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Bylaw 1/2019 - Closure of a Portion of Coal Mine Road (2nd and 3rd Reading)
Presented by: Tracy Tsui, Planner
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RECOMMENDATION(S)
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1. That Bylaw 1/2019 be read a second time.
2. That Bylaw 1/2019 be read a third and final time.
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PURPOSE OF REPORT
To transmit Bylaw 1/2019 to Council for consideration of second and third readings following a non-statutory public hearing to allow persons claiming to be affected prejudicially by the Bylaw, or their agents, an opportunity to be heard by Council.
This report also introduces technical engineering analysis of the proposed road closure that was not yet complete when Bylaw 1/2019 received first reading on December 3, 2018.
ALIGNMENT TO PRIORITIES IN COUNCIL’S STRATEGIC PLAN
Strategic Priority #3: Building a Transportation Network: Integrated transportation systems.
Administration Activity 3.6: Develop the Transportation Safety Plan and recommend implementation of initiatives to minimize risk of injury or fatality on City roadways.
ALIGNMENT TO COUNCIL DIRECTION
On December 3, 2018, Council approved the following motions:
That Bylaw 1/2019, being a Bylaw to close a portion of Coal Mine Road at Eastgate Way / Eastgate Way North, be read a first time.
That a non-statutory Public Hearing to allow persons claiming to be affected prejudicially by the bylaw, or their agents, to be heard by the Council, be scheduled for January 7, 2019.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Location
A portion of Coal Mine Road located east of Eastgate Way North within the Erin Ridge North neighbourhood, is proposed for closure. The road has been identified as an interim connecting road within the Erin Ridge North Area Structure Plan (ASP). Please refer to the attachments entitled: Bylaw 1/2019, Location Map, and Aerial Map.
The proposed road closure is part of Road Plan 032 3372 (Coal Mine Road) and part of Government Road Allowance. The area is districted as Low Density Residential (R1) Land Use District.
History
In 2010, when Council adopted an amendment (Bylaw 33/2009) to the Erin Ridge North Area Structure Plan ("ASP") the ASP was approved to move forward with a staged closure of portions of Coal Mine Road. During debate on the ASP amendment and proposed closure, considerations were identified to include alternative east-west connections.
In the ensuing years as development progressed in Erin Ridge North, expansion of the road network did not coincide and there was no further east-west connection completed. An access was maintained from Coal Mine Road to Eastgate Way / Eastgate Way North which traffic has continued to utilize to travel east-west through the north east area of the City and Sturgeon County.
The road network within the proposed closure area consists primarily of local roadways; with priority functions of providing access to homes. The intent of Eastgate Way, Eastgate Way North and adjoining roadways is not to serve as a connector or for vehicle volumes beyond the needs of the local residents / visitors.
Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Program
The trigger for proposing the closure of Coal Mine Road, where it intersects with Eastgate Way, arises from work in support of the Neighbourhood Traffic Calming program in the communities of Erin Ridge and Erin Ridge North. During the Traffic Calming public engagement, concerns were raised about traffic on the local roadways of Edgewater Terrace and Eastgate Way, particularly the volumes of traffic that residents believed to be much higher than such residential neighbourhoods ought to have, as well as vehicle speeds on these roadways.
Work was performed to investigate and validate resident concerns from these local roads by performing the following traffic data collection:
1) Overall traffic volumes and speed
2) Time period short-cutting review: Identify vehicle volumes traveling through these areas without stopping (meaning the local road was not an origin or destination for such drivers). Time periods investigated were:
a. Am peak period analysis (weekday from 7 am to 9 am)
b. Pm peak period analysis (weekday from 4 pm to 6 pm)
c. Weekend period analysis (Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm)
During the 2016 investigation into these public concerns, it was recorded that:
A) On Edgewater Terrace North there was an average daily volume of 500 vehicles per day (2016 vehicle volumes) and an 85% speed recorded at 50 km/h,
a. During the peak periods and Saturday review, it was recorded that approximately 37% of vehicle traffic is using the route as a short cut between Coal Mine Road or Range Road 253.
