June 29, 1999

To:Works Committee

From:Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services

Subject:Gardiner Expressway/QEW/Highway 427/Brown's Line Interchange Modifications Class Environmental Assessment (Lakeshore - Queensway)

Purpose:

The purpose of this report is to summarize the environmental assessment and public consultation process leading to the findings and recommendations of the Gardiner Expressway/QEW/Highway 427/Brown's Line Interchange Modifications Class Environmental Assessment.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

The City of Toronto will be responsible for the installation of traffic control signals and the associated road modifications at the intersection of the westbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramp and Kipling Avenue at an estimated cost of $250,000.00. Funds for this work will be included in the 2000 - 2004 Transportation Services Division Capital budget submission.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)authority be granted to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to file the Environmental Study Report (ESR) for the Gardiner Expressway/QEW/Highway 427/Brown's Line Interchange Modifications Class Environmental Assessment with the City Clerk and to give public notification of such filing in accordance with the requirements of the Class Environmental Assessment for Municipal Roads Projects;

(2)approval be given to install traffic control signals at the intersection of the westbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramp and Kipling Avenue;

(3)the appropriate City of Toronto by-laws be amended accordingly;

(4)the introduction of any necessary bills be authorized; and

(5)the appropriate City of Toronto Officials be authorized to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

Council Reference:

On February 2, 1999, (Clause 3 of Report No. 2 of the Urban Environment and Development Committee) the City of Toronto Council authorized the General Manager of Transportation Services, in partnership with Canada Life Assurance Company, to conduct a Class Environmental Assessment Study for modifications to the Gardiner Expressway/QEW/Highway 427/Brown's Line interchange.

Background:

The Sherway Centre Secondary Plan was adopted by the former City of Etobicoke on October 17, 1994. A number of revisions were made to the transportation component of the Secondary Plan and these were approved by the former City of Etobicoke on November 25, 1996. The Sherway Centre Secondary Plan Area is bounded by Dundas Street West to the north, the Queen Elizabeth Way to the south, the Etobicoke Creek to the west and Highway 427 to the east. The Secondary Plan identified various transportation improvements that would be required to realize the full development potential within the Secondary Plan Area. A major part of the required road works involved increasing the connectivity between the Secondary Plan Area and the nearby freeway system.

The Canada Life Assurance Company is the major owner of the Sherway Gardens Shopping Centre. They have indicated that they are interested in expanding this development, and as such wish to pursue the implementation of the road modifications that are required to support this expansion. The proposed expansion of the Sherway Gardens Shopping Centre together with the recognition of the need for transportation improvements to support the implementation of the Sherway Centre Secondary Plan was the impetus for the Gardiner Expressway/QEW/Highway 427/Brown's Line Interchange Modifications Class Environmental Assessment Study. The following sections of this report summarize and comment on the findings of the Study. More detail on each subject can be found in the Environmental Study Report (ESR).

Discussion:

Study Process:

The Gardiner Expressway/QEW/Highway 427/Brown's Line Interchange Modifications Class Environmental Assessment was carried out in accordance with the Class Environmental Assessment for Municipal Road Projects (the Class EA) and the Provincial Highways Class Environmental Assessment. The proposed modifications to the Gardiner/QEW/Highway 427/Brown's Line interchange fall under Schedule C of the Municipal Class EA process, and Group B of the Provincial Highways Class EA process. For the purposes of this study the two processes have been combined by adopting the more stringent requirements of the two. This is consistent with advice received from staff of the Ministry of the Environment's Environmental Assessment Branch.

If the City of Toronto Council endorses this project, the ESR will be filed in the public record for a minimum of 45 days according to the requirements of the combined Class EA processes. During this period, affected municipalities, any members of the public, interest groups or government agencies may request that the status of the project be elevated or "bumped up" from a Class EA to an Individual Environmental Assessment. The Minister of Environment determines whether or not to grant a bump-up request. If the bump-up is granted, the project may not proceed until an Individual Environmental Assessment is prepared by the proponent and approved by the Minister. If the bump-up is not granted or if no bump-up requests or objections are received during the filing period, the project is automatically approved under the Environmental Assessment Act and may proceed.

