Report to/Rapport
au:
Transportation and Transit Committee/
Comité des transports
et des services de transport en commun
07 November 2001/ le 07 novembre 2001
Submitted
by/Soumis par: Ned Lathrop, General
Manager/Directeur général
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Ref N°:
ACS2001-DEV-POL-0038 |
SUBJECT: RAPID
TRANSIT EXPANSION STUDY - STATEMENT OF WORK
OBJET: ÉTUDE
SUR L’EXPANSION DU RÉSEAU DE TRANSPORT EN COMMUN RAPIDE – ÉNONCÉ DE TRAVAIL
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Transportation and
Transit Committee approve:
1.
The Statement of Work for the Rapid Transit Expansion
Study shown in Document 1.
2.
Two members of Transportation and Transit Committee to
sit on as members of the Advisory Committee for the Rapid Transit Expansion
Study.
Que le Comité des transports et des services de
transport en commun approuve :
1.
L’énoncé
de travail relatif à l’expansion du réseau de transport en commun rapide,
présenté dans le Document 1.
2.
La
nomination de deux membres du Comité des transports et des services de
transport en commun, qui siégeront au sein d’un comité consultatif de l’Étude
sur l’expansion du réseau de transport en commun rapide.
This report is being presented in response to a request made at the Transportation and Transit Committee meeting of 17 October 2001 to review and approve a Statement of Work for a study dealing with rapid transit expansion for the City of Ottawa.
At the 17 October 2001 meeting, a transit strategy was presented to Transportation and Transit Committee. Its purpose was to review and establish priorities for the City’s public transit system to serve as the basis from which to build and improve a world-class transit system. It outlined a series of activities that lead towards the goal of a highly prominent public transit system.
These activities were, in essence, signaling the start of the Transportation Master Plan (TMP) updating process.
To achieve the goal of a prominent public transit system, one of the tasks that the City must undertake is to identify and protect future rapid transit corridors. The Rapid Transit Expansion Study will examine a number of potential rapid transit corridors in the City in terms of their opportunities, costs and benefits. It will recommend short- medium- and long-term priorities for rapid transit including extending/improving existing rapid transit lines and defining and protecting property for future lines.
The Statement of Work (see Document 1) will form the basis for a Request For Proposal that will be released for consultant submissions. A study schedule of up to ten months is being proposed.
It should be noted that this study is one of several studies that will be undertaken to determine the future course of action for public transit in Ottawa. Other studies that are either currently underway or will be started in the future include:
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS
The recommendations of this Study will form a priority plan for rapid transit expansion. Implementation of the priority plan will require additional studies such as environmental assessments. Any environmental implications will be identified and mitigated during the appropriate environmental assessment processes.
RURAL IMPLICATIONS
It is anticipated that the study recommendations will include improvements to transit service to some rural areas in the City. Some rural lands may therefore be required to create the corridors necessary to implement rapid transit.
Consultation will include:
· A review of the Statement of Work by Transportation and Transit Committee,
· Meetings with an Advisory Committee,
· Meetings with a Technical Committee,
· A presentation of the final study findings to Transportation and Transit Committee.
The details of Committee composition are shown in Document 1.
There are funds in several capital budget accounts that are appropriate to use in carrying out the study. These are: 900267 Light Rail Transit Studies, 900099 Strategic Transportation Planning Studies, and 900283 Transportation Master Plan. The actual budget amount will be determined once the work program is fully developed.
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities is committed to funding a portion of this planning work ($100,000).
Document 1: Rapid Transit Expansion Study—Statement of Work
Following Committee and Council approval of this Statement of Work, the originating department will collaborate with Supply Services to prepare a Request for Proposals for the consultant assignment. The consultant selection process will follow the established practice with the posting of the Proposal Call on MERX.
