ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: December 11, 1998
Author/Local: R. Hodgins/7345

P. Pinsker/7917

RTS No. 00383

CC File No. 5762-1

TO:	Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic
FROM:	General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT:	Street Improvements on West 41st Avenue and East Boulevard (London Drugs Redevelopment)

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT pedestrian and street improvements as described in this report proceed at the developer's expense;

B. THAT the General Manager of Engineering Services review the RPO provisions in the 2000 Block of West 42nd Avenue; and,

C. THAT the General Manager of Engineering Services measure traffic volumes and speeds in the area bounded by West 41st Avenue, Cypress Street, West 49th Avenue and East Boulevard in order to evaluate the appropriateness of traffic-calming measures.

POLICY

The City generally requires developers to provide sidewalk and street improvements, at their expense, so that conditions after redevelopment are generally no worse than existing levels. The requirements described in this report were imposed by the Development Permit Board.

Council reviews all street design changes in the city.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is:

· to generally describe the redevelopment of the London Drugs site, which was conditionally approved by the Development Permit Board on November 30, 1998;

· to describe and seek approval of the street improvements and signal modifications necessary to support this development, and to provide a timetable for the works; and,

· to discuss other unrelated traffic issues which the public raised in commenting on this project.

BACKGROUND

The Kerrisdale Station development, consisting of a mid-block site on the south side of the 2000 block of 41st Avenue and most of the north side of the 2000 block of 42nd Avenue (see Figure 1), would see the redevelopment of the London Drugs and liquor store properties with medium-density commercial/residential buildings. The project was submitted for a development permit in 1997, and was considered by the Development Permit Board as a Preliminary Application on January 12, 1998. Due to the significant increase in the scale of development on the combined sites, traffic was a major concern. The sites currently have inappropriate access, with mid-block driveway crossings on 41st Avenue, amidst the prime commercial strip development, and on 42nd Avenue, with its significantly residential character. Redevelopment, with a revised access plan, presents the opportunity to correct these shortcomings.

A traffic impact study was performed by the developer's transportation consultant, Bunt and Associates, in May of 1997. Due to projected increases in traffic generation, coupled with the desirable elimination of the mid-block accesses on 41st and 42nd, it was deemed necessary to make street improvements that focus the activity toward the intersection of East Boulevard and 41st Avenue, thereby preventing congestion and diversion on local residential streets. At staff's request, subsequent analysis was performed which focused on the necessity of making the intersection of East Boulevard and West 41st Avenue function properly, including the accommodation of pedestrians. As a result, the consultant recommended additional measures for this intersection, as well as adjustment and monitoring of signal timings.

Recently the applicant revised the nature of the proposed development, converting some residential floor area to office use. As a consequence, staff requested the applicant to have the traffic consultant review whether any modifications to his recommendations were needed. A review determined that no further measures were required.

This project again went before the Development Permit Board on November 30, 1998, and received approval with conditions, which the applicant is in the process of addressing.

DISCUSSION

Street Improvements and Construction

The project is illustrated in Figure 2.

East Boulevard

The most significant work is the widening of East Boulevard by 1.9 metres, 1.1 metre on the west side and 0.8 metre on the east, to develop a short left turn lane from East Boulevard to West 41st Avenue. The construction work extends from 41st Avenue southward nearly to 42nd Avenue.

On the east side a sidewalk width of 3.0 metres is maintained, and street trees will be added. Pedestrians will still have ample width, and a higher amenity with the treed, rebuilt boulevard. On the westerly boulevard the line of trees is maintained. The existing screenings walk in front of the trees by the curb will be relocated behind the trees.

The wide southbound traffic lane will allow a southbound car to pass a car turning into the development. Approximately eight on-street parking stalls will be removed in anticipation of this manoeuvre. The east-west lane will be widened to 8.5 metres for approximately the first 20 metres to the first underground access point to reinforce this as the main entrance, while enabling small semi-trailers and other delivery vehicles to access loading facilities situated off the lane.

41st Avenue

The existing mid-block sidewalk crossing to the liquor store on West 41st Avenue will be closed to create a solid street wall (similar to Kerrisdale to the west) and eliminate pedestrian/vehicle conflicts. The elimination of the liquor store driveway has allowed the applicant to provide a pedestrian mews linking mid-block 41st Avenue with the London Drugs development across the lane. The centre median in 41st Avenue will be reconstructed to create a more conventional left-turn bay leading to East Boulevard (west to southbound).

Operational Changes

Left Turn Bay Reversal between the Boulevards

At present the centre lane across the rail tracks is marked as a left turn bay eastbound to northbound. It is proposed to "reverse" this bay to westbound to southbound (West Boulevard) in order to reduce the more serious delays on the east approach to the West 41st Avenue/West Boulevard intersection.

Left Turn Advance East Boulevard/West 41st Avenue

Having created a new left-turning lane on the south approach of this intersection, it is also necessary to create a separate turning phase to clear the intersection. This phasing will be introduced shortly after the development is completed.

Funding

The above work is estimated to cost $176,000 and will be funded by the developer, by agreement.

Citizen Comments

A meeting was held to discuss this project and the street improvement work in particular on September 10, 1998 (minutes attached as Appendix A).

The greatest concerns expressed at this meeting were:

· that congestion on East Boulevard not be worsened
· traffic and parking impacts on 42nd Avenue be lessened

Staff are confident that the measures described in this report, when fully implemented, will mitigate traffic impacts at the intersection of East Boulevard and 41st Avenue. Moreover, traffic on 42nd Avenue should be reduced. Extra parking provisions in the development are expected to provide more space for both customer and employee parking, thus reducing on-street parking demand. It is recommended that upon full development, the adequacy of the RPO provisions on 42nd Avenue be reviewed.

Other concerns were raised not relating to the development, but rather to general traffic conditions in the neighbourhood. Traffic short-cutting on Maple Street was mentioned, for example. It is recommended that speeds and volumes in this area be reviewed by the Neighbourhood Transportation Branch.

SUMMARY

A new development consisting of mixed office/retail and residential use has been approved on the London Drugs site in 2000 block West 41st/42nd Avenues. This site presently has inappropriate access on the local residential street, 42nd Avenue, and an undesirable sidewalk crossing on 41st Avenue. It is possible to significantly reduce the impact of traffic on 42nd and at the same time support the traffic generation of the new development by providing the minor street widenings and operational changes as described in this report.

The extent of the widening is confined to East Boulevard between 41st and 42nd Avenues. The cost for all work is estimated at $176,000 which will be funded by the developer. The development work and street work are expected to begin in 1999 and be completed by 2000.

The street widenings and modifications were reviewed by the public at a meeting in the community. The public is generally supportive of this work. Other concerns were raised, some relating to the development form and others related to general traffic conditions in the neighbourhood. Measures are recommended to deal with these issues.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver