Bayview Avenue Class Environmental Assessment Study Steeles Avenue to Elgin Mills Road WELCOME TO OPEN HOUSE # 3 Please sign in and join our mailing list
Why Are We Here Tonight?
Study Process and Purpose of Open House Notice of Study Commencement Summer 2015 Phase 1: Problem and Opportunity Identify problems and opportunities Phase 2: Alternative Planning Solutions Inventory the natural, social, economic and cultural environments Identify and evaluate the planning alternatives Identify a Recommended Planning Solution Consult agencies and the public and select Preferred Planning Solution Phase 3: Alternative Design Concepts for the Preferred Planning Solution Develop, assess and evaluate the design alternatives Identify a Preliminary Preferred Design Consult with agencies and the public Confirm the Preferred Design Phase 4: Environmental Study Report Complete the Environmental Study Report (ESR) 30 day public review and comment period Phase 5: Implementation Proceed to detailed design of the project Property acquisition and utility relocation Construction Open House # 1 Oct 29, 2015 Open House # 2 June 28 and 29, 2016 Open House # 3 November 16 and 17, 2016 Notice of Study Completion Spring 2017 Purpose of Open House # 3 Share key feedback we received so far Present an evaluation of the road crosssection alternatives Present an evaluation of the road widening alternatives Present the Preliminary Preferred Design Present information from supporting technical studies Identify next steps in the study Speak one-on-one with the project team and discuss potential improvements
Next Steps and How to Provide Your Feedback Following this Open House the Project Team will: Review public and agency comments received Incorporate refinements based on public and agency feedback and finalize the preliminary design plans for the Preferred Alternative Prepare the Environmental Study Report (ESR) which documents the decision making process of the EA Study File the Environmental Study Report for a 30-day public review period How to get involved: Tell us what you think by completing the on-line comment sheet/survey Request that your name be added to the study mailing list Provide your feedback by contacting the study team directly, using the contact information to the right Please complete the on-line comment sheet available at: www.york.ca/bayviewstudy or send comments to: Cathy Parmer Communications and Community Engagement Specialist The Regional Municipality of York Phone: 1-877-464-9675 ext. 75560 Email: roads.ea@york.ca Your comments are welcome at any time throughout the project. However, we ask that you provide your feedback with respect to the Open House # 3 materials by January 15, 2017
Who We Have Heard From The Study Team has been sharing information and gathering feedback from a wide variety of stakeholders throughout the study. First Nations Communities Community Centre Places of Worship Ratepayers Associations Representatives General Public York Region Bayview Avenue Class EA Study Team Steering Committee City of Toronto, City of Markham, Town of Richmond Hill, YRT Technical Agency Committee York Region, Markham and Richmond Hill technical staff, TRCA, MNRF, YRT, TTC, School Boards, 407ETR/MTO Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) Residential and Commercial Property Owners CN Rail & Metrolinx Markham Cycling and Pedestrian Advisory Committee City of Markham and Town of Richmond Hill Local & Regional Councillors Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)
Commonly Heard Feedback The Region is planning for improvements on Bayview Avenue within their jurisdiction. At the Steeles Avenue intersection, the southbound Bayview Avenue Transit / HOV lane (outside lane) will transition into the right-turn lane. Only two southbound through-lanes will be carried through the intersection. The Region s transit improvements on Bayview Avenue will support the City of Toronto s plans for future Bus Rapid Transit on Steeles Avenue. Reduced and constrained road crosssections have been developed in order to minimize property impacts to the extent possible. This approach recognizes the community context. The evaluation of road cross-section alternatives is discussed on subsequent displays at this Open House. What will happen at the Steeles Avenue intersection if the City of Toronto has no plans to widen Bayview Avenue? The widening will lead to significant property impacts in a well-established community. Will the cycling facilities be continuous from Steeles Avenue to Elgin Mills Road? If the Region focuses on the Yonge Subway extension, Bayview Avenue widening will not be needed. Widen other roads such as Leslie Street and Woodbine Avenue instead of Bayview Avenue Improve the traffic signal timing. The Region s Transportation Master Plan (2016) incorporates the Yonge Street Subway extension into its 2041 transportation demand model. Even with the subway extension, there is a need to implement Transit / HOV lanes on Bayview Avenue to support the overall transportation and transit network. The Region s Transportation Master Plan (2016) is a Region-wide transportation planning/policy document that considers all aspects of the Region s road network and recommends specific corridors for further study. The TMP has considered the function of Bayview Avenue in the context of Yonge Street and Leslie Street, as well as other north-south corridors. Based on the system-wide analysis, the TMP identifies Bayview Avenue as Transit Priority Network - playing an important role in supporting the higher order Rapid Transit System in other corridors. Yes, a multi-use path is proposed to provide a continuous cycling/walking facility between Elgin Mills Road and Steeles Avenue. Traffic signal phasing will be optimized based on the implementation of the proposed improvements.
