Millennium Line Broadway Extension

Transcription

1 Millennium Line Broadway Extension Environmental and Socio-Economic Review Process Description Technical Summary

2 Technical Summary The Millennium Line Broadway Extension will be an approximately 6 kilometre continuation of the existing Millennium Line. The Project will continue west from VCC-Clark on an elevated guideway, and will transition to an underground alignment near Great Northern Way. The Project will have six new stations, including a terminus station at Arbutus Street. A future phase of investment will connect rapid transit to UBC s Point Grey Campus. This Technical Summary document explains the environmental, social, and economic studies the Project Team is conducting, which will inform the Project s design before entering the procurement process. The findings from these studies will be shared in The Millennium Line Broadway Extension Legend Canada Line Expo Line Millennium Line Millennium Line Broadway Extension West Coast Express Elevated SkyTrain Tunneled SkyTrain and Stations W BROADWAY Future Rapid Transit Extension to UBC GREAT NORTHERN WAY VCC Clark CLARK DR FRASER ST MAIN ST CAMBIE ST OAK ST GRANVILLE ST ARBUTUS ST km 2

3 Broadway Extension In Context Over the next 30 years, Metro Vancouver will welcome 1 million new residents and 600,000 new jobs. As the region grows, so will its transportation needs. Since 1999, the City of Vancouver, Metro Vancouver, and TransLink have been planning the region s future transportation needs: From 1999 to 2012 the City of Vancouver and TransLink evaluated rapid transit options along the Broadway Corridor, supported by robust public and stakeholder engagement. The UBC Rapid Transit Study (2013) explains which options were evaluated and how they were assessed. So far, we have held six open houses, seven stakeholder workshops, eleven stakeholder meetings, and two online surveys over two phases of engagement. Feedback so far indicates that there is strong support for the Project, with a desire to see it operational as soon as possible. Participants have shared hundreds of ideas to reduce construction impacts and to make the transit experience more accessible for all users. The City s Transportation 2040 Plan (2013) is a longterm strategic vision for moving people and goods through the City. The Broadway Extension is a top priority from the Plan. In 2014, Metro Vancouver Mayors Council on Regional Transportation shared a 10-Year Transportation Vision, outlining transit and transportation investments to keep Metro Vancouver moving. The Vision includes the Project people at 6 open houses 245+ people at 18 stakeholder meetings Expanding the rapid transit network to serve the Broadway corridor will address growing demand, help reduce greenhouse gases, support community and economic growth, and contribute to sustainable transportation options for the region. In 2017, the Project Team conducted Aboriginal, stakeholder, and public engagement. The objective of this outreach was to: raise awareness about the project; gather ideas for design principles inside and outside stations; and to listen to concerns about potential construction impacts. 800 telephone poll responses 7250 online and in-person TransLink Listens survey responses Public engagement summaries and background documents are available on our website at translink.ca/broadwayextension. 3

4 Project Description The Project Team is looking at Project effects both during construction and once the Broadway Extension is operational. Construction Operations The Project will involve the construction of: A segment of elevated SkyTrain guideway, extending from the existing VCC-Clark Station; Tunnels; Six underground stations with platform(s), elevators, and escalators; and Supporting infrastructure. We anticipate that construction, when started, will take five to six years to complete. Construction activities will include: Preparing sites for station entrances, construction staging, and storage; Constructing the elevated guideway segment; Underground works, including station construction, tunnel construction, and train track installation; Once operational, the Project will be fully integrated with the existing SkyTrain systems and protocols, and will use Millennium Line SkyTrain vehicles. To prepare for the Broadway Extension and to meet expected growth in the region, TransLink has started projects to expand the capacity of the Expo and Millennium Lines. The Project will replace the existing 99 B-Line service between Commercial-Broadway Station and Arbutus Street. The 99 B-Line service will continue from the new Arbutus Street Station to UBC Point Grey campus. The route 9 bus will continue to operate on Broadway. Utility works and relocations; Installation of new power, controls, and communications systems; Architectural finishing of the stations; and Traffic and transit management during construction. Project Schedule The Project is currently in pre-procurement planning and engineering, as shown in the grey boxes in the diagram below. If funding from federal, provincial, and regional governments is secured in 2018, construction could begin in Development of Design Parameters Procurement and Final Design Construction Environmental and Socio-Economic Review Public & Stakeholder Engagement We are here Ongoing Communications Ongoing Communications Engagement with Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh First Nations

5 Environmental and Socio- Economic Review Process Major projects like the Broadway Extension typically analyze and plan for potential negative or positive environmental, social, and economic impacts that are caused by the project s construction and operations. The Process Get Involved Since 2016, the Project Team has been undertaking an environmental and socioeconomic review for the Broadway Extension. By early 2018, this process will: Describe the existing conditions and identify potential effects of the Project. Study those effects and evaluate how much impact they will have. Identify mitigation measures, or actions to avoid or reduce potential negative effects. Develop construction and operations requirements that the project contractors will have to meet. There will be two opportunities to get involved in the environmental and socio-economic review process: Late 2017: the Project Team will seek input on which potential Project-related topics to study. Early 2018: the Project Team will seek feedback on predicted Project effects and potential mitigations. Studying and Evaluating Potential Project Effects 1. Determine areas of potential effects The Project Team examined similar projects (Evergreen Extension and Canada Line) and government agency, Aboriginal, stakeholder, and public feedback to date on the Broadway Extension to identify review elements, or topics to examine in more detail. We have identified the following review elements for assessment: Socio-economics, including the effects the Project may have on traffic flows during construction, commercial operations during construction and safety and security during and after construction. Archaeological and heritage resources that may be encountered during construction or affected by Project operations. Noise and vibration created by construction equipment and train operations. Air quality and greenhouse gases emitted during construction, plus reduced emissions from taking diesel buses out of service and reducing automobile trips. Contaminated sites that may be encountered during Project construction. Electric and magnetic field (EMF) effects from Project operations. In Fall 2017, we are confirming the scope of review elements to study. 5

6 Studying and Evaluating Potential Project Effects, continued 2. Undertake studies In late 2017, the Project Team will study the review elements to understand the baseline, or current, conditions. The Project Team will then conduct a series of studies to assess how Project construction and operations activities may positively or negatively affect the review elements. 3. Identify mitigation measures Once the list of potential effects has been created, the Project Team will develop mitigation measures, or actions that can be taken to avoid or reduce potential negative effects. Mitigation measures may include: Project design features, such as equipment selection and placement; construction procedures and practices; and, operation procedures and practices. Mitigation measures will likely include actions for all the review elements listed above, plus additional measures intended to avoid or reduce the Project s impact on the natural environment. 4. Develop requirements for project implementation Once the Project effects and mitigation measures have been identified, the Project Team will develop must do and must not do requirements for project contractors to build into their project design and construction plans. Contractors will be required to create and submit management plans to show how they propose to avoid and limit negative effects. Example of equipment used to monitor vibration (Blastmate III Sensor). Key Dates and Next Steps We are here 2018 The Project Team is conducting Aboriginal, stakeholder, and public engagement in fall 2017 to support the confirmation of elements to study We plan to be back in early 2018 to share the findings of our studies and to gather feedback on mitigation measures. Determine areas of potential effects. Undertake studies. Identify mitigation measures. Develop requirements for Project implementation. To learn more, please visit our website at translink.ca/broadwayextension. To provide feedback on the environmental review process, please contact us at broadwayextension@translink.ca. 6