HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO 01-07
Citll 01
REPORT TO
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Report Number: CAO 01-07
Date: January 22, 2007
From:
Thomas J. Quinn
Chief Administrative Officer
001
Subject:
Highway 401 Pedestrian Bridge Project
Status Update and Proposed 2007 Work Program
. File: D 1210-002
Recommendation:
1. That Report to Council CAO 01-07 concerning the Highway 401 Pedestrian
Bridge project be received by Council.
2. That staff be requested to file the Highway 401 Pedestrian Bridge Environmental
Study Report with the Ministry of the Environment.
3. That staff be requested to proceed with the proposed 2007 work program for the
Highway 401 Pedestrian Bridge project as outlined in this Report.
4. That the appropriate City officials be authorized to seek any necessary approvals
and enter into any necessary agreements with the Province, CN Rail, GO-
Transit, Pickering Town Centre / 20 Vic Management or others as may be
required to facilitate the development of this project.
5. That staff be requested to continue working cooperatively with Pickering Town
Centre / 20 Vic Management on coordinating the design and timing of the bridge
and abutting office tower and on marketing and promoting the office tower.
6. That staff be requested to further investigate and report back to Council with
respect to the cost of the Highway 401 Pedestrian Bridge, including any potential
additional funding opportunities, sources or partners.
7. That the construction of the Highway 401 Pedestrian Bridge be undertaken only
in association with the northerly abutting office tower to be constructed by others
on the Pickering Town Centre shopping mall site.
8. That a copy of this Report be forwarded to the Ministry of Transportation, the
Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal, the Region of Durham, C.N. Rail, GO-
Transit, Pickering Town Centre / 20 Vic Management, M.P.P Wayne Arthurs,
M.P. Dan McTeague and M.P. Mark Holland.
Report CAO 01-07
January 22, 2007
Subject: Highway 401 Pedestrian Bridge Project
C02
Page 2
Executive Summary:
This Report provides an update on the Highway 401 Pedestrian Bridge project,
including the environmental assessment and design work that has been completed to
date, an update on the proposed northerly abutting Pickering Town Centre office tower,
and staff's proposed 2007 work program.
The proposed 2007 work program includes completion of the remaining background
investigations, finalizing the bridge design, and obtaining all necessary approvals and
agreements from affected parties, including the Ministry of Transportation, GO-Transit,
CN Rail, and Pickering Town Centre / 20 Vic Management.
The Report also provides an update on estimated construction costs for the bridge.
Costs have risen appreciably since the project was first conceived. Staff are very
concerned about these increased costs, and will report back to Council at a later date
on this matter, including opportunities for costs savings, as well as potential additional
funding opportunities, sources and/or partners.
The Report does not recommend bridge construction at this time. Based on the 2007
work program, and the need to coordinate bridge construction with the development of
the northerly abutting office tower, the City will not be in a position to consider bridge
construction until the spring of 2008 at the earliest. A separate report to Council will be
provided at a later date with respect to the timing of bridge construction.
Financial Implications:
In 2005, Council approved the hiring of Totten Sims Hubicki to commence the required
environmental assessment and design work associated with the Highway 401
Pedestrian Bridge project. To date, approximately $125,000 has been spent of the
$300,000 set aside for design work. The remaining funds (approximately $175,000) are
sufficient to complete the proposed 2007 work program. Accordingly, there are no new
financial implications associated with this Report.
However, for information purposes, it should be noted that total construction costs have
risen appreciably since this project was first proposed a number of years ago.
Construction costs are now estimated to be between $7 and $8 million. More detail on
estimated costs is provided in this Report.
It should also be noted that the provincial Ministry of Transportation remains committed
to providing the City with a grant of up to $1.067 million to assist with the Highway 401
Pedestrian Bridge project. Discussions will continue with the Ministry through 2007,
and a subsequent report to Council will be provided with respect to provincial funding
assistance, as well as any other potential funding partners, sources or opportunities that
may become available.
Report CAO 01-07
(.04Subject: Highway 401 Pedestrian Bridge Project
January 22, 2007
Page 4
Staff is requesting Council's authorization to file the ESR with the Ministry of the
Environment. Once filed, a 30-day review period would follow. During this period,
copies of the ESR would be made available for public review through the Clerk's
Division, at the Central Library and on the City's website.
If no outstanding concerns are brought forward during the review period, the ESR would
be approved, and the City would have up to five years to commence construction. If
construction is not started within five years, the City would have to review the planning
and design of the bridge, and file an addendum to the ESR.
Preferred Bridqe Desiqn
The ESR concluded that the preferred solution for improving non-motorized travel
between the GO-Train station and Pickering's downtown is the construction of a new
pedestrian bridge over Highway 401. Key elements of the preferred design, as outlined
in the ESR, are described below.
. An enclosed "truss-type" bridge span, with concrete deck, glass curtain walls and
metal or membrane roofing, aligned over the existing Highway 401 footings.
. Terminal buildings at both ends of the bridge, accessed by stairs and elevator.
. South terminal building on the GO-Train site between the bus loop and the
platform.
. North terminal building either within the Pickering Parkway road allowance or on
the adjacent Pickering Town Centre (PTC) lands.