Document 1
Statement of Work
During the 1970’s the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton started a program to implement rapid transit in the region. This program led to the construction of the initial 31 km Transitway network, (essentially, the sections from Baseline Road in the southwest to Blair Road in the east and Hunt Club Road in the southeast). Since the completion of that initial 31 km, several extensions have been planned, parts of which have been built.
In 1997, the Region completed the Official Plan (OP) and the Transportation Master Plan (TMP). These documents confirmed the planned extensions and identified two corridors for light rail transit, recommending that a pilot project be started in one of the corridors. Since then, work has taken place such that trains are now providing rapid transit service to the public. Subsequent planning work has led to the identification of several additional light rail corridors beyond those shown in the OP.
The new City of Ottawa was created on 1 January 2001. With it came a reinforced commitment to improve the quality of life for all of its citizens. This was further emphasized during the 20/20 Growth Summit held in June 2001 where the development of a sustainable transportation system was identified as a priority. Public transit is a vital component of any sustainable transportation system.
On 17 October 2001, a transit strategy was presented to Transportation and Transit Committee. Its goal was to review and establish priorities for the City’s public transit system to serve as the basis from which to build and improve a world-class transit system.
The City of Ottawa is requesting submissions from interested consultants to carry out a study with the goal of developing a plan for the expansion of rapid transit service in Ottawa, based on the demonstrated and projected needs of travelers.
Project Scope, Tasks and Deliverables
As a first step, a Study Design shall be developed. This document will describe the major tasks of the study, the level of effort, the schedule and the key study milestones. Part of this task will be to establish a Technical Committee, an Advisory Committee, and a Sounding Board. The make-up of these committees is detailed under ‘Consultation.’
Background information research will be undertaken in order to predict and establish transit needs and identify opportunities for development of alternatives.
Assemble related previous work
·
Existing
Council decisions and policies, including the 1997 TMP and modal split
projections
·
Previous
rapid transit studies and plans, including the STO Interprovincial Study
·
LeBreton
development plans
·
OC
Transpo comprehensive review
·
OC
Transpo’s Service Design Guidelines
·
Travel
surveys and counts
·
Projections
of future travel growth
·
General
forecasts of capital and operating costs of different types of rapid transit
·
20/20
Growth Summit recommendations
·
The
experience of other major cities in dealing with intra-city transportation
planning as a function of quality of life
·
Environmental
studies on the reduction of greenhouse gases related to transportation modes
Identify city-wide patterns of
travel
Research available rapid transit
technology
·
Identify
possible technology options for Transitway and light rail
·
Develop
typical cost estimates for vehicles and infrastructure
Based on projected travel patterns, the identification of potential rapid transit links/corridors will be undertaken. Upon development of these links/corridors, at least the following families of options must be considered:
Identify transit links/corridors
·
Some
of the previously identified possible corridors have included:
·
Possible
extensions of O-Train from Bayview to downtown and to the new City of Gatineau
·
Possible
extension of O-Train south to the Airport and Leitrim Road
·
Possible
extension of O-Train to west (Barrhaven and Kanata) and to east (Orleans and
Cumberland)
·
Possible
extension of O-Train beyond the City borders (e.g. to Arnprior and Brockville)
·
Possible
connection of the East and West Transitways through downtown
·
Possible
south bypass of Albert/Slater
·
Possible
interprovincial transit link/loop
·
Possible
extension of East Transitway
·
Possible
Cumberland Transitway (south of Innes Road)
·
Possible
Alta Vista Transportation Corridor
·
Possible
extension of South Transitway (from South Keys)
·
Possible
extension of West Transitway
·
Possible
extension of Southwest Transitway (from Baseline)
·
Other possible
corridors such as existing hydro corridors and abandoned rail corridors
·
Associated
facilities such as Park and Ride and maintenance garages
·
Conversion
of present Transitway sections to light-rail
·
Conversion
of present Transitway sections to accommodate both light-rail and buses
A list of criteria will be developed to assess the alternatives. A thorough assessment will be undertaken using (but not limited to) the factors of travel demand, environment, social and cost. The evaluation will include a cost-benefit analysis (for example, new customers attracted to transit per dollar of total cost, customers carried per dollar of total cost, time savings, quality of life factors).
