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1. JOCKVALE ROAD ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STUDY (JOCK RIVER TO PRINCE
OF WALES DRIVE ÉTUDE
D’ÉVALUATION ENVIRONNEMENTALE DU CHEMIN JOCKVALE (DE LA RIVIÈRE JOCK À LA
PROMENADE PRINCE OF WALES) |
committee
recommendations
That Council:
1.
Receive the results
of the Jockvale Road Environmental Assessment as shown in Document 1;
2.
Direct staff to
prepare the Environmental Study Report for the Jockvale Road Environment
Assessment for the 30-day public review, in accordance with the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act;
and
3.
Direct staff to
undertake necessary property acquisition for the construction of Jockvale Road,
in line with the timing identified in the Transportation Master Plan and
through the annual Capital Budget Process.
RECOMMANDATIONS DU
RAPPORT
Que le Conseil :
1. de
prendre connaissance des résultats de l’Évaluation environnementale du chemin
Jockvale, tels qu’ils sont présentés dans le Document 1;
2. d’enjoindre
le personnel de rédiger le rapport d’Étude environnementale pour l’Évaluation
environnementale du chemin Jockvale en vue de l’examen public de 30 jours,
conformément à la Loi sur les évaluations environnementales de l’Ontario;
3. d’enjoindre
le personnel de procéder à l’acquisition des terrains nécessaires à la construction
du chemin Jockvale conformément au calendrier déterminé dans le Plan directeur
des transports et par le biais du processus annuel du budget d’immobilisations.
Documentation
1. Deputy
City Manager (ICSC) report dated 28 October 2008 (ACS2008-ICS-PLA-0210).
2. Extract of Draft Minute, 5 November
2008.
Report to/Rapport au :
Comité des transports
and Council / et au Conseil
28 October 2008 / le 28 octobre 2008
Submitted by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager
Directrice municipale adjointe,
Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability
Services d’infrastructure et Viabilité des collectivités
Contact
Person/Personne-ressource : Vivi Chi, Manager/Gestionnaire, Transportation and
Infrastructure Planning/Planification, Transport et infrastructure
Planning Branch/Direction de l’urbanisme
(613) 580-2424 x21877, vivi.chi@ottawa.ca
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That Transportation Committee recommend Council:
1. Receive the results of the Jockvale Road Environmental
Assessment as shown in Document 1;
2. Direct staff to prepare the Environmental Study Report for
the Jockvale Road Environment Assessment for the 30-day public review, in
accordance with the Ontario Environmental
Assessment Act; and
3. Direct staff to undertake necessary property acquisition for
the construction of Jockvale Road, in line with the timing identified in the
Transportation Master Plan and through the annual Capital Budget Process.
RECOMMANDATIONS DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité des transports recommande au Conseil :
1.
de prendre connaissance des
résultats de l’Évaluation environnementale du chemin Jockvale, tels qu’ils sont
présentés dans le Document 1;
2.
d’enjoindre le personnel de rédiger
le rapport d’Étude environnementale pour l’Évaluation environnementale du
chemin Jockvale en vue de l’examen public de 30 jours, conformément à la Loi
sur les évaluations environnementales de l’Ontario;
3.
d’enjoindre le personnel de procéder
à l’acquisition des terrains nécessaires à la construction du chemin Jockvale
conformément au calendrier déterminé dans le Plan directeur des transports et
par le biais du processus annuel du budget d’immobilisations.
BACKGROUND
In 2007,
the City initiated an Environmental Assessment (EA) study for the widening of Jockvale
Road to accommodate future growth in South Nepean and address existing roadway
design deficiencies along the study corridor. An increase of 33 per cent of the city’s population and 23 per cent of new employment
is forecast to occur in the South Urban Community (SUC).
This
growth represents an increase to the SUC population from 64400 to 151500
persons (between 2005 and 2031).
Employment is also forecast to increase from 13000 to 54600 jobs within
the same period. The result of this
growth will be an increase in travel demand within the SUC.
Historically,
and more recently, the pattern of development in the SUC has generally occurred
from the north to the south. The areas
to the north are now fully developed (i.e. Barrhaven) and most of the ongoing
new development is occurring adjacent to and south of Strandherd Drive. As such, increases in travel demand are also
occurring to/from, and within, the southern parts of the SUC.
In addition
to growth and existing design deficiencies, this project was advanced to
account for other influences including the City’s upcoming plans to build the
northern Jockvale-Longfields connection through the Barrhaven Town Centre and
the anticipated growth in Manotick in the south.
This Study follows Ontario’s Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) process and
is subject to the Federal EA process (screening under the Canadian
Environmental Assessment Act) to ensure that all potential natural,
social/cultural, and economic environments as well as property and land use
effects are considered.
DISCUSSION
Study
Area – Description of Existing Land Use:
Jockvale
Road, within the study area, is a two-lane rural roadway that runs southerly
from Bren Maur Road to Prince of Wales Drive. Figure 1 provides a
schematic of the study corridor. The
study corridor was divided into three separate segments for evaluation
purposes, as each possesses characteristics specific to the segment.
