessment of the Preferred Design Assessment Methodology PROJECT STAGING Rationale for Project Staging Stage 1 - Hospital Link Detailed Description of the Hospital Link Impact Assessment of the Hospital Link Staging of Preferred Design - Full Corridor Traffic Assessment of Recommended Project Stages Timing of Stages Capital Cost Estimates IMPLEMENTATION AND APPROVALS Implementation Plan Subsequent Approval Requirements Modifying the Preferred Design CONCLUSION List of Appendices Appendix A: Appendix B: Appendix C: Appendix D: Appendix E: Appendix F: Appendix G: Study Design Document Needs Assessment Public Consultation Existing Conditions Report Alternative Solutions Outside of the AVTC Evaluation of Alternative Solutions Evaluation of Alternative Designs List of Tables Table 2-1: Official Plan Growth Projections to Table 2-2: Trip Parameters of OP/TMP...7 Table 2-3: Current Roadway Network Capacity at Critical Study Area Screenlines...8 Table 2-4: Projected Screenline Data for Year 2021 (2003 OP/TMP)...10 Table 2-5: Transit Ridership Required to Reduce North-South Screenline Volumes to the Screenlines Current Capacity...11 Table 5-1: Criteria Weights...33 Table 5-2: Evaluation Criteria...34 Table 5-3: Evaluation of Alternative Solutions - Concordance Matrix...38 Table 5-4: Summary of Impact Assessment and Evaluation of Alternative Solutions...39 Table 6-1: Evaluation Scoring of South Section Alternative Designs...66 Table 6-2: Evaluation Scoring of Central Section Alternative Designs...67 Table 7-1: Summary of Potential Environmental Effects...91 iii

6 List of Figures Figure 1-1: Site Location...1 Figure 1-2: Harmonized Environmental Assessment...3 Figure 2-1: Screenline Locations...9 Figure 2-2: 2021 Projected Screenline Deficiencies...13 Figure 4-1: Study Area...21 Figure 4-2: City of Ottawa Official Plan...22 Figure 4-3: Official Plan Schedule E Urban Road Network...25 Figure 5-1: Alternative 1: Do-nothing...29 Figure 5-2: Alternative 2: 2-lane Roadway Inside the AVTC...29 Figure 5-3: Alternative 3: 2-lane Roadway and 2 HOV/Bus Lanes Inside the AVTC...30 Figure 5-4: Alternative 4: 4-lane Roadway Inside the AVTC...30 Figure 5-5: Alternative 5: Arterial Road Widenings Outside the AVTC...30 Figure 5-6: Alternative 6: Arterial / Collector Road Widenings Outside the AVTC...31 Figure 5-7: Alternative 7: Transit Only Inside the AVTC...31 Figure 5-8: Blended Criteria Group Weight...32 Figure 6-1: South Section Alternative Design Figure 6-2: South Section Alternative Design Figure 6-3: South Section Alternative Design Figure 6-4: Central Section Alternative Design Figure 6-5: Central Section Alternative Design Figure 6-6: Central Section Alternative Design Figure 6-7: Central Section Alternative Design Figure 6-8: Riverside Section Alternative Design Figure 6-9: Riverside Section Alternative Design Figure 6-10: Riverside Section Alternative Design Figure 6-11: Riverside Section 1994 Concept...62 Figure 6-12a: Nicholas/Lees Section Alternative Designs...64 Figure 6-12b: Nicholas/Lees Section Alternative Designs Figure 6-13: South Section Intersections...70 Figure 6-14: Central Section Intersections...71 Figure 7-1: South Section Preferred Design (Berm Option)...78 Figure 7-2: Central Section Preferred Design...79 Figure 7-3: Riverside Section Preferred Design...80 Figure 7-4: Nicholas-Lees Section...81 Figure 8-1: Stage 1 - Hospital Link...98 Figure 9-1: Potential AVTC Implementation Approval Requirements List of Photos Photo 3-1: Walk-a-bout...16 Photo 4-1: Garden Plots...23 Photo 4-2: AVTC South Section...23 Photo 4-3: Recreation Path...24 Photo 4-4: Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)...26 iv

7 LIST OF ACRONYMS ANSI AQI AVTC CEAA CO CofA COSEWIC COSSARO CSA dba dbh DFO DND EA EAA ELC ESA ESR GHG GRA ha HC HEAP HOV km km/h LACAC m mg/m 3 mm mm/s MMAH MNR MOE MTCR MTO NCC NEA NHIC NO x NOSS OMAFRA OP OPA OWRA PAC PCU PGM PPV Area of Natural and Scientific Interest Air Quality Index Alta Vista Transportation Corridor Canadian Environmental Assessment Act carbon monoxide Certificate of Approval Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario Committee of Special Advisors decibels Diameter at Breast Height Department of Fisheries and Oceans Department of National Defence Environmental Assessment Environmental Assessment Act (Ontario) Ecological Land Classification Environmental Site Assessment Environmental Study Report greenhouse gases Government Review Agencies hectare(s) hydrocarbons Harmonized Environmental Assessment Process High Occupancy Vehicle kilometre(s) kilometres per hour Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee metre(s) milligrams per cubic metre millimetre(s) millimetres per second Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing Ministry of Natural Resources Ministry of the Environment Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Recreation Ministry of Transportation National Capital Commission Niblett Environmental Associates Natural Heritage Information Centre nitrous oxides Natural and Open Spaces Study Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs Official Plan Official Plan Amendment Ontario Water Resources Act Public Advisory Committee Passenger Car Units Planning & Growth Management Department City of Ottawa Peak Particle Velocity

8 PWQO PWS ROP ROPA ROW RPAM RRC RSO RVCA SOW TAC TDM ToR TSP TC VEC VKT vph YOY Provincial Water Quality Objectives Public Works and Services City of Ottawa Regional Official Plan (Ottawa-Carleton) Regional Official Plan Amendment Right-of-Way Real Property Asset Management - City of Ottawa Rideau River Collector Revised Statute of Ontario Rideau Valley Conservation Authority Statement of Work Technical Advisory Committee Transportation Demand Management Terms of Reference Total Suspended Particulates Transportation Committee Valued Environmental Component Vehicle-Kilometres Travelled vehicles per hour Young of Year

9 GLOSSARY Air Quality Index (AQI) - is a rating scale for outdoor air quality in the Province of Ontario. The lower the AQI, the better the air quality. Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) - an area identified by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources as having provincially significant representative ecological or geological features. Alighting - a term utilized in transit planning which refers to "getting off" or disembarking from a bus or train. Alta Vista Transportation Corridor (AVTC) - corridor between Walkley Road and Highway 417 as designated in the current City of Ottawa Official Plan and the previous Region of Ottawa-Carleton Official Plan (ROP) for transportation purposes. Alternative Solutions - alternative ways of solving and identified need for addressing an opportunity within the scope of an environmental assessment. Alternative Designs - alternative ways of implementing the preferred alternative solution within the scope of an environmental assessment. Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) - establishes a process based on a federal statute for conducting environmental assessments of projects involving the federal government. Committee of Special Advisors (CSA) - an advisory committee to the AVTC Study Team who represent area health-related institutions with potential site-specific issues. Class Environmental Assessment - a planning process approved under the Province of Ontario Environmental Assessment Act for a class or group of undertakings. Projects implemented under the Class EA process may be implemented without further EA approvals if they are undertaken in accordance with the approved process. Cumulative Environmental Effects - the effects on the environment, over a certain period of time and distance, resulting from effects of a project when combined with those of other past, existing, and imminent projects and activities. Environmental Assessment (EA) - a decision-making process used to promote good environmental planning by assessing the potential effects of certain activities on the environment. Environmental Assessment Act (Ontario) (EAA) - in Ontario, the EA process is defined and legislated in the Environmental Assessment Act (EAA). The purpose of the Act is to provide for the protection, conservation, and wise management of Ontario s environment(s). Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) - an investigation undertaken to identify existing and potential environmental contamination of a site based: on an assessment of past, present and adjacent land uses; review of existing physical conditions; review of government and agency records; and a visual inspection of the site for signs of contamination and the presence of hazardous material. Environmental Study Report (ESR) - documentation of the project in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Engineers Association Class environmental Assessment Process for Schedule C projects.

10 Harmonized Environmental Assessment Process (HEAP) - a process which combines the requirements of two or more EA processes. High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) - vehicles carrying a number of people which meets or exceeds a minimum number for eligibility to use the designated road lanes. Individual Environmental Assessment - environmental assessment which requires submission to the Minister of the Environment in accordance with the Environmental Assessment Act. Mitigation - the elimination, reduction, or control of the adverse environmental effects of the project, including restitution for any damage to the environment caused by such effects through replacement, restoration, compensation, or any other means. Modal share - the ratio of the number of trips made by a specific travel mode (i.e., transit or walking or bicycle) to the number of trips by all modes. Modal Split - the percentage of person-trips made by either transit or automobile, relative to the total number of person-trips made by motorized modes (i.e. transit and automobile, combined). Park and Ride - parking areas, usually located at transit stations, that facilitate convenient transfer from private vehicles to transit. Part II Order - an order to comply with Part II of the Environmental Assessment Act (previously know as a Bump-up request). This is an appeal process where a request is made to the Minister of the Environment requiring a proponent to comply with Part II of the Environmental Assessment Act. Peizometric - the water elevation in a well or peizometer. Public Advisory Committee (PAC) - an advisory committee to the AVTC Study Team consisting of representatives from potentially affected Community Associations and interested community groups. Screenline - a line that crosses major transportation facilities in a sector for the purpose of analyzing. These lines are typically drawn along a feature (river or railway) that limits the number of crossing available capacity versus demand anticipated points. Statement of Work City of Ottawa Committee approved document, which outlines the major tasks to be completed as part of an assignment Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) - an advisory committee to the AVTC Study Team consisting of representatives from government agencies and approval bodies. Transportation Demand Management (TDM) - strategies that encourage individuals to reduce the number of trips they make, utilize more environmentally-friendly travel modes, to travel outside of peak demand periods and to reduce average trip length. Transportation Master Plan (TMP) - municipal document which establishes infrastructure, program needs and supporting policies for the City s transportation system to accommodate OP development. Terms of Reference (ToR) - are required for Individual EA to set out a framework that will guide and focus the preparation of an EA. The ToR are submitted to the Ministry of the Environment for public and government agency comment and review and require the approval of the Minster of the Environment.

11 Alta Vista Alta Vista Transportation Corridor SUMMARY S.1 Introduction In Summer 2001, the City of Ottawa initiated an Environmental Assessment Study for the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor (AVTC). The AVTC is a tract of land owned primarily by the City of Ottawa, and designated in the former Region of Ottawa-Carleton Official Plan and in the current Ottawa Official Plan for transportation purposes. As shown in the figure below, the Corridor runs north and west from the Walkley/Conroy intersection to the Nicholas/Highway 417 interchange. The Alta Vista Transportation Corridor EA has proven to be a complex exercise in balancing the technical and public aspects of the project and the diverse opinions expressed by the communities affected. Over the course of the study, there has been significant effort and consultation to bring the study to this stage. Elgin Laurier Nicholas Main Vanier Pky Highway 417 Industrial St Laurent Bank Bronson The major aspects of the study, as listed below, are briefly described in this Summary section of the Environmental Study Report. Smyth Pleasant Park Needs Assessment Development of Alternative Solutions Evaluation of Rapid Transit Evaluation Process Evaluation Methodology Re-Evaluation Process Development of Alternative Designs and Evaluation Technically Recommended Plan Stage 1 Hospital Link AVTC Rive Rideau r Riverside Kilborn Heron Walkley Conroy S.2 Need Assessment The technical analysis supporting the City s Official Plan (OP), Transportation Master Plan (TMP), and the analysis conducted throughout this study, concludes that additional transportation capacity in the AVTC is needed. Approvals for growth and development of communities such as Riverside South and Leitrim were based on the assumption that the transportation facilities (rapid transit and roads) identified in the OP and TMP would be in place including the AVTC. The TMP identifies when various sections of the AVTC are required to be implemented. In the short term, capacity is required to facilitate the development of the Health Care Node located along Smyth Road. In the longer term, a connection north to the Queensway and south to Walkley Road both provide important links needed to maintain, what is considered and documented in City policies to be, acceptable levels of service and connectivity. The Corridor has been identified for transportation purposes since 1966 and this was reconfirmed in subsequent Official Plans, including the 2003 City of Ottawa s OP and TMP. A key component of the initial EA analysis was to re-evaluate if there is a need to provide for transportation infrastructure in the study area to help meet the current and future transportation-related requirements in the Southeast Sector SI

