HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-13-041 Rapid Transit Overview and Update
REPORT TO:
Community & Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
June 17, 2013
SUBMITTED BY:
Pauline Houston, DCAO, Infrastructure Services
PREPARED BY:
Alain Pinard, Director of Planning (519-741-2200 x 7319)
Barbara Robinson, Director of Engineering (519-741-2200 x
7410)
Ken Carmichael, Interim Director of Transportation Services
(519-741-2200 x7372)
WARD(S) INVOLVED:
All
DATE OF REPORT:
June 12, 2013
REPORT NO.:
INS-13-041
SUBJECT:
Rapid Transit Overview and Update
RECOMMENDATION:
For Information
BACKGROUND:
The Region of Waterloo’s Rapid Transit (RT) Project is moving forward. With funding in place,
construction of the first phase is scheduled to start in 2014, with Light Rail service in Kitchener
and Waterloo to begin 2017.
A great deal of work needs to be accomplished in a short time in order achieve scheduled
timelines. The planning and implementation of Rapid Transit involves numerous initiatives,
many of which are interconnected and taking place concurrently. Although Rapid Transit is a
Regional project and responsibility, many of the initiatives require the participation of the cities
of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge. City of Kitchener staff is formally participating in a
variety of initiatives, some of which will require agreements between the Region and the City of
Kitchener that are authorized by City of Kitchener Council. Our staff is also participating
informally in many other initiatives.
The purpose of this report is to give Council an overview of key Rapid Transit initiatives and
timelines, and to highlight items that will require decisions from City of Kitchener Council. More
detailed information will be provided to Council when decisions are required.
REPORT:
History
The planning of Rapid Transit has a long history in the Region of Waterloo, having been
discussed or mentioned in documents, even if just symbolically in some cases, for at least three
decades. Rapid Transit emerged as a major Policy objective in 2003 with the adoption of the
Regional Growth Management Strategy (RGMS) by Regional Council. The RGMS identified
Rapid Transit as a key catalyst to manage urban sprawl and to support downtown revitalization.
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A brief summary of key project milestones are as follows:
June2003Adoption of Regional Growth Management Strategy (RGMS)
May 2004 Funding up to $2.5 million for technical studies and Environmental
Assessment (EA) approved
January 2006 The Rapid Transit Environmental Assessment begins
June 2009 Regional Council approves light rail transit (LRT) as the preferred
technology, subject to funding from the Provincial and Federal
Government.
2010 The Provincial and Federal governments announce funding
commitments.
June 15 2011 Regional Council approves funding for the first phase, consisting of LRT
from Conestoga Mall to Fairway Road and adapted Bus Rapid Transit
(BRT) from Fairway Road to Ainslie Terminal in Cambridge.
February 2012 Regional Council approves the DBFOM procurement and delivery option
meaning that rapid transit can be purchased, constructed, financed,
operated and maintained by a private company.
D = Design B = Build F = Finance O = Operate M= Maintain
March 2012
Notice of Completion of the Environmental Project Report is issued
April2012General Engineering Consultant Retained
September2012RFQ Issued for DBFOM Contractors
February
2013Prequalified DBFOM Contractors (3 Consortiums) Selected
May 2013Regional Council Approves “ION” as the name of the Rapid Transit
Service
May/June 2013RFP Issued to 3 Consortiums
Early2014Successful Consortium Selected
Ongoing2013Early Utility Relocations by KW Hydro, Kitchener Utilities, Bell, Telus and
Union Gas
Overview of Ongoing Initiatives
City of Kitchener staff is participating in at least fifteen significant initiatives. A brief overview of
these initiatives involving City of Kitchener staff is provided in Appendix “A”.
Kitchener’s participation in all of these ongoing initiatives is coordinated by the Kitchener RT
Coordination Group comprised of Barbara Robinson, Director of Engineering, Ken Carmichael,
Interim Director of Transportation Services, and Alain Pinard Director of Planning. The
Coordination Group maintains an inventory of all known RT initiatives and who is involved from
the City of Kitchener. All of staff identified in the inventory and a few others form the Kitchener
RT Working Group. The Working Group receives periodic updates on RT milestones and
provides a forum for information exchange to ensure that we have good communication of who
is doing what and to make sure that interested internal stakeholders are not overlooked.
City staff being approached by the Region for input on something new has been asked to notify
the RT Coordination Group so that all RT related work can be coordinated and optimized.
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Kitchener City Council Involvement
In addition to decisions surrounding the City -led PARTS project, there are three initiatives
identified in Appendix "A" that will require future Council decisions. More detailed information on
these items will be provided to Council at a later date. Please note that timelines are being set
by the Region and City staff does not control these. A quick synopsis and timeline estimates are
as follows:
Item & Description
Estimated Timeline
Cost Sharing Agreement(s) for infrastructure and surface
June, July or August 2013
features. May come forward together or separately.
