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Report
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Report To: General Government Committee
Date of Meeting: June 20, 2016
Report Number: EGD-032-16 Resolution:
File Number: By-law Number:
Report Subject: Release of the Final Clarington Transportation Master Plan
Recommendations:
1. That Report EGD-032-16 be received; and
2. That Staff proceed with the release of the Final Clarington Transportation Master Plan,
receive final public comments over the summer and present the Final Clarington
Transportation Master Plan to Council at the September 26, 2016 General Government
meeting.
Municipality of Clarington
Report EG®-032-16 Page 2
Report Overview
The following is a report that recommends the release of the Final Clarington Transportation
Master Plan to the Public for review over the summer of 2016 in order that final comments and
input can be received from the public and various agencies. This input will be used to prepare
the Final Clarington Transportation Master Plan which will be presented to Council at the
September 26, 2016 General Government meeting.
1 . Background
The purpose of this report is to provide a status update of the work completed to date on
the Clarington Transportation Master Plan (CTMP) and to highlight the issues and
proposed recommendations to be presented to the public.
The Clarington Transportation Master Plan (CTMP) is a planning document that provides
a comprehensive assessment of the long-term transportation system infrastructure and
policy needs across all modes of transportation in the Municipality of Clarington (also
referred to as Municipality or Clarington). The purpose of the CTMP is to provide a
coordinated and integrated implementation strategy for the transportation system that will
guide decision-making within the Municipality over the next 20 years.
The CTMP was prepared following the Master Planning process (i.e., Phases 1 and 2) of
the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process, and provides the context for the
implementation of proposed transportation improvements within Clarington. Subsequent
phases of the Class EA process (i.e., Phases 3 and 4) will be required for projects /
studies with the potential for impacts to the environment. More detailed investigation and
further consultation will be required to implement specific projects recommended in the
CTMP.
An extensive consultation program was carried out as part of the CTMP to provide
information to stakeholders on all components of the study and facilitate a full spectrum of
community and agency input. The consultation program included:
• Establishment of a study website;
• Notification of consultation events via mail, email and information screens at the
Municipal Administrative Centre;
• Steering committee and stakeholder meetings; and
• Two formal Public Information Centres (PTCs).
The feedback received from the public and other stakeholders during the course of the
study generally indicated a strong desire for improvements to: active transportation
infrastructure and associated policies; transit integration, service and accessibility; and
selected areas of the road network.
Municipality of Clarington
Report EG®-032-16 Page 3
2. Summary of Clarington Transportation Master Plan
2.1. Problem Statement
Clarington's population and employment is expected to grow by 50,000 people and
15,000 new jobs by 2031, respectively. This increase will put pressure on the existing
transportation system and drive requirements for new infrastructure and programs. The
key network deficiencies and transportation problems and opportunities that Clarington is
expected to face by 2031 can be summarized as follows:
Congestion on Bowmanville Creek Crossing Roads
Increased pressure on Longworth Avenue and Concession Road 3 in the vicinity of
Bowmanville Creek is due to the dramatic population growth in northern Bowmanville.
The creek acts as a natural barrier to travel with Baseline Road, King Street/ Highway
2, and Longworth Avenue as the only existing crossing within the urban area. The
widening of Longworth Avenue (including the existing crossing which is designed to
accommodate a four-lane cross-section), an extension of Longworth Avenue to the west,
and the extension of Nash Road across Bowmanville Creek have been identified as
alternatives that have the potential to address this need.
Congestion on roads leading to Highway 401 Interchanges
• Courtice Road and Liberty Street north and south of Highway 401
• Waverley Road at Highway 401
• Analysis of the roads used to access Highway 401 revealed the need for at least one
additional lane of traffic (in each direction) to accommodate the expected congestion.
• Most trips accessing Highway 401 through the Bowmanville interchanges originate in
central Bowmanville or north of Bowmanville.