12 of the City. The Needs Assessment report (March 2002, and subsequent updates) represents part of the first phase in the Environmental Assessment Study. The Needs Assessment considered: Existing travel conditions at specific screenlines within the Southeast Sector; Various travel modes across these screenlines; Growth areas in the Southeast Sector; Future travel conditions related to the City's new population growth targets to the year 2021; Transit alternatives and ridership targets; Future vehicular capacities of the screenlines; Future capacity surpluses or deficiencies across the screenlines; A broad range of possible future strategies to address deficiencies in screenline capacity; and A more localized view of existing and future road and intersection capacity in the Alta Vista/Smyth area related to planned growth at the Smyth Road Health Care Node, the Train Yard Lands and NCC lands located north of Hurdman Station. The conclusion of the Needs Assessment are: Firstly, with regard to the Southeast Sector as a whole, this analysis demonstrates that the current levels of service/congestion are approaching critical levels. The projected year 2021 conditions indicates that even with the implementation of a broad range of travel reducing strategies, with the achievement of higher transit modal share targets and with increased overall road system efficiency, there is still the need for a considerable amount of additional transportation infrastructure throughout the Southeast Sector. Secondly, with regard to the Walkley and Smyth Screenlines, which include the AVTC, specific analysis of future transportation needs north of Walkley Road indicated the need for additional transportation capacity/infrastructure across the Walkley and Smyth Screenlines to address the transportation needs of the Southeast Sector by the Official Plan horizon (2021), and that this infrastructure is only part of a larger package of transportation-related solutions for this sector. The alternatives to address the projected deficiency both inside and outside the AVTC range from a transit-only solution, to various transit/road combinations to road-only solutions. Thirdly, with regard to the more localized needs on the vicinity of the Smyth Road Health Care Node, there is an imminent and identified need for additional transportation system capacity in the section of the AVTC from Smyth Road to Riverside Drive, regardless of the outcome of the environmental assessment for the AVTC as a whole. For example, should the EA conclude that the appropriate solution for the AVTC as a whole is the do nothing alternative, there remains a previous and current demonstrated need to provide additional road capacity and transit service in the section of the AVTC from Riverside Drive east to Smyth Road. In summary Attainment of a 30% transit share of overall travel in the afternoon peak (the new OP s target) will result in the projected transit modal split at individual screenlines in the Southeast Sector being within the range of 50% to 32%, from north to south. This compares to the 40% to 15% range of target transit shares for 2021 that were established in the 1997 Regional Official Plan. Even with the attainment of the above-noted increased transit modal splits at individual study area screenlines, a considerable amount of residual travel demand remains that will require additional roadway capacity within the Southeast Sector. Specifically, the additional arterial road infrastructure identified as necessary by 2021 in the Southeast Sector includes the widening of each of: River Road/Limebank Road, Albion Road and SII

13 Bank Street across the Leitrim Screenline, the widening of Conroy Road to six lanes, the twinning of the Airport Parkway across the CNR East Screenline, and the provision of additional arterial capacity north of Heron/Walkley through the study area sufficient to accommodate 1800 vph in the peak direction. There is a significant projected capacity deficiency across the Rideau River Central Screenline that could be partially alleviated by additional road capacity linking the Southeast Sector across the Rideau River to the Queensway and beyond. S.3 Development of Alternative Solutions The alternative solutions to address the future transportation needs of the Southeast Sector of Ottawa, and specifically the projected capacity deficiencies across the Walkley/Heron and Smyth Road Screenlines, included a full range of alternatives located within and outside of the AVTC. These are briefly described as follows: (a) Within the AVTC Corridor Rapid Transit Only: This solution took the form of either laying tracks in the corridor for a railbased technology or building a two-lane transitway. Stations would be developed at appropriate locations for walk-in and drop-off of passengers, for park-and-ride lots, and for vehicle access in the case of a transitway. Roadway Only: These solutions provided capacity for all vehicles (private and transit) by building either a two-lane or a four-lane roadway from the Conroy/Walkley intersection north and west to the Queensway (Nicholas interchange). The two-lane roadway option is a shared facility for all vehicle types. Variations of a four-lane roadway had four lanes for general traffic, or two lanes for general traffic and two lanes for HOV usage, either all day or during peak periods only. Hybrid Solutions: Either of the foregoing rapid transit solutions could have been combined with a two-lane (or four-lane) roadway giving a high level of service for both transit and private vehicles. A four-lane roadway could also have been developed with two lanes for general traffic and two bus-only lanes, thus providing extra capacity for private and public vehicles. Do Nothing: No transportation facilities would be built in the Corridor but with the necessary additional transportation capacity either provided outside the AVTC or not at all. There are, however, plans for a recreational pathway in the AVTC that could be implemented independently. If the Corridor were not to be used for transportation purposes, its future use could be the subject of a detailed land use study to determine the best use of the land for the achievement of the Smart Growth objectives of the OP. (b) Outside the AVTC Corridor Rapid Transit Only: There were three options for a rapid transit solution outside the Corridor. The first entailed the extension of the existing Southeast Transitway and/or the O-Train south of the Hunt Club Road to the Airport and the Riverside South/Leitrim Communities. The second alternative entailed the development of a rail-based technology in the existing abandoned railway corridor extending from the Hurdman/Train Station southeasterly paralleling the Highway 417 corridor to south of Walkley Road and then following the CN/CP Railway/Hydro Corridor westerly to the Southeast Transitway/O-Train corridor. An alternative to this which is both within and outside the Corridor is the development of a rapid transit facility extending from the Hurdman Station south to the AVTC Corridor, then extending SIII

14 east along the north limit of the Hospital Complex, through the Perley Hospital site and along the south side of Innes Road to the above-noted Highway 417 corridor to join with the possible Cumberland Transitway Corridor, which has not yet been finalized for the section west of Blackburn Hamlet. Roadway Only: The provision of additional roadway capacity for general traffic could have been achieved outside the AVTC corridor by widening any one or more of the following existing roads north of Walkley Road/Heron Road. - Riverside Drive; - Bank Street; - Alta Vista Drive; and - Russell Road/St. Laurent Boulevard/Tremblay Road. Hybrid Solutions: Combinations of both the rapid transit and roadway only solutions outside the corridor could have provided additional capacity for both private and public transit vehicles. Travel Demand Management: Generating greater results from policies, programs and implementation strategies that decrease private automobile travel such as: - education and publicity; - legislation; - employer initiatives; - parking space maximums; - on-road cycling accommodation; and - mixed-use development. S.4 Evaluation of Alternative Solutions As an early priority in the EA, a study of transit in the Southeast Sector was conducted. The resultant report Evaluation of Transit Alternatives, March 2003 gave consideration the City s 2021 OP growth projections and applied the OP s new transit modal split and Transportation Demand Management (TDM) targets. The transit study addressed the various combinations of rapid transit and supporting surface buses to best accommodate the Southeast Sector s projected 2021 travel needs. With regard to northsouth rapid transit, both the O-Train/Southeast Transitway Corridor and the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor were evaluated to determine how to best extend rapid transit service to the southern growth areas and how to best maximize transit ridership for the dollars spent. The study concluded that the extension of the O-Train/Southeast Transitway Corridor was by far the best corridor for north-south rapid transit for the Southeast Sector, and that the AVTC should not be recommended for north-south rapid transit. Concurrent with the transit study, the City was conducting the Rapid Transit Expansion Study (RTES) and the TMP as input to the Official Plan. Following extensive study, both the RTES and the TMP recommended the extension of the O-Train Corridor as being the best corridor for north-south rapid transit in the Southeast Sector (along with the Southeast Transitway). The City s OP incorporated these recommendations. Consideration was also given to how much the transit ridership would have to increase above the OP s 2021 targets in order to absorb the projected surplus north-south travel demand of 1800 vph in the peak direction so that there would be no deficiency in the area s north-south road network across the key study area screenlines (i.e., no road required in the AVTC). It was determined that the percentage of transit across the Walkley-Heron and Smyth Screenlines would have to increase from the current 16% (2,420 SIV

15 transit riders) up to 57% (13,000 transit riders), and from 30% (2,100 transit riders) up to 60% (6,475 transit riders) respectively. The proposed transit system has the capacity to accommodate these increased riders, however, the issue is not one of transit system capacity, but one of how much of a transit modal split and/or increase in transit ridership is a realistic target on which to plan the City. As the study team believes these are unrealistically high levels of transit ridership compared to existing and to targets, it was appropriate to proceed with identifying, assessing and evaluating alternatives to accommodate the aforementioned projected surplus of 1800 vph. The evaluation of alternative solutions consisted of the following steps: Identify the Broad Range of Alternatives; Describe Existing Conditions; Identify Evaluation Criteria/Indicators; Assign Weights to Evaluation Criteria; Impact Analysis; Application of Evaluation Method (Concordance Matrix); and Selection of Preliminary Preferred Alternative. Alternative 3, which is a four-lane road-based facility comprising 2 all-purpose lanes and 2 HOV/Bus lanes was identified as the preliminary preferred alternative based on the foregoing evaluation and assessment procedure. This alternative, includes: Two all-purpose lanes and two lanes for high occupancy vehicles (buses and passenger cars with multiple occupants) extending from the Conroy / Walkley intersection north and northwest to the Nicholas/417 interchange; A parallel Recreation Path and sidewalk; and On-road cycling lanes in each direction. Following the initial identification of the preliminary preferred alternative, a sensitivity analysis was undertaken to determine which of the criteria categories most affected the ranking of alternatives and if the category weighting were changed, how would the rankings change. When the value of the Social, Economic, Biological and Physical criteria grouping was reduced from its weighted value of 0% such that the criteria had no impact, alternative 3 continued to rank 1st. Only when the Transportation criteria grouping was reduced from 39% to 0%, did the first place ranking change. For this scenario, Alternative 1: Do Nothing ranked 1st, Alternative 2: a two-lane road ranked a close 2nd, and Alternative 3: two allpurpose lanes and two HOV/bus lanes ranked 3rd. The ranking under this scenario is understandable given the significant influence (39%) that the transportation criteria have on the ranking, and when given a value of 0%, those alternatives that do the least to address the projected transportation network deficiency would logically rank highest. In summary, the sensitivity analysis supported the selection of Alternative 3, 2-all-purpose lanes and 2 HOV/bus lanes, as the preliminary preferred alternative. Re-evaluation of the Alternative Solutions: Following the presentation of the evaluation results and the preliminary preferred alternative to the Transportation Committee in May 2004, the Committee directed the Study Team to re-evaluate the alternative solutions with the addition of a bus rapid transit alternative included. The study team subsequently developed the seventh alternative solution, which would be a bus-based Transitway running from the Southeast Transitway through the AVTC to the East-West O-Train line south of Walkley Road. The rationale for this alternative stemmed from the possibility that the Hospital Rapid Transit link, which is under appeal, could be removed from the Official Plan. As such, a transit rider, coming from the east, SV

16 wishing to access the Hospitals would ride the East-West LRT to a station at Conroy, transfer to a BRT facility extending north to and through the Hospitals. The bus would then have the opportunity to connect with the Southeast Transitway. The entire re-evaluation process, including this alternative, was repeated. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted to ensure consistency with the process and most importantly, provide an understanding of the acceptability of the transit only alternative. The results of the re-evaluation process generated similar results. (Alternative 3) 2-lanes for regular traffic and 2-lanes for HOV/buses continued to be the preliminary preferred alternative. The transit alternative ranked 4 th primarily due to its inability to address the future traffic demands as described previously. S.5 Development and Evaluation of Alternative Designs The Corridor is lengthy and was split into logical segments to narrow the focus on each section and resolve issues specific to them during the development of alternative designs. The four segments examined were the South Section (Conroy to Smyth), Central Section (Smyth to Alta Vista), Riverside Section (Alta Vista to Rideau River), and the Nicholas-Lees-Highway 417 Interchange Section. The following is a list of the common design objectives used in all sections. Design Objectives Designed as an arterial road; All transportation modes (especially pedestrians and cyclists) should be accommodated; Vehicle access to adjacent properties will be controlled and minimized; Promote a high degree of connectivity between land uses and places along and across the route; Follow the City-owned Corridor as much as possible; Designed as a low speed arterial, posted speed of 60 kph, design speed of 70 kph; Reduce and control travel speeds through geometric and landscape design where feasible and where safety is not compromised; 3 m wide Major Recreational Pathway will be provided; On-road cycling will be accommodated; HOV lanes and transit supportive features, will be determined as part of the ensuing phase related to developing the detailed design; Flexibility for intersections to accommodate community mobility and connectivity; Accommodate the width, weight and movements of the range of vehicles (particularly buses) that may be using them; Generally limited-access, with only strategically located intersections; Provide for surplus adjacent lands to be utilized in accordance with their designations in the Official Plan and the Plan for Canada s Capital; and Between Walkley Road and Riverside Drive, the facility will be designed as a Scenic Route, as designated in the Official Plan. Technically Preferred Alternative: A preliminary preferred design concept was identified for each of the South, Central, Riverside and Nicholas/Lees sections of the Corridor. The preferred concept for each section was carried forward for further refinement, as appropriate, as the strategy for concept refinements benefited from a combination of further technical analysis and contributions from the TAC and PAC. SVI

17 These refinements included: The width of the widened median areas in the South and Central Sections was decreased in order to increase the separation of vehicle lanes from existing residences. This is in response to the preference of communities that the alignment be centralized and located as far away from residences as possible. Where widened, the median width remains sufficient for landscaping and stormwater management; The alignment in the area of the Hospital Woods was deflected to the south and west to minimize woodlot displacement and to locate vehicle lanes further away from residences; The alignment north of the Hospital Complex was located to the northern limit of the Corridor to provide sufficient vehicle storage capacity on the connecting link between the new facility and the Hospital Ring Road; The alignment between Alta Vista Dive and Riverside Drive was shifted north to protect for an approximate 15 m wide rapid transit corridor through this area; and The alignment in the area of the woodlot along the Rideau River was modified to minimize woodlot displacement and to minimize site alteration of flood plain and former landfill areas. S.6 Noise Attenuation Measures The development of noise attenuation measures for the preliminary preferred design included the input of a professional engineer and certified noise consultant. Guidance was provided in relation to applicable provincial and municipal guidelines pertaining to facility noise and potential effects on adjacent sensitive receivers. The following assessment process was utilized: Various locations along the AVTC where project-related noise might be of concern were established as noise receptors; Existing noise levels at the receptors were forecast; Future noise levels at the receptors were forecast; Locations requiring mitigation were determined where the change in noise was forecast to exceed 5 dba and the future noise level was forecast to exceed 55 dba; and For the locations requiring mitigation, noise mitigation options were considered to include 2 m to 4.5 m high earth berms, or 2 m to 2.5 m high noise attenuation fences, or a combination of the two. Resulting preliminary recommendations for noise attenuation, including proposed locations for berm and/or fence treatments, were determined. These mitigation recommendations were influenced by various factors including the noise forecasts, grade differences between the noise source and receivers, land availability, relationship to intersections at roadways and pathways, proposed community garden location opportunities, effects on the Hospital Woods and drainage requirements. It is important to note that in some locations in the South Section there is an opportunity to replace the noise attenuation fences with higher berms located either adjacent to the facility edge, or in some locations, adjacent to dwellings. However, to attain similar levels of noise reductions, such berms would need to be of heights ranging from 3.0 m to 4.5 m (as opposed to 2.0 m for fences), depending on location along the Corridor. When designed with acceptable 3:1 side slopes, such high berms would consume a wider open space swath and might be more visually obtrusive to the overall neighbourhood. However, these disbenefits might be counter-weighted by benefits to adjacent residents who may prefer a high berm to mitigate noise and visual impacts rather than a noise attenuation fence located on/near their lot line. The subsequent detailed design process for noise attenuation measures should include involvement of adjacent residents for reasons such as this. SVII

18 S.7 Transit Priority at Intersections The preferred at-grade intersection designs respond to input from the Transit Services Branch (OC Transpo) of the City of Ottawa. At intersections where a bus stop is required, a bus priority design has been incorporated. This includes the development of a bus priority lane and bus shelter island on the near side of the identified intersections, adjacent to the HOV lane. This will allow buses to pickup passengers without blocking traffic, as well as a priority signal phase (white vertical bar), when the signal turns from red. Additional benefits include less chance of transit passengers being splashed by passing vehicles, and no right-turning vehicles turning in front of buses. At these locations, a right-turn lane for traffic exiting the arterial will be located to the right side of the island. The Transit Services Branch has estimated that over a 20-year horizon, peak hour bus volumes in the peak direction would grow/range from approximately 12 to 30 buses per hour. It should be noted that this bus priority design adds significant width to the road facility. Another alternative that was considered was to combine the bus priority lane and the right-turn lane. This would reduce the overall road width at these intersections by 10m, at each bus stop location, reducing pedestrian crossing distances, and giving lesser priority to buses. Additional characteristics include greater potential for waiting transit passengers being splashed by right-turning vehicles, potential bus delays due to rightturning vehicles, delays to right-turning vehicles due to stopped buses and safety concerns associated with right-turning vehicles passing in front of stopped buses. Either alternative would provide a suitable level of service and safety for all modes. This is considered to be a choice that can be determined at the subsequent detailed design stage. S.8 Landscape Concept One of the key common design objectives for the facility is for it to be developed as a Scenic Route located within a Major Open Space corridor yet adjacent to residential uses. Key characteristics of the plan pertaining to landscaping include: Integration of noise attenuation berms as a visually interesting landscape feature; Pursuit of a rhythm of berms, planting groupings, open spaces, and intersections; Occasional visual openings and landscape connections to adjacent open space areas where berms are not required or not possible or where breaks are necessary (such as at intersections and pathway crossings); Mitigation of the visual effects of noise attenuation fences, where utilized, by including planting adjacent to them; Mitigation of visual effects of the facility on adjacent users, through the location and design of planting and berms; Mitigation of potential headlight glare in the vicinity of curves and intersections by the strategic location and design of planting and berms; Dual use of wide median areas for a combination of planting and stormwater management where required; Locating tree plantings on the windward (outside) sides of berms, and offset from the road edge in other locations, in an attempt to mitigate potential for snow drifting; Locating features in a manner that leaves opportunities for open space uses requiring large areas unobstructed by berms or planting; and Planting adjacent to natural areas that is non-invasive and that will emulate natural characteristics. SVIII

19 S.9 Stormwater Management One of the considerations in the evaluation of alternative designs was the incorporation of stormwater management facilities (SWMF) into the roadway. A detailed Stormwater Management Study is required to address benefits and optimization of proposed SWMF. This study would look at specific areas and details including the Norway Crescent drainage basin and Smyth Road westerly in the AVTC storm sewer outlet, to again increase level of service in the sewer system to the east. While the detailed Stormwater Management Study will address the design specifics of the SWMF, the following is an overview of the required facilities: Dry pond(s) will be required for the AVTC in any event to control flows to existing outlets; Direct flows from 200 m south of Pleasant Park to the bend north of Smyth, which naturally drains easterly to the Rideau River. This has been suggested in past reports as an alternative to taking the controlled flows easterly, which generally help to reduce flooding and relieve other issues; North of Smyth Road for example, an existing SWF in the Ottawa Life Sciences Technology Park would need to be expanded, if there is sufficient room. Quality treatment would be considered at several locations as opposed to one location at the Rideau River; Specific surface icing/flooding maintenance issues can be addressed at 2 locations on the east side of the corridor, north and south of Pleasant Park Road, which provides benefits beyond the requirements of the roadway; Larger areas than needed for the roadway are included as they drain towards the Corridor from Lynda Lane and other lands to the west, and to minimize areas draining to the east; A larger pond will reduce the downstream flow and hence the piping costs all the way to the Rideau River; and Pleasant Park Road drainage across the AVTC has been included, again to increase the level of service downstream easterly. S.10 Overview of Preferred Design The Preferred Design for the AVTC shows the basic functional geometric design of the proposed facility. In addition to the facility s geometric design, a demonstration of landscaping and noise mitigation measures, that are considered built-into the Preferred Design, are also shown. It is important to note that the landscaping and noise mitigation measures are shown as a conceptual demonstration, and would be subject to refinements at the detailed design stage. Participation of adjacent residents into the design of the landscaping and noise mitigation measures will be an important aspect during the detailed design phase. S.11 Stage 1 Hospital Link As previously mentioned, the need to conduct this EA at this time is due to the increasing development of the Hospital Area which will require major new infrastructure to accommodate the related growing travel demands and to minimize community impact. The TMP identified the required staging of the AVTC and stated that the section from Riverside to the Hospitals was needed in the first phase (before 2008). This, along with Council s direction that only the funds required for this stage are included in the long-range financial plan, confirmed the link from Riverside to the Hospitals as Stage 1. The purpose of the Hospital Link in the AVTC is to provide a connection from Riverside Drive and the Southeast Transitway easterly to the Hospital Lands. This link is needed to improve transit service to the area and to accommodate projected growth in vehicle travel demand related to ongoing development of the Hospital Lands. As such, it would relieve pressure on the adjacent sections of Alta Vista Drive and Smyth Road, which are currently operating close to, or at capacity. SIX

20 As the intent of the EA process is for the initial phase of the AVTC to be compatible with the recommended design solution for the ultimate facility, the choices for the initial Hospital Link included: a link that will form a portion of the ultimate facility from Riverside Drive through to the Hospital Lands; and a link that is separate from the ultimate facility so as not to preclude its ability to be constructed if/when required. Due to the combination the recommended alignment of the ultimate design solution, the limited available right-of-way in certain locations within this section of the Corridor, the geometric complexities of passing under the railway tracks and over Riverside Drive, and the desire to minimize throw-away costs if/when the ultimate facility is built, it was determined the Hospital Link would form a portion of recommended ultimate facility. The recommended Stage 1 Hospital Link is the southerly two lanes of the ultimate four-lane design solution. The ultimate cross-section of these two lanes, which would be the future eastbound lanes, is 9.25 m comprised of a 2.0 m wide bicycle lane a 3.5 m outside vehicle (HOV) lane and a 3.75 m inside regular traffic lane. Initially, when these two lanes operate as the two-way Hospital Link, the 9.25 m will be divided equally, with each of the eastbound and westbound lanes being m wide. This lane width is suitable for shared use (motorized vehicles and bicycles), while being entirely compatible with the ultimate cross-section. The two-lane Hospital Link will extend from the existing Hospital Ring Road west to a realigned Riverside Drive. It will pass over the realigned Riverside Drive, over the Southeast Transitway, across Old Riverside Drive (which will be cul-de-saced), underneath the CN rail line, and will intersect Alta Vista Drive and the Hospital Ring Road at-grade. As it passes over the realigned Riverside Drive, connecting ramps down to Riverside Drive are provided at the existing Hincks and Frobisher intersections. In addition to the core two lanes, turn lanes will be required at intersections; bus ramps will be provided to/from the Transitway and bus priority lanes will be provided where appropriate. Appropriate noise attenuation and landscaping will also be provided. With regard to total construction costs in 2005 dollars, the Hospital Link is estimated to cost approximately $59M, and the Ultimate Facility is estimated to cost approximately $135M. S.12 Consultation This environmental assessment involved one of the most extensive public consultation programs undertaken by the City of Ottawa. There have been more than 2500 participants at the various consultation events which is reflective of successful notification of events and the high public interest. The following is an overview of the project s consultation: City of Ottawa Project Website established at the beginning of the project and contains a detailed summary of the entire project: Walk-About November 17, 2001 the project team hosted a field trip for interested members of the PAC, TAC, City Councillors and members of the public. The group walked up the entire corridor examining the various study area features. Approximately 40 people attended; Public Meeting #1 December 12, meeting was hosted by the City to provide the communities potentially affected by the project with an understanding of the study, the history of the project, the EA process and opportunities to become involved. Approximately 750 attended; Open House #1 September 26, presented a comprehensive list of issues identified to date, summaries of the existing condition and needs assessment, as well as the alternative SX

21 solutions being considered [do nothing, rapid transit (bus or rail), roadways and combinations]. In addition, the public had the opportunity to review and provide comments on the list of criteria used to evaluate the various alternative solutions. Approximately 500 people attended; Open House #2 March 30, the methodology and analysis used to develop the various alternative solutions [rapid transit (bus/rail), roadway (inside/outside corridor), do nothing], the evaluation methodology and the technically preferred solution were presented. The public had the opportunity to review the material presented and provide their comments. Similar to the first open house, approximately 450 attended; Open House #3 and Public Meeting #2 May 30, alternative designs were developed based on the preferred solution. A thorough evaluation was conducted on the various alternatives based on criteria that can measure meaningful differences between the choices. Once this is complete, a technically preferred alternative will be identified along with any necessary mitigation measures and staging options. Over 500 signed in at this meeting. Public Advisory Committee 10 Meetings during the study Technical Advisory Committee 8 Meetings during the study Transportation Committee Presentations - Status Update #1 20 November Status Update #2 19 May Final Report to Committee 21 September 2005 The output from the above-noted 21 September 2205 Transportation Committee were recommendations to City Council related to receiving the EA, to implementing only the Stage 1 Hospital Link at this time, and to the preparation of the Environmental Study Report for the 30-day public review, in accordance with the Environmental Assessment Act. Council, at its 12 October 2005 meeting, carried the recommendations. SXI

