Date:

Thursday, April 24^th, 2003

Place:

Anderson Room
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Councillor Rob Howard, Chair
Councillor Kiichi Kumagai, Vice-Chair
Councillor Linda Barnes
Councillor Derek Dang

Absent:

Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie

Also Present:

Councillor Harold Steves
Councillor Bill McNulty (4:18 p.m.)

Call to Order:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.

MINUTES

1.

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Public Works & Transportation Committee held on Wednesday, March 19^th, 2003, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

ENGINEERING & PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION

2.

LOCAL IMPROVEMENT CONSTRUCTION REGINA AVENUE AND KILBY STREET AREA BYLAW NO. 7503
(Report:  Mar. 14/03, File No.:  8060-20-7305; 6190-20-017) (REDMS No. 980027, 975791)

The Manager, Engineering Planning, Siu Tse, reviewed the report with the Committee.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the Local Improvement Project for Basic Ditch Elimination on the west side of Regina Avenue, from the north side of Kilby Street to the south side of Walford Street, and on the north side of Kilby Street, from 9311 Kilby Street to the west side of Regina Avenue, be adopted in accordance with Section 635(2) of the Local Government Act; and

(2)

That Bylaw No. 7305, which authorizes local improvement construction on the west side of Regina Avenue, from the north side of Kilby Street to the south side of Walford Street, and on the north side of Kilby Street, from 9311 Kilby Street to the west side of Regina Avenue, be introduced and given first, second and third readings.

CARRIED

URBAN DEVELOPMENT DIVISION

3.

RICHMOND/AIRPORT VANCOUVER RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT (RAVP) CONCLUSIONS OF PROJECT DEFINITION PHASE
(Report:  April 8/03, File No.:  0154-03) (REDMS No. 996773)

The Director, Engineering, Gordon Chan, accompanied by the General Manager, Urban Development, David McLellan, briefly reviewed the report with the Committee.

Discussion then ensued among Committee members and staff on various aspects of the proposal.  Reference was made to a number of emails which had been received by several members of Council, regarding the need to include cyclist facilities in the system, and information was provided that these requests had been communicated to the RAV Project Team.  Information was also offered that TransLink had initiated a separate study to examine the cycling issue.

Reference was made to Recommendation No. 2(a), and Cllr. Kumagai stressed that this should be considered to be a work in progress and that if funds should become available in the future, that this line could extend further south.

Reference was made to Recommendation No. (2)(j), and to the correspondence received from the New Westminster Engineering Department which reflected the decision of Burnaby that the new system should be at‑grade.  Advice was given that the proposal had always been to construct an at-grade system, however, the public had expressed a preference for a grade‑separated system.  Discussion ensued on this issue during which information was provided that the groups who had submitted proposal calls had the ability to supply all types of technology.  Advice was given that once a decision had been made on the technology to be used, then further public information meetings would be held to educate the public on the system selected.

Discussion continued on the wording of Recommendation No. (2)(j), and the suggestion was made that the recommendation be altered slightly to ensure that proposal calls could include both at-grade and grade-separated configurations.  The change was agreed to by the Committee.

Reference was also made to the request of Vancouver City that additional stations be provided in the False Creek area, and discussion ensued on the impact which these additional stations, if approved, could have on the amount of time proposed for travel from the airport and Richmond Centre to downtown Vancouver.  Cllr. Kumagai stated during the discussion that talks should be held with TransLink on how riders would be transported to the proposed stations, rather than adding additional stations.

Information was provided on the many presentations which the RAV Project Team was making as part of the Vancouver City public process.  As well, advice was given that the Project Manager, Jane Bird, and the RAV Team, would be available at the Council Meeting on April 28^th, 2003, to respond to questions.  Mr. Chan also provided information on a series of documentaries prepared by the Greater Vancouver Regional District on the RAV project.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That Council endorse, as part of the regional road and transportation improvement priorities identified by TransLink, the implementation of a rapid transit system between downtown Vancouver, Richmond and the Vancouver International Airport that:

(a)

is generally aligned along the corridors of Cambie Street, No. 3 Road and Grant McConachie Way respectively;

(b)

is funded per a capital cost-sharing formula between the Government of Canada, the Province of BC, Vancouver International Airport Authority, TransLink, and the private sector;

(c)

is operational by late 2009, given the project is approved in 2003; and

(d)

has a minimum of five stations on the No. 3 Road branch of the line including locations at Bridgeport, Cambie Road, Alderbridge Way, Westminster Highway, and Cook Road/Park Road with provisions for a future station at Capstan Way.