• Since the approach to the Liberty Street/Highway 401 interchange will be challenging
to upgrade due to existing residential and commercial property constraints, a new
Highway 401 interchange at Lambs Road, and/or network improvements to encourage
increased usage of the Holt Road interchange (already planned to be improved to a
new full access interchange) may be able to address this need. The introduction of an
interchange at Lambs Road would result in the partial or full removal of the Liberty
Street and Bennett road interchanges
Capacity Issues within Urban Areas of Bowmanville and Courtice
The 2031 base forecasts revealed three isolated congestion hot spots primarily in the
vicinity of downtown Bowmanville and Courtice, including:
• Prestonvale Road South of Regional Highway 2 (Courtice)
• Scugog Street North of King Street/ Regional Highway 2 (Bowmanville)
• Concession Road 3 east of Regional Road 57 (Bowmanville)
Municipality of Clarington
Report EGD-032-16 Page 4
2.2. Active Transportation
Public feedback received through the CTMP study process consistently demonstrated a
desire for improvements to active transportation infrastructure, including modifications to
existing routes, provision of new routes and development of policy approaches. It is
recognized that recreational cycling and cycle tourism are important to maintaining a
healthy and liveability community and Clarington will continue to work with cycling groups
to promote and encourage the use of Clarington's off-road trail and on-road cycling
infrastructure for recreational purposes.
In order to support an increased role for active transportation in Clarington, an Active
Transportation System consisting of interconnected on-road facilities and off-road trails is
recommended. The active transportation network at the overall municipal level includes
both on-road facilities and off-road trails within Courtice, Bowmanville, Newcastle, and
Orono, and identifies "Key Trails" that serve as important active transportation links that
can be used for commuting purposes.
Supporting policy measures were also developed to increase the attractiveness,
awareness, and visibility of active transportation in Clarington. Policy recommendations
include marketing strategies to promote use of Clarington's active transportation facilities
and the development of an Active Transportation Plan. The recommended active
transportation program could be overseen by a new Active Transportation Advisory
Committee who would assist with the development of an Active Transportation Master
Plan, which is intended to further develop and prioritize a funding mechanism for the
policies and programs that support and encourage use of active transportation.
A Complete Streets Policy is also recommended to support new development areas and
for implementation along identified active transportation corridors. Capital funding is
required to support the implementation of the proposed Active Transportation System. It
is also recommended that a fixed annual budget be allocated to support non-network
infrastructure related initiatives.
2.3. Transit Services
The need for improved transit services within Clarington was noted by members of the
public during the course of this study. While not a direct provider of transit service within
the municipality, Clarington will work with Durham Region and Metrolinx to review and
support the implementation of existing initiatives, as well as these recommended services
as part of DRT and GO Transit:
• GO Rail Bowmanville Extension and encourage the extension of service to urban
areas of Courtice and Bowmanville
• Higher-Order Transit on Regional Highway 2 to Courtice and an extension of higher-
order transit service along Regional Highway 2 through to the Bowmanville GO Rail
station
• 407 Transitway bus service (not higher order transit)
• Enhanced Service on Regional Highway 2 from Courtice to Newcastle
• Restructured Service to Orono
Municipality of Clarington
Report EGD-032-16 Page 5
• Expanded Service in Courtice and Bowmanville
• Expanded Service to Areas with Existing Service Gaps
• Expanded Service in Growth Areas
It is further recommended that Clarington assume a strong support role through a number
of recommended measures to facilitate transit use. It should be noted that all of the
recommendations, with the exception of GO Transit services (both rail and bus), are
subject to the approval of the DRT Commission and Regional budget considerations.
2.4. Transportation Demand Management
The core goal of TDM is to reduce the number of motor vehicles (particularly single-
occupancy autos) on the road during peak periods of congestion by encouraging people
to shift travel modes, use rideshares / carpools, shift times of travel, and shift trip making
patterns. The focus of TDM is on optimizing the movement of people rather than the
movement of motor vehicles and making more effective use of existing infrastructure. A
number of initiatives were included as part of the recommended TDM strategy to
encourage use of alternative transportation modes within the community:
• Work closely with Metrolinx and the Region of Durham to support Smart Commute
• Durham, promote TDM and monitor implementation and the benefits of TDM
measures throughout Clarington.
