Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic

FROM:

General Manager of Engineering Services the Director of City Plans

SUBJECT:

Rapid Transit Project - Independent Consultant Review

 

RECOMMENDATION

The following recommendations are included in the companion report on transportation priorities and resource needs and are presented here for information:

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

On April 28, 1998 Council approved funding of $15,000 from Contingency Reserve contingent on participation by UBC and/or BC Transit. to study the cost and implications of extending the proposed LRT to UBC. On April 30, 1998, Council adopted a number of principles to guide planning the light rapid transit system in the Broadway corridor.

On September 8, 1998, Council passed four motions (see Appendix A). One forms the basis for this report. The motion states:

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to provide the terms of reference and a cost estimate for an independent consultant to evaluate LRT technology compared to SkyTrain and the alignment along the Broadway corridor for the City portion west of Commercial Drive and the Vancouver Community College Station.

BACKGROUND

In June 1998, the Province announced some Rapid Transit Project characteristics for the Broadway-Lougheed and New Westminster-Coquitlam corridors, including the following:

· SkyTrain technology will be employed on Broadway-Lougheed and New Westminster-Coquitlam corridors.

· Based on a cost comparison of SkyTrain technology and conventional light rail, the project cost may now be in excess of $2 billion and well beyond the financial projection used in the Provincial/Regional negotiations.

· The schedule is to have the line complete from New Westminster to Commercial/Vancouver Community College (VCC) by 2001. West of this location, the next City phase from VCC to Granville/Arbutus is to be completed by 2003.

· In Vancouver, the corridor will use the Burlington Northern Railway Right-of-Way, the Grandview Cut and a tunnel under Broadway.

Council reviewed this information at the September 8, 1998, meeting.

DISCUSSION

The announcement to proceed with a system having the foregoing system characteristics was based on limited technical and financial information. Much of the relevant information has not been released, or is available with little detail. These basic decisions on system characteristics will have significant implications for transportation systems, cost-sharing, urban design, neighbourhoods, and mitigation.

The Vancouver segment of the line has been divided into two portions: the accelerated portion from Boundary to Broadway Station or Vancouver Community College (VCC) Station scheduled for completion by 2001, and the portion from Broadway Station to the Granville/Arbutus area. The first portion is rapidly approaching the detailed design phase. An alignment along the Burlington Northern Railway (BNR) right-of-way and the Grandview Cut has been selected. Initially, this alignment appears to minimize impacts, as the right-of-way is available and adjacent land use is primarily industrial.

Also, while there is no ridership information available yet, it can be presumed that there will be a significant transfer of trips from the new rail line to go downtown, as well as from the existing SkyTrain to go to Central Broadway. The higher numbers east of Commercial Station can be accommodated by a system such as a SkyTrain system. The need for such capacity levels may also be required to Arbutus and beyond to UBC. However, the environs of the system are very different west of Commercial Drive. The Rapid Transit Project Office has indicated, on occasion, some flexibility in the choice of technology for this section. Before finalizing the design for the western portion, a study should be undertaken to compare the benefits of a SkyTrain system and other technologies.

In order to be prepared to study the western portion in the City of the SkyTrain system compared with alternative systems, the following terms of reference have been prepared:

Objectives:

· compare the ability of alternative systems to meet the transportation needs as defined in Transport 2021/Liveable Regional Strategic Plan

· compare the ability of a Light Rapid Transit System with a SkyTrain System to address the City of Vancouver Transportation Plan and how well they serve local-based trips as well as regional trips

· assess how well each system fits within the community including impacts on adjoining properties, businesses, safety and security and its effect on other elements of the Transportation System such as vehicles, pedestrians and goods movement.
· identify impacts to be mitigated

· assess affordability

Scope of Work:

· review background from Transport 2021, Livable Region Strategic Plan and the City Transportation Plan, as well as other supporting material

· review Provincial/Rapid Transit Project material that led to the decision to support SkyTrain technology

·
review findings of Special Commission, SkyTrain Review

· evaluate ridership in terms of origins, destinations, trip length, mode share

· evaluate impacts on other elements of the transportation system

· provide a discussion of alternative rail systems vs. SkyTrain that will address the objectives and provide an evaluation of benefits and costs

· provide an assessment of community fit, including elements such as:

· assess measures which are available to mitigate the community impacts as identified above

· assess ability to construct the system, and how this affects the community

· identify the areas of significant cost differences between the two technologies

· provide a construction timetable for each option including any phasing options

· prepare a report of findings and analysis, including a multiple account comparison of a range of rail systems

· make presentations to City staff and the Transportation and Traffic Committee of Council at an interim stage and at the conclusion

Cost and Staff Resources

A preliminary cost estimate to conduct the scope of work described has been developed. The estimate is approximately $200,000, including fees, taxes and disbursements. The time-frame to complete such a study would be about 6 months. However, it may be necessary to retain a consultant from the US, in order to obtain a more independent comparison of the alternatives. This could add to the total cost.

Although a consultant would be retained to undertake the study, staff would be required to supply the consultant with data and information to enable a complete study, to monitor the study and prepare it for Council review. The staff resources to monitor this work are included. Although an extensive public consultation program is not proposed at this stage, an element of public communication would be provided through the broader Rapid Transit Work Program, underway simultaneously.

Council has already allocated $15,000 for a preliminary study of a rail extension to UBC, and the University has agreed to match this amount. It is proposed to coordinate these two studies so that the work efforts can be shared, and the conclusions of the two studies would be consistent with one another.

CONCLUSIONS

Insufficient data has been provided by the Province to enable a full comparison of different technologies, especially for the portion of the line west of Broadway Station. However, the decision that has been made would have substantial implications for the transportation system, impacts, cost-sharing and urban design. The terms of reference as outlined would provide more information to fill this gap. Given its regional and project implications, such as cost, the Regional Transportation Plan and inter-municipal extent of the project, it is suggested that the Region and the Rapid Transit Project Office be invited to participate in the study.

APPENDIX A

On September 8, 1998, Council resolved the following:

· that the city will collaborate with the Province on planning for the ALRT route, alignment, station locations and station area planning, while continuing to resolve issues through the GVTA about cost-sharing and completion of the entire T-line;

· that should negotiations between the GVTA and the Province prove unsuccessful, Council will re-evaluate its participation in the planning process;

· directed staff to report back with terms of reference and costs for an independent consultant study, reviewing the basic decision of the SkyTrain technology and corridor;

· that the City of Vancouver recommend to the Rapid Transit Project Office and the Province that the time line for planning the accelerated segment be adjusted to provide for a meaningful public consultation process.

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