Recommended Planning Solution
PM Peak Hour Corridor Travel Time (Minutes) Region s Recommended Planning Solution The problems and opportunities for Bayview Avenue were presented at Open House # 2: Functional street that provides for walking, cycling transit use Support Growth and New Communities Safe and accessible street for all users Address traffic congestion and travel demand Region Policies that promote more sustainable modes of travel Future Bayview Avenue Movement of people and goods Continued access to homes, businesses, schools, places of worship Protect heritage resources and natural environment features Frequent Transit Network Improved access to higher order transit hubs during peak periods The Recommended Planning Solution is to add new lanes for Transit / HOV, improve pedestrian and cycling facilities and connectivity and upgrade intersections to improve operations and safety. The Recommended Planning Solution will Maximize Person Carrying Capacity Without improvements, by 2041 traffic on Bayview Avenue will experience increased congestion and travel time. Reducing the number of people driving in single occupant vehicles is critical to managing congestion. The additional lanes will support the Frequent Transit Network. Transit and active transportation are critical in supporting shift away from single occupant vehicles. HOV lanes is one strategy for increasing person capacity. Building out the HOV network is a key objective of the TMP. 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Single Occupancy Vehicles High Occupancy Vehicles Buses Current 2041 Without HOV/Transit Lanes 2041 With HOV/Transit Lanes Significant travel time improvements for the afternoon rush hour between Steeles Avenue and Elgin Mills Road are expected for all vehicle types with HOV/Transit lanes.
Summary of Feedback from Open House # 2 Open House # 2 was held on June 28/29 2016. Since that time 258 comment sheet / surveys have been completed with feedback on a variety of topics. Some of the feedback is summarized here: Comments Received with the Surveys It is very unsafe to cycle without a designated bike lane. Bike lanes should be physically separated for people of all ages and abilities to feel safe cycling. Over 60% of respondents agree with the Region's recommended improvements to Bayview Avenue to add HOV/transit lanes, improve walking and cycling opportunities and improve traffic operations at intersections. 80% 60% 40% 20% Bus wait times are too long, infrequent and inconvenient. Public transit is too far from home. More frequent public transit service. Surrounding neighbourhoods are not transit oriented need more direct pedestrian access from adjacent neighbourhoods to Bayview Avenue. Street should have a pedestrian-friendly feel and streetscaping. Improve traffic signal timing. Public transit and cycling are not viable options for most people. Which considerations are most important to you? Improved streetscape Improved traffic signal timing Improve turning movements Increased road capacity & improved travel times Better transit stop locations and/or facilities Improved cycling facilities Maintain access to schools/institutional facilities Maintain access to homes/businesses Minimize impact to commercial/industrial property Minimize impact to residential property The top 3 things we heard that would improve cycling / walking on Bayview Avenue are: 1) Better separation from traffic 2) Improved connections between paths/trails 3) improved crossing/pavement markings 0% Yes No 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
Design Alternatives
Design Considerations In developing the Design Alternatives, a number of key constraints and design elements were considered: Impacts to properties (residential and business) Access to residences, businesses, places of worship, community centre etc. Existing and future land uses Existing drainage and flooding issues in the south part of the study area Drainage of roadside areas Major utilities within the study area Road design requirements Intersection, queue-jump opportunities and turning lane requirements Cell Tower adjacent to CN Rail bridge Rouge River and Don River crossings Bayview Avenue structure over CN Rail may be widened Bayview Avenue structure under CN Rail needs to be replaced Streetscaping Pedestrian and cycling access across the existing 6-lane bridge at Highway 407 Access and impacts to the Thornhill Community Centre Heritage properties (Shouldice Hospital) Type of active transportation facilities to be provided