Figure 1 – Study Area
Section 1 (1 km) - Bren Maur Road to Cambrian Road/Golflinks
Drive:
Travelling south along Jockvale Road, Half Moon Bay Woods is located on the south shoreline of the Jock River (west of Jockvale Road), and the Stonebridge Recreational Trail and Park is located south of the Jock River (east of Jockvale Road). The Stonebridge residential community is found along the east side of Jockvale Road from Riverstone Drive to Golflinks Drive, while rural/agricultural land is found along the west side. One residential dwelling unit is located along the west side of Jockvale Road, north of the Riverstone Drive/Jockvale Road intersection. This land is currently being developed into a residential community (Tamarack Homes). In terms of other existing land use, the following is present:
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o two residential dwelling units are found in the northeast quadrant of the Jock River Bridge crossing; o one commercial business (Gambles Nursery) and one residential dwelling unit are located in the northwest quadrant of the Jock River Bridge crossing; |
o one single residential dwelling unit is located in the southeast quadrant of the Jock River Bridge crossing; o one abandoned residential dwelling unit (City owned) is located in the southwest quadrant of the Jock River Bridge crossing; it is scheduled for demolition (3420 Jockvale Road). |
Section
2 (1 km) - Cambrian Road/Golf Links Drive to approximately 0.5km north
of Prince of Wales Drive:
The Stonebridge residential community is located along the east side of Jockvale Road to Golflinks Drive and along the west side of Jockvale Road to Blackleaf Drive. The following are the existing land uses with access directly onto Jockvale Road in Section 2:
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o one residential dwelling unit is located along the east side of Jockvale Road, north of the Golflinks South/Jockvale Road intersection; o one commercial business (non-conforming land use) and one residential dwelling unit are located south of Blackleaf Drive/Jockvale Road intersection; |
o one residential dwelling unit and one business (apple orchard) is located along the east side of Jockvale; o one residential dwelling unit is located along the west side of Jockvale Road, south of the Golflinks Drive South/Jockvale Road intersection. |
Section 3 (1 km) - Segment that
includes the Prince of Wales Drive/Jockvale Road intersection:
Jockvale Road Woods is
located along the east side of Jockvale Road.
The following are existing land uses with direct access onto Jockvale
Road:
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o three residential dwelling units are located along the east side of Jockvale Road in the northeast quadrant of the Prince of Wales Drive/Jockvale Road intersection as well as one commercial business, the Cornerstone Montessori Day Care; |
o two residential dwelling units and barns are found in the northwest quadrant of the Prince of Wales Drive/Jockvale Road intersection; o one institutional building, the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, is located in the southeast quadrant of the Prince of Wales Drive/Jockvale Road intersection. |
In addition, the Stonebridge
Golf Course is located along the west side of Jockvale Road and
rural/agricultural land is found in the southwest quadrant of the Prince of
Wales Drive/Jockvale Road intersection.
Alternative Planning Solutions:
The analysis and evaluation of alternatives was
undertaken as a two-step process. Initially,
alternative planning solutions were developed.
These alternative planning solutions were analyzed by a hierarchical
methodology to scope the higher level solutions that should be carried forward,
then a detailed analysis was provided of various alternative designs. The planning level alternative solutions
tested the assumption that a roadway is needed. Options including Do Nothing, Limit/Defer Growth, Moodie Drive
Roadway Improvements, Highway 416 Roadway Improvements, Cedarview Drive Roadway
Improvments were not carried forward as they do not address the mobility needs
of the growing South Urban Community.
Land Use Intensification, Transit,
Transportation System Management, Transportation Demand Management, Greenbank
Road, Prince of Wales Drive, and Jockvale Road improvements were all
recommended to be carried forward to address growth and mobility needs for the
South Urban Community. Hence, the City
has recently approved a long-term Rapid Transit Plan, has completed an EA Study
for the widening of Greenbank Road (from Malvern to Cambrian) and is
undertaking an EA Study for the widening of Prince of Wales Drive (Fisher to
Woodroffe). This EA focuses on the Jockvale Road improvements planning
solution.
Jockvale Road Improvements – Alternative
Alignments and Evaluation:
Generally,
alignment options included widening the roadway from the existing centreline,
to the east, to the west, widening within dedicated lands, and realignment of
roads at intersections.
An evaluation of the alternative alignments was undertaken
for each Section to determine the technically preferred alternatives for each
segment. Document 2 contains a detailed
description of the analysis and evaluation process, including drawings of the
different alternatives. The technically
preferred alignments are described as follow:
o
Section 1 - Bren Maur Road to Cambrian
Road/Golflinks Drive:
Roadway widening to the west at the Jock River Structure and widening on
centre along Jockvale Road was selected as the technically preferred
alternative. This alternative requires
the least residential property and has the least residential out-of-way travel.
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Section 2 - Cambrian Road/Golf Links Drive to
approximately 0.5km north of Prince of Wales Drive: Widening
the roadway within land designated by the City and developers for Jockvale Road
had minimal impact to the surrounding
environment. This alternative
eliminates the back-to-back curves that currently exist while maintaining the
widening within the dedicated property.
- Section 3 - Segment that
includes the Prince of Wales/Jockvale Road intersection:
Improvement to the Prince of Wales/Jockvale Road intersection
skew, realignment of Jockvale Road to the west of Prince of Wales Drive,
and introduction of a service road is preferred. This alternative provides the most desirable results under
several sub-factor criteria including residential out-of-way travel,
visual intrusion, commercial impact on property right-of-way, and life cycle
cost.
The
recommended cross section varies with a right-of-way from 37.5 metres to 40.0
metres and includes a four-lane divided roadway with bicycle lanes, sidewalks,
median, multi-use pathway, and landscaping.
This cross section is typical and contains all elements specified in the
City’s Arterial Roadway Design Guidelines.
Refinements
Based on
comments received from the public and agencies following Public Open House No.