22 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Overview The Alta Vista Transportation Corridor (AVTC) is a tract of land owned primarily by the City of Ottawa. The Corridor (Figure 1-1) extends north approximately 5.5 km from the Conroy Road/Walkley Road intersection to the Highway 417/Nicholas Street interchange. Along its length, it intersects with Kilborn Avenue, Pleasant Park Road, and Smyth Road. It proceeds west around the Health Sciences Centre and then intersects Alta Vista Drive, the CNR rail line, the Southeast Transitway and Riverside Drive, after which it extends northwest to where it crosses the Rideau River in alignment with the Highway 417/Nicholas Street interchange. Apart from the one location adjacent to the Transitway where its width is 40m, the Corridor s width ranges typically from 90m to 150m. Figure 1-1: Site Location The Corridor is predominantly vacant land currently accommodating a combination of open fields, two wood lots, garden plots, temporary Hospital Complex parking and a former landfill site. Adjacent land uses include a combination of low and high density residential, institutional and transportation and utility corridors. The AVTC is designated in the Official Plan to accommodate an arterial road (Conceptual Alignment Undefined). The Corridor is also designated as a scenic entry route and accommodates a portion of the City s major recreation pathway system. 1.2 Background This Corridor has been identified as a future roadway requirement in the former City of Ottawa Plans since 1966 and in former Regional Official Plans (ROP) since The AVTC was reconfirmed in 1997 as a future need in the Regional Transportation Master Plan (TMP) and in the ROP. On September 13, 2000, following the completion of the Alta Vista Drive/Smyth Road Transportation Strategy, Regional Council approved the following recommendation: To ensure the timely delivery of the section of the Alta Vista Parkway between Smyth Road and Riverside Drive appropriate funds need to be identified to complete the Environmental Assessment (EA) Study for the Alta Vista Parkway between Conroy Road and the Queensway. At its March 21, 2001 meeting, the City's Transportation Committee approved the Statement of Work for the AVTC Environmental Assessment (EA). This was followed by the preparation of a Terms of Reference and the Consultant Selection process. During this initial phase of the process, Council also recommended that in addition to consideration of a roadway in the AVTC, the EA should also investigate transportation alternatives such as transit, rail, mixed-use facilities, and transportation demand management. Accordingly, a crucial feature of this Environmental Assessment Study is to identify the projected north-south travel demand, and if the need for additional transportation infrastructure in the Corridor is reconfirmed, evaluate all modes of transportation as a means of addressing the need. 1

23 This strategy was identified and approved to ensure there is appropriate transportation infrastructure in place to accommodate the existing and projected travel demand to and from planned growth within the Health Sciences Centre and adjacent lands. The City s objective was further defined at the November 20, 2002 Transportation Committee at which the following resolution was carried: Therefore be it resolved that once the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor Environmental Assessment is completed and approved, that the General Manager of Development Services be directed to present to the Transportation and Transit Committee and City Council for implementation, only those sections of the Environmental Assessment that provide transportation solutions for the Ottawa Hospital Complex; and Further be it resolved that the General Manager of Development Services be directed to include in the 10 year capital budget ( ) only funding for transportation solutions for the Ottawa Hospital Complex. This Committee resolution was further reinforced in the City s Transportation Plan (June 2003), in which the section of the AVTC from Riverside Drive to the Hospital Complex was identified as a Phase 1 (about 2008) initiative. Although the current intention of the City, as declared at the September 21, 2005 Transportation Committee meeting, is to provide the appropriate transportation facility for only the Hospital Link portion of the AVTC (Riverside Drive to the Hospital Complex), it is necessary that the EA address the entire Corridor to ensure that the initial Hospital Link is compatible with the future design solution for the Corridor as a whole. The environmental assessment process does not allow a portion of the Corridor to be studied, planned, designed and built, without having done the planning and design for the Corridor as a whole. This would be piece mealing, which is prohibited under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. The EA was therefore undertaken for the entire AVTC and the implementation schedule will be at the direction of the City. Therefore be it resolved that Council receive the results of The Alta Vista Transportation Corridor E.A. on the basis that it is Council s position to implement only the Hospital Link section between Riverside Drive and the Hospital Complex (not through to Smyth Road) and that any further development of the corridor not occur until after the matter of the corridor has been reviewed in the Official Plan Reviews of 2008 and This report represents the results of the Environmental Assessment Study for the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor. 1.3 Environmental Assessment Process This EA study was planned and conducted within a Harmonized Environmental Assessment framework (Figure 1-2). On this basis, it is intended to fulfill the initial requirements of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA), the initial NCC s Environmental Assessment Policy requirements, and the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. Additional approvals will be required during the final phase (Design, Construction, Operation and Monitoring). The approvals will be contingent upon providing the preliminary and detailed design of the components of the project as well as the construction details. 2

24 Figure 1-2: Harmonized Environmental Assessment Within the Ontario legislation, a potential road would be a Schedule C project in accordance with the Municipal Class EA Process. A potential transit facility would be classified as an Individual EA. Effectively, these processes are similar in terms of the level of technical investigations. The primary difference is the approval process. Once the preferred alternative solution (four-lane roadway with two lanes for regular traffic and two lanes for high occupancy vehicles including buses) for the Corridor was selected, the Class EA process was confirmed and an Individual EA was not required. The CEAA requirements may be triggered by the preferred design s crossing of the Rideau River (DFO and Transportation Canada approvals) and/or NCC lands requirements and approvals. The requirements for an Environmental Screening Report would be verified once there is a physical project and the design details are finalized prior to the tendering process. The timing for any subsequent EA requirements will, therefore, be based on City planning decisions and budgets. 1.4 Study Design Document A Study Design Document (Appendix A) was developed from the Statement of Work to act as the blueprint to guide the planning and completion of the AVTC Environmental Assessment. Input into the document was obtained from the Technical and Public Advisory Committees prior to finalization. The document describes the responsibilities of the Advisory Committees, the timing of activities, and the methodology proposed to complete the study within the projected timeframe. The Study Design Document is divided into three sections: Work Plan, Communications Plan and Project Schedule. The Work Plan describes the overall approach to the study as well as the methodology required at each step in the process, including key deliverables/milestones. This section also identifies the project responsibilities of the participants who will be directly involved in providing direction, guidance and the technical expertise throughout the assessment process. The Communications Plan provides a description of the communication activities which will take place related to the project planning and assessment processes. This includes a description of the goals and objectives of the Communications Plan. The responsibilities of the Advisory Committees that will be consulted through the process are also identified. 3

25 The Project Schedule presents the start, duration, and anticipated completion date for each project task and when milestones occur. Advisory Committee meetings and public consultation meetings are also highlighted. 1.5 Report Organization This Environmental Study Report is divided into nine sections. Section 1.0 provides a project description and describes the planning and approval processes; Section 2.0 provides background and focuses on the need for a transportation facility in the Corridor; Section 3.0 describes the public and agency consultation; Section 4.0 describes the existing environmental conditions within the Study Area; Section 5.0 describes the alternative solutions considered, and the selection of the preferred alternative solution; Section 6.0 describes the development and evaluation of alternative designs; Section 7.0 describes the preferred alternative design, the potential impacts and mitigation measures; Section 8.0 contains information on staging and capital costs; Section 9.0 describes the future implementation and approvals process; and Section 10.0 is a summary of the conclusions and key findings of the Environmental Assessment. The Appendices contain the technical reports and technical documentation prepared throughout the course of the study. These reports and documentation contributed to the decision making process and in the development of recommendations that led to the selection and development of the preferred alternative design solution. 4

26 2.0 PROJECT NEED 2.1 Historic Need The Alta Vista Transportation Corridor has a long history and has been identified in municipal plans as a transportation corridor since the 1960s. Examples include: all former City of Ottawa Official Plans since 1966, as a future road; all former Regional Official Plans (ROP) since 1974 as a corridor to accommodate a future regional arterial road known as the Alta Vista Parkway; the former Regional Council, in 1994, approved the recommendations of the study, "Environmental Assessment of Transportation Demands to/from the Southeast Sector" (Maxgroup) stating the study satisfied Phases 1 and 2 of the EA process, and that along with other new area transportation facilities, the Alta Vista Parkway was approved as a four-lane road comprising two standard traffic lanes and two lanes for High Occupancy Vehicles (HOV); the former Region's 1997 Transportation Master Plan (TMP), as a proposed four-lane arterial road; and the former Region's Alta Vista Drive/Smyth Road Transportation Strategy, (2000), recommended that infrastructure identified in the ROP/TMP be implemented to accommodate the combination of background traffic growth and additional traffic from new area development in the vicinity of the Hospital Complex. Specifically, the study recommended that the section of the Alta Vista Parkway between Riverside Drive and Smyth Road should be constructed within the next 10 years. Following municipal government amalgamation, the City of Ottawa followed up on this recommendation and approved initiation of the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor EA in Confirmation of Need One of the key initial steps in an EA process is to confirm the need for the project. In this instance, it is to reconfirm that a transportation facility in the AVTC is needed to address/resolve projected travel demand requirements in the Southeast Sector of the City at the Official Plan horizon year of To assess the need related to the AVTC at 2021, the following activities were undertaken: existing traffic conditions were analyzed at all Study Area screenlines and major intersections; population growth projections and locations in the Southeast Sector were confirmed; the trip making parameters of the current City Official Plan and Transportation Master Plan were identified; the City s new transit ridership targets were reviewed and a sensitivity analysis was undertaken to identify the level of Corridor transit ridership required to reduce the projected north-south travel demand across Study Area screenlines to the level of the current arterial road capacity of these screenlines; and 5

27 on the assumption that the City s projected 30% target for peak hour City-wide transit ridership is achieved (up from the current value of approximately 17%), and based on the Official Plan s 2021 road and transit network being in place, the projected 2021 north-south traffic volumes across the Study Area screenlines were compared to the projected capacities of those screenlines to determine if there was a road network capacity deficiency through the sector served by the AVTC. The following sub-sections, and the related background reports in the Appendices, elaborate upon the needs assessment process. 2.3 Initial AVTC Needs Assessment and Update The initial Needs Assessment (March 2002) for this EA was conducted early in the study process and is included in Appendix B. As the study progressed, the City of Ottawa developed a new Official Plan (May 2003) and Transportation Master Plan, (June 2003). Even though the initial report confirmed the need for additional transportation infrastructure in the AVTC to meet the projected 2021 travel requirements, it was considered appropriate to update this work to more accurately reflect the objectives, policies and targets of the new OP and TMP. Accordingly, a Needs Assessment Update was undertaken. In summary, the inputs and assumptions of the Needs Assessment Update (April 2003) are in full harmony with the new OP and TMP, and led to the following major findings and conclusions: The attainment of a 30% (compared to approximately 20% used in the March 2002 report) transit modal split of overall travel in the afternoon peak will result in the projected modal split at individual screenlines in the Southeast Sector falling within the range of 50% to 32%, from north to south. This compares to the 40% to 15% range of target transit shares that were established in the 1997 Regional Official Plan, and the 40% to 25% range used in the March 2002 Needs Assessment; Even with the attainment of the above-noted range of transit modal splits at individual screenlines, a considerable amount of residual travel demand remains that will require additional roadway capacity within the Southeast Sector; and Arterial road infrastructure identified as necessary by 2021 includes three additional arterial lanes per direction (north and south) across the Leitrim Screenline, two additional arterial lanes per direction across the CNR East Screenline and the provision of two additional lanes per direction of arterial capacity north of Heron/Walkley. The new TMP has identified several corridors within the Southeast Sector, to accommodate the projected travel demand and increased road capacity, one of which is the AVTC. 2.4 Year 2021 Projected Transportation Needs Assessment Official Plan Growth Projections to 2021 The Southeast Sector, as established in previous studies, is a portion of the City that includes areas designated for significant urban development. These areas include Leitrim and Riverside South, and the remaining undeveloped portion of Greenboro and Hunt Club Park. The planned growth projections, as summarized in Table 2-1, have a dominant influence on future infrastructure needs in the Southeast Sector. 6

