Report to: Development Services Committee Report Date: June 22,
2010
SUBJECT: Markham
Centre Mobility Hub Station and Transit Alignments
PREPARED BY: Alan
Brown, Director of Engineering ext. 7507
Sepideh Majdi, Transit
Coordinator ext. 2414
RECOMMENDATION:
1.
THAT the
report entitled “Markham Centre Mobility Hub Station and Transit Alignments ”
be received;
2.
AND THAT the
Ministry of Transportation and York Region Rapid Transit Corporation be
requested to review and report back to Markham Council on potential alternative
Hwy 407 transitway alignment, Viva rapidway route and Mobility Hub station
location in Markham Centre, as outlined in the report;
3.
THAT the Ministry
of Transportation (MTO) York Region Rapid Transit Corporation be advised
accordingly;
4. AND THAT Staff be authorized and
directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution.
The purpose of this report is to request MTO and York
Region Rapid Transit Corporation (Viva) to review and evaluate potential alternative
Mobility Hub station location and transit alignment options in Markham Centre,
including consideration of the option as proposed by Calthorpe Associates on
behalf of the Remington Group.
In July, 2003, Council granted draft plan approval to the
Remington Group’s ‘Downtown Markham’ project.
This project, with a projected 20 plus year build-out, provides for the
introduction of Viva rapid transit along a dedicated alignment within the Civic
Mall (“Simcoe Promenade”) linear park, and reserves another block for the
future 407 Transitway.
The Remington Group is reviewing potential amendments
to their precinct plan which would involve redistributing certain land uses and
density, including introducing an enhanced road pattern within the balance of
their plan. The Remington Group has
retained Calthorpe Associates to undertake this work and Calthorpe presented
their early findings to Development Services Committee on May 11, 2010. Part of this re-visioning of the Remington
plan involves looking at the proposed transit alignments (Viva and 407 Transitway) within and adjacent to the Remington lands, and
introducing additional crossings of the GO rail line for increased connectivity.
Transit alignment options and additional road
crossings of the GO line have also been under review by Town staff and consultants
pursuant to the Town initiated “East Precinct/Mobility Hub” planning and design
exercise.
Viva Rapidway – Markham
Centre
The York Region
Rapid Transit Corporation (Viva) is proceeding with construction of dedicated rapidways
from Yonge St. to east of Warden Ave. commencing in early 2010 with completion
in 2013. A segment of the Civic Mall
from Warden to Birchmount is currently under construction and will be completed
later this year. The Birchmount to Kennedy section of the rapidways has been
approved by the Metrolinx board for implementation in the later stages of the
program between 2016 and 2020 and the alignment of the Viva Rapidway
at the Mobility Station is noted in Attachment “B”. The Kennedy Road to Cornell section design and
construction has not been funded by Metrolinx to date. A review of alternative alignment options for
the Birchmount Rd. to Unionville GO Station component of the rapidway, based on
the Calthorpe concept could potentially be accommodated without delay to the Viva
project schedule.
407 Transitway
The Ministry
of Transportation (MTO) has protected a right-of-way (ROW) from Burlington to
the Hwy 35/115 interchange for the future 407 Transitway,
within which Hwy 400 to Kennedy has been identified as a priority section. The protection includes runningway, stations,
park and ride and transit interface facilities. The protected ROW provides for
bus rapid transit (BRT) with possible conversion to light rail transit (LRT) in
the future. 407 Transitway contains a high-speed cross-regional transit
facility to be constructed on a separate right-of-way that parallels Hwy 407
ETR. The Metrolinx Big Move timeline for the 407 Transitway
project is currently beyond 2023.
The planning
phase for the Hwy 400 to Kennedy
Rd. section has been finalized in the Draft
Functional Planning Report and the Preliminary design is now at 60% complete.
The draft alignment in Markham Centre is noted in Attachment “B”. In order to
obtain environmental approval the new Transit Project Assessment process has
been used. The notice of commencement
for Transit Project Assessment for the public will be in June 2010. The release of this notice will be the start
of a 120-day environmental assessment process which will be concluded by fall
2010 and the environmental approval is expected to be obtained by the end of
2010.
Calthorpe Concept
Calthorpe
Associates is reviewing Remington’s Markham Centre precinct plan, which
includes consideration of the 407 and Viva transit alignments and interface
with the Unionville GO Station and Mobility Hub. In May, 2010, Calthorpe
presented their preliminary concept for potential alternative transit alignments
and Mobility Hub station location to Markham staff, MTO and Viva as per
Attachment “A”. MTO and Viva representatives indicated that a Markham Council
resolution would be required in order for them to review the Calthorpe concept
in the context of their Environmental studies and approvals and seek direction
from their respective ministries and/or boards. This report is intended to initiate a formal
request to MTO and VIVA to consider the Calthorpe option. Calthorpe Associates are also being scheduled
to provide a further update to Development Services Committee on June 22, 2010,
and the transit agencies will be invited to attend. Both agencies will be requested to report back to as
to their ministry and/or board direction regarding review of the Calthorpe alternative.
The Planning Department has reviewed
and commented on this report.
RECOMMENDED BY:
________________________ _______________________________
Alan Brown, C.E.T. James
Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.
Director, Engineering Commissioner,
Development Services
Attachment “A” – Calthorpe Concept
Attachment “B” – Markham
Centre Intermodal Station
Q:\Development\Engineering\REPORTS\2010\June\Markham
Centre Transit Station Report-June 22-Final copy.doc