2, at which the technically preferred plan was presented, several refinements
were made. The refinements included:
o
Section 1 - Bren Maur Road to Cambrian
Road/Golflinks Drive: Bridge
staging; a multi-use recreational pathway; and South Nepean Town Centre roadway
network integration.
o
Section 2 - Cambrian Road/Golf Links Drive to
approximately 0.5km north of Prince of Wales Drive: A commercial/residential property southeast
of Blackleaf Drive has two existing entrances. The entrance nearest to
Blackleaf Drive is recommended to be closed and a right-in/right-out access to
the remaining entrance will be provided to improve safety and reduce conflicts
with the adjacent bus bay and intersection.
o
Section 3 - 1 km segment that includes the
Prince of Wales/Jockvale Road intersection:
South of the Jockvale
Road/Golflinks Drive South intersection, a potential access to a planned future
subdivision was identified; Smart Channel design is to be incorporated at the
Prince of Wales intersection to conform to City standards and act as a traffic
calming measure; reconstruction of a Golf Course landing area was recommended
to satisfy the needs of the adjacent Stonebridge Golf Course; Landowners of a
property located on the northwest corner of the Prince of Wales Drive/Jockvale
Road intersection indicated concerns regarding development potential of their
property and the preservation of a structure with heritage value (the revised
Plan considered these matters.); addition of a cul-de-sac at the south end of
the proposed service road to accommodate winter snow clearing vehicles.
These
recommendations were presented at the Public Open House No. 3 and are included
in the final Recommended Plan.
Recommended
Plan
The
Recommended Plan and Cross Section are illustrated in Document 1.
To accommodate growth in the SUC, Jockvale Road will ultimately consist of a four-lane cross section within a 37.5-metre right-of-way throughout the study corridor. The right-of-way width will be expanded as necessary for auxiliary lanes, grading, etc., and maximum speed will be posted at 60 km/h. This will include a five-metre median with lighting, dedicated two-metre bicycle lanes, a two-metre sidewalk along the east side, and a three-metre multi- use pathway along the west side.
Safety
along the corridor will be improved through consolidating/modifying private
accesses where required, improving sight distances through partial realignments
and roadway profile modifications, and providing pedestrian and cycling
facilities.
This widened roadway could be constructed in stages to appropriately implement the full widening (when required and as funding is available) as follow:
- Stage A - Implementing the first of two new bridges across the Jock River which will accommodate two lanes of traffic. The new bridge will be constructed immediately west of the existing bridge. The existing bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic, but will remain open for pedestrians and cyclists until the second bridge is opened (Stage C).
- Stage B - Modifying the Prince of Wales Drive/Jockvale Road intersection which includes the partial realignment of Jockvale Road. This will upgrade the intersection to eliminate the existing design deficiencies.
- Stage C - Widening the road to four lanes. This includes implementation of the second bridge crossing of the Jock River (involves reconstructing the existing bridge) to accommodate the additional two lanes of traffic. The two bridges will accommodate two sidewalks, two bicycle lanes, a median, and four lanes of vehicle traffic.
Each of these stages can be built as individual projects, however Stages A and B must be built prior to Stage C. Each stage is described in detail in Document 3.
Cross-Section and Intersection Elements
The Recommended Plan cross-section includes four paved vehicle lanes, two cycling lanes, a sidewalk, a multi-use pathway, and a centre median. Street lighting will be provided along the centre median and landscaping along either side of the roadway.
Consultation with Traffic and Parking Operations indicated that the existing intersections along the study corridor at Riverstone Drive, Cambrian Road, Blackleaf Drive, and Golflinks Drive South can potentially operate under both traffic signals and roundabout configurations. These roadways currently provide access to new development within the Stonebridge community on both sides of the roadway and will continue to serve additional planned residential uses as build‑out continues in the area. The determination of which type of control will ultimately be used at these locations will be based on requirements outlined in future Traffic Impact Assessments for new development in the area and supporting plans developed at the detail design stage.
The future Jockvale Road / Prince of Wales Drive (Old Highway 16) intersection will ensure current design/safety standards are met and movements for all modes are provided while maintaining access to lands on all sides of the intersection (the residential lands in the Stonebridge Community will be connected with Beryl Gaffney Park on the east side and through to Manotick via Rideau Valley Drive). This future intersection will require a smaller footprint than that of a comparable roundabout. A signalized intersection with smart channel turn provisions was found to be preferred over a roundabout configuration at this location as the requirements associated with private land acquisition, pedestrian crossings and cyclists were significantly more favourable under the signalized provision.
The following subsections describe the
mitigation that will be considered during the implementation phase of the
project that relate to the natural environment, social and cultural
environment, land use and property, and construction management.
Natural
Environment
Surface
Water
A new storm sewer
system will be constructed to accommodate stormwater run-off with connection to
an existing trunk line located in the vicinity of Blackleaf Drive. During the construction phase, short-term
interim solutions will be required to deal with surface water run-off and
related effects such as erosion and sedimentation.
Fisheries
and Aquatic Habitat
The Jock River is habitat for warm water
sport and forage fish. The
implementation of the new Jockvale Road bridge will include two clear span
bridge structures. The new structures
will be designed and implemented in a manner that will not directly impact this
fish habitat as per the Ontario Operational Statement for Clear Span
Bridges. Construction works associated
with the bridge will require appropriate mitigation to ensure Harmful
Alteration, Disruption, or Destruction (HADD) of fish habitat along the Jock
River is minimized. Proposed mitigation
measures will require approval from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans
(DFO), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), and the Rideau Valley Conservation
Authority (RVCA). Approval would require further design details, which is
typically carried out at the detailed design stage of the project.
Erosion and Sediment Control Plan
This plan will be prepared to manage the flow
of sediment into storm sewers and surface water and will be based on best
control management practices including the Guideline on Erosion and Sediment
Control at Urban Construction Sites.