B) On Eastgate Way there was an average daily volume of 1,322 vehicles per day (2016 vehicle volumes at the south end of Eastgate Way) and an 85% speed of 45 km/h.
a. During the peak hours and Saturday review, it was recorded that approximately 26% of vehicle traffic is using the route as a short cut between Coal Mine Road or Range Road 253.
In response to these public concerns and the above cited traffic data, a closure was proposed for a small part of Coal Mine Road that would have the effect of eliminating access from either Range Road (RR) 253 or Coal Mine Road into the Erin Ridge communities. North-south movement would be maintained, providing the opportunity for vehicles to travel from RR 253 to Bellerose Drive, which is a major collector intended for larger volumes of traffic. But direct vehicle access from Eastgate Way to either RR 253 or Coal Mine Road would no longer be allowed.
Transportation Analysis
Administration drew upon consulting assistance from Associated Engineering to perform a study consisting of transportation analysis and evaluation of the proposed road closure. This study was in progress but not yet complete when the Coal Mine Road Closure Bylaw received first reading on December 3, 2018. The study was undertaken to understand the potential impacts of closing the short leg of Coal Mine Road between Eastgate Way and Range Road 253, by investigating and modeling the alternate routes that traffic would be anticipated to take, and identifying any potential impacts that would suggest necessary improvements or inform a recommendation either for or against the closure.
The study was conducted through the collection of updated (2018) traffic counts at key intersection locations, inclusive of the following locations:
• Highway 2 and Township Road 544
• Range Road 253 and Township Road 544
• Range Road 253 and Old Coal Mine Road
• Everitt Drive North and Eastview Street North
• Coal Mine Road and Range Road 253
• Bellerose Drive and Coal Mine Road
• Bellerose Drive and Erin Ridge Drive
• Erin Ridge Drive and Eastgate Way
• Erin Ridge Drive and Everitt Drive
• Everitt Drive North and Ebony Way
• Erin Ridge Drive and Ebony Way
The process of evaluation began with site investigations of the intersections and roadways, followed by a review of current traffic patterns (volumes and directional turning movement), and then analysis of where traffic would be expected to travel following the completion of the proposed closure. The scope of work included investigation into whether the closure would result in necessary traffic control upgrades (traffic signals) to any intersections, and additionally, lighting assessments were performed at two key locations - Coal Mine Road at Bellerose Drive, and Highway 2 at Township Road 544.
To summarize Associated Engineering's conclusions:
This proposed road closure improves the neighbourhood safety of the Erin Ridge communities at the local roadway level by eliminating shortcutting through specific local roadways not intended to operate with high volumes of traffic. However, if the closure occurs, traffic will likely shift to Bellerose Drive, and from there, to the collector roadways of the Erin Ridge communities.
Following a closure of Coal Mine Road at the Eastgate Way intersection, a redistribution of approximately 1,300 vehicles per day is anticipated to occur, and the anticipated impacts are:
• Traffic will decrease on Edgewater Terrace North, Eastgate Way North and Eastgate Way.
• There will be an increase of traffic on Bellerose Drive, Erin Ridge Drive, and Ebony Way.
Overall, the Associated Enngineering study concluded that the proposed Coal Mine Road closure, between Eastgate Way North and Range Road 253, is not anticipated to result in any major concerns due to re-routed traffic volumes on evaluated neighbourhood roads, nor does this road closure result in immediate warranted improvements to existing traffic controls at evaluated intersections (no traffic signals are identified to be needed as a result of the closure).