Land Disposition of City owned property to the Region of
July — December 2013
Waterloo for RT infrastructure and stations. May involve multiple
transactions.
Uploading of City owned roads of City owned roads on the RT
June or July 2013
route to the Region of Waterloo.
Next Steps
The RT Coordination Group will be returning to Council as soon as any of the above items is
received from the Region and requires approval.
In the meantime, City staff continues to participate actively in planning the RT project with our
partners at the Region.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
City of Kitchener's work on the Regional Rapid Transit Project aligns with, and contributes to, all
of the "Community Priorities" in the City's Strategic Plan.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
No financial decisions are required at this time. One or more subsequent reports regarding
Cost Sharing Agreements for infrastructure and surface features will be provided a later date as
noted above.
Council endorsed a cost sharing agreement with the Region on April 23, 2012. At that time,
Class "C" Cost Estimates for the project were estimated as $18.7 million. More recent
preliminary costing information received from the Region is in line with this estimate. Staff will
be working over the next few months to verify these cost estimates.
In that Council Report, it was stated that "The funding requirements for infrastructure
replacement as part of the Rapid Transit Projects, places no additional burden on Kitchener, nor
adversely impacts other infrastructure reconstruction priorities, and represents a reallocation of
existing funding in the currently approved capital forecast, and not new funding requests to
Council." There is no change to this.
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Considerable effort by staff has been expended in order to support the Region’s RT initiative.
Much of this is incorporated in the regular programs and processes provided by the City.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
This information report regarding the City of Kitchener Rapid Transit initiatives is intended to
inform the public.
CONCLUSION:
Much work needs to be completed in order achieve scheduled timelines. The City of Kitchener
has a structure in place to ensure that its participation in Regional projects is effective and
efficient. This report updates Council regarding ongoing RT initiatives and items that will require
Council decisions in the future.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:
Pauline Houston, Deputy CAO
Infrastructure Services Department
Attachments:
Appendix “A” - Summary of Rapid Transit projects and initiatives involving the City of Kitchener
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Appendix “A”
Summary of Rapid Transit Projects and Initiatives
Involving the City of Kitchener
Kitchener
Project / Initiative and Description Council
Decision(s)
Land Disposition
of City owned property to the Region of Waterloo for RT YES
infrastructure and stations(Future)
Uploading of RoadsYES
– Investigating and negotiating the uploading of City
owned roads on the RT route to the Region of Waterloo. (Future)
Transit Hub Market Scoping
– Participation on project team that provides
input to consultants who are investigating opportunities and constraints for the No
development of the Hub site.
Monthly LRT Collaboration
– Working group comprised of Kitchener and
Regional staff. Established to coordinate and resolve conflicts with regard to No
the relocation of City infrastructure on the RT corridor
RT / City Staff Working Group YES
–Working Groupcomprised of staff from the
three cities and Regional Staff. High level coordination of all aspects of RT (Future)
project and liaison with respective Councils, including cost sharing agreements.
Transit Hub Project Team
– Participate on project team that coordinates and No
provides input on all projects related to the Hub.
Transit Hub Station Area Access Study
- Participate on project team that No
provides input on the coordination of initiatives related to site circulation and
access
Waterloo Street Road Closure YES
– Review and make a decision of the closure
and possible uploading of Waterloo Street from Breithaupt to Victoria Street N. (Done)
Regional Property Acquisition (Slivers Project)
– Review and provide TBD*
detailed input on the implications of all parcels acquired by the Region for the
construction of RT service or stations
Parking (&TDM) Coordination Group
–Participate on project team that is TBD*
investigating best parking and TDM practices in Rapid Transit areas
Community Building Strategy (CBS)
-Participation on client team and No
workshops related to the preparation of a guiding document that will provide a
foundation for future station area planning
PARTS (Planning Around Rapid Transit Stations) YES
– City-led initiative that will
build on the CBS and provide (Future)
Cultural Heritage Assessment
– To identify and evaluate cultural heritage TBD*
resources in the RT Corridor that will inform other projects including PARTS.
Region-City Parks/Trails Coordination
– Working group that coordinates No
changes and improvements to parks and trails as a result of RT
Grade Separations
– Provide input on design considerations and alternatives No
for the grades separations for the rail crossings at Weber and King Street
Winter Maintenance
– Discussions about winter maintenance on RT Road No
Segments
Kitchener City Council will be requested to make decisions in a subsequent phase if the
implementation of one of more recommendations requires an amendment to the Official
Plan, Zoning By-law or other City of Kitchener document.
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