28 Table 2-1: Official Plan Growth Projections to 2021 City of Ottawa Overall Southeast Sector Riverside South Leitrim Population (people) 1,192, ,150 50,800 15,900 Households (units) 503, ,700 17,600 5,300 Employment (jobs) 148, ,800 14,650 6, Travel Parameter Assumptions The current Official Plan and Transportation Master Plan used a variety of factors and targets to project transit and vehicular travel for the 2021 horizon year. These trip parameters are summarized in Table 2-2. Table 2-2: Trip Parameters of OP/TMP Parameter Description Trip Elimination Target (assumed to apply to all modes) Transit Modal Split Target Walking Target Cycling Target Time Shifting Target Ridership Target Proportion of Heavy Vehicles (commercial trucks and buses in the traffic mix) Passenger Car Unit (PCU) Equivalency Factor for Heavy Vehicles Proportion of Light Commercial Vehicles (including minivans and pickup trucks) in the traffic mix Proportions of Light Commercial Vehicles (used for commercial purposes) Target for increases in capacity that accrue to transportation system management Level of service, applied to screenline volumes Value 3% applied to growth (8% forecast by 2021, but 5% occurring already today) Varies at each screenline. Overall, a 30% transit model split targets assumed for all trips in the p.m. peak. The EMME/2 model develops the resultant screenline targets 10% reduction in auto driver trips for distances equivalent to the average walking trip of 1.5 km (1998) 10% reduction in auto driver trips for distances equivalent to the average cycling trip of 4.5 km (1995) 1%. Represents the peak hour driver trips shifted to the peak shoulders due to peak spreading 1.5%. Represents measures at the work place to encourage ridersharing over and above transit, walking, cycling and other measures 5% - not modelled by EMME/2 and must be added to the model s output of automobile travel at screenlines % 20%. Of the 30% of light commercial vehicles in the peak hour traffic mix, i.e., 30% x 20% are used for commercial purposes, not modelled by EMME/2 and must be added to the model s output of automobile travel at screenlines 0%. A large amount of this is already in place, as evidenced by the trend in increased lane capacity over the past three official plans 1.0 in the Central Area, 0.9 elsewhere (Range of LoS D ) 7

29 2.4.3 Southeast Sector Screenline Capacity and Projected Traffic Volumes Using the approved 2021 growth projections and applying the appropriate trip generation values, the City s EMME/2 model provided estimates of peak hour transit and vehicular travel across all screenlines in the City. Of specific interest to this study are those located in the Southeast Sector, and more importantly, those that cross, or in close proximity to the AVTC. The locations of the six critical screenlines are shown in Figure 2-1. A summary of the current peak hour, per direction vehicular capacity of these screenlines is provided in Table 2-3. Note that the term PCUs refers to passenger car units. This value is higher than the number of vehicles in the adjacent left column as the vehicular volumes include large, heavy vehicles such as buses and trucks. These large vehicles are converted to passenger car equivalents in order to normalize screenline analysis. The higher value under PCUs, includes the conversion of the larger, heavy vehicles to passenger car units. Table 2-3: Current Roadway Network Capacity at Critical Study Area Screenlines Screenline Name and Number Rideau River Central/Queensway Screenline #19/32 Smyth/Hydro Screenline #54 Heron/ Walkley Screenline #40/41 CNR East Screenline #13 Leitrim Screenline #8 Peak Hour Capacity Per Direction Vehicles PCUS 12,400 13,020 4,500 4,680 10,100 12,550 10,000 10,385 5,000 5,250 The projected p.m. peak hour travel across these five Southeast Sector screenlines emanating from the EMME/2 Model analysis and reflecting the effects of the adopted trip parameters, are included in Table 2-4. In this table, there are two sets of travel data (vehicles/pcus per hour) for each screenline, representing the travel assignment results of two distinct roadway networks that have been modelled by City staff. The first set of results, labelled (a), represent a traffic assignment to the roadway network of the 1997 Regional Official Plan, which is a network adopted to meet the future needs of a population of million in the City of Ottawa. It includes new links such as the extension of Hunt Club Road easterly to Highway 417 (east) and the completion of the Strandherd-Armstrong Arterial with a new crossing of the Rideau River north of Manotick. It does not include any new Interprovincial Bridges, or an Outer Ring Road to the south of the City. The second set of screenline volumes, labelled (b), result from the 1997 ROP network as in (a) above, to which has been added, two interprovincial bridge corridors, one in the east end and one in the west end. It also reflects an additional bridge over the Rideau River linking Fallowfield and Leitrim Roads, that has been determined as an additional need to address the major growth being planned in South Nepean and South Gloucester. It does not include a Provincial Outer Ring Road to the south of the City. 8

30 City of GATINEAU SUSSEX SANDRIDGE Ottawa River HEMLOCK ANK er BASELINE KNOXDALE WOODROFFE 15 WOODROFFE WEST RICHMOND CARLING MEADOWLANDS MERIVALE HUNT CLUB CHURCHILL KIRKWOOD MERIVALE SCOTT FISHER HOLLAND PARKDALE 417 RIVERSIDE PRESTON BRONSON Rivière BANK MAIN Rideau River Central / Queensway Rideau River HERON SMYTH Heron/Walkley CNR East Smyth McARTHUR COVENTRY INDUSTRIAL WALKLEY MONTREAL ST. LAURENT INNES 27 OGILVIE 30 BLAIR INNES 27 INNES INNES / WALKLEY WALKLEY CONNECTION CONNECTION 27 BEARBROOK 34 BLACKBURN HAMLET BYPASS 56 NAVAN ST. JOSEPH JEANNE ORLEANS D'ARC INNES 26 WFIELD 12 MacFARLANE Macdonald-Cartier International Airport ALBION LESTER HUNT CLUB 31 CONROY HAWTHORNE RUSSELL ANDERSON Leitrim 125 RAMSAYVILLE LEITRIM LEITRIM 14 ARMSTRONG LIMEBANK Riverside South Growth Area Leitrim Growth Area 25 Carlsba Springs 27 BOUNDARY R Manotick 8 MITCH OWENS 8 8 ALTA VISTA TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR FUTURE URBAN GROWTH CENTRES PROPOSED REGIONAL ROAD CONCEPTUAL ARTERIAL ROAD(ALIGNMENT UNDEFINED) SCREENLINE Map Source: City Official Plan, 2003 Schedule E: Urban Road Network Figure 2-1: Screenline Locations

31 Table 2-4: Projected Screenline Data for Year 2021 (2003 OP/TMP) PM Peak Hour Projected Traffic at 2021: Modelled (Autos/hr) PM Peak Hour Projected Traffic at 2021 including Commercial Vehs. (veh/hr) PM Peak Hour Total Projected Traffic at 2021 (PCUS/hr) Current Screenline Capacity (pcus/hr) Current Screenline Capacity at LoS D (pcus/hr) Projected Deficiency (Surplus) at Screenlines in PM Peak Hour 2021 Projected Additional Arterial Lane Needs at 2021 Possible Strategies to Meet Projected Future Needs Projected Transit Share of Travel at Screenline by 2021 (TMP)* Rideau River Central / Queensway #19/32 (a) 15,070 (b) 14,650 (a) 16,930 (b) 16,460 (a) 17,780 (b) 17,280 Smyth/Hydro #54 (a) 4,720 (b) 4,750 (a) 5,300 (b) 5,340 (a) 5,570 (b) 5,600 Walkley #41 (a) 3,520 (b) 3,490 (a) 3,960 (b) 3,920 (a) 4,150 (b) 4,120 Heron #40 (a) 6,100 (b) 5,990 (a) 6,850 (b) 6,730 (a) 7,200 (b) 7,070 Walkley / Heron #40/41 (a) 9,620 (b) 9,480 (a) 10,810 (b) 10,650 (a) 11,350 (b) 11,190 CNR East #13 (a) 9,590 (b) 9,350 (a) 10,775 (b) 10,500 (a) 11,310 (b) 11,030 Leitrim #8 (a) 6,820 (b) 6,480 (a) 7,660 (b) 4,280 (a) 8,050 (b) 7,645 13,020 4,680 3,320 7,200 10,520 10,385 5,250 11,720 4,210 2,990 6,480 9,470 9,350 4,725 (a) 6,060 (b) 5,560 (a) 1,360 (b) 1,390 (a) 1,860 (b) 1,130 (a) 720 (b) 590 (a) 1,880 (b) 1,720 (a) 1,960 (b) 1,680 (a) 3,225 (b) 2, /6 +1/2 +1/ Widen Hwy lane AVTC Bridge + Outer Ring Road 2 lane AVTC + 2 HOV lanes 2 lane AVTC + 2 HOV lanes There are no obvious options for additional capacity 2 lane AVTC + 2 HOV lanes 6 lane Conroy Road + 4 lane Airport Parkway 6 lane River Road + 4 lane Albion Road + 4 lane Bank Street 50%* 43%* 10% 57% 46% 41%* 32%* (a) 2003 TMP Major Road Network (b) As in (a) plus 2 Interprovincial Bridges and new Fallowfield/Leitrim Road Bridge over Rideau River Page 10

32 The projected transit modal splits for each Study Area screenline, shown in the bottom row of Table 2-4, dramatically exceed the previous screenline targets of past Regional Official Plans. These higher values are required to achieve the City-wide target of 30% transit in peak hours. Any variation of the overall transit share target of 30% would reduce/increase the projected transit modal split at all the screenlines. This would result in an increase or decrease in vehicular travel demand and a consequent increase or decrease in roadway system capacity Sensitivity Analysis A sensitivity analysis was undertaken to determine if there were available alternatives to providing additional road capacity to meet the projected screenline vehicular travel demand. An analysis was undertaken to identify the level of transit ridership that would have to be achieved so that the future (2021) travel demand would be reduced to meet the current level of the screenline s roadway capacity. In other words, how much additional transit would be needed to eliminate the need for additional road capacity. The results of this analysis, as it applies to the three most relevant Study Area screenlines, are provided in Table 2-5. Table 2-5: Transit Ridership Required to Reduce North-South Screenline Volumes to the Screenlines Current Capacity Screenline Most Recent Available Values (p.m.) Official Plans 2021 Horizon Required for No Additional Road Capacity Smyth/Hydro 30% (2,100 rides) 43% (4,700 rides) 60% (6,475 rides) Walkley/Heron 16% (2,420 rides) 46% (10,670 rides) 57% (13,000 rides) Leitrim 3% (80 rides) 32% (3,990 rides) 52% (6,530 rides) TOTAL 4,600 riders 19,360 riders 26,005 riders In review of the required levels of transit ridership to reduce the projected 2021 vehicular travel demand to the screenline s current capacity, it was determined that it would not be prudent to challenge the current overall transit modal split target of the OP as the consequent screenline modal splits required to eliminate any additional roadway capacity needs may not be realistically achievable given the current transit ridership at these screenlines, and given the transit ridership targets at each screenline related to the OP s 30% City-wide target. This sensitivity analysis was presented to Transportation Committee at each of the first (November 2002), second (May 2004) and third (September 2005) meetings, in order to demonstrate that transit was being given a high priority in all analysis, but even when doing so, it was not realistic or responsible to assume that transit could accommodate all residual travel demand above current screenline capacities in this sector of the City. This analysis helped to demonstrate/reconfirm that at the current Official Plan s 2021 horizon, there is a need for additional road network capacity in a north-south direction through the Study Area, as reconfirmed in the TMP. 2.5 Needs Assessment Summary The following are the principle conclusions resulting from the analysis of future (2021) roadway capacity needs in the Southeast Sector. A focussed effort must be made to enhance the use of transit at the CNR Screenline in the desire of achieving the required target of a 41% transit modal split. The development of HOV lanes (or bus lanes) on Conroy Road if/when it is widened to a 6-lane cross-section north of Hunt Club Page 11

33 Road, (and to a 4-lane cross-section south of Hunt Club Road) would be supportive of the protransit strategy required. At the Heron-Walkley Screenline, where a major discontinuity in arterial capacity currently exists (4-lane Conroy Road terminates and 4-lane Hawthorne Road reduces to a 2-lane Russell Road), there is a projected need for an additional two lanes per direction over this lengthy screenline, which extends from the Rideau River easterly to Highway 417 East (approximately 10 kms). The westerly Heron Road portion of the Heron-Walkley Screenline has within it, the joint effect of both the O-Train Corridor to be extended, and the existing Southeast Transitway. Consequently, the projected transit modal split over this section is very high at 57%. Even then, there is a projected road network deficiency over this part of the screenline. The location of the two existing (and proposed) rapid transit corridors in the western portion of the Heron-Walkley Screenline will provide excellent transit service to the higher density corridors and major growth areas in the Southeast Sector. These facilities result in a transit modal split target that is nearly 10 percentiles higher than the easterly Heron Road section of the screenline. As such, it will be important to try to enhance this level of transit usage within the AVTC, which is located in the easterly portion of this screenline. The Heron-Walkley Screenline is the section that is most affected by the existing discontinuity in the north-south arterial system (Conroy/Hawthorne/Russell) but it is also that part of the Corridor where there is the opportunity to provide the overall required capacity, even with the achievement of a 46% modal split. At the Smyth/Hydro Screenline, north of Smyth Road, there is a projected screenline capacity deficiency that requires more than one north/south arterial lane per direction, even with a transit modal split target of 43%. The Rideau River Central/Queensway Screenline presents the greatest challenge both with regard to the transit modal split target that is projected (50%) and the resultant number of additional arterial lanes that are required to meet the future travel needs. This screenline bears the full brunt of the combination of future urban growth in Orléans and in Riverside South/Leitrim which combine to cross the barrier of the Rideau River at this part of the screenline. The projected need to have at least half of all future trips on transit at this screenline (50%) will be a dramatic challenge to attain requiring the extension of the East Transitway to Trim Road in the Highway 174 Corridor, the construction of the Cumberland Transitway or a light rail facility and the construction of the second busway link between it and the Southeast Transitway as approved in the RTES. There still remains a requirement for providing the residual arterial capacity. Extra lanes in the Highway 417 Corridor (Queensway) west of the Vanier/Riverside Interchange could provide a major component of the necessary capacity, as could a 2 or 4-lane bridge in the AVTC across the Rideau River to Lees Avenue and the Nicholas Street Interchange. In summary, by the City s Official Plan horizon of 2021, there is a need for additional arterial road capacity both north and south of the Heron-Walkley Road Screenline as depicted by the solid dark bars in Figure 2-2. Page 12

34 Figure 2-2: 2021 Projected Screenline Deficiencies 18,000 17,000 16,000 15,000 14,000 13,000 Passenger Car Units (PM Peak Hour) 12,000 11,000 10,000 9,000 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 0 Rideau River Central / Queensway Smyth/Hydro Heron / Walkley CNR East Leitrim Projected Traffic Volume Existing Capacity (LoS 'D') Projected Deficiency It is the Heron/Walkley, the Smyth/Hydro and the Rideau River Central/Queensway Screenlines that are served by the AVTC. As shown in Figure 2-2, even with attainment of the City s 30% City-wide peak hour transit ridership target (compared to the existing 17%), the projected road network capacity deficiencies at these three screenlines are approximately 1900 pcu/h, 1400 pcu/h and 6000 pcu/h per direction, respectively. In conclusion, both the initial AVTC Needs Assessment (March 2002) and the Update (April 2003) confirm that even with attainment of the City s Official Plan peak hour transit ridership target of 30% city-wide, there will be residual north-south travel demand through the Southeast Sector that exceeds the current capacity of the Study Area screenlines. Sensitivity analysis has demonstrated that the transit ridership levels required to eliminate this residual travel demand in that part of the Southeast Sector north of Heron/Walkley Road that is the location of the AVTC, would not be realistic. Accordingly, the study then proceeded to identify and evaluate the alternative solutions (as documented in Chapter 5) to this projected north-south road network capacity deficiency in the Southeast Sector between the Heron/Walkley link and Highway 417 at Nicholas Street. Page 13

35 3.0 PUBLIC CONSULTATION Public Consultation is an integral part of the Environmental Assessment process. Consultation and the exchange of information was undertaken throughout this assessment using a variety of methods including meetings with advisory committees and the general public, internet postings and newspaper advertisements. Scheduling of consultation opportunities corresponded to key project milestones. This section of the report provides an overview of the consultation processes, while more detailed accounts of the consultation activities are described throughout this report. A summary of all consultation activities is contained in Appendix C. It is noteworthy that the consultation for this study was significant and that there are widely divergent views amongst the public on the future use of the AVTC. Regarding consultation, between the Technical and Public Advisory Committees, there were eighteen (18) meetings. There were also other stakeholder meetings, two (2) Public Meetings, three (3) Open Houses and three (3) Transportation Committee meetings. On the use of the Corridor, the public s views, regardless of the EA Process followed or its findings and recommendations, range from; leave the Corridor as is; provide only rapid transit in the Corridor; only provide the link from Riverside Drive and the Southeast Transitway to the Hospital Complex; and provide a two or four-lane facility as soon as possible along the whole length of the Corridor. 3.1 Advisory Committees The project proceeded under the direction of the City of Ottawa and benefited from the direct involvement of: a Public Advisory Committee (PAC) consisting of representatives from directly affected Community Associations and interested community groups; a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) consisting of representatives from government agencies and approval authorities; and a Committee of Special Advisors (CSA) who represent area institutions with potential sitespecific issues Public Advisory Committee The varied interests of non-agency stakeholders (i.e., community associations, landowners/users, special interest groups, and City of Ottawa Advisory Committees) were represented on the Public Advisory Committee (PAC). The role of the PAC was to meet with the study team on a regular basis to review work-to-date and provide comment on study activities, as appropriate. Progress reports, were made available throughout the study to facilitate understanding and to enable the PAC to provide meaningful feedback. Community Associations Action Sandy Hill Alta Vista Drive Residents Association Canterbury Community Association Centre Town Community Association City Centre Coalition Dow's Lake Residence Association Faircrest Heights Community Association Hunt Club Park Community Association Old Ottawa East Community Association Old Ottawa South Community Association Riviera Complex Association Riverview Park Community Association School Board Sheffield Glen Community Association South Keys/Greenboro Community Association Page 14

36 Other Associations Transport 2000 City Advisory Committee Representatives Cycling Advisory Committee Environmental Advisory Committee Mobility Issues Advisory Committee Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee In addition to these stakeholders, several interest groups were invited as Observers to the PAC. The observers disseminated information to the association/organization they represented and became informed of the assessment process and the project's potential environmental effects. These groups included: 160 Lees Avenue Apartment Buildings Coalition of Inner City Communities Dalhousie Community Association Environment Committee of Ottawa South Federation of Citizens Association Glebe Community Association Greenspace Alliance of Canada Heron Park Community Association King Edward Avenue Task Force McNabb Neighbourhood Improvement Bunch Riverside Park Community and Recreation Association Sierra Club of Canada Transport member University of Ottawa Ten (10) PAC meetings were held at key junctures in the Study, and are identified throughout this Report. Meetings with individual PAC members were also convened to discuss specific points of interest or concern. The first PAC meeting was held on October 24, The meeting introduced the Study Team and the proposed project to the Committee. Roles and Responsibilities and the Environmental Assessment process were reviewed and a draft of the Study Design Document was provided for comments. A round table discussion was held to identify potential issues of concern associated with the proposed project Technical Advisory Committee The varied interests of government agencies and approval authorities were represented on the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC met with the study team on a regular basis to review work-to-date and provided comment on study activities, as appropriate. Progress reports were made available during the study to facilitate understanding and to enable the Committee to provide meaningful feedback. The TAC also addressed the full range of technical issues and commented on the special studies and approvals required to complete the study. Members of the TAC included staff representation from each of the following (listed alphabetically): Canadian National Railway/VIA Rail City of Ottawa - Building Services (PGM) - Infrastructure Services (PWS) - Planning and Infrastructure Approvals (PGM) - Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Policy (PGM) - Traffic and Parking Operations (PWS) - Transit Services (PWS) Department of Fisheries and Oceans Ministry of the Environment Page 15

37 Ministry of Transportation National Capital Commission Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency Rideau Valley Conservation Authority Transport Canada Eight (8) TAC meetings were held at key stages in the study. These meetings are identified throughout this Report. There were fewer TAC meetings then PAC meetings, as specific issues/concerns were requested to be clarified by the PAC. Accordingly, additional meetings were convened. The first TAC meeting was held on October 24, The meeting introduced the Study Team and the proposed project to the TAC. Committee Roles and Responsibilities and the Environmental Assessment process were reviewed. A draft of the Study Design Document was provided for comments. A round table discussion was held to identify potential issues of concern associated with the proposed project Committee of Special Advisors A Committee of Special Advisors (CSA) was formed to provide specific input to the Study Team on local and site-specific issues related to the Hospital s Health Care Needs. The CSA was composed of representatives from the major institutional uses adjacent to, or in proximity to, the Corridor. Representatives from the following institutions are on the CSA(listed alphabetically): Canadian Blood Services Canadian Dental Association Canadian Medical Association Canadian Pharmacists Association Children s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and Research Institute Conference Board of Canada General Hospital and Eye Institute National Defence Medical Centre Transalta Three (3) meetings were held with the CSA (jointly with TAC) throughout the course of the Study. 3.2 Study Commencement A Notice of the Study Commencement was placed in local newspapers in November of 2001 (Appendix C). In addition, road signs regarding the EA were erected within and/or adjacent to the AVTC. Contact information at the City of Ottawa was included on the signs for anyone who had questions or wanted further information. 3.3 Walk-a-bout A Corridor Walk-a-bout was held on November 17, 2001 (Photo 3-1). It was attended by area councillors and their representatives, area residents, City staff and study team members. The event contributed to a better understanding of the Corridor and issues of general concern to be addressed during the EA. Photo 3-1: Walk-a-bout Page 16

38 3.4 Public Open Houses and Meetings A Public Meeting was held at the onset of the EA to provide a project overview to members of the Public and to obtain initial feedback on issues/concerns. Open Houses were held at key stages during the assessment to obtain feedback from the general public on the project information being provided. The Open Houses were organized to allow informal viewing of display panels about the project and the examination of resource material related to the various stages of the EA. All displays and maps were bilingual. Study team members were present at all Open Houses to answer questions and explain various aspects of the study as well as work done to-date Public Meeting #1 A Public Meeting was held on December 12, 2001 at Hillcrest High School. The meeting was a presentation format followed by questions from the audience. The purpose was to provide a common understanding of the study, provide background to the proposed project, describe the study process, outline the study schedule, obtain initial public feedback, and identify opportunities for future public involvement. Approximately 600 people attended. One hundred and sixty (160) comment sheets were received following the first Public Meeting. The comments included divergent opinions on the format of public meetings. Various preferences for uses of the Corridor were stated including Light Rail, Transit Only, Nothing, Transit and Roads, and four-lane or six-lane Roads. Specific concerns were expressed regarding area traffic including, the existing problems with cut through traffic locally and congestion downtown. Some comments supported the Study process and others indicated a road was already approved and should not be studied further. Questions were also raised regarding the potential for conflict of interest of the Consultants with this Study and future design assignments. The following issues were identified: C C C C C C C C C C C C C C C Concerned if a road not developed then the Corridor would be used for commercial development; More roads mean more cars; There should be a moratorium on roads until more efficient transit is available; Build more downtown housing; Do not provide parking for new office buildings to discourage auto use; Preserve greenspace; Noise, vibration and air pollution will increase; Proceed in accordance with Smart Growth; Encourage public transit; Preserve allotment gardens; Air pollution from SUVs and single occupant vehicles is a problem; The AVTC was a transportation corridor before 1966 and the communities were built around it; Hunt Club was extended and widened and people have benefited from decreased traffic on local roads away from parks and children; Quality of life will decrease and communities will be divided; and Effects on communities upstream and downstream of the project. These comments were incorporated into the development of environmental values that were applied during the Environmental Assessment Process. Copies of the advertisements, handouts, presentation, comment summary and meeting notes are contained in Appendix C. Page 17

39 3.4.2 Public Meeting #2 This meeting was an Open House format held on September 26, 2002 at the RA Centre. The Open House was organized to allow informal viewing of display panels about the proposed project and the examination of resource material including, Official Plans and Master Plans, among others. Members of the Study Team, were present to answer questions and to elaborate on the work completed to-date. The panels were presented in a series of stations. Each station focussed on a particular theme to facilitate understanding of the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor project. Stations included the study process, issues, existing conditions, alternative solutions, and the next steps in the assessment process. All displays and maps were bilingual. Comments and input from the public were solicited. Approximately 500 people attended. The following is an overview of the information from over 300 comment sheets received: The majority of people indicated they lived in or adjacent to the Study Area Specific interests in the Study included: traffic, noise, natural environment, and quality of life Comments regarding the alternatives presented, indicated spilt preferences for road versus transit versus hybrid solutions located inside and outside of the corridor The order of importance indicated for the criteria groups utilized in the evaluation process were as follows: - Social Criteria; - Transportation Criteria; - Biological Criteria; - Physical Criteria; and - Economic Criteria. Comments and concerns were taken into consideration in the evaluation of the alternative solutions and the preparation of the communication materials for the second Public Open House. Copies of the advertisements, hand outs, presentation and comment summaries are contained in Appendix C Public Meeting #3 The meeting was held on March 30, 2004 at the RA Centre. The Open House format was organized to allow informal viewing of display panels about the project and the examination of resource material. Members of the Study Team, were present to answer questions and to elaborate on the work done to-date. The panels were presented in a series of stations. Each station focussed on a particular theme to facilitate understanding of the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor project. Stations included the study process, information updates, alternative solutions, impact assessment and evaluation of alternative solutions and the next steps in the assessment process. All displays and maps were bilingual. Comments and input from the public were solicited. Approximately 450 participants signed in. Of those attending, 333 provided written comments. The following is an overview of the information from comment sheets received: The majority of people indicated they lived in or adjacent to the Study Area; Specific interests in the Study included: direct impacts on local residents, quality of life, air quality, loss of allotment garden, and traffic; The most common response regarding the preferred alternative solution was that the EA was not complete without a Transit-only option being evaluated; and Twenty-two percent (22%) were opposed to the preliminary preferred solution. Eleven percent (11%) want it built now. Page 18

