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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-89-90 TOWN OF NEWCASTLE '. INK.GPA REPORT File # /g. l® � 7 Res. # By-Law # STING: General Purpose and Administration Committee DATE: March 5, 1990 REPORT #: PD- 89 -90 FILE #: SUBJECT: EXTENSION OF CONNECTING LINK HIGHWAY NO. 2 - BOWMANVILLE RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report PD- 89 -90 be received; 2 . THAT Council adopt the following resolution: WHEREAS the west limit of the Bowmanville Urban Area boundary extends to the west limit of Lot 17; "WHEREAS the Town of Newcastle is concerned that the lack of progress in the negotiations between the Ministry of Transportation and the Region of Durham to assume Highway # 2 as a Regional Road; WHEREAS major residential and commercial development applications are presently being considered by the Town of Newcastle; WHEREAS the Town of Newcastle deems it necessary to have a greater flexibility to achieve the type of urban development it deems suitable; WHEREAS the Town of Newcastle wishes to apply higher urban maintenance standards to this section of the roadway; WHEREAS the Town of Newcastle is willing to assume its share of costs related to the ongoing maintenance of an extension to the connecting link in Bowmanville; 2 p . . . 599 V REPORT NO. : PD- 89 -90 PAGE 2 THEREFORE, the Town of Newcastle petitions the Minister of Transportation to designate that portion of Highway No. 2 between Regional Road No. 57 and the west limit of Lot 17 as a "connecting link" under the Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act. 3 . THAT the Minister of Transportation and the Region of Durham be so advised and forwarded a copy of Report PD- 89 -90 . 1. BACKGROUND: 1. 1 Within the Town of Newcastle, certain portions of Highway No. 2 are designated as "connecting links" under the Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act. For these portions, the Town of Newcastle is the road authority whereas the majority of the Highway No. 2 is a "King's Highway" under Provincial jurisdiction. The portion of Highway No. 2 between Durham Road No. 57 and Cemetery Road in Bowmanville is designated as a "connecting link" . 1.2 At the present time, there are a number of proposed or approved development applications on the west side of the urbanized portion of Bowmanville extending approximately 1.2 km to the west limit of Lot 17 . These include major commercial development proposals. As a "King's Highway" , this portion of the road is subject to a number of standards and regulations stipulated by the Ministry of Transportation. This includes such matters as setbacks, drainage, access points, intersection spacing and signage. The road is also maintained to Ministry-prescribed specifications . 1.3 The Ministry of Transportation's mandate is purely related to traffic . As a result these regulations are premised on needs associated with high-speed traffic usually in non-urbanized areas connecting urban centres. The municipality, on the other hand, has a more balanced preview with an interest in the overall development of the community. . . . 3 599 03, REPORT NO. : PD- 89 -90 PAGE 3 1.4 The following difficulties are anticipated should this portion of the roadway remain under Ministry jurisdiction: i) developers must comply with Ministry regulations for setbacks, signage and similar criteria in addition to municipal land use regulations . This inevitably leads to conflicting requirements and an additional level of approvals which cause delays and frustrations for the development interests. ii) As an urban roadway, the Town has an interest in maintaining a higher level of operational service than the standard highway. This includes such matters as street cleaning and more frequent cutting of the grassed areas . iii) As the area urbanizes, it is staff's position that the abutting landowners should be responsible to bring the roadway up to urban design standards, including curb and gutter, storm sewers and sidewalks . If the Town is not the road authority, it will have more difficulty enforcing such requirements . iv) Land use objectives and transportation objectives are closely inter-related. Neither can be considered in isolation. In a developing area, the municipality is the more appropriate road authority since some flexibility may be required to accommodate urban design objectives with traffic requirements. 2 . OPERATIONAL AND MAINTENANCE COST IMPLICATIONS 2 . 1 At the present time the Ministry is responsible for all capital and operational costs associated with the road. As noted above, as urban development proceeds along either side of the roadway, it is staff's position that these developments should assume the additional cost of improving the road to urban design standards . The ongoing maintenance/operational costs are the responsibility of the appropriate road authority, in this case the Ministry of Transportation. 2 .2 The portion of Highway No. 2 assumed by the Town is eligible for provincial subsidies of 50 or 90% for maintenance and operations 599 04 . . .4 REPORT NO. : PD- 89-90 PAGE 4 procedures normally practices by the Ministry of Transportation. The cost of a higher level of service (ie. : illumination, street cleaning) would be borne 100% by the Town. The estimated annual costs to the Town to extend the "Connecting Link" as proposed is as follows: i) For the items eligible for 90 percent subsidy: (Culverts, pavement patching, winter maintenance and line painting) $550. ii) For the items eligible for 50 percent subsidy: (Snow removal, spring cleanup) $875. iii) For the items not eligible for subsidy: (Ditches, illumination, roadside maintenance, street cleaning, shoulders & traffic signs) $ 5850. The total annual cost to the Town of extending the Connecting Link and applying a higher maintenance standard is $7,275 . 00 . 3 . COMMENTS AND CONCLUSION 3 . 1 There is no indication that the Ministry of Transportation is willing to consider extending the "connecting link" this at the present time since it is their intention to transfer jurisdiction to the Region of Durham. From staff's discussions, the negotiations to effect this change are at an impasse. 3 .2 The benefits that would accrue to the Town as a result of extending the "connecting link" are threefold. The Town, as the road authority, would be better positioned to co-ordinate road design criteria with land use objectives . Furthermore, the Town could apply the higher operational and maintenance standards utilized for the balance of the Bowmanville Urban Area. Lastly, it would streamline the development process by eliminating another set of approvals from the Ministry of Transportation. It is staff's opinion that these benefits would be substantial enough to merit the additional annual operating cost of $7275 .00 . . . .5 599 05 REPORT NO. : PD- 89 -90 PAGE 5 3 . 3 In light of the above, staff recommends that the Ministry of Transportation be approached to extend the Bowmanville "connecting link" easterly an additional three lots . This report has been prepared jointly with the Director of Public Works who concurs with the recommendation contained herein. Respectfully submitted, Recommended for presentation to the Committee Franklin Wu, M.C. I .P. Lawrence ,G ;Kotseff Director of Planning Chief Adfn and Development Officer DC*FW*cc *Attach 23 February 1990 599 06 LOT 18 LOT 17 LOT 16 LOT 15 LOT •14 LOT 13 LOT 12 I 1 f \1 ONCESS 10.N o \1 .i- I \ 1 I •i I V N"� Q i t\\�l 1J` / .�`i� _ _ 1=O y_• }; &- //• ' CONCESS ION 1 W \\ K •I � �--� I � I � J 1/J.p ,) � •-a• 1. ¢ a e \ 'X90\ _• i • ' � `���__ i Q++ + � ���.,•O I, I � •`J•, �• � m '=eo \ I I �,��V�21F� It<s/ QQI,f,�� ' '�J' RAE 'G � �\ i .��5 •o••` , n �`----- w L� I ePG`F\G .1• I —� ANV ic`� •.°\� r \`\\I��•��•.'�Cj � Q :' i 1 � LPN I '.� _ 'e.p' \I�+ •�� •• �, I , � c 1' ,� _� ,`1•'I n � ,ice`+.._- ,. .�� 7 PROPOSED EXTENSION 'TO CONNECTING LINK 779V