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Home My WebLink AboutDTS-10-055 - Environmental Assessment Study report - Huron Rd ImprovementsJ KITC~i ~R ' • De~elopment& Technical5ervrces REPORT T0: Development & Technical Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: March 8, 2010 SUBMITTED BY: K. Grant Murphy, P.Eng, Director of Engineering Services PREPARED BY: Binu J. Korah, P.Eng, Manager of Development Engineering (519 741 2974) WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward # 4 DATE OF REPORT: February 24, 2010 REPORT NO.: DTS-10-055 SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT STUDY REPORT FOR HURON ROAD IMPROVEMENTS FROM STRASBURG ROAD TO FISCHER HALLMAN ROAD RECOMMENDATION: THAT the Huron Road Improvements from Strasburg Road to Fischer Hallman Road Environmental Study Report (ESR) prepared by MTE Consultants Inc., dated February 24, 2010 be received; and further THAT the Huron Road Improvements from Strasburg Road to Fischer Hallman Road Environmental Study Report be filed with the Ministry of Environment for the mandatory thirty (30) day review period as required by the Environmental Assessment (EA) Act. BACKGROUND: Huron Road is an east-west secondary arterial road generally consisting of two lanes with a rural cross-section from Fischer-Hallman Road to Strasburg Road, within City of Kitchener. Huron Road is currently in poor condition within this corridor and requires an immediate upgrade to address safety concerns. At this time, there is no sidewalk, streetlights, shoulders and also the road surface is in a deteriorating condition. Further, the storm water issues also need to be addressed as part of this project. In May 2008, the City retained MTE Consultants Inc to complete a Schedule "C" Class Environmental Assessment (EA), along with the detailed design and contract administration for Huron Road Improvements from Strasburg Road to Fischer-Hallman Road (see attached location map, Appendix A). REPORT: The City has completed the Environmental Study Report for the Huron Road Improvements from Strasburg Road to Fischer Hallman Road in accordance with Municipal Engineers Association document, October 2000, as amended in 2007. As part of the Schedule "C" Class 6-1 EA, City has to complete 5 phases of the EA process including two mandatory public information centres to receive input from the Public, agencies, interested and affected parties. The primary objective of the Huron Road Class EA Study is to identify the preferred alternative for upgrading the road corridor to a fully urban condition, and in doing so, improving the overall service conditions of the road. This Class EA Study will also identify opportunities and constraints as they relate to the natural and physical environment, and prepare a functional design of the selected preferred alternative for completion of the project. To address the identified deficiencies in the existing road corridor, several upgraded road cross- section alternatives were developed. These road cross-sections were presented to the public at the first public information centre, held in October 2008: - Alternative 0 -Rural Section (Do Nothing) - Alternative 1 - 2-Lane Urban Cross-Section (26.Om R.O.W.) - Alternative 2 - 2-Lane with Urban Cross-Section, Left-Turns at intersections, no sidewalk (26.Om R.O.W.) - Alternative 3 - 2-Lane with Urban Cross-Section, Left-Turns at intersections, sidewalk & bike lanes (26.Om R.O.W.) - Alternative 4 - 4-Lane Urban Standard with sidewalk & bike lanes, no turn lanes (26.Om R.O.W.) - Alternative 5 - 4-Lane Urban Standard with sidewalk, turn lanes, bike lanes and centre island (30.Om R.O.W.) A detailed inventory of the existing conditions was established. An evaluation matrix was created to evaluate each option according to the following criteria; transportation service including safety, natural environment, social, heritage and economic aspects. A traffic study was conducted by Sernas-Transtech to analyze the current and future needs of the Huron Road corridor. Careful attention was paid to include and incorporate findings of various approved traffic impact studies relating to the continued suburban growth within the study area. Based upon the information compiled during the traffic study the decision was made to pursue Option 5, with Huron Road having afour-lane cross-section with turn lanes, pedestrian sidewalks and bike lanes (on both sides of the roadway), refer to attached map, Appendix B. A second PIC was held in June of 2009 outlining the recommended preferred solution. Noise barriers were shown and a roundabout option in lieu of traffic signals was proposed at the WoodbinelHuron and Strasburg/Huron intersections. Roundabouts were considered pursuant to the Region of Waterloo's guidelines for New Traffic Signal Installation Policy. An intersection control study (ICS} was completed for the Huron Road and Woodbine Avenue intersection as well as the Strasburg and Huron Road intersection. The intersection control study compared the safety, operations, and capital and life cycle costs of signalized intersections versus roundabouts, and strongly recommended the roundabout options at both Woodbine and Strasburg. A third PIC was held in November 2009 to provide additional opportunity for public review and comment based upon the results of the intersection control study. 