st. clair avenue west - rail crossing study (dec. 2014)

LEA Consulting Ltd.

St. Clair Avenue West / Rail CrossingSt. Clair Avenue West / Rail CrossingEnvironmental Assessment StudyEnvironmental Assessment Study

Status Update December 2, 2014

LEA Consulting Ltd. St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study

Status Update December 2, 2014 2

In 2012, City Council directed staff to:

“Initiate and carry out an Environmental Assessment (EA) Study of the St. Clair Avenue / Rail Crossing between Keele Street and Old Weston Road”

Background



What is an EA and why is one required?• Under the Provincial Environmental Assessment Act, it’s a process that ensures good planning by determining and managing the potential effects of a project prior to implementation.

• The process ensures that public concerns are heard.

• The process balances the economic, social, cultural and natural environmental needs.

• Schedule C projects are large-scale, complex projects that have the potential for significant environmental effects:

– new roads or road extensions– new bridges and rehabilitation of bridges– interchanges and grade separations

Background



Background



This study, which we have identified as a Functional Planning Study, represents the first phase of the Environmental Assessment (EA) Process.

Project objectives:

•Identify the existing constraints, problems and issues in the study area.

•Identify short-term and long-term solutions that can improve vehicular operations along St. Clair Avenue West between Keele Street and Old Weston Road.

•Develop functional designs and cost estimates for the alternatives

•Short-list improvements that the City can implement (with or without an EA Study).

Project Objectives



The Functional Planning Study looks at the feasibility of alternatives in order to reduce the scope of the subsequent phases of the Environmental Assessment (EA) Study.

Functional Planning Study Schedule:•Existing Conditions Review – Dec 2013 to 2014•Develop and Assess of Alternatives – Late 2014•Correspondence with stakeholders – On-going•Functional Planning study Completion - Mar 2015

Study Process

1) Functional Planning Study

(1.5 Years)

2) Environmental Assessment( 1.5 Years)

3) Preliminary Design(1 Year)

4) Property Acquisition(Concurrent)

5) Detailed Design(1 Year)

6) Construction(3-5+ Years)

WE ARE HERE



Study AreaStudy Area

Rail underpass constructed in 1931-32Rail underpass constructed in 1931-32

St. Clair streetcar constructed in dedicated right-of-way in 2010

St. Clair streetcar constructed in dedicated right-of-way in 2010

Project Location and Background

Junction Road crossing closed intermittently between 2012 and 2014 for rail-rail grade

separation project

Junction Road crossing closed intermittently between 2012 and 2014 for rail-rail grade

separation project



Existing Conditions

There are three (3) main travel flow patterns in the area:

a)East and west along St. Clair Avenue West

b)Northwest and southeast.

c)Northeast and southwest

Travel is constrained by the limited number of crossings provided over the various rail corridors.






To Keele



Existing Conditions











To Keele



To Keele Existing Conditions











Study network requires new links and connections to remove unnecessary traffic flows from St. Clair Avenue West.

Study network requires new links and connections to remove unnecessary traffic flows from St. Clair Avenue West.



What types of alternatives will the Functional Planning Study evaluate?•Shared Use of Transit Lanes

•Extension of Turn Lanes

•Widen St. Clair Avenue West at Underpass

• Replace existing underpass with a wider bridge

• Additional underpass on the south side of St. Clair Avenue West

• New overpass to replace underpass adjacent to south side of St. Clair

•Additional Crossing of Rail Corridor North of St. Clair Avenue West

•Additional Crossing of Rail Corridor South of St. Clair Avenue West

•Extension of Keele Street to the south

• To new rail corridor crossing north of St. Clair Avenue West

• To Davenport Road

Functional Planning Study



Alternatives to be Considered

The streetcar lane would be opened to general traffic between Old Weston Road and Keele Street during part or all of the day.

Shared Transit Lanes

Shared Transit Lanes

Shared Transit Lanes (example from King Street West)

Dedicated Streetcar Lanes



Alternatives to be Considered (cont.)

This involves providing a receiving lane for the westbound movement at the intersection of Old Weston Road and St. Clair Avenue West .

This may require relocation of the westbound streetcar stop at Old Weston Road.

This can be implemented in combination with other alternatives.

Extension to Turn LanesExtension to Turn Lanes

Retail



This involves replacing the St. Clair West underpass between Weston Road / Keele Street and Old Weston Road with a wider structure or adding a new span to the south to provide one additional traffic lane in each direction.

This allows for additional east-west vehicle queue storage between intersections. Any new underpass structure will need to accommodate new vertical and horizontal clearance requirements.

A dedicated streetcar ROW would be maintained.

Widen St. Clair Avenue at Underpass

Widen St. Clair Avenue at Underpass


Replace existing underpass with wider structure

New structure south of St. Clair Avenue West

New St. Clair Avenue Overpass

New St. Clair Avenue Overpass

This involves replacing the St. Clair underpass with a new overpass to the south of St. Clair Ave West

A dedicated streetcar ROW would be maintained.




An easterly extension of Gunns Road across the rail corridor to Union Street and/or Old Weston Road can provide an alternate east-west travel route in the area thereby relieving demand on St. Clair Avenue at the rail corridor.

Rail Crossing North of St. Clair

(Gunns Road)

Rail Crossing North of St. Clair

(Gunns Road)




A westerly extension of Davenport Road across the rail corridor to Keele Street can provide an alternate east-west travel route in the area thereby relieving demand on St. Clair Avenue at the rail corridor.

Rail Crossing South of St. Clair

(Davenport Road)

Rail Crossing South of St. Clair

(Davenport Road)




A southerly extension of Keele Street to Union Street and/or the Gunns Road extension can provide an alternate north-south travel route in the area. This would allow for additional route choice for crossing through the area.

This alternative can be combined with a full or partial extension of Gunns Road to improve network connectivity north of St. Clair Avenue.

Keele Extension (to Gunns Road)

Keele Extension (to Gunns Road)




Keele Extension (to Davenport Road)

Keele Extension (to Davenport Road)

An extension of Keele Street to connect with Davenport Road via a new overpass structure for auto traffic over St. Clair Avenue West.

This alternative allows north-south traffic to avoid St. Clair Avenue entirely.

This alternative can be combined with the Gunns Road extension and/or the Davenport Road extension alternatives.

Keele Extension over St. Clair Avenue West



Between now and March 2015, the study team will:•Assess alternatives to determine the technical feasibility, outline the design constraints, develop cost estimates, and identify required approvals and property requirements associated with each alternative•Shortlist alternatives to take forward into the subsequent phases of the Environmental Assessment Study

Next Steps

st. clair avenue west - rail crossing study (dec. 2014)

Government & Nonprofit

clair avenue rail crossing

clair streetcar

natural environmental

herelea consulting

study arearail underpass

good planning

functional designs

project location