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2. Highway 417 Expansion -
Eagleson Road to Highway 7 INTERCHANGE ÉLARGISSEMENT DE L’AUTOROUTE 417 – DU
CHEMIN Eagleson À LA ROUTE 7 |
Committee recommendations as amended
That Council request that the
Ministry of Transportation of Ontario:
a) Install
noise barriers along the portion of 417 between Eagleson and Terry Fox on both
sides where no barrier presently exists; and
b) The
work undertaken on the Eagleson/March, Huntmar, and Carp bridges include
sidewalks on both sides and bicycle lanes.
And that Ottawa
area Members of Provincial Parliament be copied on the request.
recommandations modifiées du comité
Que le Conseil de demander au ministère des
Transports de l’Ontario :
a) d’installer
des écrans anti-bruit le long du tronçon de l’autoroute 417 situé entre
Eagleson et Terry Fox, des deux côtés, où aucun écran n’est actuellement
aménagé;
b) de
faire en sorte que les travaux réalisés sur les ponts Eagleson/March, Huntmar
et Carp comprennent la construction de trottoirs des deux côtés et de voies
cyclables.
De transmettre aux membres du
Parlement provincial de la région d’Ottawa un exemplaire de cette demande.
Documentation
1. Committee Coordinator, Transportation
Committee report dated 23 June 2008 (ACS2008-CCS-TRC-0012).
Report to / Rapport au :
Council / au Conseil
23 June 2008 / le 23 juin 2008
Submitted by / Soumis par : Transportation
Committee / Comité des transports
|
City Wide / À l'échelle de la Ville |
Ref N°:
ACS2008-CCS-TRC-0012 |
SUBJECT: Highway 417 Expansion - Eagleson Road to
Highway 7 INTERCHANGE
OBJET : ÉLARGISSEMENT
DE L’AUTOROUTE 417 – DU CHEMIN Eagleson
À LA ROUTE
7
That the Transportation Committee
recommend that Council request that the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario:
a) Install
noise barriers along the portion of 417 between Eagleson and Terry Fox on both
sides where no barrier presently exists; and
b) The work undertaken on the
Eagleson/March, Huntmar, and Carp bridges include sidewalks on both sides and
bicycle lanes.
And that Ottawa area Members of
Provincial Parliament be copied on the request.
Que le Comité des transports recommande au Conseil
de demander au
ministère des Transports de l’Ontario :
a) d’installer des écrans anti-bruit le
long du tronçon de l’autoroute 417 situé entre Eagleson et Terry Fox, des deux
côtés, où aucun écran n’est actuellement aménagé;
b) de faire en sorte que les travaux
réalisés sur les ponts Eagleson/March, Huntmar et Carp comprennent la
construction de trottoirs des deux côtés et de voies cyclables.
De
transmettre aux membres du Parlement provincial de la région d’Ottawa un
exemplaire de cette demande.
At the 18 June 2008 meeting of the Transportation Committee, the Committee received a verbal presentation from the McCormick Rankin Corporation with regards to the Ministry’s proposal to expand Highway 417 from Eagleson Road to Highway 7. The Committee approved the aforementioned recommendation at that time.
CONSULTATION
Staff in Planning, Transit and the Environment and Public Works and Services were consulted in the preparation of this report.
FINANCIAL
IMPLICATIONS
There are no financial
implications associated with the report recommendations.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 – Extract of Draft Minute, Transportation Committee 18 June.
The City Clerk will prepare the appropriate letter to the Minister.
Highway 417 Expansion - Eagleson
Road to Highway 7 INTERCHANGE
ÉLARGISSEMENT DE L’AUTOROUTE 417 – DU CHEMIN Eagleson
À LA ROUTE 7
Manny Goetz of McCormick Rankin gave
a detailed presentation of the Ministry’s plans to widen Highway 417 between
Eagleson Road and Highway 7. A copy of
his presentation is held on file. Dave Lindensmith from the Ministry of Transportation accompanied
him.
David Jeanes, Transport 2000 also spoke as a member of the
Provincial PAC – Highway 417 widening east of Highway 416. Mr. Jeanes made note of the fact that
transit had not been addressed during the presentation, even though a portion
of this Highway (Eagleson to Scotiabank Place) is one of the most important
transitway corridors in the city. He
spoke of missed opportunities to improve transit service on the 417 when
widenings have taken place in the past, and believed the City should know what
provision is being made to facilitate and improve upon the existing level of
transit. He maintained that simply
paving the shoulders is not sufficient.
