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CITY OF VANCOUVER ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT |
Date: |
September 15, 2004 | |
Author: |
Lon LaClaire/ Michael White | |
Phone No.: |
604.871.6690/ 604.873.7094 | |
RTS No.: |
04518 | |
CC File No.: |
8108 | |
Meeting Date: |
October 19, 2004 |
TO: |
Vancouver City Council |
FROM: |
General Manager of Engineering Services and the Director of Current Planning |
SUBJECT: |
Granville Street Extension Feasibility Study |
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT the City hire a consultant to investigate the feasibility of various options for extending Granville Street north of Cordova Street at a cost of $50,000 to be funded from the GreenLinks Fund.
B. THAT given the limited time and the technical nature of this study, Council authorizes the City Manager and Director of Legal Services to enter into a contract with the successful bidder without report back to Council.
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
Given the urgency and the technical nature of this study, the City Manager recommends that Council authorize the City Manager and Director of Legal Services to enter into a contract with the successful bidder without report back to Council.
COUNCIL POLICY
The Downtown Transportation Plan identified the need to enhance transportation "hubs" such as Waterfront Station to improve inter-modal connections and support sustainable transportation modes.
Council approves consultant studies in excess of $30,000.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to seek Council approval for a consultant study to investigate the feasibility of extending Granville Street north of Cordova Street.
BACKGROUND
Waterfront Station, at the corner of Granville and Cordova Streets, is the pre-eminent transportation hub for Downtown Vancouver and the region. SkyTrain, SeaBus, West Coast Express, and the proposed RAV line will share a common terminus at Waterfront Station, providing unrivalled access to the region. In addition, cruise ships, helicopters, seaplanes, and other passenger ferries provide direct access to more distant locations including, Nanaimo, Victoria, Whistler, Alaska, and Seattle.
In the `base case' the RAV Waterfront Station is located under Granville Street on the block between Hastings and Cordova Streets.
In March, 2004 the City's Rapid Transit Office hosted a design Charrette involving a range of stakeholders with an interest in the future of the Waterfront Station Hub. The purpose of the Charrette was to obtain direction and advice on the RAV station at Waterfront in the context of the various transportation needs and the future development of the area. Thirty stakeholders attended and worked in small groups to generate options and principles. There was general agreement in the following areas:
1. The location of the station in the base case is workable.
2. "Granville Street" should be extended north to the water at either the Cordova Street or the Hastings Street levels. However, there is a preference by many for the street to extend at the Cordova level.
3. Given the desire line of the majority of patron flow to and from the RAV station, a southern entrance to the RAV station is needed. This entrance could be incorporated into a number of buildings, including Sinclair Centre, or it could be located in the Granville Street right-of-way between Hastings and Cordova as part of a redesigned Granville Street.
4. A connection to the SeaBus, SkyTrain and West Coast Express should be made via a northern connection to the RAV station. Underground to SkyTrain and/or West Coast Express station platforms and/or a direct connection to the CP station were all supported.
5. The predominate north-south pedestrian connection should be located in the general alignment of the Granville Street corridor extension. The extension of Granville Street should have an increasingly pedestrian focus as the street gets closer to the water and should feature pedestrian rain protection that creates a galleria effect.
6. Connections to cruise ships and the convention centre could be made through new underground connections or "at-grade" using the new Granville Street extension to Canada Place Way.
DISCUSSION
Extending Granville Street north of Cordova continues to be a strong and re-occurring theme in discussions with stakeholders. There are at least three options that could be considered:
1. A high level option at the Hastings Street elevation: This option would bridge over Cordova and run across the existing Granville Square plaza.
2. A low level option that would start at the Cordova Street elevation and become lower to the north, and
3. A mid-level option that would start at the Cordova elevation and become higher towards the north.
The extension of Granville could operate as a pedestrian-only extension, one-way general traffic street, a two-way transit-only street, or a two-way general traffic street. The operation of the extension would be determined in discussions with the public and stakeholders after feasible options have been identified by this study.
Due the complexity of the existing parking structures and rail facilities for SkyTrain, West Coast Express and other heavy rail freight trains, implementing any of the options could be challenging. The proposed study, largely of a structural engineering nature, would determine which of these options for extending Granville Street are most feasible or practical.
The base case location of the RAV station under Granville between Hastings and Cordova could limit options for extending Granville Street north of Cordova. The results of the requested study could be used to adjust the design of the RAV station to allow for a concurrent or future extension of Granville Street. The study must be completed in time to inform the RAV design process this winter.
Once the study is completed, preferences for the extension and ultimate elevation of Granville Street will be subject to discussions with various stakeholders in the area. These discussions will be informed by an urban design analysis of the feasible options, including the implications for Granville Plaza, the extension of the Canada Place viaduct and opportunities for the future development of the lands to the north.
Given the urgency and the technical nature of this study, the City Manager recommends that Council authorize the City Manager and Director of Legal Services to enter into a contract with the successful bidder without report back to council.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
This study would be financed from available GreenLinks funds. GreenLinks is the funding program created from payment in lieu of parking from the Concord Pacific development to provide pedestrian, bike and transit connections to and within the Downtown. Staff will also pursue cost-sharing with other stakeholders.
CONCLUSION
A feasibility study of the options for extending Granville Street north of Cordova Street will help inform the design of the RAV Station at the Waterfront hub and will advance planning for the broader hub precinct.
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Appendix A
Scope of Work
Consultants would study the potential for extending Granville Street north of Cordova Street.
Cost: $40,000 to $50,000. Staff will pursue potential cost sharing with other stakeholders.
Goal: Extend Granville Street north of Cordova Street to connect with an eastern extension of the Canada Place viaduct.
Develop conceptual Designs for at least three options:
1. Low Level - extend Granville Street north of Cordova at the Cordova elevation by removing the Granville Square parkade.
2. Mid Level - extend Granville Street north of Cordova at the mid-level Granville Square level to provide a level of parking below the road level of the extended Granville and Canada Place.
3. High Level - extend Granville over Cordova Street as an expansion or reconstruction of the existing pedestrian overpass.
In developing the options at a conceptual level the design of the Granville extension must connect with a western extension of the Canada Place viaduct and both structures must accommodate:
· the existing SkyTrain station, guideway and pedestrian connections
· the existing West Coast Express station, guideway and pedestrian connections
· a pedestrian connection from the Station to the SeaBus float terminal
· the vehicle circulation in the area-way under Cordova Street
· the planned RAV station under Granville Street between Hastings and Cordova
The consultant would then generate cost of construction estimates for viable options
The consultant would comment on:
· the reliability of the cost of construction estimates,
· the general feasibility of these options,
· the potential to use the existing parkade structure for the road extension,
· the change in the number of parking spaces to the existing Granville Square,
· the potential to replace lost parking under the new or existing viaducts,
· any implications for adjacent developments, and
· any implications for other transportation links at the hub.
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