Presentation

GO Transit Expansion
Public Meeting #2
Guildwood to Pickering
Transit Project Assessment Process
May 2016
Building More Transit to Get You Moving
GO Transit Expansion is bringing more train trips to every GO rail
corridor to make moving around the Greater Toronto and Hamilton
Area (GTHA) and surrounding communities faster and easier.
This means electric trains running in both directions, 7 days a week,
on GO-owned corridors and significant service increases across the
entire network.
In your community, improving existing transit options means all-day,
two-way service and 15-minute service or better between Union
Station and Oshawa GO Station.
We look forward to working with you, and being a
part of the transformation in your community.
A Region Under Pressure
The GTHA and its surrounding communities “suffer from traffic congestion problems, poorly
integrated transit services and relatively underdeveloped transport infrastructure”
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Territorial Review, 2010.
 Average commute time per
person, per day is 82
minutes.
 Projected to increase to 109
minutes in the next 25 years.
 Results in $11 billion in
travel costs and lost
productivity every year.
 By 2031, this number could
increase to $15 billion.
 Over 500,000 tonnes of
annual greenhouse gas
emissions is due to
traffic congestion.
Transit Project Assessment Process
2015
Spring
2016
Summer
2016
Fall 2016
Fall 2016
Late
2016
Early
2017
Guildwood to Pickering Project Area
Proposed Grade Separations
Scarborough Golf Club Road
Galloway Road
Morningside Avenue
Other At-Grade Crossings
Poplar Road
Manse Road
Beechgrove Drive
Chesterton Shores Road
Rodd Avenue
City of
Pickering
Rail Bridges
Highland Creek Bridge
Rouge River Bridge
City of
Toronto
GO Stations
Guildwood Station
Rouge Hill Station
Pickering Station
Rodd Avenue
Chesterton
Shores
Beechgrove
Drive
Morningside Avenue
Poplar Road
Galloway
Road
Scarborough Golf
Club Road
Manse Road
What We Are Doing To Get There
Legend
Go Track
New 3rd Track
Freight Track
Proposed improvements from Guildwood to Pickering:
 Operational ‘bottleneck’ between Guildwood and Pickering GO Stations where 3 tracks
reduce to 2 tracks
 Addition of 3rd Track
 3 Grade Separations (Scarborough Golf Club Road, Galloway Road and Morningside
Avenue)
 Modifications to 2 Rail Bridges (Rouge River and Highland Creek)
 Electrification enabling works (track and grading design to include provision for future
electrification, i.e. Overhead Catenary System (OCS) pole bases, electrical conduits)
What we have done since March 2015
 Briefed and engaged with local elected officials,
community groups and stakeholders such as City of
Toronto, City of Pickering, etc.
 Completed the following draft studies:
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Natural Environment and Tree Inventory
Air Quality
Noise and Vibration
Socio-Economic and Land Use
Traffic
Cultural Heritage
Archaeology
 Advanced preliminary design for grade
separations and track alignment
Road Rail Crossings
 The safety of road rail crossings remains a priority and they are
equipped with regulatory and best practice or better measures
 Road crossing improvements are a joint effort and typically led by the
municipality that has jurisdiction over the local road
 We continue to assess all crossings across the network to identify
further improvements where possible, including the 8 road rail
crossings between just west of Guildwood and Pickering GO stations
Road Rail Crossing Improvements
Considerations in determining improvements:
Data:
 Collision history
 Sight lines
 Geometry
 Volume and type of vehicle
 Proximity to GO Stations
Impacts:
 Safety
 Capacity
 Operations
Other Considerations
 Cost of implementation
 Impacts on the Natural Environment
 Impacts on the Social and Economic Environment
Road Rail Crossing Review
The Process
 Metrolinx is completing an analysis of road rail crossings on a network-wide
basis
 Options considered include:
– Maintain at-grade crossing
– Crossing improvements
– Road closure
– Road overpass
– Road underpass
– Rail overpass
– Rail underpass
All road rail crossings on the Lakeshore East corridor have been removed except
for the section between just west of Guildwood and Pickering GO stations
Planned Grade Separations