Design Alternatives Evaluation Approach The evaluation of design alternatives encompassed two aspects: Road Cross-Section Alternatives the arrangement and size of travel lanes, sidewalks, boulevards, multi-use path etc. Road Widening Alternatives to determine how road widening can be achieved. The evaluation was carried out in a stepwise manner, with the road cross-section alternatives being assessed first to establish the road footprint and the road widening alternatives evaluated afterward, based on the preferred cross-section. Together, the preferred cross-section and road widening alternatives form the Preliminary Preferred Design, presented here today. Based on feedback received from agencies and the public, the preliminary preferred plan will be confirmed/refined into the Recommended Plan. Road Cross-Section Alternatives Road Widening Alternatives Preliminary Preferred Design Recommended Plan
Factors Considered in Evaluating Design Alternatives Category Social / Community Factors Amount and type of property required Supports future growth and employment and economic sustainability (movement of people and goods) Potential impact to residences and businesses (disruption and nuisance) Ability to enhance streetscape Natural Environment Heritage Transportation / Technical Potential impacts to environmentally sensitive areas Potential impacts to terrestrial and aquatic species and habitats, including Species at Risk Potential changes to drainage Effects on archaeological resources Effect on cultural heritage resources Addresses existing and future capacity concerns on Bayview Avenue Consistency with Region planning and policy documents Improves transit network operations Improves active transportation network connectivity (pedestrians, cyclists) Improves traffic operations Improves road safety
Road Cross-Section Alternatives Three Road Cross-Section Alternatives: Alternative A: York Region Official Plan Right-of-Way 43 m right-of-way an optimal road cross-section allows for median tree planting allows for multi-use path on both sides of road wide boulevard on both sides for landscaping an amenities Alternative B: Reduced Cross-Section 36 m road cross-section allows for landscaping in boulevard only allows for multi-use path on one side of the road and sidewalk on the other minimum boulevard on both sides for landscaping utilities Alternative C: Constrained Cross-Section 33.9 m road cross-section allows for limited landscaping and utilities in boulevard on one side only allows for multi-use path on one side of the road and sidewalk on the other
Evaluation of Road Cross-Section Alternatives Less Preferred More Preferred Factor Alternative A Official Plan (43 m) Alternative B Reduced (36 m) Alternative C Constrained (33.9m) Summary Social / Community Alternative A fully conforms to Official Plan policy as well as providing for the optimal opportunities for active transportation and streetscape design. Alternatives B and C offer incrementally less opportunity in this regard. However, Alternatives B and C provide an opportunity to minimize property impacts by reducing the cross-sectional elements and footprint. In the context of the existing community, this is deemed as having higher importance in this EA Study. Natural Environment Alternatives B and C are similar. Alternative A is anticipated to have greater impact since it would likely require the widening or replacement of all watercourse crossings and encroach further into adjacent natural areas in order to accommodate the road-cross section. Heritage Alternatives B and C are similar. Alternative A presents a greater challenge in avoiding built heritage, given the larger footprint. Transportation / Technical Alternative A provides the greatest consistency with Region transportation policy and programs by providing maximum opportunity for streetscape and active transportation. However, all alternatives provide for a continuous cycling and walking facility. All alternatives have similar impacts/conflicts with utilities. Alternative A has a slightly higher potential for conflicts with utilities due to a wider footprint. Carry Forward for EA Study Set Aside Carry Forward Carry Forward Alternatives B and C are recommended to be carried forward because they offer the best balance for reducing property impacts while still providing opportunities for active transportation and landscaping. Alternative A (Official Plan Right-of-Way) is not being carried forward as part of this Class EA study however, the Region will look for opportunities to acquire the full Official Plan Right-of-Way (43 m) as areas adjacent to Bayview Avenue redevelop. This is considered to be a long-term strategy and is beyond the scope of the current Class EA study.