40 Copies of the advertisements, handouts, presentation and comment summaries are contained in Appendix C Public Meeting #4 This meeting was held on May 30, 2005, at Lansdowne Park. The meeting was organized to allow the informal viewing of display panels and the examination of resource materials, followed by a presentation and also a question and answer period. Members of the Study Team were present to answer questions and to elaborate on work completed to-date. The display panels presented the assessment and evaluation of alternative designs; the preliminary preferred design; its staging and costs; the assessment of effects; and the proposed mitigation measures. All displays and maps were bilingual. Comments and input from the public meeting were solicited. Area residents surrounding the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor were notified by home delivered flyers. The general public was informed through advertisements placed in local newspapers and notices on the City of Ottawa Web Page. Approximately 470 participants signed in at Public Meeting #4. Of those attending, 277 provided written comments. The most common response to the preliminary preferred design was that it was a good solution/build it. A slightly smaller number felt that a transit alternative should have been considered and an equal number were concerned of the impacts the solution would have on the 417/Nicholas interchange. A total of 22% felt that a transit link to the Hospital Link was appropriate; an additional 20% recognized its overall need and wanted it built quickly. A total of 9% of the respondents felt that the entire facility should be built at the same time, not just Stage 1. Copies of the advertisements, handouts, and presentation boards and formal presentation as well as the questions and answers and comment summaries are contained in Annex C. 3.5 Web Site The City of Ottawa developed and maintained a web site with information about the proposed project and the EA process The information prepared for the Open Houses was also formatted in a manner for incorporation into the City web site with consideration for accessibility issues related to graphics and other printed materials. 3.6 City of Ottawa Transportation Committee The Study included three (3) presentations to the City of Ottawa Transportation Committee at key decision points in the assessment (November 2002, May 2004 and September 2005). Each Committee meeting was advertised and the public was invited to attend. The meetings provided the Committee with a status report of the work completed to-date and provided the public with an opportunity to address the Committee. The Committee considered the presentations of the Study Team and of the public and provided direction and recommendations regarding the subsequent stages of the Study. These meetings and the Committee decisions are discussed chronologically, throughout this Report. Presentations and dispositions of the Committee meetings are contained in Appendix C. 3.7 Public Consultation Summary Overall, the public consultation for this EA was broad, comprehensive and exceeded the Class EA requirements. The Study Team considered all comments provided and incorporated them into the planning and assessment process, if/as appropriate. Page 19

41 4.0 EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS 4.1 Overview This section summarizes the studies and investigations undertaken to document the existing social, transportation, physical and biological conditions of the Study Area which encompasses the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor. The existing conditions represent the baseline for the Corridor against which the potential environmental effects of the project are assessed. Overall, the data was collected and analyzed for key environmental parameters in order to: provide an understanding of existing conditions; allow for future predictions of how the proposed project may cause these environmental conditions to change; allow for future predictions of how adverse effects can be mitigated and beneficial effects enhanced; and provide a basis for designing monitoring programs Methods of Investigation Existing conditions information was compiled by a multidisciplinary team of land use planners, biologists, geologists, archaeologists, cultural landscape planners, transportation planners, municipal engineers, and experts in air quality, noise and vibration. This team of specialists collected, consolidated, reviewed and screened all available information with a view towards establishing the basis for development, analysis and evaluation of alternatives. The general methodology involved the following elements: the submission of requests for data, drawings, reports to affected agencies; contacting and meeting with affected parties as required; consolidating, reviewing and analyzing relevant material for each element; conducting air photo interpretation and field verification as required; identifying elements or criteria that could be considered potential evaluation criteria; and preparing this baseline report to be reviewed by all participants to ensure thoroughness, accuracy, and reflectivity of agencies and public interests. Specific methods of investigation for the social, transportation, biological and physical environments are discussed in further detail in the respective sections of this report Study Area Boundaries The study corridor extends approximately 5.5 kilometers from the Nicholas/Highway 417 Interchange in central Ottawa to the Walkley/Conroy Intersection in southeast Ottawa (Figure 4-1). Page 20

42 Figure 4-1: Study Area

43 For purposes of this Study, three categories of boundaries were considered: 1. Administrative boundaries imposing time and space limits for political, social or economic reasons. 2. Project boundaries of time and space and delineated by the limits imposed by the physical undertaking and operational practices. 3. Socio - Ecological boundaries in which natural and social systems function. The Study Area boundaries, for the purpose of the analysis of potential environmental effects of alternatives, were not rigidly defined. Instead, they remained flexible to accommodate the extent of potential environmental effects associated with the particular environmental feature being described. This is because some potential environmental effects may be very localized such as noise, whereas other effects like the movement of people may have broader implications. The following subsections summarize the existing conditions within the Study Area. For a detailed account of the conditions, please refer to Appendix D Alta Vista Transportation Corridor: Existing Conditions Report. 4.2 Social Conditions and Values The social environment encompassing the Corridor is comprised of diverse components. The components relate to several factors both influencing and influenced by people s use and interaction along the Corridor. The following is a summary of the conditions and values identified: Administrative Boundaries There are 5 Municipal Wards and 17 Community Associations which encompass or are in the immediate vicinity of the AVTC The AVTC is entirely within the urban boundaries of the City of Ottawa Land Ownership The majority of the land in the AVTC is owned by the City of Ottawa Surrounding lands are owned by a combination of government and private proprietors Planning Policies Planning policies are determined by three levels of government, namely, the NCC, Province of Ontario, and the City of Ottawa Land use planning designations in the Study Area are a combination of residential, institutional, recreational, open space and natural features as depicted in Figure 4-2 Corridor and Adjacent Land Uses The AVTC is largely vacant land which is used primarily by nearby residents for a variety of purposes including dog walking, bird watching, cross-country skiing, nature appreciation, jogging, walking, biking and other outdoor activities Several City parks and schools are located in the Study Area, adding to its open space character and use Figure 4-2: City of Ottawa Official Plan Page 22

44 Community gardening is a valued use of the Corridor in the area between Kilborn Avenue and Pleasant Park Drive The Health Sciences Centre, the City of Ottawa s most concentrated health care facility, lies west and south of the AVTC, on the north side of Smyth Road, east of the CNR rail line Development is proposed within the Corridor at the Health Sciences Centre and at the southeast corner of the Conroy/Walkley intersection Six neighbourhoods flank the Corridor: Alta Vista; Canterbury; Riverview Park; Health Sciences Centre; Hurdman Park; and Old Ottawa East Visual character areas are generally distinguished by the maturing suburban neighbourhoods bordering the Corridor, the campus-like and forested landscape of the Health Sciences sector, and the topography and natural vegetation associated with the Rideau River Photo 4-1: Garden Plots Photo 4-2: AVTC South Section Corridor Lighting Conditions Lighting conditions adjacent to the AVTC are influenced primarily by the illumination of streets, the Transitway, buildings and parking lots, and outdoor recreation amenities Heritage and Archaeological Conditions There are no registered archaeological sites within the study corridor The shoreline areas within 300 metres of the Rideau River are considered to have moderate to high prehistoric site potential Historic site potential is associated both with the location of a number of nineteenth century farms and with the early transportation corridors of Riverside Drive and the Bytown and Prescott Railway Noise Forty-six (46) receptors were used to calculate noise conditions within the Study Area Noise levels range from 40 dba to 71.8 dba in the daytime and from 38.3 dba to 69 dba at night The quietest area is found to be within the forested area north of the Health Sciences Centre while the noisiest areas are near major roads such as Smyth Road, Walkley Road and Alta Vista Drive Stationary noise sources include the TransAlta Co-Generation Facility and Air Ambulance services around the hospital lands Vibration Six (6) receptors were used to calculate the vibration levels within the Study Area The highest ground vibration levels exist at Smyth Road and near the Railway tracks parallel to Alta Vista Drive. More distant receptors indicated no discernible vibrations Air Quality Forty-six (46) receptors were used to calculate air quality conditions within the Study Area Predicted concentrations of air quality indicators are expected to be well below the MOE criteria most of the time The annual estimate of Greenhouse Gas emissions generated by existing north-south oriented vehicular traffic within the identified Study Area is 0.09 megatonnes Page 23

45 Municipal Services and Utilities Municipal water, sanitary sewers and storm sewers service the Study Area. In most instances the services either run parallel to the corridor or cross it at major intersections (Walkley, Kilborn, Pleasant Park, Smyth, Alta Vista, and Old Riverside) There are several types of aerial and underground utilities, mainly concentrated along the streets, which cross the corridor including, hydro, Bell, cable, and communication lines and buried natural gas 4.3 Transportation The transportation network accommodates demands placed on it by providing a variety of modal opportunities for travel including walking, cycling, public transit and motor vehicles. The Transportation Conditions have been examined at various geo-political and modal levels. The following is a summary of the key findings: Transit The area is serviced by a combination of rapid and local transit service The proposed (Hospital Link) Transitway Corridor is located within and/or adjacent to the north of the Health Sciences Centre With the combination of the Southeast Transitway and the O-Train, there is significant transit capacity in the Southeast Sector of the City Overall transit modal share for peak hour trips in the Study Area is in the range of 15% to 20% Transit ridership will have to continue to increase in the Study Area to meet Official Plan targets (30% peak hour City-wide) and to provide a balanced transit and road transportation system Transit priority corridors have been designated on Heron, Walkley, Bank and St. Laurent Cycling One of the principles of the TMP is to maximize the use of walking, cycling and transit. As such, a recreational pathway in the AVTC is an important link between the Greenbelt/South Gloucester and Rideau River pathways and downtown Ottawa via Hurdman There are a combination of cycling routes on major and minor roads in the area Pedestrians This is a combination of formal and informal pedestrian pathways in the area Sidewalks exists along the primary roads There is an extensive recreational pathway along the Rideau River A Multi-Use Recreation pathway is planned for the AVTC Photo 4-3: Recreation Path Page 24

46 Roadways Roads in the Study Area are primarily municipal arterial, collectors and local roads. Highway 417 is a Provincial Highway and Colonel By Drive is under the jurisdiction of the NCC The truck route system includes Highway 417 and most arterial roads with the exception of Walkley between Bank and Riverside The AVTC is designated as an arterial roadway (conceptual alignment undefined) in the OP to accommodate an arterial roadway Figure 4-3: Official Plan Schedule E Urban Road Network Transportation Network Capacity All screenlines within the Study Area from the Rideau River Central/Queensway South to the CNR East are currently experiencing congestion levels of 80% to 90% in the p.m. peak hour There are many individual road links and/or intersections that are extremely congested in peak periods and are considered to be at a failure level A significant amount of non-local "cut through" traffic exists on residential collector streets in the Alta Vista-Canterbury area due to the combination of discontinuity in the area's arterial road network and congestion on the alternative arterial routes Thirty-five percent (35%) of the major intersections analyzed within the area have collision rates in excess of the area average. These intersections are among the highest collision rate intersections in the City Degradation of transportation LoS serving key Study Area facilities can be expected to increase consumer costs and reduce safety 4.4 Physical Environment Existing information on soils, bedrock conditions, potential for contamination and hydrogeology, was reviewed based on in-house databases, published geological maps, well records and other existing information. Field investigations were undertaken, where necessary, to augment existing information. There are five different materials present at shallow depth within the Study Area: bedrock, glacial till, silty clay, alluvial sands and fill. The bedrock in the area is a combination of shales which are pyritic and prone to volume expansion during weathering resulting in damage to lightly loaded structures. There is no evidence of past overburden failures in the area, however, there are several topographic rises, most notably between Riverside Drive and Alta Vista Drive, which are viewed as overburden escarpments. Soil stability should be considered for engineering works in this area. There are several areas of significant environmental concern specifically related to the former landfills located at Riverside Drive, Lees Avenue and St. Paul s University, the former Ottawa Gas Works Coal gasification plant at Lees Avenue, and the former Hamilton Tar Products at Lees Avenue. The groundwater elevations generally mimic topography and are very shallow. Discharge is interpreted to occur in low-lying areas and within the lower portions of some of the sloping terrain. There are no known users of groundwater for potable water supply. 4.5 Biological Environment The biological inventory consisted of two phases. The first phase consisted of the collection of previously completed reports, constraint mapping, existing data records and plant and wildlife lists, air Page 25