• Co-host special events with Smart Commute Durham
• Take a lead role in supporting the Municipality's large employers in implementing trip
reduction
• Encourage the Region and Smart Commute Durham to develop and implement
school-based TDM programs at both the elementary and high school
• Lead by example through establishing a visionary TDM program for the Municipality of
Clarington
• Develop a parking strategy for Bowmanville
• Promote existing carpool lots and support the development of new lots
• Require TDM Plans for major developments feedback
2.5. Long Term Road Network
Through the CTMP it was demonstrated that the public is interested in improvement
safety, whether through reducing speeds or providing wider shoulders on roadways, as
well as improving the existing road network, including rural roads, and providing for
added connectivity through new connections.
To address the need for new connections, a number of road network alternatives were
developed based on the expected capacity deficiencies, and were evaluated against a
broad range of criteria to compare their respective advantages and disadvantages using
both quantitative and qualitative measures. The identified improvements were packaged
into three network alternatives and carried forward for further evaluation against the "Do
Nothing" scenario.
Municipality of Clarington
Report EGD-032-16 Page 6
• Alternative A— A 4-lane extension of Longworth Avenue from Regional Road 57 to
Holt Road, and 4-lane widening of Longworth Avenue from Scugog Street to Regional
Road 57. Baseline Road and Holt Road improvements are also included.
• Alternative B —A 4-lane extension of Longworth Avenue from Regional Road 57 to
Maple Grove Road, 4-lane widening of Longworth Avenue from Scugog Street to
Regional Road 57, road upgrade /4-lane widening of Maple Grove Road from the new
extension to Bloor Street, and road upgrade /4-lane widening of Bloor Street from
Maple Grove Road to Holt Road. Baseline Road and Holt Road improvements are
also included.
• Alternative C — similar to Alternative A, in addition to the implementation for a new full
Highway 401 interchange at Lambs Road. With the introduction of an interchange at
Lambs Road, this alternative identifies the removal of the Liberty Street and Bennett
Road interchanges.
For comparison purposes, the "Do Nothing" alternative was included as part of the
evaluation of network alternatives. Each of the alternatives were assessed using the
refined Durham Region Travel Demand model to determine how well the improvements
addressed the capacity deficiency and improved the operation of the transportation
network. Based on the results of the evaluation of alternatives, Alternative C was
identified as the recommended alternative, based on the following rationale:
• Addresses capacity deficiencies on Longworth Avenue and Concession Road 3 to the
east of the Bowmanville Creek, resulting in a v/c ratio reduction from 1.02 (congested)
to 0.65 (free-flow traffic).
• Addresses capacity deficiencies on Liberty Street adjacent to Highway 401 improves
network performance in Bowmanville by shifting commuter "through" traffic away from
the Liberty Street through the downtown core and onto the Holt Road/Highway 401
interchange, resulting in a 29% reduction in traffic along Liberty Street.
• Supports planned population and employment growth by providing accessibility to
growing areas
• Improves east-west movement within Bowmanville due to Longworth Avenue
improvements and extension, as well as the Baseline Road improvements.
• Although Alternative C includes the full Longworth Extension through to Regional
Highway 2 near Holt Road, it is recommended that both the full extension (with
improved /widened Holt Road) and the shortened extension through to Maple Grove
Road (with improvement to Maple Grove Road and Bloor Street) be carried forward for
further study as part of the EA process. The full extension performs marginally better
from a technical point of view by providing a more direct route to Holt Road and its
Highway 401 interchange, but the full extension crosses through a known PSW. Both
the full extension and the shortened extension also have the potential issues with
property impacts. Future phases of the EA process will evaluate the benefits, impacts,
and potential mitigation measures (e.g. route alternatives) in more detail.
