ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on Planning and The Environment

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT:

Great Northern Way Design

 

RECOMMENDATION

COUNCIL POLICY

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to seek approval for the design of Great Northern Way, as shown in Appendix A. Approval of the design is necessary in order to determine the final form of subdivision of the adjacent rezoned lands.

BACKGROUND

In 1999, Council approved CD-1 zoning of 555 Great Northern Way (Great Northern Technology Park). The CD-1 Guidelines for the site proposed an improved streetscape for Great Northern Way. The improved streetscape includes a landscaped median, three new left turn bays and traffic signals which should have an overall calming effect on Great Northern Way. As a condition of the rezoning, a Services Agreement was executed that requires the developer to design and construct the changes to Great Northern Way.

Figure 1: Schematic Cross-section of Great Northern Way as Shown in the CD-1 Guidelines

The Great Northern Technology Park CD-1 Guidelines contain a schematic cross-section of Great Northern Way as well as the requirement for a 9 m (30 ft) landscape setback (see Figure 1). However, the guidelines do not suggest any dimensions for the cross-section of the street. Further work indicates that the improvements contemplated by the zoning guidelines do not fit within the current dedicated road width.

DISCUSSION

The proposed design of Great Northern Way contemplates several issues.

Central Median
In accordance with the CD-1 guidelines, a treed centre median is to be built along the entire length of Great Northern Way adjacent to the development sites. The landscaped median is recommended to be 3.9m wide, which also contains the three new eastbound left-turn bays. This allows the overall street (curb to curb) width to remain constant.

Travel and Parking Lanes
There are currently 2 travel lanes plus parking in each direction for this section of Great Northern Way. The proposed design maintains these lanes and accommodates bicycles in the curb lane. Although very large-scale redevelopment is proposed on the adjoining lands, additional capacity is not proposed on this corridor because the connecting streets (Clark Drive and Main Street) have no available capacity to serve traffic increases.

The curb lanes, although currently used exclusively for parking, are likely to accommodate additional uses (bus stops, loading zones, etc.) as a result of the development planned for this area. However, it is unlikely that the curb lanes will be developed as moving lanes. The curb lanes are proposed to be 3.7m wide, the minimum width approved by Council to accommodate a parked vehicle/bicycle shared lane on arterial streets.

South Curb
The design as proposed does not alter the south curb of the street. As the adjacent land use is residential, it was considered important to maintain the existing setbacks and grassy boulevard (where existing).

Public Realm Improvements
During the rezoning process, staff, the property owner and area residents identified the importance of maintaining the existing trees and landscaping on the Finning site. This design maintains the existing landscaping, where possible. However, additions to the overall width of the street corridor will result in the removal of the street trees in the north boulevard (to be replaced by new trees). In order to maintain two stands of mature trees north of the existing sidewalk, on the Finning Lands, the path of the sidewalk varies in two locations.

In addition, the current style of Great Northern Way is a `bypass street'. It has the potential to become a `great street' that provides access to and borders the tech area. To accomplish this, a set of urban design guidelines is required to specify style, landscaping, sidewalk treatment, and other aspects, similar to the Georgia Street Public Realm. This work would be performed by staff in consultation with the public.

Overall Corridor Width
In order to accommodate all of the improvements contemplated by the zoning guidelines, the street would be considerably wider than the current dedicated width. A standard design would consist of a centre median of at least 4.2 metres, curb lanes of 4.3m, and travel lanes of 3.7m. This street design would have encroached at least 6.5m on to Finning lands, would have eliminated the two stands of trees and created very wide pedestrian crossings.

Staff from Engineering and Planning have been working with the developer to minimize the amount of additional land required while still accommodating the proposed changes. The centre median was reduced to 3.9m, the travel lanes were reduced to 3.3m and 3.0m respectively, and the curb lane was reduced to 3.7m. With this narrowed design, the roadway fits within the existing dedicated street width and only the sidewalk encroaches into the landscape setback. The sidewalk alignment can vary in some locations in order to save the significant trees. This design is acceptable to Finning.

The proposed design for Great Northern Way (Appendix A) was subsequently presented to the Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) for their comments (see Appendix B). The Committee did not support the proposed design with a curb lane width of 3.7m and recommends that a width of 4.0m be provided in the curb lanes. In addition, the Committee also requested that a multi-use pathway be incorporated into the landscaped setback of Great Northern Way to connect with the planned Central Valley Greenway pathway to the east and with False Creek and Science World to the west.

The only options available for accommodating additional curb lane width are:

A. relocate the south curb and reduce the boulevard adjacent to the residential area

B. further reduce the median and eliminate it at the left turn bays

C. further encroach on to the developable lands to the north, resulting in the removal of portions of the two stands of trees (one of the stands of trees is a group of 5 substantial cedars and the other is a group of pine trees).

These changes are not recommended (see Appendix C for a graphical description). Further narrowing of the travel lanes are not recommended because they have already been reduced to the minimum for trucks and buses.

In response to the BAC's request for a multi-use pathway, staff recommend this matter be considered as part of the public realm design. It should also be noted that public access corridors on the internal road system being developed on the Finning site will include a multi-use greenway.

Street Alignment
It would be desirable to continue the centre median and wider curb lanes beyond the Finning site eastward to Clark Drive. Further work needs to be done to determine the property acquisitions or future land negotiations that would be required to accommodate some or all of the proposed design elements for Great Northern Way.

At the western end of the Finning site, the new roadway will need to be matched to the existing pavement. This will involve some property acquisition to the north, which will be the subject of a report back to Council.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

As a condition of the CD-1 zoning, the property owner at 555 Great Northern Way will be responsible for the cost of constructing this section of Great Northern Way. However, the City will be responsible for the additional on-going maintenance of the landscaping on the median and the boulevard as well as the new traffic signals and signage. Staff will report back on these increases when the specifics of the public realm and the paint and signing plan are finalized.

The construction of this section of Great Northern Way will occur in phases as development at 555 Great Northern Way proceeds. Staff are currently in negotiations with Finning to secure the timing of construction in a Services Agreement for the overall site.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed design of Great Northern Way provides for all of the features contemplated during the rezoning process, including the retention of mature landscaping where possible, while minimizing the requirement for additional land. Planning and Engineering staff recommend approval of this design. Changes to the design and loss of existing landscaping would be required in order to meet the desirable curb lane width of 4.0m.

ATTACHMENTS THAT DO NOT HAVE ELECTRONIC COPY ARE AVAILABLE ON FILE IN THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE

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