47 photographs and forest stand mapping for the entire Study Area. The spatial boundaries for this examination included the entire AVTC and approximately 100 metres on either side of the corridor. Detailed inventories were then completed within the open space lands along the full length of the corridor including the Hospital Woods and other NOSS study sites. Site visits by terrestrial and aquatic biologists were undertaken, as required to confirm the data collected in the literature review and to collect additional information on species present including fish and fish habitat, vegetation, herpetozoa, birds and mammals. For the most part, the Study Area has been highly altered by urban development. The Corridor itself is vacant and consists of both open fields and natural parcels and including those along the Rideau River. The following highlights the key features of the biological environment: This area of the Rideau River is considered nursery habitat for young of the year muskellunge, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed, bluegill and rock bass (ROC, 1999) and is considered to be an important over winter location for muskellunge The vegetation is comprised mainly of parkland and maintained open space/fields. There are two woodlands, Hospital Woods and Rideau River Park Woods. Smaller early successional woodlands are located to the east and west of Alta Vista Drive and on the old landfill site at Hurdman Station Five locally rare plant species were identified: Ontario aster; Autumn willow; White oak; Canadian milk vetch and Trailing arbutus Five regionally rare plant species were identified: Jerusalem artichoke; Slashed avens; Trailing arbutus; and Northern bedstraw and Spring beauty No regionally or provincially rare amphibians or mammals were observed or recorded No birds were identified as significant on a national, provincial, regional or local level A list of breeding bird species from the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, which covers most of the former City of Ottawa, identified three significant species listed as provincially vulnerable: Short-eared Owl; Least Bittern; and Black Tern Photo 4-4: Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica) The Existing Conditions Report was presented at PAC and TAC Meeting #2 held on April 25, Members of the PAC and the community provided additional information that was incorporated. Additional information was also included when the boundary of the Alternative Solutions were confirmed and the 2003 City of Ottawa OP and TMP was made available. Existing conditions documentation was again updated when the boundaries were changed to reflect the inclusion of a rapid transit alternative that connected to the proposed East -West LRT Corridor south of Walkley Road. Page 26

48 5.0 ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS AND THEIR EVALUATION 5.1 Description of Alternative Solutions The need for additional transportation system capacity in a north-south direction through the Study Area has been documented in Chapter 2.0 (Needs Assessment, Appendix B). The range of possible alternative solutions considered to address need include: Do Nothing Rapid Transit Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Roadway Alternate Routes Combinations of the above Do Nothing It was determined that the Do Nothing alternative does not satisfy the travel demand. Notwithstanding, it was carried forward for evaluation as a baseline condition. This approach adheres to the Municipal Class EA process Rapid Transit An extensive study of transit in the Southeast Sector was conducted as an early priority in this EA. The resultant report Evaluation of Transit Alternative (March 2003), gave consideration to the City s 2021 (Official Plan) growth projections and applied the OP s new transit modal split and Transportation Demand Management (TDM) targets. These being 30% transit city-wide, up from the current 17%. The transit study addressed the various combinations of rapid transit and supporting surface buses to best accommodate the Southeast Sector s projected 2021 travel needs. With regard to north-south rapid transit, both the O-Train/Southeast Transitway Corridor and the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor were examined in detail to determine how to best extend rapid transit service to the southern growth areas and how to best maximize transit ridership for the dollars expended. The study reached the following conclusions: That the extension of the O-Train/Southeast Transitway Corridor was by far the best corridor for north-south rapid transit for the Southeast Sector; and That the AVTC was not recommended for north-south rapid transit in addition to the recommended O-Train Corridor/Southeast Transitway Corridor. Concurrent with this transit study, the City conducted their Rapid Transit Expansion Study (RTES) and the TMP as support to the Official Plan. Following extensive study, both the RTES and the TMP recommended the extension of the O-Train Corridor as being the best corridor for north-south rapid transit in the Southeast Sector (along with the Southeast Transitway). The City s Official Plan incorporated these recommendations. Based on the recommendations of these studies, it was concluded that the ATVC is not an appropriate corridor for additional north-south rapid transit as it would amount to a triplicating of rapid transit between Ottawa s Central Area and the Southeast Sector. The AVTC s transit study, the RTES, the City s TMP and the Council-approved OP all concluded and recommended the extension of the O-Train Corridor as the Southeast Sector s rapid transit solution. Accordingly, north-south rapid transit as an alternative solution in the AVTC was removed from further study. Page 27

49 The recommendation/decision to remove north-south rapid transit from further consideration as an alternative solution, and the results of the evaluation of the remaining alternatives were presented to the City s Transportation Committee on March 19, Regardless of the aforementioned recommendations from all the relevant transit and transportation studies that the AVTC was not an appropriate corridor for Rapid Transit, many public presentations were made at Transportation Committee that north-south rapid transit should remain in the short list of alternatives and be evaluated against the other alternatives. Following much discussion, the Study Team received direction from Transportation Committee to carry a transit-only alternative through the evaluation process. It is noteworthy, that as per the approved Committee motion, the transit alternative to be evaluated would be an alternative to the east-west Browning Avenue Corridor which links the Hospital Lands with the Innes Road Corridor. As the rapid transit alignment in the Official Plan for the Browning Avenue Corridor is currently under appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), Committee directed that a rapid transitonly facility be evaluated in the AVTC as an alternative to the Browning Avenue Corridor, in the event that the OMB appeal is successful. As such, the transit-only alternative that was included in the reevaluation of alternatives was a bus rapid transit facility in the AVTC that would extend the length of the Corridor linking the Southeast Transitway with the planned future East-West Light Rail Transit Corridor Transportation Demand Management During the preparation of the TMP, the effect of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) was incorporated in the City s analysis of future transportation needs at screenlines throughout the Southeast Sector. An ensuing Needs Assessment Update (Appendix B) indicated that a critical residual demand for additional arterial capacity had been determined to exist at 2021 even with the increased TDM values (June 2003). This analysis is consistent with the 2003 City of Ottawa Official Plan and Transportation Master Plans (2003). TDM was therefore considered to be an inherent part of all the alternatives carried forward and would not be evaluated further as an alternative solution on its own. It is noteworthy, that in addition to a TDM reduction factor of 3% of all work trips, the TMP analysis of future needs also applied increased walking and cycling targets, and increased vehicle occupancy and trip shifting targets to future peak hour travel estimates Roadways, Routes and Combinations The remaining alternatives to be developed and evaluated include alternatives within and outside the AVTC. Various roadway alternatives within the AVTC have been developed including, a 2 lane facility, a 4 lane all-purpose facility, and a 4 lane facility of which 2 lanes are dedicated to high occupancy vehicles (HOV) and 2 lanes are for general traffic. Alternatives outside the AVTC were also considered (Alternative Solutions Outside of the AVTC, Appendix E). The approach to developing alternative(s) outside the AVTC included the following steps: 1. Identify the existing arterial and collector route segments with potential to provide additional capacity; 2. Identify the route segment combinations that provide system continuity through the Study Area; 3. Complete macro-level transportation analysis to determine resultant LOS at screenlines; 4. Complete overview of existing bridge structures, river crossings, and intersection modifications required to achieve system continuity; 5. Review existing land uses along candidate alternatives; and 6. Reach conclusions regarding the preferred alternative(s) outside the AVTC to be brought forward for detailed evaluation. Page 28

50 Twenty-seven (27) combinations of existing road widenings were developed. The capacity analysis indicated that no single route widening would satisfy the need and achieve the required volume/capacity rate at the critical screenlines. Consequently, combinations of existing route widenings (east and west of the AVTC) were identified to satisfy the planning principles to the greatest extent possible. As a result of the foregoing outside the Corridor review, the remaining alternative solutions to be evaluated included the following alternatives located inside and outside the AVTC: Road-based alternatives inside the AVTC to be evaluated include: a two-lane all-purpose facility; a four-lane facility of which two lanes are dedicated to high occupancy vehicles (HOV and buses) and two lanes are for general traffic; a four-lane all-purpose facility; and a bus Transitway connecting East-West LRT to Southeast Transitway. Road-based alternatives outside the AVTC to be evaluated are: widening of existing arterial roads; and widening of a combination of existing arterial and collector roads. It should be noted that all the alternative solutions, except Do-Nothing, include a recreation pathway (dashed blue line) within the AVTC. Also, it is assumed that all alternatives, if constructed, would include sidewalks, bicycle lanes, landscaping, and other design features in accordance with current City of Ottawa arterial design standards. The seven (7) alternatives are illustrated, and briefly described, as follows: Figure 5-1: Alternative 1: Donothing No facility will be constructed in the AVTC. TDM and transit modal splits would be as outlined in the Transportation Master Plan and Official Plan. Figure 5-2: Alternative 2: 2-lane Roadway Inside the AVTC Two-lane all-purpose roadway extending from the Conroy/Walkley intersection north and west to the Nicholas/417 interchange. Page 29

51 Figure 5-3: Alternative 3: 2-lane Roadway and 2 HOV/Bus Lanes Inside the AVTC Four-lane facility comprising twolanes for regular traffic and 2 lanes for high occupancy vehicles (buses and passenger cars with multiple occupants) extending from the Conroy/Walkley intersection north and west to the Nicholas/417 interchange. Figure 5-4: Alternative 4: 4-lane Roadway Inside the AVTC Four-lane all purpose roadway extending from the Conroy/Walkley intersection north and west to the Nicholas/417 interchange. Figure 5-5: Alternative 5: Arterial Road Widenings Outside the AVTC The easterly route consists of widening Walkley Road from Conroy Road east to Russell Road, widening Russell Road from Walkley Road north to Smyth Road, widening St. Laurent Boulevard from Russell Road north to Industrial Avenue and widening Industrial Avenue from St. Laurent Boulevard west to Riverside Drive. The westerly route widens Walkley / Heron / Bank / Riverside arterial roads. Page 30

52 Figure 5-6: Alternative 6: Arterial / Collector Road Widenings Outside the AVTC The easterly route consists of widening Walkley Road from Conroy Road east to Russell Road, widening Russell Road from Walkley Road north to Smyth Road, widening St. Laurent Boulevard from Russell Road north to Industrial Avenue and widening Industrial Avenue from St. Laurent Boulevard west to Riverside Drive. The westerly route widens the part of a major collector, Alta Vista Drive, between Heron Road and Smyth Road, as well as arterials (Walkley, Heron and Riverside). Figure 5-7: Alternative 7: Transit Only Inside the AVTC This alternative consists of a transitway that would extend from the possible future East-West Light Rail Transit line, north and west through the AVTC to connect with the existing Southeast Transitway. It is primarily an alternative to the Browning Avenue Corridor (under appeal), and is therefore an alternative east-west transit link, not a new link. 5.2 Evaluation of Alternative Solutions The methodology chosen to evaluate alternative solutions addressed the following objectives. Use of Criteria: Criteria/indicators (i.e., features or considerations) should be used as the basis for the evaluation of the alternative solutions. Weighting or Ranking of Criteria: An ordering (i.e. weighting or ranking in terms of importance) of the criteria should be the basis for the evaluation. Evaluation Methods: The Concordance Method was chosen as the most appropriate evaluation method as it supports the above-listed objectives. Sensitivity Analysis: Some form of sensitivity analysis should be completed as part of the evaluation process (i.e. to test the results of the evaluation and to verify the influential factors in the results of the evaluation). Page 31

53 The methodology for the evaluation of alternative solutions was developed with the TAC and PAC over a series of meetings. The Scoping of Issues and Draft Evaluation Criteria were first presented at TAC/PAC meeting #2 held on April 25, Comments received were reviewed and incorporated and the Revised Evaluation Criteria along with the Alternative Solutions and Draft Evaluation Methodology were presented at TAC/PAC meeting #3 held on June 5, An additional PAC meeting (#4) was held on August 13, 2002 to provide further clarification on the Evaluation Methodology Evaluation Criteria Five categories of evaluation criteria were developed with input from the TAC and PAC to analyse and evaluate the relative preference of each alternative solution: Social Criteria Transportation Criteria Economic Criteria Biological Criteria Physical Criteria Within these categories, several specific criteria and indicators were identified/selected to assess the characteristics of each alternative. Table 5-1 lists the criteria, the rationale for their selection, and the indicators developed to assist in determining the relative impacts of the alternative solutions Weighting or Ranking of Criteria The TAC, PAC and the Consultant Team assigned weights to each of the identified criteria. A workbook was prepared and distributed which lead the Committees through a series of four steps whereby they applied their individual/community values to each of the criteria and then assigned weights. A total of 100 points were available to apply to the various criteria. The criteria were assigned weights by individual members of the TAC Meeting #4, PAC Meeting #5, and consulting team at a meeting held on September 19, An additional meeting was held with the PAC on October 21, 2002 to follow-up on the Weighting. The individual weightings of each member were averaged to create a TAC weighting, a PAC weighting and a Consultant s weighting. The weightings were then blended to provide an overall weight for each criterion. The results are summarized in Figure 5-1 and Table 5-2. The blended weights were used during the application of the Concordance Methodology. The results of the Advisory Committees activities and the work done to-date were presented to the Transportation Committee on November 20, Direction from the Committee included the inclusion of Health Care Costs into the evaluation process. Health Care Costs were added as an indicator to Criteria A6 Air Quality. The results of the Committee directions and a summary of the Criteria Weighting were presented on April 1, 2003 at PAC Meeting #7 and TAC Meeting #5. Figure 5-8: Blended Criteria Group Weight Page 32