Report to/Rapport au:

Transportation and Transit Committee/

Comité des transports et des services de transport en commun

and Council/et au Conseil

30 April 2001 / le 30 avril 2001

Submitted by/Soumis par: Rosemarie Leclair, General Manager/Directeur général

Transportation, Utilities and Public Works/

Transport, services et travaux publics

 Contact/Personne-ressource:  Paul Clarke, Senior Project Manager, Construction Services Division, 580-2424, ext. 21344, Paul.Clarke@city.ottawa.on.ca

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

That the Transportation and Transit Committee recommend, subject to Municipal Act advertising, Council approve the Transit connection from the Barrhaven Southpoint community directly to the Fallowfield Transit Station (via Oriska Way) and the interim widening of the eastbound lane of Fallowfield Road from the VIA rail tracks to Woodroffe Avenue, as detailed in the Report.

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

Que le Comité des transports et des services de transport en commun, sous réserve de la publication d’annonces légales requise par la Loi sur les municipalités, recommande au Conseil municipal d’approuver la voie de raccordement de transport en commun de la communauté de Barrhaven Southpoint directement à la station de transport en commun de Fallowfield (par la voie Oriska) et l’élargissement provisoire de la voie en direction est du chemin Fallowfield depuis la voie ferrée VIA jusqu’à l’avenue Woodroffe, tels qu’ils sont présentés dans le présent rapport.

BACKGROUND

This report summarizes the background, need, function and description of two short-term projects that are part of the Fallowfield Road Widening Environmental Assessment.  One is transit-related and the other is a localized road widening.

Fallowfield Road west of Woodroffe Avenue is presently a two-lane rural undivided roadway, carrying peak period traffic volumes approaching its capacity.  In recognition of this situation and of the significant ongoing growth in South Nepean, the former Regional Council approved the reconstruction of Fallowfield Road as a four-lane divided roadway through the Barrhaven area.  The Environmental Study Report was completed in October 1997 and the preferred functional plan has been approved.

One of the initial design tasks was to evaluate the need for grade separation of Fallowfield Road with the VIA Rail passenger line and with the proposed Southwest Transitway.  Since the warrants for grade separation are already met, the design is proceeding on the assumption that Fallowfield Road will pass beneath the VIA Rail line and beneath the Transitway.

In addition to the ultimate widening and grade separation, there are shorter-term interim road and transit-related works that should proceed.  These being the provision of the Oriska Way transit-only connection from Mount Shannon Drive to Fallowfield Road, and the interim widening of Fallowfield Road from the Oriska Way connection to 150 m east of the Park & Ride Lot intersection with Fallowfield Road (SK2).

The Oriska Way transit-only connection was identified in the Southwest Transitway Extension Environmental Study Report completed in 1997.  A caveat noting the transit-only connection was included in the deeds to all adjacent properties at the time of sale.

DISCUSSION

The transit-related project is the Oriska Way transit-only link that will extend for a short length along the Southwest Transitway corridor to link Mount Shannon Drive with Fallowfield Road at a point 400 m west of the Woodroffe Avenue Park & Ride Lot.  The road-related project is the interim widening of Fallowfield Road to a four-lane rural undivided cross-section from the Oriska Way intersection to 150 m east of the Park & Ride Lot intersection.

The purpose of the Oriska Way transit-only connection is to provide improved transit service and reduced travel times for those transit riders within the eastern portion of the Barrhaven community wishing to access the Fallowfield Transit Station at the Woodroffe/Fallowfield intersection.  This link is needed due to the significant delays experienced by traffic travelling through the Woodroffe/Earl Mulligan and Woodroffe/Fallowfield intersections caused by high traffic volumes and the current lack of roadway capacity.