(2)

That TransLink and the other contributing agencies be requested to incorporate the following as part of the further planning, proposal evaluation and detailed design activities:

(a)

Cook Road/Park Road as the southern terminus with the design providing the flexibility to extend the system further south in the future when warranted;

(b)

further investigation of the future timing of establishing a station at Capstan Way;

(c)

provision in the design of Bridgeport Station and related infrastructure to accommodate a future direct connection between Richmond and the airport;

(d)

a critical joint review of station and alignment design with City staff to best ensure consistency with City Centre urban design principles and objectives and to enhance community liveability;

(e)

development and detailed review of a bus integration plan that meets the needs of both regional and local transit users;

(f)

establishment of a regional transit exchange at Bridgeport Station that includes a primary park and ride facility to support the achievement of the projected ridership of the system;

(g)

examination of the possibilities of establishing secondary park and ride facilities along No. 3 Road;

(h)

identification of construction-related and on-going traffic impacts and the development of mitigation measures to address the concerns;

(i)

further public consultation on the detailed design of the system and the development of any measures to address identified concerns;

(j)

the use of the Request for Proposals and community consultation processes to measure the relative benefits and costs of both at-grade and grade-separated configurations prior to a final decision being made on choice of technology;

(k)

the performance standards specified in the Request for Proposals being adhered to and, if demand warrants, being exceeded;

(l)

cycling and pedestrian facilities being integrated into the system infrastructure including the provision of end-of-trip facilities and connections to existing cycling networks, the accommodation of cyclists and pedestrians on any new crossing over the Fraser River and the accommodation of bicycles in the rail cars; and

( m)

all other conditions and objectives stipulated in the Project Definition Phase being achieved.

(3)

That should the project proceed, staff work with the RAVP Team to complete the tasks related to the various aspects of the project identified in Recommendation (2), and the RAVP Team report back on the outcome of this work prior to awarding the final contract.

(4)

That the above recommendations be conveyed to the participating agencies of the Richmond/Airport-Vancouver Rapid Transit Project.

CARRIED

4.

TRANSLINK MAJOR ROAD NETWORK (MRN) SUPPLEMENTAL MINOR CAPITAL PROGRAM PROJECT PROPOSED WIDENING OF WESTMINSTER HIGHWAY BETWEEN NELSON ROAD AND WESTMINSTER HIGHWAY INTERCHANGE
(Report:  April 10/03, File No.:  6500-01) (REDMS No. 993722)

Transportation Engineer Jim Hnatiuk, reviewed the report with the Committee.

Discussion then took place among Committee members and staff on the proposal, during which questions were raised about whether any consideration had been given to extending Nelson Road north to the east/west connector.  Advice was given that the proposed improvements would take advantage of an existing interchange rather than constructing a new interchange at a new location.  It was noted that return movement would also have to be provided, which would require the construction of a structure over the east/west connector.

Also discussed were the problems of local area farmers and the impact which the proposed improvement of Westminster Highway would have on them, and questions were raised about whether this project had been submitted to the Richmond Farmers Institute for its review.  Advice was given that any kind of work undertaken in this area of Westminster Highway would impact the farmers, however, staff were of the view that the project now being considered would have a minimal impact.  Further advice was given that Westminster Highway was part of the Major Road Network, which meant that the City could obtain funding for a portion of the work; however, creating a new road connection to the east/west connector would be entirely at the City's expense.

(Cllr. McNulty entered the meeting at 4:18 p.m., during the above discussion.)

Advice was also given that part of the rationale for submitting the application was that it would hold the City's TransLink funding; if the City did not submit this project, there was a potential to lose the matching funding.  It was pointed out that this was only an application for funding, and if a alternate route became possible, it would be undertaken at a future date. 

Cllr. Kumagai spoke of the concerns of the farmers about the traffic on Westminster Highway because of the improvements which been made to date, and advised that the Farmers Institute was aware of the proposed improvements.  He referred to the proposed signalization improvements at No. 8 Road and Westminster Highway, and advised that he had requested the Engineering Department to endeavour to have this work completed by mid-June prior to the beginning of the strawberry season. 

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the project to widen Westminster Highway to four lanes between Nelson Road and the Westminster Highway/Highway 91 Interchange be endorsed for cost-sharing as part of the TransLink Major Road Network Minor Capital Program.

(2)

That staff report to Council on the outcome of the evaluation by the Major Roads Technical Advisory Committee on the above proposed submission to the Major Road Network Capital Development Program.

CARRIED

5.

BIKE MONTH AND COMMUTER CHALLENGE
(Report:  April 3/2003, File No.:  7400-01) (REDMS No. 991325)

The Manager, Transportation Planning, Victor Wei, briefly reviewed the report with the Committee.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the overall objectives of the Bike Month 2003 campaign planned by Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST) be supported and that June 2003 be declared Bike Month.

(2)

That the City participate in various regional and local activities during the Bike Month 2003 campaign by registering in the annual Commuter Challenge to encourage cycling as a sustainable form of transportation and reduce the use of single occupant vehicles.

(3)

That staff co-ordinate the undertaking of the proposed activities with BEST and other municipalities in the region (as outlined in the report dated April 3^rd, 2003, from the Director, Transportation).

CARRIED

6.

MANAGERS REPORT

(1)

Drainage Construction Granville Avenue, from No. 4 Road to Shell Road Contract T.1547
(File No.:  6340-20-P.03302; xr 0775-20-T.1547) (REDMS No. 987164)

It was moved and seconded

That the memorandum (dated March 26^th, 2003, from the Manager, Enginnering Design & Construction), regarding Contract T.1547 Drainage Construction Granville Avenue, from No. 4 Road to Shell Road, be received for information..

CARRIED

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (4:28 p.m.).

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the Public Works & Transportation Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Thursday, April 24^th, 2003.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Councillor Rob Howard
Chair

Fran J. Ashton
Executive Assistant, City Clerks Office