The ESR describes in detail the following five-phase environmental planning process:

Phase 1-identify the problem;

Phase 2-identify and evaluate alternative solutions to the problem;

Phase 3-identify and evaluate alternative design concepts for the preferred solution;

Phase 4-document findings in an ESR and place the ESR in the public record for a minimum of 45 days by filing it with the Municipal Clerk; and

Phase 5-construct and operate with monitoring for environmental provisions and commitments.

The Gardiner Expressway/QEW/Highway 427/Brown's Line Interchange Modifications Class EA Study has reached Phase 4 where, upon approval by City Council, the ESR must be filed for a minimum 45-day public review period.

The Class EA Study was carried out with the assistance of technical consultants and supported by a Technical Advisory Committee composed of staff from the City of Toronto's Works and Emergency Services and Urban Planning and Development Services Departments, the Ministry of Transportation and the Toronto Transit Commission.

Public Participation:

Public involvement has been an integral and ongoing part of the study process for the F.G. Gardiner Expressway/QEW/Highway 427/Brown's Line Interchange Modifications Class EA Study. The public contact requirements of the Class EA were met and surpassed. Two Public Information Centres (PIC) were held. The first PIC was held on Thursday, February 25, 1999 and was attended by 121 people. At this PIC, the problem to be addressed by the Class EA Study and possible alternative solutions to the public were presented. Based on the comments and concerns received additional alternative solutions were added to the list for further consideration and evaluation.

The evaluation of alternatives and the preliminary preferred solution were presented at the second PIC, which was held on Thursday, April 15, 1999 and attended by 68 people. The preliminary preferred solution was generally accepted by those in attendance at the second PIC. A summary of the discussion held at the second PIC and the comments received after the meeting can be found in Chapter 9.0 of the ESR. Following the second PIC, a project status update was sent to the project mailing list. Included in this package was a summary of the questions and corresponding answers provided at the second PIC. A full description of the public consultation program can be found in Section 2.6 of the ESR.

Environmental Assessment Study Findings:

(1)Problem Identification:

The objective of the Class EA Study was to address the problems identified with the operation of the Gardiner/QEW/Highway 427/Brown's Line interchange both under existing conditions and under future traffic conditions as identified in the Sherway Centre Secondary Plan. These problems include:

(i)no connection between the southbound Highway 427 collector lanes and the eastbound Gardiner Expressway;

(ii)no direct connections at Highway 427 between the Sherway Centre Secondary Plan Area and the QEW/Gardiner Expressway to the east;

(iii)heavy congestion on the southbound Highway 427 express lanes during peak commuting periods;

(iv)congestion at exit locations on the westbound Gardiner Expressway east of the interchange, including the Kipling Avenue exit;

(v)short weaving distances on the southbound Highway 427;

(vi)poor alternative routing of traffic during incidents on the southbound Highway 427 express lanes and the ramp to the eastbound Gardiner Expressway; and

(vii)no connections between Dundas Street or The Queensway, to Highway 427 and the Gardiner Expressway/QEW, to serve Etobicoke and Mississauga.

(2)Investigation of Alternative Solutions:

Five alternative solutions were developed and presented to the public at the first PIC. These were:

Alternative 1 - "Do Nothing" (Figure 6.1 in the ESR):

No modifications to the freeway system.

Alternative 2 (Figure 6.2 in the ESR):

(i)connection from southbound Highway 427 to North Queen Street; and

(ii)a direct connection from the westbound Gardiner Expressway to the Sherway Gardens Shopping Centre service road, Sherway Gardens Road.

Alternative 3 (Figure 6.3 in the ESR):

(i)ramp from the westbound QEW to the West Mall/Evans Avenue intersection;

(ii)ramp from the West Mall Evans Avenue intersection to the eastbound QEW/Gardiner; and

(iii)a connection from the southbound Highway 427 collector lanes to the eastbound Gardiner Expressway.

