Report to: Development Services Committee Report Date: September 16, 2008

SUBJECT: Highway 404 North Secondary Plan Transportation Improvement

PREPARED BY: Alan Brown, Director, Engineering, Ext. 7507

Brian Lee, Manager, Development Engineering, Ext. 4838

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the September 16, 2008 report entitled “Highway 404 North Secondary Plan Transportation Improvements” be received;

AND THAT the Region of York be requested to assume 19^th Avenue between Highway 404 and Woodbine Avenue in the Town of Markham into the Regional road system;

AND THAT the Region of York be requested to commence the Class Environmental Assessment process for the widening and reconstruction of 19^th Avenue between Highway 404 and Woodbine Avenue, including the jog elimination at Woodbine Avenue;

AND THAT THE Minister of Transportation, Ontario be requested to commence discussions with the Region of York, the Town of Markham and the Town of Richmond Hill to:

(a) set out a time table for the Class Environmental Assessment, design and implementation of a new Highway 404 interchange at 19^th Avenue, and

(b) establish cost-sharing principles with the Region of York and the local municipalities;

AND THAT Staff be authorized to participate if necessary as a joint proponent in the Class Environmental Assessment process, preliminary design and property acquisition of the Hwy 404 Interchange and 19^th Avenue reconstruction subject to budget approval;

AND THAT Staff report back to Council as to the status of the 19^th Avenue interchange and 19^th Avenue reconstruction including ownership, funding, scheduling, property requirements and agreements;

AND THAT a copy of this report be forwarded to the Honourable Jim Bradley, Minister of Transportation, Kathleen Lewellyn-Thomas, Commissioner of Transportation and Works, the Regional Municipality of York and Italo Brutto, Commissioner, Engineering and Public Works, the Town of Richmond Hill for information and necessary actions;

And that Staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Not applicable

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

In the 2008 Town Wide Hard Development Charges by-law, approximately $2.8 million and $16.9 million have been included for the 19^th Avenue reconstruction and Hwy 404/19^th Avenue interchange respectively.

Highway 404 Interchange at 19^th Avenue

The 404 North secondary plan area is anticipated to generate additional employment of 9,090 persons and a population of 1,240. In May 2008, Regional Council adopted the “Strategic Employment Corridors and Regional Official Plan Amendment 52” report which confirms the importance of promoting this area as strategic employment lands. The Town’s Growth Management Study also recognizes the importance of this area as an employment node. Given its strategic location, it is essential that the area is well serviced by Hwy 404. The need for a full interchange at 19^th Avenue was identified in the Region of York Transportation Plan, Markham 2004 MTPS and the 404 North Secondary Plan. Currently the 404 North Business Park will have access to Hwy 404 from Elgin Mills Road. The Ministry of Transportation has raised concern on the vehicle/truck volume on Elgin Mills and confirmed the need for the 19^th Avenue interchange to off load the Elgin Mills interchange. Preliminary discussion with the Region of York and Ministry of Transportation while acknowledging the future need for the interchange, focused on funding the $40 million to $60 million project. The Ministry of Transportation has taken the initial position that they will not fund the project.

The following issues and preliminary schedule need to be addressed by the various levels of government to implement this project:

· Finalize Environmental Assessment Proponency - early 2009

· Environmental Assessment – 2009/2010

· Funding - 2009

· Design – 2010

· Property Acquisition - 2012

· Construction – 2013/2014

19^th Avenue between Highway 404 and Woodbine Avenue

It is anticipated that 19^th Avenue between Highway 404 and Woodbine Avenue will be upgraded to a basic 4-lane cross section to support development in the area. With the completion of the Woodbine Avenue By-pass in the future and the construction of a new interchange at 19^th Avenue with Highway 404, it is anticipated that this section of 19^th Avenue will carry a significant portion of Regional traffic and act as an important linkage between Markham and Richmond Hill.

Staff have evaluated the functional classification of 19^th Avenue based on the Region’s Municipal Road Assumption criteria and found that the future function and characteristics of the future 19^th Avenue from Hwy 404 to Woodbine Avenue are consistent with a Regional roadway. The results of the evaluation are summarized in Appendix ‘A’.

19^th Avenue from Hwy 404 to Leslie Street is currently under the jurisdiction of the Town of Richmond Hill who may likewise ask the Region of York to assume this portion and undertake a Class EA study for at least two concessions (Leslie Street to Woodbine Avenue).

The following issues and preliminary schedule need to be addressed by various levels of government to implement this project:

· Environmental Assessment - 2009

· Resolution of jurisdiction (Regional vs. Municipal) – late 2008

· Design - 2010

· Property acquisition – 2010/2011

· Construction – 2012/2013

Timing of Transportation Infrastructure

The timing of transportation infrastructure can have an impact on how quickly an area can develop. As the two projects identified take long lead time for coordination with other levels of government for an environmental assessment, property acquisition and detailed design studies, staff recommend that the planning process of these two projects should start now in order not to hinder potential development in this business park.

ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:

The reconstruction of 19^th Avenue and the 404 interchange are required to accommodate full development of the 404 North Business Park.

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

The Planning Department has reviewed this report and its comments are incorporated.

RECOMMENDED BY:

Alan Brown

Director of Engineering

Jim Baird

Commissioner of Development Services

Attachment ‘A’ – Highway 404 North Secondary Plan – Transportation Schedule

Attachment ‘B’ – Regional Road Network (19^th Avenue between Highway 404 and Woodbine Avenue)

Appendix ‘A’ – Evaluation of 19^th Avenue as a Regional Road

Appendix A

Evaluation of 19^th Avenue as a Regional Road

(Between Highway 404 and Woodbine Avenue)

The 19th Avenue, from Highway 404 to Woodbine Avenue meets the Region of York’s Compliance with Road Assumption Criteria as follows:

Region’s Criteria	Compliance	Comments
Elective – must meet at least one of six criteria:
1. Connects designated rural settlements, having existing major commercial/ industrial development or more than 150 persons, to each other and Regional road or Provincial Highway.	Yes	Part of Concession grid network
2. Connects a Provincial Highway or Regional road to: Provincial Highway Major commercial and industrial areas Major institutional complexes such as colleges and hospitals	Yes	Connects Woodbine Avenue to Highway 404 with future interchange Serves a major strategic employment node
3. Provides services close to consistent major attractors or generators of heavy vehicles.	Yes	Serves a major strategic employment node with high proportion of inter-regional and inter-provincial traffic
4. Provides services parallel to and, where justified, crossing major barriers to free traffic movement.	Yes	Connects Markham and Richmond Hill across Highway 404
5. Provides service on those roads which are extensions of roads designated as Regional roads in urban areas and to a Regional road or a Provincial Highway.	Yes	19^th Avenue between Bathurst Street and Leslie Street in Richmond Hill is a Regional road
6. Provides service on those roads which are extensions of roads designated as Regional or County Roads in Neighbouring jurisdictions and, to a Regional road or a Provincial Highway.	Yes	Ditto
Mandatory – must meet both criteria below:
7. Roads should have a current traffic volume greater than 4000 annual average daily traffic (AADT).	No	The current AADT is below 4000 but is expected to be greater than 4000 when 19^th Avenue is widened.
8. Roads should be part of the original concession road grid system.	Yes	19th Avenue from Bathurst Street to Leslie Street is already a Regional road. (see Attachment “E”)
Overall Rating	Yes	Meets criteria for assumption as a Regional rod