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CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
March 9, 2004 | |
Author: |
Wayne Pledger, P.Eng | |
Phone No.: |
7346 | |
RTS No.: |
4055 | |
CC File No.: |
5559 | |
Meeting Date: |
March 23, 2004 |
TO: |
Vancouver City Council |
FROM: |
General Manager of Engineering Services in consultation with the Director of Legal Services |
SUBJECT: |
Richmond Airport Vancouver Rapid Transit Line
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RECOMMENDATIONS:
A. THAT, subject to Recommendations B and C, Council authorize the granting of access to City streets to TransLink for the Richmond Airport Vancouver Rapid Transit Line ("RAV Line") on terms and conditions consistent with those granted to the Province/British Columbia Transit for the Expo Line and Millennium Line with such additional or modified terms and conditions as may be required to reflect legal, geographical, and project type differences, with all such terms and conditions to be to the satisfaction of the General Manager of Engineering Services and the Director of Legal Services.
B. THAT, upon the General Manager of Engineering Services and the Director of Legal Services being satisfied as to the terms and conditions of the access agreement with TransLink, RAVCO and the successful Proponent for the design, construction and operation of the RAV Line, that the General Manager of Engineering Services and the Director of Legal Services be authorized to execute and deliver the access agreement on behalf of Council.
C. THAT no legal rights or obligations will be created or arise by virtue of Council's approval of Recommendations A and B unless and until the access agreement has been executed and delivered by the General Manager of Engineering Services and the Director of Legal Services.
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The City Manager supports the above recommendations.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council supports the proposed RAV Line and has identified the specific City streets on which the RAV Line should be routed.
PURPOSE
City Council supports the RAV Line and has specifically identified the City streets on which it may operate. An access agreement was entered into between the City and British Columbia Transit ("BC Transit") in 1987 setting out the terms and conditions on which BC Transit could access, construct, and use City streets for the Expo SkyTrain Line. A second access agreement was entered into between the City and BC Transit (as agent for the Province) in 2000 setting out the terms and conditions on which BC Transit could access, construct, and use City streets (as well as the slopes of the City-owned Grandview Cut) for the Millennium SkyTrain Line.
Pursuant to the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Act, the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority (TransLink) assumed BC Transit's rights and obligations with respect to the Expo and Millennium SkyTrain Lines, and is now the statutory authority having responsibility for the RAV Line.
The purpose of this report is to seek Council authorization to negotiate and conclude an access agreement with TransLink for the RAV Line utilizing the principles and terms and conditions set out in the City's existing access agreements as the basis for same and to delegate the authority for negotiating and executing such access agreement on behalf of Council to the General Manager of Engineering Services and the Director of Legal Services.
DISCUSSION
City Council has approved a routing of the RAV Line on, under or over City streets generally as follows:
· In a tunnel between Waterfront Station and 46th or 49th Avenue using Granville Street, Davie Street, and Cambie Street,
· At Grade or in a trench on Cambie from 46th/49th Avenue to about 63rd Avenue,
· Elevated on Cambie from 63rd Avenue to the Fraser River,
· The line crosses a number of other City streets as well including, but not limited to Commodore Street, 2nd/6th Ave. Diversion and Kent Avenue.
For the purposes of funding and delivering the RAV Line, TransLink has incorporated a special purpose corporation called RAV Project Management Ltd. ("RAVCO"), as a wholly-owned subsidiary of TransLink.
In August, 2003 RAVCO issued a Request for Proposals to the four short-listed proponents and has now received and reviewed the proposals from these proponents. RAVCO will be recommending the remaining three proponents be reduced to two and that those two be instructed to prepare and submit best and final offers ("BAFO's"). The proponent submitting the preferred BAFO will then become the "Concessionaire" upon signing a "Concession Agreement" with RAVCO for the design, construction and operation of the RAV Line.
In order for the two remaining proponents to finalize and submit their BAFO's, Vancouver and TransLink/RAVCO need to negotiate and finalize an access agreement confirming the terms and conditions on which Vancouver will permit TransLink/RAVCO to carry out the Project within City limits as well as the terms and conditions on which Vancouver will permit the Concessionaire to design, build and operate same.
The RAV Line access agreement will address many of the same issues as were addressed in the Expo Line access agreement and the Millennium Line access agreement. However, it is expected that this agreement will also address aspects of the "public private partnership" structure of the Project, particularly with respect to the role of the Concessionaire as well as the new role of TransLink as the delivery agent (previously, it has been BC Transit/Province), as well as ensuring that access is granted only for the route previously approved by Council.
CONCLUSION
The negotiation and execution of an access agreement for the RAV Line is necessary in order to facilitate the finalization of the remaining two proponents' best and final offers and will be the key mechanism for establishing the relationship between the City and TransLink, RAVCO and the eventual Concessionaire with respect to the RAV Line both now and in the future. Accordingly, it is recommended that Council authorize the General Manager of Engineering Services and Director of Legal Services to proceed as set out above.
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