Alternative 4 (Figure 6.4 in the ESR):

(i)a direct connection from the westbound Gardiner Expressway to the Sherway Gardens Shopping Centre service road, Sherway Gardens Road; and

(ii)a connection from The Queensway to the southbound Highway 427 collector lanes.

Alternative 5 (Figure 6.5 in the ESR):

(i)a direct connection from the westbound Gardiner Expressway to the Sherway Gardens Shopping Centre service road, Sherway Gardens Road;

(ii)a connection from The Queensway to the southbound Highway 427 collector lanes;

(iii)a connection from the southbound Highway 427 collector lanes to eastbound Gardiner Expressway; and

(iv)the deletion of the existing westbound Gardiner Expressway ramp to southbound Brown's Line/Evans Avenue.

During the first PIC the public strongly expressed their concerns regarding the deletion of the ramp from the westbound Gardiner Expressway to southbound Brown's Line and Evans Avenue. As a result, Alternatives 5A and 5B were generated. In addition, Alternative 6 was developed from a proposal submitted by a member of the public. These alternatives are as follows:

Alternative 5A (Figure 6.6 in the ESR):

This alternative includes the features in Alternative 5, however, rather than deleting, it modifies the existing westbound Gardiner Expressway ramp to southbound Brown's Line/Evans Avenue so that it can be retained in combination with the connection to the eastbound Gardiner Expressway. From the southbound Highway 427 collector lanes.

Alternative 5B (Figure 6.7 in the ESR):

In addition to the features that comprise Alternative 5A, Alternative 5B includes a connection from the westbound Gardiner Expressway to the northbound Highway 427 collector lanes.

Alternative 6 (Figure 6.8 in the ESR):

(i)ramp from the westbound QEW to the West Mall/Evans Avenue intersection; and

(ii)connection to Evans Avenue from the new ramp connecting southbound Highway 427 collector lanes to eastbound Gardiner Expressway.

Detailed descriptions of each of the alternatives can be found in Chapter 6 of the ESR. In addition to these alternatives it was determined that the community in south Etobicoke could benefit from a more direct connection from the westbound Gardiner Expressway between Islington Avenue and Brown's Line. As a result, it was proposed that the westbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramp terminal at Kipling Avenue be signalized to facilitate left turns to southbound Kipling Avenue. This modification could be implemented along with any of the above alternatives. The provision of this movement also provides a detour route during construction of the modifications to the westbound Gardiner Expressway ramp to southbound Brown's Line.

(3)Initial Screening of Alternatives

These 8 alternatives were developed to a general level of detail so that basic characteristics and distinguishing features could be identified. In order to ensure that only reasonable alternatives were carried forward to detailed analysis and evaluation, a number of screening criteria were developed. Each alternative had to pass through the criteria in order to be considered further. The criteria used in the initial screening were:

(i)Environmental and Community Impacts:

Under this criteria alternatives were assessed based on their impact on the natural environment (i.e. wildlife, water courses, vegetation), on the community - both residential and commercial, and on property.

(ii)Engineering:

Engineering screening criteria included construction feasibility and whether the proposed solutions met the relevant design standards.

(iii)Benefit-Cost:

This criteria compared the capital construction cost against the user benefits gained from the proposed road modification.

Using these criteria Alternatives 2, 3 and 6 were screened out from further detailed evaluation. Alternative 2 had significant private property impacts and relatively low user benefits. Additionally, the Ministry of Transportation had expressed concern over the proposed design for Alternative 2.

Alternative 3 had significant negative environmental impacts as the proposed ramp from the West Mall/Evans Avenue intersection to the eastbound QEW encroached upon the Etobicoke Creek and adjacent lands. At the first PIC local residents strongly expressed their objection to this alternative because of the severe environmental impacts.