The design elements associated with the control plan will be identified
in the detail design process and construction specifications. To mitigate any unforeseen areas predisposed
to erosion or sedimentation, the contractor will be required to prepare an
erosion and sedimentation control plan prior to commencing work on the site.
Groundwater
Existing wells
adjacent to the future roadway will be surveyed and assessed during the detail
design stage. Any impacts to wells will
be determined and the appropriate mitigation measures developed. Borehole samples will be obtained and
analyzed to determine the subsurface soil composition. This will not only provide the necessary
information to design the roadway foundation, but will also provide information
regarding groundwater flow. Where
required, construction activities (as described in the following sections) will
incorporate measures to mitigate impacts to the groundwater.
Vegetation
Minimize edge impacts to the woodlot areas
identified by the City as Urban Natural Areas (UNA). This includes Half Moon Bay Woods (UNA 49) and Jockvale Road
Woods (UNA 63). Loss of vegetation
impacts or impacts to regionally significant species will be mitigated by new
plantings, relocation of existing plantings, and minimizing the area to be
disturbed. Within these woodlots, the
areas containing significant plant species that fall within the right-of-way of
the Recommended Plan will be accommodated.
Social and Cultural Environment
Archaeological
The lands under consideration for this
roadway widening require the completion of a Stage 2 Archaeological Assessment
prior to detail design.
Cultural and Built Heritage
The cultural and built heritage assessment
identified six heritage features located on Jockvale Road. Archaeological/Heritage mitigation and
monitoring requirements will be identified during design.
Noise
Three Noise Sensitive Areas (NSAs) were identified
as requiring further investigation for mitigation. Those dwelling units located along the east side of Jockvale Road
(north of Cambrian Road) and along the west side (just north of Blackleaf
Drive) will be further assessed at the detail design stage for any ability to
improve upon the existing noise barrier/berm provisions. These receiver sites will benefit from
adjacent sound attenuation to protect development adjacent to Jockvale Road
from noise pollution. Future
development sites will be required to provide mitigation and attenuation for
new housing proposed in close proximity to the arterial road.
Community
The Recommended Plan identifies the need to
provide a sidewalk, multi-use pathway, and closed storm sewer system along
Jockvale Road through the study corridor.
Visual intrusion is a concern where the future four-lane roadway is
located adjacent to existing residences on Jockvale Road. Where possible, it is recommended that
berming and plantings form part of the detail design. A Landscape Plan will document the type, location and best
practices for maintenance of all landscaping within the study area. The landscape plan will guide the species
selection, location and planting details for all proposed plants and other
elements within the corridor.
Land Use and Property
Prior to construction, property owners along
Jockvale Road will be contacted, informing them of the upcoming construction
activities. In cases where frontage is
required, the contractor will reconfirm with the homeowner the access
configuration. Right-in-right-out
accesses will be provided as per the Recommended Plan.
Three residences along Jockvale Road will
need to be purchased. Landowners of a
property located on the South West corner of the Prince of Wales/Jockvale
intersection indicated concerns regarding development potential of their
property and the preservation of a heritage structure. The landowners and the study team reviewed
the site plan proposal and the heritage documents. It was agreed that the Recommend Plan could accommodate their
plan with modifications to potentially preserve the heritage structure.
A 0.3-kilometre segment of the existing
Jockvale Road corridor will be closed to through traffic north of Prince of
Wales Drive. This segment will be re-designated
as a public lane and will provide access to the adjacent dwellings and business
through a roadway connection to the future realigned corridor. If required, headlight glare from the
existing Rideau Valley Drive alignment will be mitigated with berming and
plantings adjacent to the cul-du-sac.
City
Strategic Directions
The
recommendations contained herein directly support the following Strategic
Direction adopted by Council on 11 July 2007:
F4 Ensure that City
infrastructure required for new growth is improved as needed to serve growth
CONSULTATION
During the
course of the study, regular update meetings were held with the Agency
Consultation Group (ACG) and Public Consultation Group (PCG) to seek input and
concurrence on the study findings and recommendations.
The following is a list of
consultation activities for this study:
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§
Public Open
House No. 1 - 26 September 2007. 115
persons registered and 43 written comments were received on the study process
and evaluation criteria. §
Public Open House
No. 2 - 4 March 2008. 69 persons
registered and 24 written comments were received on the evaluation results
and technically preferred plan. |
§
Public Open
House No. 3 - 26 May 2008. 41 persons
registered and 11 written comments were received on the Recommended Plan. §
Agency
Consultation Group - four held throughout the course of the study. §
Public
Consultation Group - four held throughout the course of the study |
Presentations were conducted for the public at
each of the open houses. Details of
the consultation effort are in Document 4.
In addition to these events, a web page for the study was developed and
hosted on the City 's site, within the Public Consultation link.
http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/public_consult/jockriver_princewales/index_en.html
Various
committees, public associations, agencies and public groups/individuals were
kept informed of the ongoing activities as well as the outcome through the
events listed above. At the conclusion
of the study, the majority of comments received from members of the public were
supportive of the project.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The preliminary cost estimate in 2008 dollars to
acquire property, design, and construct this facility is $39M apportioned as follows:
- Stage A - Jock River Bridge Staging -
$6.4M
- Stage B – Prince of Wales / Jockvale
Intersection - $10.3M
- Stage C – Jockvale four-laning - $22.3M
Funding will be requested through the annual capital
budgeting process as appropriate. This
growth project is eligible for funding through development charges.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 Jockvale Road -
Recommended Plan
Document 2 Evaluation of
Alternative Alignments
Document 3 Staging of
Recommended Plan
Document 4 Public Consultation (Appendix E of
Document 4 held on file)
Public Open House Notice
Public
Open House 1, Summary Report
Public
Open House 2, Summary Report
Public
Open House 3 Summary Report
DISPOSITION
The
Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability Department will finalize
the Environmental Study Report for Jockvale Road and immediately initiate the
30-day public review period thereafter.