The Oriska Way transit only link (SK3A) :

·        will be a 2-way 7.5 m wide transit-only road with 2.5 m gravel shoulders;

·        will be located partially on the alignment of the future Southwest Transitway (south end) and partially on the adjacent City lands to the east (north end). The easterly shift as it intersects Fallowfield Road is to allow the link to remain in operation while the railway grade separation with Fallowfield Road is constructed and to provide adequate taper lengths between the widened Fallowfield Road and the VIA Rail crossing;

·        the only traffic control will be a ‘STOP’ sign for northbound buses as they approach Fallowfield Road;

·        a westbound left-turn lane will be provided on Fallowfield Road to allow the left-turning buses to queue while waiting for a gap in traffic without affecting westbound traffic flow;

·        a multi-use pathway will be provided parallel and to the east linking the Southpoint community with the existing bicycle and pedestrian systems on Fallowfield Road;

·        lighting will be provided along the pathway.

The purpose of the interim widening of Fallowfield Road east of the VIA Rail crossing is twofold.  It will provide additional eastbound capacity to minimize the potential for traffic stopped at the Park & Ride Lot traffic signals to back up across the VIA Rail line.  Secondly, a westbound left-turn lane will be provided for buses turning onto the Oriska Way transit-only connection so that turning buses do not block the single westbound traffic lane.

The Interim Fallowfield Road Widening (SK3B):

·        the second eastbound lane to be provided as well as the above-noted westbound lane will extend from the Oriska Way connection east to tie into the existing two eastbound lanes which start approximately 150 m east of the Park & Ride Lot intersection;

·        the total pavement width will be 19.5 m comprising four traffic lanes and two 2.5 m paved shoulders;

·        the existing street light poles will have to be relocated as well as the traffic signal plant on the south leg of the Fallowfield/Park & Ride intersection;

·        bicycles can use the paved shoulders and pedestrians can use the existing south side recreation path.

The two projects are being designed and constructed as one project and will proceed this year concurrent with the ongoing design work for the ultimate four-lane divided urban cross-section of Fallowfield Road.

CONSULTATION

Both the Fallowfield Road Widening EA and the Southwest Transitway EA involved extensive public consultation with the community at large leading to Council approval of the recommended alternatives.

More recently there have been two points of public input specifically related to the Oriska Way transit-only connection and the interim Fallowfield Road widening.

As part of OC Transpo’s Trans Plan 2001, there were two public meetings held at the Walter Baker Centre on 17 and 19 February 2001.  In addition to proposed area transit service changes, the proposed functional plan and background material related to the Oriska Way Connection and the interim Fallowfield Road widening were presented.

Furthermore, approximately 100 homes that front onto Oriska Way, or back onto Fallowfield Road, were each provided with hand delivered notifications of the two meetings as well as an opportunity to address the Transportation and Transit Committee.

As per Section 300 of the Municipal Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.45, as amended, the changes to the roadways required for this project were advertised in The Ottawa Citizen, the Ottawa Sun and Le Droit for four successive weeks, 20 and 27 April and 4 and 11 May 2001.

This advertisement provided notice to the public of the proposed roadway changes and allowed those who believe that they will be prejudicially affected by these changes an opportunity to notify the City Clerk of their concerns(s) and be given an opportunity to address the Transportation and Transit Committee.

Subsequent to the Walter Baker meetings, there were a few inquiries from area residents mostly related to the provision of a pathway connection from Oriska Way to the existing pathway system parallel to Fallowfield Road.  In response, the plan illustrating the proposed pathway was distributed to those residents who have noted their support for the alignment and location.

TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN

The guiding principle from the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) is the provision of a modal hierarchy with emphasis on walking, cycling and transit usage.  This principle is reflected in the design for the project, which incorporates a pedestrian pathway link with formal pedestrian crossings of the transit lanes, and cycling lanes to be constructed in conjunction with the proposed widening.  The TMP principle is also carried forward with the improvement to the transit service, which is the primary focus of this project.

Formal sidewalks will not be provided on Fallowfield Road since the ESR has identified that a

3 m recreational pathway will be constructed as part of the reconstruction and widening of Fallowfield Road.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The construction cost estimate for the work as recommended in this report is $980,000.

DISPOSITION

Transportation, Utilities and Public Works staff will complete the design work and initiate the tendering process.  It is expected that construction will start in mid-summer 2001 and that the project will be completed and operational by November 2001.  Staff from the Department will also forward the required by-law amendments to the Corporate Services and Department (Legal Services).