Alternative 6 was dropped from further consideration due to its significant operational and geometric design problems, and the impact the deletion of the westbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramp to southbound Brown's Line/Evans Avenue would have on the local community.

(4)Detailed Evaluation of Alternative Solutions:

As a result of the screening exercise five alternatives were carried forward for more detailed evaluation: Alternatives 1, 4, 5, 5A and 5B. These alternatives were evaluated using the following criteria:

(i)Traffic Service: this included the impact on traffic capacity, the delivery of emergency services, incident management and safety;

(ii)Residential Community Impacts: this included assessing how the alternatives would change the current accessibility to the neighbourhood, and whether the changes would encourage or discourage neighbourhood traffic infiltration. Noise impact was also included under this criteria;

(iii)Economic Development: incorporated impacts on local businesses with respect to accessibility and future development potential;

(iv)Natural Environment: impacts on the natural environment that were assessed included disruption to water courses, air quality, vegetation and wildlife;

(v)Engineering: this criteria related to the ability to provide a design for each alterative that satisfied the applicable design standards. Additionally, the ability to construct each alternative was reviewed with respect to impact on drivers and commuters, and timing of construction; and

(vi)Benefit-Cost: a benefit cost review was undertaken for each alternative. User benefits were estimated in the form of travel time savings for motorists, and compared with the construction cost for each alternative.

A brief description of the evaluation of the alternative solutions follows. Full details of the evaluation can be found in Section 6.4.2, and Tables 6.3 and 6.4 of the ESR.

Alternatives 1 and 4 do not provide the level of traffic service required to address the operational concerns of the interchange. However, they have either no or minimal impact on the neighbouring community or the natural environment.

In Alternative 5 the existing westbound Gardiner Expressway to southbound Brown's Line/ Evans Avenue ramp must be removed to avoid an otherwise difficult and unacceptable weaving condition. This creates a significant community impact, as this ramp currently provides access to the residential and business communities south of the QEW. The alternative route for these vehicles would be to take the new connection from the westbound Gardiner Expressway to Sherway Gardens Road, then travel north, through The Queensway traffic signal and onto the southbound Highway 427 ramp to Brown's Line. At the first PIC, a significant number of people expressed their dissatisfaction with the removal of the ramp.

In response to the community's concerns Alternative 5A was derived from Alternative 5. It has the benefit of maintaining the westbound Gardiner to southbound Brown's Line ramp. The traffic on this ramp, however will not be able to exit at Evans Avenue, as it does under the existing situation.

Alternative 5B is a further enhancement of Alternative 5A, in that a new connection from the westbound Gardiner Expressway to the northbound Highway 427 collector lanes is provided. In comparison to Alternative 5A, this alternative provides better traffic service.

Based on the detailed evaluation, it was concluded that Alternatives 5A and 5B best address the problems outlined in the problem statement, provide the greatest benefit and have the fewest negative impacts.

Given that the majority of the modifications within this interchange are under the Ministry of Transportation's jurisdiction, the designs of Alternatives 5A and 5B were reviewed with Ministry of Transportation staff in considerable detail. The Ministry of Transportation concluded that there were a number of concerns with respect to geometric design and operation of the connection from the westbound Gardiner Expressway to northbound Highway 427 collector lanes in Alternative 5B. The concerns were considered significant enough to preclude Alternative 5B from further design consideration in the environmental assessment process. As a result, Alternative 5A was chosen as the recommended design.

(5)The Recommended Design:

The following points highlight the main features of the recommended design, as shown in the attached figure, Figure 1:

(i)construction of Sherway Gardens Road from Sherway Gate to The Queensway;

(ii)a new westbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramp to Sherway Gardens Road;

(iii)realignment of the southbound Highway 427 off-ramp at The Queensway;

(iv)a new connection from The Queensway to the southbound Highway 427 collector lanes and Brown's Line;

(v)a new ramp connection from the southbound Highway 427 collector lanes to the eastbound Gardiner Expressway;

(vi)modifications to the westbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramp to southbound Brown's Line; and

(vii)modifications to the Kipling Avenue/westbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramp to allow for the installation of traffic control signals.