City
Operations Department, Real Property Asset Management Branch will acquire
property needed for the Jockvale Road reconstruction as appropriate – provided
that funding is made available to implement this project.
Jockvale Road - Recommended Plan Document 1
RECOMMENDED
CROSS SECTION (EXAMPLE)
Evaluation of Alternatives Document 2
Alternative Planning Solutions
In accordance
with the Environmental Assessment Act,
as well as good planning principles, several planning and alignment
alternatives were developed. They were
analyzed in a hierarchical methodology to scope the higher level solutions that
should be carried forward, then provide a detailed analysis of various
alternative designs.
The following
planning level alternative solutions were tested and demonstrated that roadway
improvements are needed:
- Do Nothing
– not carried forward as it does not address the mobility needs of the
growing South Urban Community.
- Limit/Defer
Growth - not carried forward as it does not address the mobility needs of
the growing South Urban Community.
- Land Use
Intensification - recommended to be carried forward as part of the list of
complementary solutions to address the future travel demand of the South
Urban Community. Development plans
such as Barrhaven South, Stonebridge and Nepean Town Centre have included
an appropriate mix of densities and employment. However, land use intensification alone will not satisfy the
needs identified in the previous section.
- Transit –
recommended to be carried forward as part of the list of complementary
solutions to address the future travel demand of the South Urban
Community. The TMP identifies
rapid transit facilities to serve various south urban neighbourhoods. However, transit alone will not satisfy
the needs identified in the previous section.
- Transportation
System Management and Transportation Demand Management – both of these
measures can and will have an impact on the necessary capacity identified
in the needs section. As with
transit, these trip reducing strategies are recommended to be carried
forward, however they do not satisfy the basic need for widening Jockvale
Road as defined in the TMP.
- Moodie
Drive Roadway Improvements - not carried forward as it does not address
the mobility needs of the growing South Urban Community.
- Highway 416
Roadway Improvements - not carried forward as it does not address the
mobility needs of the growing South Urban Community.
- Cedarview
Drive Roadway Improvements - not carried forward as it does not address
the mobility needs of the growing South Urban Community.
- Greenbank
Road Roadway Improvements – The Greenbank Road EA, completed in 2006,
developed the future plan for this facility and is recommended to be
carried forward as part of the list of complementary solutions to address
the future travel demand of the South Urban Community.
- Prince of
Wales Drive Roadway Improvements – The Prince of Wales EA, initiated in
2007, will develop the future plan for this facility and is recommended to
be carried forward as part of the list of complementary solutions to
address the future travel demand of the South Urban Community.
- Jockvale
Roadway Improvements – This alternative is recommended to be carried
forward through a detailed evaluation methodology to define the future
configuration of the roadway. This
recommendation is based on this alternative’ssolution’s ability to address
the future deficiencies associated with adjacent developments.
The project
was divided into three sections for evaluation purposes. The three sections were:
- Section 1 - Bren Maur Road
to Cambrian Road/Golflinks Drive. Three (3) alignment
alternatives were carried forward for evaluation;
- Section 2 - Cambrian
Road/Golf Links Drive to approximately 0.5 km north of Prince of Wales
Drive. One (1) alignment alternative was carried
forward following the coarse screening exercise for Section 2. Alternative 4 resulted in minimal
impact to the surrounding environment - as a result of previous functional
plans, the City of Ottawa has already protected the required right-of-way
required to implement Alternative 4.
This alternative eliminates the back to back curves that currently
exist while maintaining the widening within the dedicated property; and
- Section 3 – 1 km segment
that includes the Prince of Wales/Jockvale Road intersection.
Three (3) alignment alternatives were carried forward for
evaluation.
Section 1:
A total of
three alternatives were developed and carried forward for a quantitative
analysis for this section. They
included:
- Alternative 1 – Widen on Centre;
- Alternative 2 – Widen to the East; and
- Alternative 4 – Widen to West at Structure and Widen on
Centre.
The alternative which widens to the west at the Jock River Structure and widens on centre along Jockvale Road (Alternative 4) was selected as the technically preferred alternative. This alternative required the least residential property and provided for the least residential out-of-way travel.
Section 2:
Four alignment alternatives were initially considered for coarse
screening for Section 2:
- Alternative 1 – Widen on Centre;
- Alternative 2 – Widen to the East;
- Alternative 3 – Widen to the West;
and
- Alternative 4 – Widen within designated
land.
The Coarse Screening exercise indicated that while Alternatives 1 through 3 had high impacts to land use and property, Alternative 4 had minimal impact and was selected as the technically preferred alternative. As a result of previous functional plans, the City of Ottawa has already protected the required right-of-way required to implement Alternative 4. This alternative eliminates the back to back curves that currently exist while maintaining the widening within the dedicated property.
In short, Section 2 was found not to require any further detailed analysis and evaluation, as Alternative 4 was clearly demonstrated to have the least impacts of the alignment alternatives.
This result
was presented and reviewed by the PCG, who endorsed this conclusion.
