Ottawa Queensway
Preliminary Design and Environmental Assessment
From Highway 416 to Anderson Road

Public Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting #4
June 1, 2004

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

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Agenda

• Introduction
• Technically Preferred Alternative (TPA)
• PIC # 2 - Schedule and Locations
• Background Information
• Air Quality
• Noise
• Auxiliary Lanes

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Introduction

Meeting Purpose

To present and receive feedback on the Technically Preferred Alternative prior to 2^nd round of Public Involvement Centres (June 21-23, 2004)

Study Purpose

To identify short-term (0-10) and longer term (11-20) measures to:

• Identify safety-enhancing measures
• Improve mobility of people and goods by reducing delay and congestion
• Optimize use of the existing facility

Study Milestone Schedule

• 2^nd Round of PIC's - June 21-23, 2004
• Preliminary Design of Recommended Plan - Fall 2004
• 3^rd Round of PIC's - Late Fall 2004
• Documentation and File TESR - Spring 2005

Air Quality

• Recognizing the importance of Air Quality, the Ministry has added a comprehensive AQ component to this study
• Based on results to date, downwind concentrations related to vehicular emissions from roadway traffic on highway 417 and interchanges (plus background pollutants) were predicted to be less than the MOE and Environment Canada air quality criteria at all receptors

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Technically Preferred Alternative (TPA)

Queensway Mainline from Highway 416 to Anderson Road TPA

• Widen to 4 basic lanes per direction from Highway 416 to Carling Ave
• Retain existing 4 basic lanes per direction from Carling Ave to Kent St
• Retain existing 3 basic lanes per direction from Kent St to Metcalfe St
• Widen to 4 basic lanes per direction from Metcalfe St to OR 174
• Widen Highway 417 to 6 basic lanes from OR 174 to east project limit

Observations

• The widening will reduce the frequency of recurring congestion and improve safety.
• This widening will require modification to most interchange ramps to accommodate the additional lanes.
• To accommodate the widening, a minor amount of property and one home on the south side of the Queensway west of Nicholas Street will be required.

Queensway Interchanges TPA

Free flow ramps at intersections

During the preliminary design phase, we will review each location where free flow ramps exist with the City and MTO to determine whether removal of the free flow conditions can/should be accomplished.

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PIC # 2 – Schedule and Locations

• Monday June 21, 2004 - 4:00 to 8:00 pm
  • Civic Centre, Salon A; 1015 Bank St
• Tuesday June 22, 2004 - 4:00 to 8:00 pm
  • Nepean Sportsplex, Hall A; 1701 Woodroffe Ave
• Wednesday June 23, 2004 - 4:00 to 8:00 pm
  • Pineview Golf Club; 1471 Blair Road

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Background Information

Study Context

Study is being undertaken in accordance with:

• Basic principles of Draft Strategic Transportation Directions for Eastern Ontario
• MTO Guidelines and Policies for major transportation planning projects
• City of Ottawa 2003 OP and TMP
• Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Transportation Facilities
  • Class "B" Undertaking

Other Project Elements

In addition to roadway modifications, the following measures were also considered:

• Transportation Demand Management
  • Carpool lots - carried forward
• Advanced Traffic Management System is being considered throughout from Anderson Road to Highway 7 and afford opportunities to optimize flows,improve safety, and reduce delays
  • Incident detection, queue end warning and other measures - carried forward
• High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes (HOV)
  • Theoretical demand exists but corridor restrictions prevents their safe introduction - not carried forward

Increases in predicted overall travel demand were caused by:

• Change in modelling process
• Use of 1996 travel survey instead of 1986 survey
• Adjustments to work trips to account for increased labour force participation between 1995 and 2021
• Adjustments to account for commercial activity (trips not captured in survey and heavy truck counts)
• Higher community to community trip making in 2003 TMP

Decrease in predicted overall travel demand was caused by:

• Change in overall transit target from 20% to 30%

Evaluation Process

• Evaluation of Alternatives was carried out by a multi-disciplinary team comprised of experts from MTO, City of Ottawa, NCC, Emergency Services, and the Consultant
• A sensitivity analysis of the results was undertaken to test the rigour of the conclusions using both team weights and weights submitted from members of the Public Advisory Committee

Evaluation Factors

The evaluation included a broad range of evaluation factors in the following categories:

• Traffic and Transportation
• Natural Environment
• Social and Cultural Environment
• Land Use and Property
• Cost

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Air Quality
Overview of Work Plan and Preliminary Results Highway 417 Improvements

Elements of Study

General Approach

• Establish baseline air quality conditions
• Develop traffic/roadway design scenarios
• Run emission models (tailpipe and roadway)
• Run dispersion model to predict local impact
• Select ambient air quality criteria
• Assess compliance/change
• Recommend mitigation measures

What is a Model?

A model provides a fundamental link between emissions and air quality changes by simulating transport, dispersion, transformation and deposition mechanisms.

Emission Source

Dispersion Modelling

Ambient Air Quality

Example RWDI Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station

Establish Baseline Conditions

Summarise key pollutants from local MOE/Env. Canada air quality monitoring stations for 5 years:

• 88 Slater Street
• Rideau/Wurtenburg

Model Tailpipe Emissions

Use US EPA emissions model MOBILE6 to estimate tailpipe emissions of combustion products such as carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) and fine particulate matter

Results

Based on results to date, downwind concentrations related to vehicular emissions from roadway traffic on Highway 417 and interchanges (plus background pollutants) were predicted to be less than the MOE and Env.Canada air quality criteria at all receptors

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Noise

Noise is a significant issue and has/will be addressed as follows:

• Establish existing noise conditions
• Identify noise impacts associated with proposed alternatives
• Assess impacts during evaluation of alternatives
• Identify mitigation measures
• Review existing noise barriers and recommend replacement strategy

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Auxiliary Lanes

In addition to the basic lanes, auxiliary lanes will be required at various locations to improve operations (hence there may be greater than 4 lanes/direction in some areas between interchanges)

(Note: An auxiliary lane connects an on-ramp from one interchange to an off-ramp at the next interchange, and are used where interchanges are closely spaced. These lanes are not continuous throughout the study area).