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Home My WebLink AboutOPS 02-22 Report to Council Report Number: OPS 02-22 Date: February 28, 2022 From: Brian Duffield Director, Operations Subject: Winter Maintenance on Frenchman’s Bay Lake Ontario Waterfront -File: A-1440 Recommendation: 1.That Report OPS 02-22 from the Director, Operations regarding winter maintenance on Frenchman’s Bay Lake Ontario Waterfront be received for information; and, 2.That the appropriate City of Pickering officials be authorized to take the necessary actions as indicated in this report. Executive Summary: As per Council Resolution #800/22, #801/22, and #802/22, Public Works’ staff were directed through the Office of the CAO to investigate, as a pilot project, immediate short-term measures pertaining to winter maintenance of the section of the waterfront trail from Millennium Square to the spit (East Shore of Frenchman’s Bay) and the paved path and gravel roadway to the spit (West Shore of Frenchman’s Bay). Public Works’ staff initiated a pilot project to establish the feasibility of providing safe pedestrian access along the lakeshore gravel roadways in winter. The pilot project began on February 1, 2022 on the section of gravel roadway from the end of the asphalt section of Beachpoint Promenade to the east end of the spit near the west harbour entrance. The pilot project is ongoing and needs additional snow falls and freeze thaw cycles to provide sufficient information to allow proof of concept; however, from the activities of staff to date it would appear that winter control consisting of road base repairs, plowing with a one tonne truck, and the application of sand, can provide an acceptable pathway for pedestrians. Financial Implications: The February pilot for Beachpoint Promenade has been performed using exiting staff and equipment. Maintenance of the road bed is work that is budgeted and usually scheduled as routine spring maintenance, after the winter control season. Due to the significant road base repairs needed on Sand Bar Road, this work has been deferred to the spring, and again this is budgeted and scheduled as routine spring maintenance. At this time, staff are proceeding with the use of sand to treat the plowed gravel road. We will have further discussion with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and should we need to consider the use of a de-icer, we will add this cost to the 2023 Current Budget submission. Staff are recommending that service to these two roadways is provided after regulatory roads winter control operations have been completed. These two sections are not on the designated OPS 02-22 February 28, 2022 Subject: Winter Maintenance on Frenchman’s Bay Lake Ontario Waterfront Page 2 Waterfront Trail and priority should be given to the trail sections. No additional equipment of staff will be needed to add this service to the winter control program. Discussion: On February 1, 2022, Public Works’ staff began a pilot project to test the effectiveness of winter maintenance of the gravel roadway from Beachfront Promenade to the end of the spit (West Shore of Frenchman’s Bay). Staff initially used a front end loader to remove the excessive snow that had accumulated from the heavy storm event on January 17, 2022. Once removed, regular maintenance was achieved using a one tonne plow truck. After the removal of the snow, staff had to perform significant pothole maintenance on the road base that had many soft spots. This should, in future, be performed annually in October, in preparation of winter control activities and to ensure the road base can withstand plowing activities. Staff used sand from a truck mounted spreader to treat the plowed surface and provide improved traction for pedestrian traffic. To date, the gravel roadway has been regularly inspected and was plowed and sanded three times due to icy conditions as a result of freeze/thaw temperatures. There has not been any significant snowfalls in February and most of the activity has been limited to sanding without the need to plow any new snowfall. The gravel roadway portion of the spit on the west side of Frenchman’s Bay is on land that is owned by TRCA and is maintained by the City under a management agreement with TRCA. Due to the environmental sensitivity of this location, only sand will be used to treat the surface of the roadway. From initial discussion with TRCA, we believe that the use of pickled sand may be acceptable due to its very low salt content of 6 percent. To date, we have , used regular sand and will investigate further and seek TRCA’s approval on means and methods before the 2022/2023 winter season. Public Works’ staff recommend adding the section of gravel roadway from Beachfront Promenade to the end of the spit (West Shore of Frenchman’s Bay) to the existing small truck plow route with the use of sand for traction on the gravel roadway. This will require a separate service for sanding as the existing small truck route is set up for plowing and salting of the paved roadway. Public Works’ staff inspected the gravel roadway section (also known as Sandbar Road), from Millennium Square to the end of the spit (East Shore of Frenchman’s Bay) and determined that the roadway would require extensive repairs to be brought up to a suitable condition for pedestrian winter use. The existing road base is not of the same standard as the west side and is also subject to regular heavy vehicle traffic, servicing the commercial business operations at the east harbour entrance, which causes significant degradation of the road base. Extensive repairs would be required in order to start winter control and it was determined that undertaking these repairs is not feasible at this time of year. As such, the pilot project has been limited to the west spit only. In the spring, staff can assess the degradation and scope of repairs or improvements needed to include the east spit section in the winter control program for 2022/2023. OPS 02-22 February 28, 2022 Subject: Winter Maintenance on Frenchman’s Bay Lake Ontario Waterfront Page 3 In summary, Pubic Work’s staff are confident that winter control can be performed successfully using small truck equipment and sand, if the road base can be brought up to a suitable standard and maintained in advance of winter. Staff will have to confirm our intentions with TRCA, review signage, and notify our insurance provider of this change to our scope of winter control. This can take place over the summer and staff will report back to Council regarding the inclusion of these sections in the 2022/2023 winter control program. Attachments: 1.Council Resolution #800/22, #801/22, and #802/22 2.Winter Maintenance Map 3.Winter Maintenance Before and After Photographs Prepared By: Approved/Endorsed By: Original Signed By: Original Signed By: Brian Duffield Stan Karwowski, MBA, CPA, CMA Director, Operations Director, Finance & Treasure BD:nm Recommended for the consideration of Pickering City Council Marisa Carpino, M.A. Chief Administrative Officer Original Signed By: Legislative Services Division Clerk’s Office Directive Memorandum February 1, 2022 To: Brian Duffield Director, Operations From: Susan Cassel City Clerk Subject: Direction as per Minutes of the Meeting of City Council held on January 24, 2022 Winter Maintenance on Frenchman’s Bay/Lake Ontario Waterfront Council Decision Resolution #800/22, #801/22, #802/22 1.That staff be directed through the Office of the CAO to investigate, as a pilot project, immediate short-term measures pertaining to winter maintenance of the section of the Waterfront Trail from Millennium Square to the spit (East Shore of Frenchman’s Bay) and the paved path and gravel roadway to the spit (West Shore of Frenchman’s Bay), in a manner that will not compromise the environment, consistent with the requirements of the TRCA and best practices of other waterfront municipalities across the GTHA, and that Staff report back to Council by the February 28, 2022 Council meeting; and, 2.That staff be directed through the Office of the CAO to incorporate into the planning and construction of all future infrastructure along the Waterfront Trail, measures that will achieve full seasonal accessible use, but not limited to the construction of the approved permanent washrooms on both the east and west sides of the Frenchman’s Bay and all proposed reconstructions of the Waterfront Trail system. Please take any action deemed necessary. Susan Cassel Copy: Chief Administrative Officer Attachment 1 to Report OPS 02-22 FRENCHMAN’S BAY 832m GRAVEL SURFACE 450m GRAVEL SURFACE SQUARE TURNAROUND GATE ASPHALT & CURRENTLY MAINTAINED AS A CLASS 6 ROADWAY LAKE ONTARIO MILLENNIUM WINTER MAINTENANCE MAP PROPOSED MAINTENANCE PROPOSED MAINTENANCE Attachment 2 to Report OPS 02-22 Winter Maintenance Before and After Photographs Attachment 3 to Report OPS 02-22