Section 3:
A total of
four alternatives were developed and carried forward for a quantitative
analysis for this section. They
included:
- Alternative 1 – Improve Intersection Skew (70°) R-190 Radius
at Prince of Wales;
- Alternative 2 – Improve Intersection Skew (70°) R-190 Radius
and Realign East of Prince of Wales;
- Alternative 3A – Improve Intersection Skew (70°) R-190 Radius
and Realign West of Prince of Wales; and
- Alternative 3B – Improve
Intersection Skew (70°) R-190 Radius, Realign West of Prince of Wales and
Implement a Service Road
The
alternative which improved the Prince of Wales/Jockvale Road intersection skew
and realigned Jockvale Road to the west of Prince of Wales Drive and
implemented a service road (Alternative 4) was selected as the technically
preferred alternative. This alternative
provided the most desirable results under several sub-factor criteria including
residential out-of-way travel, visual intrusion, commercial and residential
buyouts, required residential and RVCA property, and life cycle cost.
Cross Section
Eight (8) cross section alternatives were carried forward
for evaluation for Sections 1, 2 and 3.
They included:
- two-lane rural
- two-lane urban
- four-lane rural undivided arterial
- four-lane rural divided arterial
- tight four-lane urban (3.2 m lanes)
- four-lane undivided urban arterial
- four-lane divided urban arterial
- five-lane with continuous two way
left turn lane
A qualitative
analysis and evaluation of cross section alternatives was undertaken based on
the Technically Preferred Alignment Alternatives for Sections 1, 2 and 3.
Following the
Qualitative Analysis, the four-lane urban divided cross section alternative was
selected as the Technically Preferred Alternative.
Staging of Recommended Plan Document 3
This new roadway will be constructed in Stages as follows:
- Stage A – Implementing the first of two new bridges across the Jock River which will accommodate 2 lanes of traffic. The new bridge will be constructed immediately west of the existing bridge. The existing bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic, but will remain open for pedestrians and cyclists until the second bridge is opened (Stage C).
- Stage B - Modifying the Prince of Wales Drive / Jockvale Road intersection which includes the partial realignment of Jockvale Road. This will upgrade the intersection to eliminate the existing design deficiencies.
- Stage C - Widening of the roadway to 4 lanes to accommodate growth. This includes implementation of the second bridge crossing of the Jock River (involves reconstructing the existing bridge) to accommodate the additional 2 lanes of traffic. The two new bridges will accommodate 2 pedestrian sidewalks, 2 bicycle lanes, a median, and 4 lanes of vehicle traffic.
Each of these Stages can be built as individual projects. Stage A and B must be built prior to Stage C (each are described in detail in below.
STAGE A – Jock River Bridge Staging
The implementation of the new Jock River Bridge (Stage A) will be staged 2-fold. The first stage will commence by constructing the southbound lanes of the future 4-lane Jockvale Road corridor between Paul Metivier Drive and the Jock River. These lanes will allow for 2-way traffic in the interim until the 4-lane cross-section is implemented. This will include the construction of the first of two (2) new Jock River bridge structures. The first bridge structure will be constructed west of the existing bridge (which will be able to accommodate 2 vehicle lanes, a bicycle lane, and a sidewalk). South of the first new bridge, a new segment of the southbound lanes will be constructed extending from the new bridge and connecting to the existing Jockvale Road alignment, approximately 0.2 kilometres from the Jock River.
The second stage will consist of opening the first new bridge to traffic and closing the existing bridge structure. The existing Jockvale Road corridor between Greenbank Road and the Jock River will be closed after the new Jockvale-Longfields roadway is opened and appropriate access arrangements / linkage is provided to the remaining lots along Jockvale Road north of the Jock River. While the first new bridge will ultimately accommodate 2 southbound traffic lanes, it will be used in the interim to accommodate two-way traffic (1 lane per direction). The existing bridge structure will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists to cross the river. A temporary bike lane will be created on either side of the existing bridge to align with the existing and newly constructed roadways.
STAGE B – Reconstruction of the Prince of Wales / Jockvale
Road Intersection
Reconstructing the Prince of Wales Drive / Jockvale Road intersection involves a number of components.
While Jockvale Road will ultimately be widened, for the most part, from the existing centreline between the Jock River and approximately 0.3 kilometres south of Prince of Wales Drive, the roadway will be realigned west of the existing facility in the vicinity of Prince of Wales Drive, thus forming a new intersection. The realignment of Jockvale Road along with the new intersection configuration will improve safety by increasing motorists’ sight distance and improve upon safety issues associated with the existing roadway. Currently, Jockvale Road consists of sharp curves and slopes approaching 10% within the vicinity of Prince of Wales Drive – the realigned roadway will provide a much safer 4% grade. The new alignment will not only provide greater safety for roadway users but will also have minimal impacts to private properties located on the east side of Jockvale Road.
The main components of the reconstruction are described below:
- Widened Right-of-Way - Due to the elevation of the existing terrain and existing constraints, a toe (retaining) wall is proposed approximately 0.1 kilometres from Prince of Wales Drive. On the east side of the roadway, the cross section will require right-of-way beyond the 37.5 metres along the north leg of the intersection to accommodate grading and include a 5 metre median, 2 metre dedicated bicycle lanes, a 2 metre sidewalk on the east side of the roadway, and a 5.5 metre clear zone (i.e. area with no obstructions) on the west side of Jockvale Road.
- Property / Heritage Impacts - The recommended alignment will impact a designated heritage site on Prince of Wales Drive, adjacent to the south[PS1] side of Jockvale Road. As a result of consultations with the concerned landowners of this property, it has been agreed that one of the structures will be bought out and the heritage structure further assessed to try and persevere the significance of the building. The Recommended Plan will have minimal impact to the third structure, located adjacent to this property (owned by the same landowners) as the plan proposes a landscaped berm adjacent to the property to reduce roadway noise and preserve the appearance of the property.
