Bowen Road and Queen Elizabeth Way Interchange

Transcription

1 Bowen Road and Queen Elizabeth Way Interchange Preliminary Design and 30% Detail Design G.W.P Fort Erie, Niagara Region Class Environmental Assessment (Group B) Presentation to Fort Erie Council June 16, 2014

2 Agenda Study Area Project Background Class EA Process For Group B Projects Designated Land Use Within Study Area Input From Canadian Motor Speedway Need For Interchange Improvements Interchange Improvement Alternatives Evaluation Criteria Preferred Interchange Alternative Next Steps

3 Study Area SUNSET DR LAUR RD PROPOSED CANADIAN MOTOR SPEEDWAY

4 Project Background Transportation Environmental Study Report (TESR) approved in 2009 Preliminary Design for replacement of the Bowen Road Underpass completed in 2010 This study includes Preliminary Design, a TESR Addendum and 30% Detail Design for Improvements to the QEW / Bowen Road Interchange Niagara Region key project partner with input from Fort Erie

5 Class EA Process for Group B Projects We Are Here PIC: June 2014 FUTURE STAGES Transportation Engineering and Environmental Protection Environmental Documentation and Opportunity for Bump-Up PLANNING Review of Transportation Needs Assessment Generate, Evaluate and Select Preferred Planning Alternative Generate and Assess Preliminary Design Alternatives PRELIMINARY DESIGN Evaluate and Select Preferred Preliminary Design Alternative Develop Preferred Preliminary Design Alternative Environmental Protection in Preliminary Design DETAIL DESIGN Prepare Design and Construction Package Environmental Protection in Detail Design Notice of Study Completion and Transportation Environmental Study Report (TESR) Addendum Submission CONSTRUCTION Timing to be Determined Environmental Protection in Construction Consultation CONSULTATION THROUGHOUT This study is following the requirements of a Group B project under the MTO Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Transportation Facilities (2000). Stakeholder consultation is ongoing, including this PIC. A Transportation Environmental Study Report (TESR) Addendum will be prepared and made available for public and agency review for a period of 30 day at the completion of the study.

6 Designated Land Use within Study Area The Town of Fort Erie s Official Plan identifies the following within the study area: Agricultural land use in the northwest and southwest quadrants; Environmental Conservation lands in the northeast and southwest quadrants; Environmental Protection land in the northeast quadrant; Industrial Business Park in the northeast and southeast quadrants; and Proposed future Canadian Motor Speedway in the southwest quadrant. Proposed Future Canadian Motor Speedway

7 Input from Canadian Motor Speedway (CMS) 65,000 seat stadium 70,000 sq. ft. Commercial Space Parking and Camping 2015 Opening Day Expected 10 Race Days and 260 Major Event Days

8 Need for Interchange Improvements The Bowen Road structure over the QEW is reaching the end of its service life. The structure has deteriorated to a point where rehabilitation is not cost effective and the structure needs to be replaced. Ministry of Environment approval for replacement of the existing bridge with a 2-lane bridge has been granted, but a wider bridge would be required to accommodate the needs of the proposed development by Canadian Motor Speedway. Access from eastbound and westbound Bowen Road to northbound and southbound QEW is provided via inner loop ramps in the northwest and southeast quadrants of the interchange; however, free-flow ramps are not currently provided, so all traffic must navigate through standard intersections to access the ramps. The current QEW Bowen Road interchange configuration (Parclo A-2) is not able to accommodate the anticipated traffic demand associated with the proposed development by Canadian Motor Speedway in the southwest quadrant of the interchange. Alternative interchange configurations have been developed and evaluated.

9 QEW Bowen Interchange Improvements Interchange Improvement Alternatives Alternative 1 Alternative 2A/3A Alternative 2B/3B MTO ROW MTO ROW MTO ROW Alternative 4 Alternative 5 MTO ROW MTO ROW Legend Property Required

10 Evaluation Criteria Alternatives were generated and evaluated to determine a technically preferred The following list of criteria was considered to evaluate the alternatives. alternative for replacing the QEW Bowen Road bridge and improving the QEW Bowen Road interchange. A reasoned argument (trade-off) method of evaluation was used to identify the relative advantages and disadvantages of the alternatives in order to select a preferred alternative. Categories Technical Financial Natural Environment Socio-Economic Environment Cultural Environment Factors Geometrics Operations Constructability Utilities Capital Costs Terrestrial Ecosystems Fish and Fish Habitat Social Property Contamination Archaeology Built Heritage

11 Preferred Interchange Alternative The Technically Preferred Alternative includes the following improvements to the Bowen Road interchange: MTO ROW Parclo A4 interchange configuration (familiar interchange type) Realigning the interchange improves sight distance and speed change lane lengths Maximum Capacity (best accommodates traffic from proposed Canadian Motor Speedway major events) Low complexity staging and construction Minimizes impacts to key interchange features (rail crossing, PSW and woodlot) Legend Property Required Alternative 2B: Parclo A4 Bowen Road Realigned 100m South Minimal utility impacts

12 Next Steps PIC June 24, 2014 TESR Addendum August 2014 Preliminary Design Complete - Fall % Detail Design Winter 2015 Property Clearance Fall 2014 Utility Relocation Fall 2014 Earliest Construction for Interchange Fall 2016 to early 2017 CMS Open 2016