Each intersection was evaluated for potential changes in traffic patterns with the closure of Coal Mine Road, and the resulting impacts due to the volume changes. These impacts are summarized in the attachment to this report entitled: Transportation Impact Summary. It is important to note that, if Council passes the Coal Mine Road closure bylaw, key follow-up actions would include the following:
1) Short Term
a. Implement barriers and signage for the physical closure of the roadway.
b. Monitor all sites that were evaluated for the “pre” closure scenario:
i. Confirm traffic patterns as per anticipated changes
ii. Address sites as needed using updated information
c. Communicate and collaborate with Sturgeon County on site monitoring and analysis
d. Continue Erin Ridge / Erin Ridge North Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Implementation
2) Medium to Long Term
a. Continue and finalize transportation studies and planning work associated with annexation
b. Perform network studies and planning work associated with Neil Ross Road and associated connections
c. Update Network Improvement Strategy and appropriate Project Charters for Transportation Network priorities and investment
STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS OR ENGAGEMENT
In accordance with the provisions of Section 22(2) of the Municipal Government Act (MGA) a proposed road closure bylaw must be advertised. Subsection 22(4) of the MGA also requires that persons claiming to be affected prejudicially by the road closure bylaw, or their agents, be given an opportunity to be heard by the Council. The MGA does not mandate a statutory public hearing process, but since inviting the public to speak at a Council meeting is the most practical way to comply with subsection 22(4) the Council resolved to hold a "non-statutory" public hearing on January 7, 2019. This is the same Council meeting at which the road closure bylaw is scheduled for second and third readings, so the non-statutory public hearing must occur earlier in that Council meeting than consideration of the bylaw itself in order to ensure compliance with MGA 22(4).
The proposed road closure bylaw was circulated on November 14, 2018 to internal and external stakeholders, including the Sturgeon Public School Division, Christ Community Church, and St. Albert Creative Preschool. Please refer to the attachment entitled: Comments for Road Closure Bylaw 1/2019.
Notice of the non-statutory public hearing was given through the City website, and in City Lights advertisements in the St. Albert Gazette on December 22 and 29, 2018 and on January 5, 2019. A notification letter about the non-statutory public hearing was also sent to property owners in the immediate vicinity who may be impacted by the proposed road closure. Please refer to the attachment entitled: Notification Map.
[NOTE: The road closure bylaw is scheduled to come to Council for second and third readings on the same day (January 7, 2019) as amendments to the Traffic Bylaw which, if passed, would reduce speed limits in the immediate vicinity of the road closure and also in some other parts of the City. Several residents have submitted written comments on the road closure (see attached Comments for Road Closure Bylaw 1/2019) and some of those submissions also included comments on the proposed speed limit reduction. Since some residents wish to bring their views on both issues to Council's attention, the City Lights and website advertising for the non-statutory public hearing stated that anyone wishing to speak at the non-statutory public hearing would be able to speak on not just the road closure, but also the speed limit issue.]
IMPLICATIONS OF RECOMMENDATION(S)
Financial:
None at this time; however, pending final approval of the closure, physical barriers and signage will be required for placement in the field to close the existing roadway, at an estimated cost of $2,500. Funding for the road closure would be from the approved 2018 Neighbourhood Traffic Calming program funds.
Legal / Risk:
The proposed Non-Statutory Public Hearing is held to follow Section 22(4) of the MGA which states “Before passing a bylaw closing a road, a person who claims to be affected prejudicially by the bylaw or that person’s agent must be given an opportunity to be heard
by the council.”
Program or Service:
The proposed road closure aligns to the Neighbourhood Traffic Calming program and supports the mitigation of negative residential impacts of short-cutting traffic through local roadways of the communities of Erin Ridge and Erin Ridge North.
Organizational:
None at this time.
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
If Council does not wish to support the recommendation, the following alternatives could be considered:
Alternative 1. Do not approve Bylaw 1/2019. The result would be that the roadway is not closed, and access remains from Coal Mine Road to the communities of Erin Ridge and Erin Ridge North.
Report Date: January 7, 2019
Author(s): Dean Schick & Tracy Tsui
Committee/Department: Engineering/Planning & Development
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer/Chief People Officer: Michelle Bonnici
Chief Administrative Officer: Kevin Scoble