- Service Road Access - On the east side of the future Jockvale Road alignment, a service road will be implemented using the existing Jockvale Road structure. This service road will provide access to Jockvale Road for the residential dwellings and commercial property located on the east side of the road. These properties will no longer have direct access to Jockvale Road. A cul-de-sac will be implemented at the south end of the service road to accommodate garbage and snow vehicle traffic.
- Multi-Use Pathway connection- A multi-use pathway will be implemented adjacent to the service road and link to the Prince of Wales Drive / Jockvale Road intersection linking the study area lands to Beryl Gaffney Park and Rideau Valley Conservation Authority site.
- Future Development Access - South of Golflinks South, a new controlled intersection is proposed to accommodate a future subdivision plan. If required, an additional access to the future subdivision can be provided via a connection to the proposed service road adjacent to Jockvale Road. Greater detail regarding the intersection configuration will be included as part of a future Transportation Impact Assessment that will be required from the developer.
- Golf Course Refinements - The proposed alignment will impact the adjacent Stonebridge Golf Course on the south side of Jockvale Road. Golf course management agreed that the impacted Hole #6 will be reconstructed to accommodate the future alignment by relocating two tee boxes, re-configuring the existing golf cart path, and modifying an existing sand trap. Along the west side of Jockvale Road, landscaping will include an armour stone retaining wall, trees, and other vegetation. This will provide protection from the road, and preserve the prestige of the Golf Course appearance.
- Intersection Smart Channels - At the Prince of Wales Drive /
Jockvale Road intersection, a smart channel design will be incorporated
providing right turning motorists with greater sightlines and thus
improving safety at the intersection.
The addition of a new stormwater management pond at the Prince of
Wales Drive / Jockvale Road intersection will provide numerous positive
functional and aesthetic qualities such as providing a possible outlet to
the proposed storm sewer plan and complementing the city park setting in
the adjacent conservation area.
- Access to Rideau Valley Conservation Authority - An entrance
to the Rideau Valley Conservation Area site is proposed approximately 0.24
kilometres south of the Prince of Wales Drive / Jockvale Road intersection
and will provide a dedicated left turn storage lane for vehicles entering
the site. South of Prince of Wales
Drive, the roadway will transition back to a two- lane undivided rural
roadway to complete the study area.
STAGE C –
Future Construction and Widening of Jockvale Road
While the Jockvale Road Recommended Plan consists of a 4-lane road cross-section, widening will only be considered when traffic demand warrants an increase in capacity along the corridor. As such, the future construction and ultimate widening of Jockvale Road will involve the following components:
- Widening the Jockvale Road corridor north of the Jock River - From the north end of the study area, the Jockvale-Longfields roadway will already link to the existing Jockvale Road approximately 0.3 kilometres north of the Jock River. This section of the study corridor will be widened to 4 lanes by constructing the two northbound lanes and will be implemented as part of Stage A.
- New Jock River Bridge Structure – The second of two (2) new bridge structures will be constructed in place of the existing bridge to accommodate the two (2) northbound traffic lanes, bike lanes, a median, and sidewalks as per the Recommended Plan. The property immediately adjacent to the existing bridge on the east side of Jockvale will be provided with a right-in/right-out access to Jockvale during the bridge construction phase. Note that the proposed bridge approach grade will rise up to 1 meter to accommodate the new dual structure and to provide all appropriate water clearances. The roadway will provide a smooth transition back to the existing road elevation.
- Widening from existing centreline south of Jock River - South of the Jock River, the roadway will be widened from the existing centreline until approximately 0.3 kilometres from Prince of Wales Drive and generally remain at the existing road elevation. By widening from the existing centreline, the Recommended Plan will minimize impacts to adjacent business and residences, adjacent vegetation, and recreational areas. From Golflinks Drive North to Golflinks Drive South, the alignment remains within existing City owned right-of-way. In this section, the typical cross section will include 2 metre shoulders, dedicated 2 metre bike lanes, a 3 metre multi- use recreational pathway on the west side of Jockvale and a 2 metre sidewalk on the east side of Jockvale Road. There will be a 5 meter median with lighting.
- Park Access - Approximately 0.1 kilometres south of the Jock River, access to a recreational park will be provided.
- New Multi-Use Pathway – A paved 3 metre wide multi- use pathway will be constructed along the west side of the roadway. The multi- use pathway will continue south adjacent to Jockvale Road until reaching the intersection of the future service road approximately 0.3 kilometres north of Prince of Wales Drive. At this point, pathway users will have to cross Jockvale Road at a controlled intersection and continue along a proposed access way until it terminates at the Prince of Wales Drive / Jockvale Road intersection. At this location, pathway users can cross Prince of Wales Drive at the intersection to connect to Beryl Gaffney Park and Rideau Valley Conservation Authority Site.
- Bus Bay and U-Turn provisions - Jockvale Road will have bus bays to accommodate anticipated transit expansions to the area; all intersections will provide spacing for U-turns to accommodate the adjacent residences and business that have been provided right-in/right-out access.
- Private Access configurations - South of Blackleaf Drive, a residential/commercial property will have one of their two existing entrances closed and the other entrance reconstructed to suit the needs of the business. This entrance will have right-in/right-out access due to safety concerns related to the proximity of an intersection and bus bay.