Municipality of Clarington
Report EG®-032-16 Page 7
2.6. Intersection Operations
Growth in traffic also triggers the need for modifications to intersection control and / or
road geometry at selected locations. The below noted modifications at the following
intersections are recommended to address the future (i.e., Horizon Year 2031) capacity
issues identified through the CTMP assessment process:
Regional Highway 2/Prestonvale Road
- Westbound left-turn phase becomes permissive+protected
Regional Highway 2/Scugog Street
- Eastbound and northbound left-turn phases become permissive+protected.
- Southbound shared thru/right configuration modified to separate through and right-turn
lanes.
The intersection of Regional Road 57 / Concession Road 3 is proposed to be
reconfigured which would result in North Scugog Court being converted into a cul-de-sac
and Concession Road 3 connecting directly with Regional Road 57. The current road
configuration has the potential to create blockages for traffic attempting to turn left onto
Concession Road 3 from Regional Road 57 as westbound traffic on North Scugog
Court queues. No further modifications are required at this intersection and stop sign
control is suggested to be retained, with the intersection monitored to determine when
signals would be required.
2.7. Implementation Strategy
The key recommendations of the CTMP are intended to be implemented through a series
of strategic policies and specific infrastructure optimization / improvements. The capital
funding requirements for the proposed road network improvements recommended as part
of this CTMP for short term (2015 to approximately 2021) and medium term
approximately 2021 to horizon year 2031) time horizons are estimated to be $65,000,000.
Several of the recommended projects are classified as Schedule C. According to the
Class Municipal EA process, additional studies (i.e., environmental assessments) are
required to obtain approval to proceed with project implementation. The six identified
Schedule C projects, all located within or adjacent to Bowmanville, are as follows:
1. Baseline Road from Mearns Avenue to Holt Road — Upgrade Standards/Bridge
Construction
2. Baseline Road from Lambs Road to Waverly Street—Widening to 4 lanes
3. Longworth Avenue Extension (A):
• Longworth Avenue Extension (a and b) from Regional Road 57 to Bowmanville
• West Urban Boundary —Widening to 4 lanes
• Longworth Avenue Extension (a) from Bowmanville West Urban Boundary to Holt
• Road — New Arterial 4 lanes
Municipality of Clarington
Report EG®-032-16 Page 3
• Holt Road from Longworth Avenue Extension (a) to Highway—Widening to 4 lanes
Longworth Avenue Extension (B):
• Longworth Avenue Extension (a and b) from Regional Road 57 to Bowmanville
West Urban Boundary —Widening to 4 lanes
• Longworth Avenue Extension (b) from Bowmanville West Urban Boundary to
Maple Grove Road — New Arterial 4 lanes
• Maple Grove Road from Longworth Avenue Extension (b) to Bloor Street—
Widening to 4 lanes
4. Holt Road from Baseline Road to north limit of Highway 401 interchange —Widening
to 4 lanes
5. Lambs Road from Regional Highway 2 to Baseline Road —Widening to 4 lanes
6. Lambs Road Interchange
Note that Longworth Avenue Extension (A) and Longworth Avenue Extension (B) are
alternate road network options that are to be assessed in the same Schedule C Class
EA project.;
3. Recommendations
It is recommended that Staff proceed with release of Final Clarington Transportation
Master Plan, receive final public comments over the summer and present the Final
Transportation Master Plan to Council at the September 26, 2016 General Government
meeting.
4. Conclusion
That Staff, if approved by Council, release the Final Clarington Transportation Master
Plan to the Public July 5, 2016 for 6 weeks with comments being received until August
12, 2016.
Municipality of Clarington
Report EGD-032-16 Page 9
5. Strategic Plan Application
Recommendations of this report conform to the Strategic Plan and Council's initiative to
"enable safe, efficient traffic flow and active transportation".
Submitted by: _`--- Reviewed by:
Anthony S. Cannella, C.E.T. V16anklin Wu,
Director of Engineering Services Chief Administrative Officer
Staff Contact: Ron Albright, Assistant Director, Engineering Services, 905-623-3379 ext. 2305
or ralbright(@clarin_ toq nnet
Attachments:
N/A
There are no interested parties to be notified of Council's decision.
ASC/RA/jb