A8
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: May 14, 1996
Dept. File No. 300 568
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT: Second Narrows Bridge Redecking
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT staff be authorized to install temporary traffic
regulations and to provide dedicated enforcement and traffic
control as described in this report in order to protect
affected neighbourhoods from anticipated traffic shortcutting
related to the Second Narrows Bridge redecking project, with
the cost of $17,000 to be paid by the Ministry of
Transportation & Highways.
B. THAT staff be authorized to provide additional temporary
traffic regulations, enforcement and traffic control, if
determined to be needed by ongoing monitoring, at a cost not
to exceed $30,000, and that the Ministry of Transportation &
Highways be requested to compensate the City for the cost of
any such additional measures.
COUNCIL POLICY
It is the City's policy to discourage through traffic shortcutting
along local streets.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to describe the anticipated effect of the
Ministry of Transportation & Highways (MoTH) project to redeck the
Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Bridge, and to seek Council's
approval to install temporary traffic regulations as needed to protect
affected neighbourhoods from traffic incursions.
DISCUSSION
The MoTH decision to redeck the Second Narrows Bridge was brought to
the attention of City staff early this year. The project will require
that two of the six existing traffic lanes be closed at all times,
resulting in a significant reduction in the capacity of the bridge.
The only alternative route, the Lion's Gate Bridge, already operates at
full capacity during peak travel times; therefore, considerable delays
are anticipated for traffic bound to and from the North Shore during
these times. The MoTH's strategy for dealing with this situation
involves encouraging alternative trip times and the use of transit and
carpooling. A bus/high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane will be installed
temporarily on the McGill Street approach to the Second Narrows Bridge
to facilitate this strategy. Additional bus service, the provision of
park-and-ride lots on the North Shore and a large amount of continuous
publicity are also part of the MoTH strategy.
SCHEDULING AND OTHER CONSTRUCTION
Initially this project was expected to take place between mid April and
the end of June. Accordingly, Engineering Services rescheduled the
construction of the northern portion of the Downtown Dedicated Fire
Protection System (which will involve the crossing of Pender, Georgia
and Alberni Streets along the alignment of Broughton Street), to begin
in early July so as to minimize interference with access to the Lion's
Gate Bridge. However, the MoTH has since changed the schedule for the
Second Narrows Bridge redecking to between June 6 and August 16.
Rescheduling the Dedicated Fire Protection System construction again is
not feasible, so there will be a period of time this summer when this
project and the Second Narrows Bridge project coincide. The Dedicated
Fire Protection System will be constructed with as much sensitivity as
possible to the needs of commuters and is not expected to worsen the
congestion delays on the Lion's Gate Bridge.
It should also be noted that, coordinated with the Second Narrows
project, City forces will be working on McGill and Nanaimo Streets. As
approved by Traffic Commission at the July 13, 1995 meeting, a
pedestrian signal and street improvements will be constructed at the
intersection. Prior to the street construction, water and sewer lines
will be renewed as part of the Infrastructure Renewal Program. This
work has been organized so as not to significantly reduce the capacity
of the McGill Street access to the Second Narrows Bridge during peak
travel times. The work is best done during the summer for reasons of
operational efficiency. It was scheduled to coincide with the Second
Narrows project in order to minimize the duration of disruptions for
both area residents and the travelling public. Overall, it is
advantageous to conduct such work simultaneously while traffic volumes
are already reduced. Nonetheless, some commuters may view the McGill
Street construction as worsening the situation. City staff are working
in cooperation with the MoTH to inform the public about these projects.
NEIGHBOURHOOD IMPACTS
As noted above, the Second Narrows Bridge work is expected to create
substantial delays for North Shore bound traffic during peak periods.
Concern has been expressed, by both residents and the provincial
constituency office in the area, about the local street shortcutting
that could result from drivers attempting to jump the queue on the
McGill Street approach to the bridge. A plan to discourage local
shortcutting has been developed. This plan, illustrated in Figure 1,
consists of turning restrictions and warning signs placed strategically
throughout the neighbourhood north of Dundas Street between Wall Street
and Renfrew Street. The cost of implementing this plan is estimated at
$8000.
Traffic conditions will be monitored following the start of the Second
Narrows Bridge project. Should significant local shortcutting develop
despite the implementation of the planned regulations, further measures
could be considered, including temporary diverters.
Police enforcement specifically targeted at the planned regulations for
a two week period after their implementation would maximize their
effectiveness. Additional enforcement may be needed after this initial
period. The cost of providing a dedicated police officer at the
appropriate times is approximately $2750 for the initial two week
period, and approximately $70 per hour for any additional enforcement
needed.
Traffic control provided by a reserve police officer at the
intersection of McGill and Renfrew Streets would be beneficial during
peak traffic periods for the duration of the project. The function of
the officer would be to manage the orderly operation of this key
intersection and to ensure that the bus/HOV lane on McGill Street is
not impeded. Traffic monitoring after the start of the project may
identify the need for additional traffic control at this or other
locations. The cost of providing a reserve police officer at the
McGill and Renfrew intersection during peak periods over the course of
the project is approximately $6000. The cost of additional reserve
officers, if needed, is $27 per hour.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The costs of providing the initial signing, traffic control and
enforcement outlined above is approximately $17,000. The MoTH has
agreed to pay for these services. However, as noted, follow-up
monitoring may indicate the need for additional measures. This report
recommends that City Council authorize the expenditure of up to $30,000
to cover any additional services needed and that the MoTH be asked to
compensate the City for any such costs.
CONCLUSION
A MoTH project to redeck the Second Narrows Bridge this summer is
expected to have a significant effect on access to and from the North
Shore during peak travel times. It is anticipated that some traffic
control measures will be needed to protect residents living near McGill
Street from traffic attempting to jump the queue caused by this delay.
Implementing a traffic control plan at the beginning of this project
and carefully monitoring and adjusting the plan as needed is proposed
in order to protect the livability of the area. The cost of this plan
should be borne by the Ministry of Transportation & Highways.
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