Mr. Jeanes added that the design phases must be more explicit with
regards to how transit is going to operate during and after the construction.
Councillor Wilkinson put forward the
following motion:
Speaking to her Motion, the
councillor recalled that the sidewalks were not provided on the Eagleson Road
Bridge because there was no development on either side of the Queensway at that
time. Since that time, development has
occurred with the Eagleson Road Park and Ride Lot on the south side and
pedestrians have to cross this bridge in very dangerous conditions. She did not want a repeat of this situation,
especially when people are encouraged to walk and cycle. The councillor further noted that the
cycling lanes on March Road end suddenly at the 417 and cyclists are shoved
right into traffic. She believed they
needed their own lane at this juncture.
She also remarked on the need to examine noise attenuation.
Councillor Cullen recognized that
this project will involve crossing the Carp River and presumed the controversy
over the amount of available flood plain might have an impact on this project. Mr. Goetz advised that they are
incorporating measures as part of the structural design to increase the free
board at that location. The councillor
noted that the City is in the midst of recalibrating all those studies and
presumed that the Ministry would wait for their findings to determine if the
design accommodates the new studies.
Mr. Goetz confirmed they would use that information if it becomes
available with respect to this project.
The councillor referred to a recent letter from the Ministry of
Environment stating that all studies involved with Kanata West must be redone
and he assumed the MTO would not begin construction this summer. Mr. Goetz did not contemplate beginning the
construction this summer and confirmed the Ministry would monitor the progress
of the City’s studies.
Councillor Bloess asked when similar
widening would take place in the east and when HOV lanes, especially from the
split into the downtown, would be envisioned.
He was advised that the preliminary design and EA studies have been
completed and the MTO filed the Transportation EA report. Following meetings with the bump-up
requestors, they advised the MOE that they were unable to reach agreement on
those issues and the MTO have asked the MOE to render a decision on that
project. With respect to HOV lanes, Mr.
Goetz advised they were examined and, for a variety of technical reasons,
notably access and egress and the close spacing of interchanges, the subsequent
study did not propose them for Highway 417 east of Highway 416.
When asked by Councillor Qadri how
long this project would be under construction, Mr. Goetz indicated that in
all likelihood, it would be completed in under three years. In terms of the bridges at Huntmar and Carp
Roads, the councillor expressed similar concerns with respect to sidewalks and
noise barriers and suggested that these be considered for the same reasons
mentioned previously. He referred to
the increased traffic on Huntmar and Carp Roads, and asked whether staff had
any projections as to when those two roads might be widened or even
upgraded.
Vivi Chi, Manager, Transportation
and Infrastructure Planning indicated that staff would be able to provide an
indication of timeline in the fall as part of the Transportation Master Plan
Update. When asked whether there were
plans to work on those roads during the MTO’s timelines for constructing the
exits and entrances, Ms. Chi advised that the construction is scheduled for
2009, but held in abeyance pending completion of the TMP Update exercise.
Following on additional questions
posed by the councillor, Mr. Goetz confirmed that traffic will be blocked from
Huntmar Road for three or four months.
Taking into consideration the 417
will drop from seven lanes to three lanes (between Moodie and Pinecrest),
Councillor Wilkinson inquired how traffic would be handled. Mr. Goetz explained that ultimately they
have planned for one additional lane from Highway 416 as far as the existing
four-lane cross-section at Carling Avenue.
To staff, the councillor suggested motorists should be encouraged to use
Terry Fox Drive to divert some of the traffic and help alleviate congestion.
Councillor Cullen indicated his
support for the Motion, with a request that the letter to the Ministry be
copied to Ottawa area MPPs.
When asked to comment on the above, Mr.
Goetz indicated that noise mitigation measures were not recommended because
their need was assessed during the EA and it was determined that there would
not be a significant increase in the noise levels as a result of this
project. Conversely, the Deputy City
Manager for Public Works and Services, Richard Hewitt, believed it would be
appropriate to have noise mitigation measures implemented at the time of
construction.
Legal Counsel confirmed that
Council would have to make the formal recommendation to MTO.
Moved by Councillor M. Wilkinson:
1. That
the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario be requested to:
a) Install
noise barriers along the portion of 417 between Eagleson and Terry Fox on both
sides where no barrier presently exists; and
b) The
work undertaken on the Eagleson/March, Huntmar, and Carp Bridges include
sidewalks on both sides and bicycle lanes.
2. And
that Ottawa area Members of Provincial Parliament be copied on the request.
CARRIED