Road Widening Alternatives The road cross-sections alternatives carried forward into this stage are: Reduced 36 m Cross-Section Constrained 33.9 m Cross-Section Three road widening alternatives were considered: Alternative 1: Widen by the existing centreline Alternative 2: Widen to the east only Alternative 3: Widen to the west only For this evaluation, the study area was considered in sections. A detailed evaluation appears on the preliminary preferred design plan and is summarized on the next display. In addition to determining the preferred approach to widening in each section, the preferred road cross-section alternative was also identified. Alt 1: Widen by the Existing Centre Line Alt 2: Widen to the East Only Alt 3: Widen to the West Only
Evaluation of Road Widening Alternatives Summary Bayview Avenue Section Alt 1. Widen by the Centreline Alt 2. Widen to the East Alt 3. Widen to the West Recommended Road Cross-Section Steeles Avenue to Fairfield Place / Whitelaw Court Existing ROW varies from 36 m to 52m X X Fairfield Place / Whitelaw Court to CN Railway Existing ROW varies from 29 m to 49 m X X CN Railway to John Street Existing ROW varies from 34 m to 38 m X X John Street to Langstaff Road Existing ROW varies from 33 m to 44 m X X Reduced 36 m Cross-Section can largely be accommodated within existing ROW. Therefore, it is recommended to allow landscape opportunity in the boulevard on the east side.* Constrained 33.9 m Cross-Section is recommended in order to minimize impact to the Don River crossing and existing mature trees adjacent to Bayview Avenue. * Constrained 33.9 m Cross-Section is recommended in order to minimize impact to the adjacent properties. Widening can largely be contained within the existing rightof-way. * Reduced 36 m Cross-Section can largely be accommodated within existing ROW. Therefore, it is recommended to allow landscape opportunity in the boulevard on the east side. * Langstaff Road to Briggs Avenue / Bantry Avenue Already 6 lanes n/a n/a n/a n/a Briggs Avenue / Bantry Avenue to 16th Avenue Existing ROW varies from 36 m to 43 m X X 16th Avenue to Weldrick Road Existing ROW varies from 34 m to 38 m X X Weldrick Road to Major Mackenzie Drive Existing ROW varies from 31 to 40 m X X Major Mackenzie Drive to Taylor Mills Drive South Existing ROW varies from 33 m to 38 m X X Taylor Mills Drive South to Elgin Mills Road Existing ROW varies from 36 m to 41 m X X Reduced 36 m Cross-Section can largely be accommodated within existing ROW. Therefore, it is recommended to allow landscape opportunity in the boulevard on the east side. * Reduced 36 m Cross-Section can largely be accommodated within existing ROW. Therefore, it is recommended to allow landscape opportunity in the boulevard on the east side. * Constrained 33.9 m Cross-Section is recommended in order to minimize impact to the adjacent properties. Widening can largely be contained within the existing rightof-way. * Reduced 36 m Cross-Section can largely be accommodated within existing ROW. Therefore, it is recommended to allow landscape opportunity in the boulevard on the east side. * Constrained 33.9 m Cross-Section and associated grading can be accommodated within existing ROW. Therefore, it is recommended to allow landscape opportunity in the boulevard on the east side. * * Any remaining space available within the ROW, beyond that which is required for the 36 m or 33.9 m road cross-sections may be for boulevard
Preliminary Preferred Design
Overview of the Preliminary Preferred Design The preliminary preferred design for Bayview Avenue is presented on the large plans available at this Open House. The key features of the design are: Bayview Avenue widened to 6 through-lanes from Steeles Avenue to Elgin Mills Road - New lanes are exclusively for Transit / HOV; A continuous system of sidewalk on the west side and Multi-Use Path on the east side of Bayview Avenue; Intersection modifications at Royal Orchard Boulevard; Widened CN Rail Overpass to accommodate the proposed additional lanes, sidewalk and Multi-Use Path; Replacement of the CN Rail Underpass to accommodate the proposed additional lanes, sidewalk and Multi-Use Path; Intersection improvements which includes extending turning lane storage, and addition of dedicated southbound right-turn lane where required; Optimizing traffic signal phasing; Intersection design compliant with Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) with enhanced visual, aural and textural elements; When road improvements are implemented on Bayview Avenue, YRT will upgrade / replace transit shelters and amenities, consistent with their current standards; and Streetscape / landscape enhancements, mitigation / replacement for street tree removals and other amenities (benches, gathering areas).
Streetscape Concept The proposed road works present an opportunity to enhance the character and function of the street through streetscape / landscaping. A design plan depicting these opportunities is available for review at this Open House. The intent is to create a functional, active and vibrant street that enhances pedestrian, cycling and transit facilities and encourages recreational use and social interaction. Design principles used in developing the concept: Prioritize accessibility and focus on comfort and safety to encourage walking and cycling; Integrate architectural features, public art, street furniture, enhanced paving, and planting design; Create rest areas that appeal to pedestrians and cyclists e.g., patios, sitting areas with tree/shade protection; Provide good way finding signage that is clear, easily readable and simple; Partner with Town of Richmond Hill and City of Markham to expand/enhance the streetscape; and Work with adjacent property owners (institutional, religious, commercial) to expand/enhance the streetscape.
Rail Crossings The two CN Rail crossings will be upgraded to accommodate the proposed improvements to Bayview Avenue: CN Rail Bridge (Underpass) south of John Street will be replaced. The new bridge will accommodate the Transit / HOV lanes, sidewalk and Multi-Use Path as well as the left turn lane for Laureleaf Road. CN Rail Bridge (Overpass) north of Royal Orchard Drive will be widened. The widened bridge will accommodate the Transit / HOV lanes, sidewalk and Multi-Use Path. Pedestrians/cyclists will now have the option to use the sidewalk or Multi-Use Path on Bayview Avenue rather than the tunnel under the rail line. The Region has been consulting with CN Rail regarding these proposed improvements. View north towards CN Rail Underpass View north towards CN Rail Overpass
Natural Environment A review of background information and field investigations were conducted, including: Vegetation community classification and botanical survey Review of fish habitat conditions at watercourse crossings Review of wildlife habitat type and quality, including potential for Species at Risk The study area is predominantly urban. Remaining natural areas are associated with the watercourse crossings / valley systems. Key natural heritage features and designated policy areas present within the Bayview Avenue study area include: German Mills Creek (Regionally Significant Woodlands) Rouge River Tributary (Regionally Significant Woodlands and Species at Risk habitat) East Don River (Regionally Significant Woodlands) Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority are being consulted with respect to natural environmental conditions. Permitting requirements will be confirmed and recommendations made to protect wildlife, habitat and Species at Risk.
Drainage and Stormwater Management A drainage assessment and stormwater management design is being developed for the preliminary preferred design. Bayview Avenue has an urban cross section roadway drainage is captured by catch basins and conveyed by storm sewers to a number of outlets at nearby watercourses. The issue of flooding in the Bayview Glen and Grandview neighbourhoods has been the subject of detailed assessment through the approved West Thornhill Stormwater Flood Remediation Class EA Study (2011) and Implementation Strategy (2011). The City of Markham is now moving forward with storm sewer system upgrades as part of the Implementation Strategy. The drainage assessment and stormwater management plan includes the following key tasks: Develop a design in consultation with TRCA for stormwater quantity control. Confirm that the size of culverts and bridges meet design requirements and make recommendations regarding replacement, as appropriate. Recommend water quality treatment measures. Ensure the assessment and design are integrated with the proposed improvements and implementation of the West Thornhill Stormwater Flood Remediation Implementation Strategy.