. Bridge directly connected to, or integrated with, an office tower to be constructed
by others on the PTC lands.
. Barrier free design incorporating green technologies.
Updated Cost Estimates
A draft Structural Report was prepared by TSH as part of the environmental
assessment work. The Structural Report examined different structural design
alternatives, looked at the costs associated with these alternatives, and recommended
a preferred design.
Three structural alternatives were evaluated: (i) box design, (ii) trapezoidal design and
(iii) arch design. The trapezoidal design was selected as the preferred option because
of its improved aesthetics compared with the less attractive (and slightly cheaper) box
design. The more aesthetic arch design was not selected as it was the most expensive
to construct, and because it would have required a strengthening of the existing
footings within the Highway 401 allowance.
The preferred bridge concept is shown below. Additional detailing and architectural
enhancements will be incorporated through the detailed design phase.
Report CAO 01-07
January 22, 2007
Subject: Highway 401 Pedestrian Bridge Project
C05
Page 5
In terms of cost, the total cost of the project has risen appreciably since it was first
envisioned a number of years ago. TSH now estimates the total cost of the bridge to
be in the $7-8 million range, as shown in the following table.
Component Updated Cost Estimate
Bridge Superstructure $2,350,000
Bridge Foundations $1,170,000
Bridge Architecture $1,650,000
Tower Buildings $860,000
Traffic and Track Control $700,000
Contingencies $1,007,000
TOTAL $7,737,000
--
The initial cost estimate was in the range of $3-4 million. The initial estimate was based
on an earlier bridge concept that was prepared in the 1990s at the time the footings
were designed and placed in the Highway 401 allowance. The earlier design work was
for a much more utilitarian bridge structure than the options now being considered
through the environmental assessment process. This accounts for some of the cost
increases. Other reasons for the increased costs include:
. More detailed design allowing for a more accurate identification of costs for key
structural components.
. Rising labour and construction costs for materials such as steel, concrete and
petroleum based products (costs have risen between 10 and 40 percent over the
past year alone).
. Architectural and other design enhancements including improved and more
extensive glazing, a more architecturally elaborate cross-section, fully enclosed
terminal buildings, and the incorporation of sustainable building materials and
technologies (e.g. solar and/or wind).
. Staging and related costs associated with Highway 401 traffic controls and C.N.
Rail corridor protection measures.
Staff is very concerned about these cost increases given the City's current financial
situation. The bridge project cannot proceed beyond the design phase without the
support and assistance of our partners. In 2007, staff will be investigating potential
Report CAO 01-07
C att,ject: Highway 401 Pedestrian Bridge Project
January 22, 2007
Page 6
additional funding opportunities. As well, through the design process, TSH will be
undertaking a process of Value Engineering to investigate and establish potential areas
of cost efficiencies that could help reduce project costs.
Office Tower Update
Pickering Town Centre and 20 Vic Management (the management company for the
shopping mall) have been kept appraised of the environmental assessment and design
work on the pedestrian bridge. Concerns raised earlier in the process about parking
overflow on the PTC lands have been resolved. The City's ESR now includes a very
clear statement on the City's intention to only build the bridge in association with the
office tower (not in advance of the tower).
"It is the City's intention to coordinate the construction of the bridge with
the construction (by others) of an office tower on the abutting Pickering
Town Centre lands to the north. This coordination will ensure a
seamless transition between the bridge and the office tower, and allow
for the appropriate parking enforcement measures to be put in place to
control unwanted and illegal GO Transit commuter parking on the
Pickering Town Centre lands."
To facilitate the office development, staff have been working closely with Pickering
Town Centre / 20 Vic Management in marketing and promoting the office tower. We
understand that jjBarnicke has been retained as the real estate agents for the office
tower and that a promotional billboard advertising the tower will be erected shortly in the
southerly parking lot facing Highway 401.
Proposed 2007 Work Proqram
The following work program is proposed for 2007.
1. Background Investigations
. Obtain MOE approval of the environmental assessment
. Complete soils investigation and topographic survey work
. Review site utilities information (gas, water sanitary, storm and electricity)
. Confirm GO, MTO and CNR clearance, location and elevation requirements
. Prepare preliminary staging plan for MTO review
2. Detailed Design and Approvals
. Assess options and determine type and extent of green technologies to be
incorporated into the bridge design
Report CAO 01-07
January 22, 2007
G07
Subject: Highway 401 Pedestrian Bridge Project
Page 7
. Prepare drawings and other background information for submission to GO,
MTO, CNR and TRCA, and undertake necessary follow-up work to obtain
agency approvals
. Review design drawings for PTC office tower (when available) to ensure
appropriate integration of bridge and tower
. Enter into any required agreements with PTC and GO to allow construction of
north and south terminal buildings
. Prepare final design drawings and cost estimates
Based on this work program, the City will not be in a position to consider bridge
construction until the spring of 2008 at the earliest, subject to available funding. Timing
of construction would also be dependent on the receipt of all necessary approvals and
agreements, and the timing of construction of the northerly abutting office tower.
Prepared By:
Approved I Endorsed By:
Tomas J. Quinn
Chief Administrative Officer
-
Thomas Me ymu
Division Head (
Corporate Projects & Policy
TM
Recommended for the consideration of
Pickering City g9ldncil
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