- Golf Course Cart Path - The roadway will have a right-of-way of 28.5 metres at a location south of Blackleaf Drive to accommodate the existing 29.5 metre Golf Cart path underpass. At this location there will be a 5 meter median, 2 metre bike lane on either side of the road, 3 metre multi-use recreation path on the south side, and a 2 metre sidewalk on the east side. The possibility of lengthening the Golf cart path by 2 metres will be considered at the detail design stage.
- Heritage
Considerations - The alignment avoids the designated heritage site
(residential dwelling) on Jockvale Road.
During the detail design phase, a heritage assessment will be
conducted to ensure minimal disturbance to this site.
- New
Storm Sewer System - Just south of Cambrian Road, the road grade will
be modified to accommodate a new storm sewer system.
STAGE A - Jock River Bridge Staging
STAGE B – Prince of Wales / Jockvale
Intersection
Consultation Document 4
Public Open
Houses were held at key milestones during the course of the study. All Public Open Houses were held within the
Study Area at the Stonebridge Golf and Country Club.
Announcements were placed in local and regional newspapers
prior to the Open Houses. All adjacent
landowners and residents within the study area were invited to the Open Houses through
individual notices and hand delivery of flyers to all dwellings in the Study
Area. The following sections outline
the results of the three (3) Public Open Houses.
First
Public Open House
The first
Public Open House was held on September 26th, 2007 at the Stonebridge Golf and
Country Club. City of Ottawa and
consultant representatives were available to respond to any inquiries.
The purpose
of the first Public Open House was to introduce the study, present preliminary
inventories and the assessment of the Alternative Planning Solutions.
In total, one
hundred fifteen (115) persons registered at Public Open House No. 1 and
forty-three (43) comment sheets/letters/e-mails were returned during the Open
House and the subsequent 2-week response period. A summary of the first Public Open House is found in Appendix E,
Public Open House Reports.
Second
Public Open House
The second
Public Open House was held on March 4th, 2008 at the Stonebridge Golf and
Country Club. The purpose of the second
public Open House was to present the design alternatives, evaluation
methodology, and results of the technical evaluation. A presentation was also made by the consultant during the Open
House and a question and answer session followed.
In total,
sixty-nine (69) persons registered at the second Public Open House and
twenty-four (24) comment sheets/letters/e-mails were returned during the Open
House and the subsequent 2-week response period. A summary of the 2nd Public Open House is found in Appendix E,
Public Open House Reports.
Third
Public Open House
The third
Public Open House was held on May 26th, 2008 at the Stonebridge Golf and
Country Club. The purpose of the third
public open house was to present the Recommended Plan and preliminary
mitigation measures. A presentation was
also made by the consultant during the Open House and a question and answer
session followed.
In total,
forty-one (41) persons registered at the third Public Open House and eleven
(11) comment sheets/letters/e-mails were returned during the Open House and the
subsequent 2-week response period. A
summary of the 3rd Public Open House is found in Appendix E, Public Open House
Reports.
Summary of Public Consultation
One of the key objectives of any Environmental Assessment is to provide the public, interested parties and affected agencies with the opportunity for meaningful input. In order to ensure this objective is met, a public and agency notification program was undertaken for the Jockvale Road EA. The program included several communication mechanisms as described in succeeding sections.
Individual Property Owner Contacts
All property owners within the Study Area were included on a study mailing list and mailed individual notices inviting them to attend the three (3) Public Open Houses that were held during the course of the project as well as the opportunity to participate on the Public Consultation Group (PCG). Individual notices were also hand delivered to residents within the Study Area prior to the Public Open Houses to ensure that all residents were aware of the upcoming meetings. In addition, all members of the public who participated in the study and are included on the mailing list received notification of the public 30-day review period.
Newspaper Notices
Notices of the Public Open Houses were placed in the Ottawa Citizen and Le Droit prior to the scheduled date of the Open Houses. The newspaper notices can be found in Appendix E, Public Open House Reports.
City of Ottawa Website
Project notices (Study Commencement, Public Open Houses and Study Completion) and Public Open House presentation boards were made available on the City’s website found at:
http://ottawa.ca/residents/public_consult/jockriver_princewales/index_en.html
In addition, letters were sent to the following external agencies and interest groups to solicit their interest or non-interest in the study:
- Public
- Community Associations
- Stonebridge Community Association
- Heart’s Desire Community Association
- Interest Groups
- Friends of the Jock River
- External Agencies
- Ministry of Environment (Eastern Region);
- Canadian Coast Guard
- Transport Canada Marine;
- Ontario Ministry of Culture, Heritage Operations Unit;
- Environment Canada;
- Ottawa Carleton District School Board;
- Ottawa Carleton Catholic District School Board;
- Conseil des Ecoles Catholiques
de Langue Francaise;
- Conseil des Ecoles Publiques de
l"est de l'Ontario;
- City of Ottawa Police Service;
- Ottawa Emergency and Protective Services Branch;
- Rideau Valley Conservation Authority;
- Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc.;
- Ontario Power Generation;
- Bell Canada;
- AT&T Canada / Unitel Communications;
- Hydro Ottawa;
- Rogers Ottawa Engineering; and
- Development Corporations.
In addition, representatives from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Ministry of Natural Resources participated in the Agency Consultation Group meetings.
First
Nations Contacts
A notification program was undertaken to contact First Nations Groups and organizations for the Jockvale Road EA. Letters were sent to the following First Nations Groups and organizations at the study commencement, public open houses and study completion to solicit their interest or non-interest in the study:
- First Nations Groups
- Algonquin Consultation Office
- Algonquins of Pikwakanagan
- First Nations Organizations
- Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
- Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs
- Union of Ontario Indians