June 16, 2025 - Minutes
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General Purposes Committee
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Date: |
Monday, June 16, 2025 |
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Place: |
Anderson Room |
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Present: |
Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie, Chair
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Call to Order: |
The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m. |
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MINUTES |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on June 2, 2025, be adopted as circulated. |
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CARRIED |
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PRESENTATION |
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1. |
With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation (Copy on File, City Clerk’s Office), Lloyd Bie, Director, Transportation, and Sonali Hingorani, Manager, Transportation Planning and New Mobility, presented an update on the Moray Bridge Replacement Planning Study, currently being undertaken by the Ministry of Transportation and Transit (MoTT), and highlighted the following: |
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§ In 2022, City Council endorsed MoTT’s submission of the Moray Bridge Area Planning Study for funding consideration from the National Trade Corridors Fund; |
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§ The study focuses on replacing the existing swing bridge and improving the Bridgeport Road and Sea Island Way corridors between Highway 99 and Sea Island. The key City considerations related to this study include (i) road network, (ii) flood protection, (iii) Middle Arm Greenway, and (iv) area development; |
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§ In January 2025, MoTT presented separate bridge crossing and road network improvement options to staff, seeking feedback regarding further technical assessment; |
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§ MoTT proposed three options for the location of the new bridge alignment: (i) Option 1 – new bridge south of existing, (ii) Option 2 – new bridge north of existing, and (iii) Option 3 – new bridge aligned with Bridgeport Road; |
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§ Based on the options for the new bridge alignment, staff advised MoTT that option 2 is preferred for further study as it better aligns with City objectives and minimizes property and road network impacts; |
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§ For all road network options, MoTT is recommending closure of the No. 4 Road exit from Highway 99, which will result in redistribution of traffic onto local streets. Staff recommend not supporting its removal until a comprehensive traffic assessment and public consultation are undertaken; |
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§ MoTT proposed three options for the road network improvements along the Bridgeport Road and Sea Island Way corridors between Highway 99 and Sea Island, none of which are supported by staff; |
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§ Next steps include MoTT (i) reviewing and incorporating staff feedback, (ii) developing conceptual designs of potential bridge replacement options and corridor strategies, (iii) conducting a high level traffic assessment, and (iv) a Multiple Accounts Evaluation; and |
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§ The planning study is anticipated to be completed in Q4 2025. Staff will update Council with the findings of the planning study when available. |
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Discussion ensued regarding (i) the need for a detailed report outlining the various bridge replacement and road network options, (ii) the potential rationale for and concerns regarding MoTT’s recommendation of closing the No. 4 Road exit from Highway 99, (iii) the timeline of MoTT’s planning study and next steps, (iv) the improvement of lane utilization at Garden City Way with road network option 2, (v) the jurisdiction of Highway 99, which staff advised falls under the authority of MoTT, (vi) the benefit of infrastructure such as flyovers, and (vii) the forthcoming comprehensive traffic study for all options for Council endorsement. |
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Staff advised that a report to Committee outlining the bridge replacement and road network options is forthcoming. |
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ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION |
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2. |
Fraser River Tunnel Project Environmental Assessment – Application Review Comments |
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Discussion ensued regarding (i) the timeline of the environmental assessment and the Fraser River Tunnel Project schedule, (ii) reiterating the City's position for the BC Hydro transmission line relocation to be underground, and (iii) enhancing the interconnectivity of the pedestrian and cyclist networks, with staff advising that an overpass would be the financial responsibility of MoTT. |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the comments as described in the report titled “Fraser River Tunnel Project Environmental Assessment - Application Review Comments” dated June 9, 2025, from the Director, Transportation be endorsed and forwarded to the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office. |
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CARRIED |
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ADJOURNMENT |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the meeting adjourn (4:34 p.m.). |
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CARRIED |
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Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Monday, June 16, 2025. |
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Mayor Malcolm D. Brodie |
Shannon Unrau |