For each of the corridors the statutory and regulatory requirements must be identified and the likelihood of them being met.
Identify Evaluation Criteria
Identify and scope out the
evaluation criteria including (but not limited to):
·
Travel
demand
·
Link/corridor
connectivity
·
Environmental
·
Land
use planning
·
Social
·
Cost
Calculate projected travel demand of
links/corridors
·
Including
customers now using transit, and customers who would be attracted to start
using transit.
Calculate
projected costs to build facilities and operate service
·
Capital
costs to construct new links/corridors including possible environmental effects
mitigation
·
Capital
savings if new links/corridors were built (e.g., road construction not
required, bus purchases not required)
·
Operating
and maintenance costs of new links/corridors
·
Operating
and maintenance savings if new links/corridors were built
·
Total
cost, comprising capital and operating costs and savings
The links/corridors will be combined to form a
practical rapid transit network. There may be situations where links/corridors
identified above are dismissed due to redundancy.
Develop
and Assess an Overall Rapid Transit Network
·
Combine
links/corridors into a practical rapid transit network
·
Calculate
overall travel demand for the network
·
Assess
overall impacts/benefits for the network
The corridors within the identified rapid
transit network will then be assessed and prioritized according to need.
Recommend corridor/ link priorities
·
Short-term
recommendations include proceeding with critical extensions, completions,
enhancements of present rapid transit links/corridors and associated additional
infrastructure (including park and ride lots, maintenance facilities, etc.) to
address current growth and development pressures in the City within the next 5
years—identify any projects which can/should proceed immediately
·
Medium-term
priorities include the links/corridors/related facilities that should be built
within the next 5 to 20 years
·
Long-term
priorities include the future corridors/links/related facilities that will be
important beyond 20 years from now
7. Integration with the TMP
Although infrastructure and priorities will be
identified through this study, it is critical that policies are established to
support/enhance these rapid transit initiatives. As part of this study, the
drafting of such policies (high occupancy vehicle lanes, restrictions on road
widenings, toll roads, etc.) will be developed even though detailed refinement
of the policies will be a part to the TMP updating process.
The consequences of not proceeding with the
recommended policies will also be identified in this study—with regard to
financial, social, transportation and environmental implications.
Consultation is key to the success of the study. It will include:
· A review of the Statement of Work by Transportation and Transit Committee,
· Meetings with an Advisory Committee made up of representatives from:
§ The Mayor’s Office,
§ 3 members of the public, (Ottawa-Carleton Board of Trade, a representative from the community (to be selected), Transport 2000),
§ 2 members of the Transportation and Transit Committee,
§ 2 members of Development Services (General Manager and Director, Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Planning)
§ 2 members of Transportation, Utilities and Public Works (General Manager and Director, Transit Services).
· Meetings with a Technical Committee made up of representatives from:
§ The National Capital Commission,
§ Transport Canada,
§ Public Works and Government Services Canada,
§ The new City of Gatineau,
§
La Société
de transport de l’Outaouais,
§
The
Ministry of Transportation, and
§
The
City of Ottawa (TUPW and DSD staff).
§
The
Airport Authority,
§
The Federation
of Citizens Associations,
§
Hospitals,
§
Ottawa
Youth Cabinet,
§
Ottawa
Economic Development Corporation,
§
The
Ottawa Partnership,
§
Accessibility
Advisory Committee, and
§
Mobility Issues Advisory Committee.
· Two public Open Houses, one at the end of Stage 3, Development of Alternatives; the other at the end of Stage 6, Recommendation Priority Panning.
· A presentation of the final study findings to Transportation and Transit Committee.
Consultation with these Committees will take place at key stages during the study.
A study schedule of up to 10 months is being proposed.
The deliverables for this study include: