Presentations: Public Advisory Committee Meeting #1

Brian Ruck, P. Eng., C.V.S.
TSH Project Manager

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Study Purpose

• To identify short-term (0-10) and longer term (11-20) measures to:
  • Improve mobility of people and goods by reducing delay and congestion;
  • Identify safety-enhancing measures; and
  • Assess the need for a new interchange at Hunt Club Road

Study Focus

• This study is focused on the Queensway
• The results of the study will identify its ultimate configuration

Public Consultation

• Ongoing public and agency consultation is valuable and welcome
• Study Commencement Notice in July 2002 was placed in daily and local newspapers, posters in selected libraries, letters to agencies and 58 Community Associations
• Input to the Project Team is achieved through:
  • Municipal Technical Advisory Committee (MTAC)
  • Public Advisory Committee
  • Agency and Public Mailing Lists
  • Three rounds of Public Involvement Centres (three sessions per round)

PAC - Current Membership

• Hintonburg CA
• Transport 2000
• Qualicum/Graham Park CA
• Ottawa East CA
• Roseberry Ave. Residents Committee
• Glabar Park CA
• Ontario Trucking Assn.
• Centretown Citizens Community Assn.
• Further solicitation of interest will be made at the first round of PIC's

Study Schedule

• Study Commencement Notice - July 2002
• PIC #1 - January 21, 22 and 23, 2003
• PIC #2 - Spring/Summer 2003
• PIC #3 - Fall 2003
• Study Completion - Winter 2003/04

Work Completed to Date

• Preparation and Distribution of Draft Study Design Report for public and agency comment;
• Environmental Inventories;
• Traffic Engineering;
• Problem Identification; and
• Identification of Alternatives.

Study Design Report

• Outlined study issues and approach
• Circulated for Agency and Public Comment
• Minor comments received from City of Ottawa staff

Environmental Inventories

• Fisheries and Aquatic
• Wildlife and vegetation
• Noise
• Landscaping and Aesthetics
• Heritage/Archaelogy
• Social and Land Use
• Property Waste and Contamination
• Air Quality

Traffic Engineering - Objective

• Identify current and projected future traffic operations issues, and existing safety issues, associated with the existing design and operation of the Queensway from the Hwy 416 interchange to west of Anderson Rd.

Travel Demand Forecasting

• City of Ottawa "Trans" model (EMME/2 - pm peak hour) from 1996 Transportation Master Plan
• Population and employment updated 2002
• Horizon years modelled: 2001, 2011, 2021
  • Existing road network through 2011
  • 20-year City road improvements in 2021

Traffic Engineering - Results

• Short term capacity deficiencies:
  • Pinecrest Rd. to Carling Ave.
  • Parkdale Ave. to Bronson Ave.
  • Nicholas St. to Innes Rd.
• Longer term capacity deficiencies:
  • Hwy 416 to Innes Rd. (by 2011) and
  • Walkley Rd. to Anderson Rd. (by 2021)

Sensitivity Test Results

• Widening 417 - Adding capacity to Hwy 417 attracts trips from City streets, until network once again reaches equilibrium
• Network-wide benefits from above improvements more significant than benefits on Hwy 417
• Transit Mode Split - Addressing screenline capacity needs through increased transit use alone would require transit mode splits of 38% to 59%
  • New TMP screenline targets: 25%-40%

Transit Mode Split

% of Person-Trips Using Transit

Section of The Queensway Corridor	Highway 416	Woodroffe Avenue	Rochester Street	Rideau River
Existing	16%	18%	30%	35%
Ottawa Transportation Master Plan Target, 2021	25%	25%	30%	40%
Required to Meet Travel Demand, 2021	38%	42%	48%	59%
Increase in Transit Trips Required to Meet Travel Demand, 2021	1,385	2,610	2,310	2,660

Safety Analysis

• Screened 259 locations
• Identified 76 primary locations (high potential) and 30 secondary locations (moderate potential) for further study

