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Home My WebLink AboutDTS-07-132 - Pedestrian Connection Between Homer Watson Boulevard To Alpine Road1 KKR Development & Technical Services - . • - Report To: DTS Committee, Chair -Christina Weylie Date of Meeting: August 13, 2007 Submitted By: K. Grant Murphy, Director of Engineering Services Prepared By: Eric Saunderson Design & Construction Project Manager Ward(s) Involved: 3 -Fairview -Gateway Date of Report: August 7, 2007 Report No.: DTS-07-132 Subject: PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION BETWEEN HOMER WATSON BOULEVARD TO ALPINE ROAD RECOMMENDATION: That Council support the installation of a pedestrian walkway from Homer Watson Boulevard to Alpine Road, in conjunction with the Region of Waterloo, That Legal Services be directed to prepare easement agreements for municipal addresses 10, 20 and 30 Alpine Court, That Engineering Services Staff be directed to include such work under the existing T08- 001 Curb and Sidewalk Construction Contract for 2008. BACKGROUND: In response to public interest and concern, the City of Kitchener and Region of Waterloo is proposing to install a pedestrian connection between Homer Watson Boulevard and Alpine Road. The isolated location of the Hanson Industrial Area and Family and Children Services (FCS) Buildings has created a challenge for Grand River Transit to service in acost-effective and efficient manner. The closest stops to the area are over 800m away, often on some roads that do not have sidewalks (Map in Appendix A). Grand River Transit has received many service requests to this area, in particular from the Family and Children Services Facility. As a result, City of Kitchener and Region of Waterloo staff have cooperated to resolve the issue by creating pedestrian access to a nearby area well served by transit (Alpine Park). The access consists of a sidewalk along the south side of Hanson Avenue and an off-road pedestrian connection between Homer Watson Boulevard and Alpine Road. The capital cost for the pedestrian connection from Homer Watson Boulevard to Alpine Road is proposed to be shared between the Region and the City. The City would be the owner of the facility and has agreed to perform the maintenance. COMMUNICATION: On May 25, 2007, the Regional Municipality of Waterloo were contacted by Family and Children's Services of Waterloo Region, 200-300 Ardelt Avenue, to support and request the installation of a new pedestrian walkway between Homer Watson Boulevard and Alpine Road. The FCS administrators expressed their satisfaction about the proposal and articulated their confidence that this will improve the accessibility and safety for their clients and staff as outlined in their letter attached as Appendix C. On June 12, 2007, the Transportation Planning Division of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo brought forward Report P-07-072, to their Planning and Works Committee, where, Committee approved, in principle, a pedestrian connection between Homer Watson Boulevard and Alpine Road to provide direct access to Grand River Transit Route 11. Preliminary contact with the property owners by City staff has been made regarding this project and no concerns have been raised on their behalf. REPORT: Family and Children's Services support children and families in need within the Region of Waterloo and have continuously expressed concern about the difficulties experienced by their workers, clients and visitors to access transit services. There have been ongoing requests to provide a closer transit route to their centre located in the Hanson Industrial Area at 200 Ardelt Avenue (Appendix A). Over the years, City of Kitchener and Region of Waterloo staff have worked together to determine what short-term improvements could be made to improve pedestrian access between the FCS building and existing transit service in the area. In 2003, a sidewalk was installed on the south-westerly side of Homer Watson Boulevard between Ottawa Street South and Blockline Road, which included improvements to the Hanson Avenue intersection. Later, in the summer of 2006, this work continued on Hanson Avenue and a sidewalk was installed on the southerly side between the intersection of Homer Watson Boulevard to the frontage of Family and Children's Services of Waterloo Region. Most recently, a sidewalk has been extended the entire length of Hanson Avenue ending at the rear entrance to St. Mary's High School and the site of the City's Twin Pad Ice Arena, currently under construction. As part of the planning process for the Twin Pad Ice Arena, a pedestrian connectivity study was carried out by Consultants which identified a number of requirements for the area. As per these requirements, new sidewalks were identified on Hanson Avenue as well as Hayward Avenue between Hanson Avenue and the Courtland Avenue intersection. Both sections have been recently been installed as part of the City's T07-001 Curb and Sidewalk Construction contract. An engineering feasibility study was also completed to determine the viability of constructing a pedestrian walkway between Homer Watson Boulevard and Alpine Road, along with a cost estimate for the construction. The walkway would cross behind three industrial properties on Alpine Road (10, 20, and 30 Alpine Road) to allow direct access from the FCS to the bus stop on Kingswood Drive. The walkway will require an easement and cross three industrial properties at 10, 20, and 30 Alpine Court to access the bus stop on Kingswood Drive (Alpine Park). The anticipated scope of work will include a concrete sidewalk, chain link fence, storm sewer / catchbasin, landscaping and illumination. These above-mentioned improvements will provide a continuous pedestrian link between the FCS building and Route 11 which travels along Kingswood Drive. As a result, clients, visitors and employees of FCS would be within a 500 metre walk of Route 11 which operates a seven day a week service between 6 a.m. and midnight (Appendix B). This pedestrian link will also benefit Alpine Park residents who could walk to employment areas near Hanson and Hayward as well the future City of Kitchener hockey facility. This link will be an alternative route to Homer Watson Blvd. for St. Mary High School students. As a result of these sidewalk upgrades, pedestrian accessibility has greatly improved in the area although, a missing link and critical connection is lacking to the nearby community of Alpine Park. The outstanding link and pedestrian connection between Homer Watson Boulevard and Alpine Road will provide improved accessibility for the entire community through access to employment lands, several recreational facilities and a secondary school. In addition, this connection will provide better accessibility to public transit in an area which is unserviceable. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: It is anticipated the proposed pedestrian connection between Homer Watson Boulevard and Alpine Road would be constructed in 2008 subject to budget approval. The total estimated cost of the Pedestrian Connection including the land is $176,000. Typically, the City would fund the cost for sidewalk facilities. However, because of transit needs in the area and competing priorities, cost-sharing is proposed between the Region and the City in order to expedite the implementation of the connection. The Region of Waterloo's share of the costs will be included in the budget issue paper to be brought forward for council's consideration during the 2008 budget deliberations. The City of Kitchener would be the owner of the facility and has been requested to contribute 50% for the capital costs of this connection. The maintenance of the facility will be 100% the responsibility of City of Kitchener. CONCLUSION: In consideration of all of the above presented information, it is the recommendation of DTS Engineering Services, That Council support the installation of a pedestrian walkway from Homer Watson Boulevard to Alpine Road, in conjunction with the Region of Waterloo, That Legal Services be directed to prepare easement agreements for municipal addresses 10, 20 and 30 Alpine Court, That Engineering Services Staff be directed to include such work under the existing T08- 001 Curb and Sidewalk Construction Contract for 2008. Eric Saunderson K. Grant Murphy Design & Construction Project Director, Engineering Services Manager