6-2 That study will determine, among other things the location and preliminary design of a flood control structure along Strasburg Creek between Fischer-Hallman Boulevard and Huron Road. Although that the Strasburg Flood Control EA study is not yet complete, it is acknowledged that one of the options under consideration places a flood control structure at Huron Road. The ultimate roadway profile elevation in the vicinity of the creek may have impacts on a potential future flood control structure (i.e. relating to creek hydraulics). Therefore, the design for Huron Road should have the ability to accommodate the alternatives being considered in the Flood Control EA. The project teams of both Class EA studies recommend that the Huron Road profile be set at the elevation of 322.60m to accommodate the flood control structure at Huron Road, refer to attached recommended preferred design details, Appendix C. This elevation provides for the finalization of the Huron Road EA, while allowing for the Strasburg Creek Flood Control EA to proceed independently, without prejudicing the selection of the preferred alternative for the Strasburg Creek Flood Control EA. It also ensures that the Strasburg Creek Flood Control EA can continue to respect the recommendations contained in the approved Alder Creek Watershed Study and Upper Strasburg Creek Subwatershed Plan Update and the approved Upper Strasburg Creek Class ESR. Should a lesser flow rate be determined for the Huron Road crossing, this higher profile elevation will simply result in additional freeboard. The higher elevation is also deemed to be a better solution from a road geometrics perspective. For this EA study, a preliminary construction staging strategy for the road corridor has been established. The main purpose of the strategy is to maintain through traffic in both directions for the majority of the road construction at all times. The exception to this will be for the construction of the Strasburg Creek crossing which will require full closure of the road at that location. COMMUNICATIONS: As part of this Class EA project, there (3) Public Information Centre were conducted to provided the public, agencies, stakeholders, interested and affected parties with an opportunity to review and comment on the study findings including preferred alternative, along with the other alternatives considered. The direct mail-outs, along with the newspaper advertisement advising the public and property owners of the project start and the Public Information Centres, provided a project overview, as well as contact names and information for those interested. Furthermore there were many project meetings conducted to discuss specific issues with stakeholders and affected landowners. The City staff and consultant were also met with the Huron Heights Secondary School principal, board members, and School council to present the study findings. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: This project was identified in the City's 2004 and 2009 Development Charge Background studies and is required to support the developments within this area. The estimated cost for the preferred Alternative is approximately $11,700,000. 6-3 CONCLUSION: The City of Kitchener is responsible for the management and rehabilitation of Huron Road. Therefore, it must be ensured that the required improvements are completed in a timely and efficient manner. The Huron Road is currently in a poor condition within this corridor and requires an immediate upgrade to address the safety concerns. Further, the road improvements have to be completed in a timely manner to support the developments within this area. Therefore Staff recommend that the Environmental Study Report (ESR) for Huron Road Improvements from Strasburg Road to Fischer Hallman Road be filed with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment for the mandatory thirty (30) day review period as required by the Environmental Assessment Act. Proceeding with the preferred alternative for Huron Road at this time, enables the Strasburg Creek Flood Control Structure EA Study to proceed, without prejudicing the selection of the preferred alternative for the Strasburg Creek Flood Control Structure EA. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: JeffUUillmer, Interim General Manager DTS 6-4 ,~ ~` ~ ~~ ~~J _ ~r ~. fir. ,~... ~°, r,~ ~ .w~ ~ { 5 5.0~ f.rr~ f~.f .~ 'j i 5 a A W a a .. L ~ `. k ~ -- ~~ f,r n! ~ j_. r ~':~W ~ .~'V,r _~. ~ r - s~r~ ~ 6-5 A W a a LL LL ~ ~. ®~ !~.~ ~~ A~~9 r~ ~ ~ ' ~- ~ L- ~~ ~1 r ar d n .~-. I~ .~ ~} ~ 'R. ~:~ u~ ~~n3~~3; ~3~~~~~~ ~ I r~ i z i ~« w = ~ ~~`- ~~ ~ z~ J F WW- r y~ ~,.~ 6-6 U A W a a ,~~;: a?J~E~'rs1~_'.h;~A'm~c5`Jtlti +711 6-7