Sherway Gardens Road will be constructed to City of Toronto standards, and then transferred to the City through a Site Plan Agreement. The signalization of the westbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramp at Kipling Avenue, along with the associated road modifications, are the responsibility of the City of Toronto. Staff is recommending that the cost of this signal installation be included in the 2000 -2004 Transportation Services Capital Budget submission. The remaining components of the recommended design are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transportation.

A detailed description of the recommended design and each of its components can be found in Chapter 8 of the ESR.

Resolution of Public Concerns:

Throughout the public consultation process a wide variety of valuable input was received from the general public which assisted in the development, screening, analysis and evaluation of alternatives. The primary concerns raised at the PICs and through written submissions were:

(i)the negative impact of Alternative 3 on the Etobicoke Creek ravine - Due to this negative environmental impact Alternative 3 was dropped from further consideration in the initial screening phase.

(ii)loss of access to the Alderwood community with the deletion of the off-ramp from the westbound Gardiner Expressway to southbound Brown's Line - Alternatives 5A and 5B were generated in order to address this concern. Under these alternatives the Brown's Line ramp is maintained, however access is restricted to Brown's Line only and not Evans Avenue.

(iii)neighbourhood traffic infiltration - The provision of a ramp directly into Sherway Gardens will reduce the amount of traffic infiltrating through the neighbourhood. Also, since access from the westbound Gardiner Expressway is restricted to southbound Brown's Line only and not Evans Avenue, traffic infiltrating along Gair Drive will be reduced.

Timing and Future Steps:

Canada Life Assurance Company is currently negotiating a cost-sharing agreement with the Ministry of Transportation for the estimated $10.5 million in proposed modifications to the Gardiner Expressway/QEW/Highway 427/Brown's Line interchange. The timing of the construction of these modifications will be dependent on the agreement reached. It is anticipated that the developer's component of the modifications will be constructed in conjunction with the expansion of Sherway Gardens Shopping Centre. The timing of the Ministry of Transportation's components will be dependent upon the availability of provincial funds.

The next steps for the City of Toronto are to file the ESR in the public record, respond to any bump-up requests received, and facilitate final Environmental Assessment approval. The detailed design and contract preparation for the modifications will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Transportation and the Canada Life Assurance Company.

Conclusions:

A Class Environmental Assessment Study was conducted in partnership with Canada Life Assurance Company for modifications to the Gardiner Expressway/QEW/Highway 427/Brown's Line interchange. A full public consultation program was carried out as part of the five-phase environmental planning process. In total 8 alternative solutions were developed. Of these alternatives 5 were carried through a detailed evaluation process, after 3 alternatives were screened out in an initial screening phase. The Gardiner Expressway/QEW/Highway 427/Brown's Line Interchange Modifications Class Environmental Assessment Study recommends that approval be sought for Alternative 5A. This alternative proposes that the following modifications be made to the interchange:

(i)construction of Sherway Gardens Road from Sherway Gate to The Queensway;

(ii)construction of a new westbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramp to Sherway Gardens Road;

(iii)realignment of the southbound Highway 427 off-ramp at The Queensway;

(iv)construction of a new connection from The Queensway to the southbound Highway 427 collector lanes and Brown's Line;

(v)construction of a new ramp connection between the southbound Highway 427 collector lanes to the eastbound Gardiner Expressway;

(vi)modifications to the westbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramp to Brown's Line; and

(vii)modifications to the Kipling Avenue/westbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramp to allow for the installation of traffic control signals.

The Ministry of Transportation, who has jurisdictional authority over this interchange, do not object to the proposed modifications as outlined in the ESR.

Contact Name:

John P. Kelly

Manager, Infrastructure Planning

Phone: 392-8340

Fax: 392-4426

David C. Kaufman

General Manager, Transportation Services Division

Barry H. Gutteridge

Commissioner, Works and Emergency Services

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