REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: May 7, 2018 Report No. EPW-18-021
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Jeff Miller, Director of Engineering and Public Works
SUBJECT:
Title
Waste Water Treatment Plant Truck Route Modification
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council approve the modification to the Traffic Management Plan for the McLoughlin Point Waste Water Treatment Plant as detailed in Attachment B for the summer months that school is not in session.
Body
RELEVANT POLICY:
This request for decision is not relevant to any current Township policies.
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
Well Managed and Maintained Infrastructure - participate in integrated waste strategies.
Well Managed and Maintained Infrastructure - identify infrastructure repair and proactively plan for replacement needs.
BACKGROUND:
On May 23, 2017, Council received staff report EPW-17-024 (see Attachment A). This report dealt with the traffic management plan for the waste water treatment plant at McLoughin Point. Council accepted the proposed routes which included:
• Heavy traffic - Esquimalt Road, Head Street, Lyall Street
• Worker traffic - Esquimalt Road, Lampson Street, Munro Street
These routes apply to the waste water plant contractor - Harbour Resource Partners (HRP) as well as the pump station contractor - Kenaidan Contracting.
Several months ago the Community Liaison Committee received a request from the West Bay Neighbourhood Association to determine if the heavy traffic route could be modified over the summer months (June 28, 2018 to September 4, 2018) in order to produce some form of relief to the residents that live along the heavy traffic route from construction traffic. Both the CRD and HRP agreed that it may be possible to make this modification and carried out the same process that the original traffic management plan underwent for approval. This included an evaluation of the summer traffic route by HRP, public consultation by CRD and review by the Township (Engineering/Public Works, Esquimalt Community Safety Working Group). For your information please refer to:
• Attachment A (page 12) - original truck traffic route evaluation matrix
• Attachment B - proposed summer truck traffic route.
• Attachment C - letter to residents along proposed summer truck traffic route and original route including comments received.
• Attachment D - revised truck traffic route evaluation matrix for proposed summer truck traffic route.
ISSUES:
1. Rationale for Selected Option
The summer traffic route has been a topic of discussion several times at the Community Liaison Committee meetings. Initially there was unanimous support for the proposed traffic route. However, after several meetings positions evolved as follows:
• DND and the PAC raised concerns about construction traffic travelling by the school yard and the potential safety implications for children playing within the yard as well as transiting through the Lyall St/Lampson St intersection.
• The Lyall Street Neighbourhood Association recognized that Head Street residents would require some form of relief and supported the proposed route over the summer break.
• The West Bay Neighbourhood Association was completely supportive of the route in order to provide a respite from construction traffic.
• The Esquimalt Community Safety Working Group expressed concerns over potential speeding issues as over half of the potential route is currently zoned at 30km/hr and also had concerns about constraints in turning movements due to the geometry of the Lampson St/Esquimalt Rd intersection.
• CRD and both contractors could work with either route and did not have an opinion on which route should be utilized.
Results of the public consultation resulted in 16 written submissions in support of the proposed change and 7 written submissions not in support of the proposed change in the route. See Attachment C for details.
Staff have reviewed the various pieces of information and have concluded that the proposed summer route could be undertaken. The CRD and their contractors would have to work with their crews to ensure that speed limits are maintained and to minimize the impact on other traffic at the various intersections.
2. Organizational Implications
There will be an impact on the Township as staff will be needed to monitor the implementation of the Plan. This monitoring work will be in consultation with HRP’s Logistics Coordinator. As well, the Director of Engineering and Public Works will be the Township’s representative on the Community Liaison Committee which will be kept abreast of the Plan’s implementation and operation. This work has been added to the staff work plans and can be accommodated.
3. Financial Implications
The cost of implementation, monitoring and operation of the Plan is the responsibility of the CRD. There is negligible impact on the operating budget of the Township.
4. Sustainability & Environmental Implications
Based on the review of the proposed change to the Plan, there are no sustainability nor environmental implications to the Traffic Order.
5. Communication & Engagement
The Township, CRD and HRP will be conducting discussions in order to ensure that the relevant information is provided on various web sites and social media outlets. Engagement of the residents will be through the Project or Community Liaison Committees.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. That Council approve the modification to the Traffic Management Plan for the McLoughin Point Waste Water Treatment Plant as detailed in Attachment B for the summer months when school is not in session.
2. That Council does not approve the modification of the Traffic Management Plan for the McLoughin Point Waste Water Treatment Plant as detailed in Attachment B for the summer months when school is not in session.