Safety Analysis - Results

• Locations with potential for safety improvement correlated with identified areas of concern
  • Geometry - weaving
  • Recurring Congestion
• Confirmed theoretical results with MTO Maintenance staff and the OPP

Problem Statement Summary

• Congestion
  • Mainline
  • Ramp terminal intersections
• Safety
  • mainline associated with recurring congestion
  • Intersections

Alternatives to the Undertaking

• Do Nothing
• Improve Existing Highway
  • Major Widening and Property Acquisition Throughout
  • Strategic Widening with Limited Property Acquisition
• Alternative Modes of Travel (eg. transit)
• Improvements to Parallel Roads
• Transportation Demand Measures (eg. HOV, commuter parking lots, ramp metering, ATMS)
• New Highway

Long List of Alternatives

• Upgrade to 8 lane standard throughout
• Upgrade all interchanges to current standards
• Strategic widening to 8 basic lanes to address congestion
• Strategic I/C improvements to address operational and/or safety concerns
• ATMS solutions to address congestion and safety
• TDM to reduce demand and relieve congestion
• HOV
  • Add a lane
  • Convert existing GPL

Alternatives to the Undertaking - Carried Forward

• Do Nothing
• Strategic widening and interchange improvements
• HOV - strategic widening
• TDM and ITS - component of all solutions

Significant Improvement Alternatives Under Consideration - Mainline Queensway

• Highway 416 to City of Ottawa 174
  • 8 basic lanes plus auxiliary lanes where required for interchange operations
• City of Ottawa 174 to Anderson Road
  • 6 basic lanes

Significant Improvement Alternatives Under Consideration - Highway 416 to Maitland Avenue

• Close Richmond Road SB on-ramp and relocate to Holly Acres Road
• Close Ashley Street access to EB off-ramp at Greenbank
• Widen Greenbank/Pinecrest and Maitland Avenue to 6 lanes through interchange to improve intersection operations
• Provide deceleration lane for WB off-ramp at Woodroffe

Significant Improvement Alternatives Under Consideration - Maitland Avenue to Preston Street

• Separate WB Carling off-ramp from Carling Avenue - minor widening of Carling required
• Parkdale WB off-ramp
  • Close ramp
  • Close ramp and add new ramp at Island Park
  • Re-align ramp to south displacing homes on south side of Westmount Avenue
• Island Park Ramp
  • Close ramp
  • Relocate Island Park Ramp to west side of Island Park
• Widen EB Parkdale off-ramp to 2 lanes for storage

Significant Improvement Alternatives Under Consideration - Preston Street to Nicholas

• Consolidate downtown exits through provision of service roads on north and south of Queensway -some widening of existing roads required
  • South - Chamberlain/Isabella
  • North - Catherine Street
• Eliminate EB weave between Metcalfe and Nicholas by constructing basketweave (displaces homes on north side of Hawthorne Avenue)
• Similar solution on north side between Nicholas and WB off-ramp at Metcalfe

Significant Improvement Alternatives Under Consideration - Nicholas to 174

• Widen Riverside/Vanier Parkway to 6 lanes through interchange to improve intersection operations
• Close EB on-ramp from south at St. Laurent
• Close/restrict access to WB off-ramp at St. Laurent
  • Provide movements via Cyrville Road or Aviation Parkway via extended Labelle Street
  • Prevent movement from WB 417 to St. Laurent
  • Prevent movement from St. Laurent to EB 174

Significant Improvement Alternatives - 174 to Anderson Road

• Construct interchange at Hunt Club Road

Public Involvement Centre #1

• January 21 - Pineview Golf Cliub - Blair Road
• January 22 - Jim Durrell Arena - Walkley Road
• January 23 - Confederation High School - Woodroffe Avenue
• Purpose is to affort the public the opportunity to review and comment on:
  • Study Design
  • Inventory of Existing Conditions
  • Preliminary List of Alternatives
  • Evaluation Criteria and Evaluation Methodology