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TO: |
Mayor and
Members of Council |
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FROM: |
Alan Brown,
Director of Engineering |
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PREPARED
BY: |
Lloyd
Fernandes, Capital Works Engineer Allan
Arbuckle, Manager of Infrastructure and Capital Works |
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DATE
OF MEETING: |
2004 –
September - 27 |
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SUBJECT: |
Main Street
Unionville South Class
Environmental Assessment |
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT
the report entitled “Main Street Unionville Class Environmental Assessment,”
dated September 27, 2004 be received;
AND THAT the preferred alternative
for the reconstruction of Main Street Unionville South between Hwy 7 and
Unionville Gate/Enterprise Drive as detailed in the Main Street Unionville
Class Environmental Assessment Study, Environmental Study Addendum Report be
endorsed;
AND
THAT Engineering staff be authorized to retain
qualified consulting firms to provide preliminary engineering services for the
project including geotechnical investigations, pavement evaluation and bridge
condition surveys for an estimated total cost of $ 53,500 inclusive of 7% GST
($ 50,000 exclusive of GST).
AND
THAT funding for this project be provided from the
approved Capital Budget account #
083-5399-5224-005. .
PURPOSE:
Improvements to Main Street South are Required
Main
Street from Highway 7 to the Rouge River (north of Unionville Gate) is
designated as a Heritage Conservation District within the Town of Markham. This section of Main Street currently
consists of four traffic lanes with narrow boulevards which provide very little
opportunity to accommodate decorative streetscaping similar to that which
exists along Main Street north of Highway 7.
During
the preparation of the Enterprise Drive Environmental Assessment in 2002, the
residents of Main Street South raised concerns about pedestrian and vehicular
safety and the potential loss of local heritage qualities due to increased
traffic volumes on Main Street resulting from the proposed connection to the
Enterprise Drive extension to Kennedy Road at Unionville Gate. To address these
concerns, Main Street South was incorporated into the Enterprise Drive and
Helen Avenue Extension EA Study. A
number of alternatives for the Main Street were developed and presented to the
residents at three Public Information Centres held on April 17, 2002, August
15, 2002 and on April 24, 2003. The alternatives included;
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Maintain the existing 4 lane cross-section (Do Nothing Alternative)
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Narrow the pavement to create a 3 lane cross-section
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Narrow the pavement to create a 2 lane cross-section
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Maintain the existing 4 lane cross-section to provide 2 through traffic
lanes and 2 centre median lanes to accommodate a future rapid transit corridor.
·
Maintain the existing 4 lane cross-section and close Main Street to
through traffic at the Rouge River bridge.
An
evaluation of these options was conducted however, a recommendation of a
preferred alternative could not be finalized because two studies which would
effect the selection of a preferred alternative, the Environmental Assessment
for the York Rapid Transit Plan (YRTP) and the Unionville Traffic Management
Plan, had not been completed. A decision was therefore made to suspend work on
the Main Street portion of the Enterprise Drive Class EA Study until such time
as these studies had been completed to the extent that their impact on the
selection of a preferred Main Street alternative could be determined.
In the spring of this year,
YRTP staff advised the Town that the Main Street South transit routing
alternative was no longer being considered. In addition, the Unionville Traffic
Management Plan had been completed to the stage that the importance of maintaining
the Main Street connection to Markham Centre as an important link in the
overall traffic network for the Unionville area had been confirmed. Based on this
information, the evaluation of the alternatives for Main Street South was
completed and presented to the residents on June 16th, 2004.
DISCUSSION;
Recommended Alternative
The recommended concept for the reconstruction of Main Street South is shown on Attachment “A”. The Preferred Alternative includes;
· the narrowing of Main Street from the existing four-lane cross-section to a two-lane urban cross-section with turning lanes at the Highway 7 and Enterprise Drive/Unionville Gate intersections.
· The provision on street parking on both sides of the road by utilizing the existing curb lanes with curb “bump-outs” to define parking areas.
· The creation of on-street bicycle lanes from Highway 7 to Enterprise Drive.
· Improved streetscaping, lighting and pedestrian facilities.
Typical cross-section details are as shown on Attachment “B”.
The streetscaping plan will be developed as a part of the Main Street
Unionville (South)/Highway 7 Streetscaping Study to be undertaken by the Town’s
Urban Design Department in consultation with the adjacent land owners and
residences.
Public Consultation
The first Public Information Centre was held on April 17 2002 and was attended by 35 people. Although the principle focus of this PIC was to present the need and justification, existing conditions, alternative solutions and preliminary alternatives for the Enterprise Drive/Helen Avenue extensions, a considerable number of comments and concerns were expressed by residents relating to the impact on Main Street of providing a connection to Enterprise Drive, the need to preserve and enhance the heritage character of Main Street and the need to reduce the speed of vehicles using Main Street.
The second PIC, held on Wednesday August 15th, 2002 to specifically present the background information and the proposed alternative solutions for Main Street, was attended by a total of 25 people. The key concerns expressed included the volume of traffic traveling on Main Street as a result of the connection to Enterprise Drive at Unionville Gate, the need to maintain the character of Main Street, the impact of excessive truck traffic and the need to maintain access to the proposed high school site via Enterprise Drive.
The third PIC, held on April 24 2003, presented further details of the Main Street and Enterprise Drive alternatives, identified a preferred alternative for Enterprise Drive and presented an evaluation of the Main Street alternatives. Residents were also advised that the selection of a preferred alternative for Main Street was being deferred pending the completion of the Environmental Assessment for the York Rapid Transit Plan (YRTP) and the Unionville Traffic Management Plan.
The fourth Public Information Centre, held on
Wednesday June 16th 2004, presented the recommended alternative and
the preliminary design concept. A total of twelve people attended the meeting
and the majority expressed agreement with the recommended alternative. The key concern was that residents be given the opportunity
to be involved in the detailed design phase of the project and that the
preferred alternative be implemented in conjunction with the construction of
the second phase of the Enterprise Drive extension project.
The residents have requested the opportunity to be involved in the development of the design of the project particularly the urban design/streetscaping component. This opportunity will be provided during the detailed design of the road works by the Engineering Department and through the Main Street Unionville (South)/ Highway 7 Streetscape Study to be undertaken by Urban Design staff.
Project Schedule
·
Preliminary design studies & resident consultation –October 2004 to
April 2005
·
detailed design – April 2005 to December 2005
Preliminary Engineering
Studies
In
order to more accurately determine the scope of construction required to
implement the preferred alternative solution, a number of preliminary
engineering studies and investigations need to be completed including an
evaluation of the existing pavement structure, a structural appraisal of the
existing Rouge River bridge, existing condition surveys of the sewers and
watermains and a geotechnical investigation. Staff are proposing that
consulting firms be retained to
undertake these investigations in advance of the commencement of the detailed
design work to enable more accurate budget values to be developed. In
accordance with the requirements of the Town’s Purchasing By-law, proposals
will be requested from three qualified consulting firms for each of these
preliminary studies.
The total cost for the reconstruction of Main Street South excluding the urban design elements is estimated as $ 635,000. These costs will be further refined once the preliminary engineering investigations and urban design studies are completed.
BUSINESS
UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
The Finance Department, Planning
and Urban Design have reviewed this report and their comments have been
incorporated.
ATTACHMENTS:
“A” Preferred
Alternative
“B” Preferred
Cross-Section
“
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Alan Brown, C.E.T. Director of Engineering |
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Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Commissioner of Development Services |
Q:\Development\Engineering\REPORTS\2004\September\Main
Street South EA.doc