Vancouver City Council

CITY OF VANCOUVER
engineering services
D.H. Rudberg, P.Eng., General Manager
T.R. Timm, P.Eng., Deputy City Engineer

February 5, 2003

MEMO TO: Mayor & City Council

COPY TO: Judy Rogers, City Manager

Syd Baxter, City Clerk
Ann McAfee, Co-Director of Planning/Director of City Plans
Larry Beasley, Co-Director of Planning/Director of Current Planning
Mary Jo Porter, Consultant

FROM: Dave Rudberg, General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT: RAV - PROJECT UPDATE
____________________________________________________________________

At the February 11, 2003 Transportation and Traffic Committee meeting, Mary Jo Porter will be providing her Phase I briefing on the proposed Richmond/Airport/Vancouver (RAV) Rapid Transit Project. This presentation follows Council's request at the January 30, 2003 Planning and Environment Committee that a written brief be provided in advance to Council and staff (limited distribution - on file with City Clerk). Representatives from the GVRD, GVTA, and RAV Project have been invited and are expected to attend the briefing.

I want to also advise Council on three other developments related to the Project:

1. Council selected Marvin Shaffer as a consultant to assist in the independent review of the RAV Project. We have been advised that Mr. Shaffer will not be available due to other work commitments (e-mail attached).

2. I've attached a copy of a proposed schedule for reporting out the results of the RAV project studies, the public consultation timing and the proposed Project decision-making schedule. Much of this schedule is tentative and is an integration of dates provided by the RAV Project Director and a program around these dates that would allow Council to respond to this issue.

The following is a summary of the key dates:

· February 11^th (Traffic and Transportation): Council's independent consultant provides a written and verbal report on what she has learned to date

· February 27^th (Planning and Environment): RAV Project Director provides a verbal presentation of the results of the previous year's technical engineering and financial work on the RAV Project and upcoming public consultation
· March 3^rd: RAV Project team begins their public consultation on the technical work
· March 11^th (Traffic and Transportation): Council's independent consultant could provide a written and verbal report on her initial review of the technical work
· March 15^th to March 23^rd: Spring Break
· March 24^th: RAV Project team public consultation ends
· March 25^th (City Council): Report References by the RAV Project Director, Council's independent consultant and staff on what the public said during the RAV Team consultation and any conclusions/recommendations.
· April 7^th (evening meeting) and April 8^th (Traffic and Transportation): Council may wish to hear delegations on the proposed RAV Project
· April 18^th to April 21^st: Easter Weekend
· April 22^nd: Meeting of City Council to decide on advice on the RAV Project

You will note that this schedule is brief. Staff will be available to discuss this schedule at the February 11, 2003 meeting of the Traffic and Transportation Committee meeting.

3 The City's website now includes the RAV Project. This will be updated as information comes available so the broader public can be kept informed.

If Council would like any further information, please feel free to call me at 7300.

___________________________________
D.H. Rudberg, P.Eng.
General Manager of Engineering Services

DHR:sas
Attachments
ER4186.wpd