Grade Separations (road underpasses) are planned for Scarborough Golf
Club Road, Galloway Road, and Morningside Avenue.
– Funding from the federal and provincial government was announced in
the summer of 2015.
– Feasibility and traffic studies have shown that these at-grade crossings
support the need for the construction of a grade separation. High volume
of traffic and active at grade crossing at these locations make a gradeseparation the best option for replacing the at-grade crossings.
– These were also selected in consultation with the City of Toronto.
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The remaining 4 road rail crossings will be reviewed as part of the network
wide review:
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Poplar Road
Manse Road
Beechgrove Drive
Rodd Avenue
PLANNED GRADE SEPARATIONS
Scarborough Golf Club Road
Galloway Road
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Three Existing Tracks
Proposed Road Underpass
Highest average volume of
vehicular traffic
Morningside Avenue
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Two Existing Tracks
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Proposed Road Underpass
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Second highest average
volume of vehicular traffic
Two Existing Tracks
Proposed Road Underpass
Third highest
average volume of
vehicular traffic
Scarborough Golf Club Road Grade Separation
Scarborough Golf Club Road Grade Separation
Galloway Road Grade Separation
Galloway Road Grade Separation
Morningside Avenue Grade Separation
Morningside Avenue Grade Separation
Traffic Review
Situation
Potential
Effects
Morningside Avenue and
Scarborough Golf Club Road
Galloway Road
 Morningside will be reduced to 2
lanes during construction.
• Closed for at least 2 years during
construction.
 Scarborough Golf Club Road will
be realigned to the east of the
work zone and remain as 2 lanes
during construction.
• Construct after grade separating
Scarborough Golf Club Road and
Morningside Avenue.
 Minimal traffic effects during
construction.
 Closure during construction will result
in traffic detours to Poplar Road.
 Will not impact traffic at other
nearby intersections.
 Traffic may choose to use completed
grade separation at Morningside and
Scarborough Golf Club Road.
 TTC bus service will continue on
Morningside during construction.
Mitigation
 Queues not expected to impact traffic
at other nearby intersections.
 Implement a Traffic Staging and Management Plan during construction.
 Work with City of Toronto Transportation staff to review traffic calming
measures to support the new grade separations.
Potential Road/Rail Crossing Closures
Poplar Road
 Exploring option of
closing Poplar
road at the
rail/road
intersection.
 Low traffic volume
* [46
Northbound/60
Southbound]
 Close to proposed
grade-separated
routes.
Potential for
pedestrian/cycling
tunnel or bridge will
be discussed with the
City of Toronto.
Potential Road/Rail Crossing Closures
Chesterton Shores
Proposed 3rd track
Increased pedestrian/
cyclist safety concern
due to:
1. Increase in train
frequency
2. Increased
number of high
speed train trips
3. Wider crossing
with more tracks
Park users will be
able to access the
park at a new Rouge
Hill GO Station
pedestrian tunnel.
Change to island platform
Assessment of Other Road/Rail Crossings
Manse Road
Beechgrove
Drive
Proposed Modifications – Manse Road & Beechgrove Drive:
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Additional track planned across existing crossings.
Crossings provide access to East Point Park, local industries and City of Toronto services.
Low volume of traffic does not warrant grade separation.
Road/rail crossing safety enhancements will be made.
Assessment of Other Road/Rail Crossings
Rodd Avenue
Proposed Modifications – Rodd Avenue:
 Additional track planned across existing crossing.
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Provides access to residential community and recreational/conservation area.
Low volume of traffic does not warrant grade separation.
Cannot be closed as it is the only access point.
Road/rail crossing safety enhancements will be made.
Rouge River Bridge Modifications
Proposed Modifications:
 Adding new bridge deck south of existing bridge
 Remove old bridge and replace with new bridge
 New bridge will be ballasted deck with metal truss
Rouge River Bridge Modifications
Highland Creek Bridge Modifications
Proposed Modifications:
 Adding two new bridge deck on either side of existing bridge
 Widening centre pier to support new bridge decks
 New bridges will be ballasted deck with metal truss
Highland Creek Bridge Modifications
Port Union Waterfront Park Modifications
 Addition of the third
track requires
engineering solutions
e.g. expanded
embankments,
retaining walls
 Property requirements
and treatment of new
infrastructure in this
location will be
developed during
detailed design in
consultation with key
stakeholders including
the City of Toronto,
TRCA and Parks
Canada
 Engineering solutions
to enhance park user
experience through
design excellence/
landscaping
The Assessment Process
This project is being assessed under the Transit Project Assessment
Process (TPAP).
The first step in project planning is determining the need for an
assessment, which examines potential environmental effects of a
project and how to address or mitigate any potential effects.
In the context of this study, the definition of “environment” is broad, it
includes:
 Natural (e.g. vegetation, wildlife)
 Socio-Economic (e.g. air, noise, land use)
 Cultural (e.g. heritage, archaeological)
Next Steps
TPAP Notice of Commencement
Summer 2016
Public Meeting #3
Fall 2016
• Begin the six-month TPAP by completing the draft Environmental
Project Report (EPR)
• To be based on feedback from Public Meeting #2
TPAP Notice of Completion &
30-day Public Consultation
Fall 2016
• Final EPR released for review and comment
• Formal review of the EPR by review agencies, stakeholders and
the public
35-day Agency Review Period
Late 2016
• Minister of the Environment and Climate Change to review
Detailed Design
Late 2016 - TBC
• Preferred design will be advance during the detailed design
process
Construction Start
2017
• Construction phasing for the new third track, grade separations and rail
bridge widening to be confirmed during detailed design.
Staged Construction in Different
Locations
• Scarborough Golf Club Road and Morningside Avenue to be completed
first, then work on Galloway Road will begin in 2020
Construction Completion
2023 - TBC
• All construction associated with the project to be completed in 2023
(TBC)
Tell Us What’s Important To You
Your feedback and community perspective is important to informing this
project. Please have your say by:

Completing a feedback form

Email: [email protected]

Checking Project updates and background material at:
www.metrolinx.com/guildwoodpickering/

Call us at: 1-888-438-6646
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Please submit your comments by June 15, 2016
All feedback will be recorded as part of the Environmental Project Report. A summary of
this meeting will be posted shortly after the public meetings in June.
Thank you for your attendance!