In response to traffic congestion on St Clair Avenue West around Keele Street and Old Weston Road, City Council has directed staff to carry out an Environmental Assessment (EA) Study of the St. Clair Avenue / Rail Crossing between Keele Street and Old Weston Road. This project will investigate solutions to the traffic concerns in this area

1. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail CrossingSt. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing
Environmental Assessment StudyEnvironmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014

2. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 2
In 2012, City Council directed staff to:
“Initiate and carry out an Environmental
Assessment (EA) Study of the St. Clair Avenue /
Rail Crossing between Keele Street and Old
Weston Road”
Background

3. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 3
What is an EA and why is one required?
• Under the Provincial Environmental Assessment Act, it’s a
process that ensures good planning by determining and
managing the potential effects of a project prior to
implementation.
• The process ensures that public concerns are heard.
• The process balances the economic, social, cultural and
natural environmental needs.
• Schedule C projects are large-scale, complex projects that
have the potential for significant environmental effects:
– new roads or road extensions
– new bridges and rehabilitation of bridges
– interchanges and grade separations
Background

4. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 4
Background

5. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 5
This study, which we have identified as a Functional Planning
Study, represents the first phase of the Environmental
Assessment (EA) Process.
Project objectives:
•Identify the existing constraints, problems and issues in the
study area.
•Identify short-term and long-term solutions that can improve
vehicular operations along St. Clair Avenue West between Keele
Street and Old Weston Road.
•Develop functional designs and cost estimates for the
alternatives
•Short-list improvements that the City can implement (with or
without an EA Study).
Project Objectives

6. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 6
The Functional Planning Study looks at the
feasibility of alternatives in order to reduce the scope
of the subsequent phases of the Environmental
Assessment (EA) Study.
Functional Planning Study Schedule:
•Existing Conditions Review – Dec 2013 to 2014
•Develop and Assess of Alternatives – Late 2014
•Correspondence with stakeholders – On-going
•Functional Planning study Completion - Mar 2015
Study Process
1) Functional Planning Study
(1.5 Years)
2) Environmental Assessment
( 1.5 Years)
3) Preliminary Design
(1 Year)
4) Property Acquisition
(Concurrent)
5) Detailed Design
(1 Year)
6) Construction
(3-5+ Years)
WE ARE HERE

7. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 7
Study AreaStudy Area
Rail underpass constructed in 1931-32Rail underpass constructed in 1931-32
St. Clair streetcar constructed in dedicated
right-of-way in 2010
St. Clair streetcar constructed in dedicated
right-of-way in 2010
Project Location and Background
Junction Road crossing closed intermittently
between 2012 and 2014 for rail-rail grade
separation project
Junction Road crossing closed intermittently
between 2012 and 2014 for rail-rail grade
separation project

8. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 8
Existing Conditions
There are three (3) main
travel flow patterns in
the area:
a)East and west along St.
Clair Avenue West
b)Northwest and
southeast.
c)Northeast and
southwest
Travel is constrained by
the limited number of
crossings provided over
the various rail corridors.
There are three (3) main
travel flow patterns in
the area:
a)East and west along St.
Clair Avenue West
b)Northwest and
southeast.
c)Northeast and
southwest
Travel is constrained by
the limited number of
crossings provided over
the various rail corridors.
To Keele

9. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 9
Existing Conditions
There are three (3) main
travel flow patterns in
the area:
a)East and west along St.
Clair Avenue West
b)Northwest and
southeast.
c)Northeast and
southwest
Travel is constrained by
the limited number of
crossings provided over
the various rail corridors.
There are three (3) main
travel flow patterns in
the area:
a)East and west along St.
Clair Avenue West
b)Northwest and
southeast.
c)Northeast and
southwest
Travel is constrained by
the limited number of
crossings provided over
the various rail corridors.
To Keele

10. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 10
To Keele Existing Conditions
There are three (3) main
travel flow patterns in
the area:
a)East and west along St.
Clair Avenue West
b)Northwest and
southeast.
c)Northeast and
southwest
Travel is constrained by
the limited number of
crossings provided over
the various rail corridors.
There are three (3) main
travel flow patterns in
the area:
a)East and west along St.
Clair Avenue West
b)Northwest and
southeast.
c)Northeast and
southwest
Travel is constrained by
the limited number of
crossings provided over
the various rail corridors.
Study network requires new links and
connections to remove unnecessary
traffic flows from St. Clair Avenue West.
Study network requires new links and
connections to remove unnecessary
traffic flows from St. Clair Avenue West.

11. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 11
What types of alternatives will the Functional Planning Study
evaluate?
•Shared Use of Transit Lanes
•Extension of Turn Lanes
•Widen St. Clair Avenue West at Underpass
• Replace existing underpass with a wider bridge
• Additional underpass on the south side of St. Clair Avenue West
• New overpass to replace underpass adjacent to south side of St. Clair
•Additional Crossing of Rail Corridor North of St. Clair Avenue West
•Additional Crossing of Rail Corridor South of St. Clair Avenue West
•Extension of Keele Street to the south
• To new rail corridor crossing north of St. Clair Avenue West
• To Davenport Road
Functional Planning Study

12. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 12
Alternatives to be Considered
The streetcar lane would
be opened to general
traffic between Old Weston
Road and Keele Street
during part or all of the
day.
Shared Transit
Lanes
Shared Transit
Lanes
Shared Transit Lanes
(example from King Street West)
Dedicated Streetcar Lanes

13. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 13
Alternatives to be Considered (cont.)
This involves providing a
receiving lane for the
westbound movement at
the intersection of Old
Weston Road and St. Clair
Avenue West .
This may require relocation
of the westbound streetcar
stop at Old Weston Road.
This can be implemented in
combination with other
alternatives.
Extension to Turn LanesExtension to Turn Lanes
Retail

14. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 14
This involves replacing the
St. Clair West underpass
between Weston Road /
Keele Street and Old
Weston Road with a wider
structure or adding a new
span to the south to
provide one additional
traffic lane in each
direction.
This allows for additional
east-west vehicle queue
storage between
intersections. Any new
underpass structure will
need to accommodate new
vertical and horizontal
clearance requirements.
A dedicated streetcar ROW
would be maintained.
Widen St. Clair
Avenue at
Underpass
Widen St. Clair
Avenue at
Underpass
Alternatives to be Considered (cont.)
Replace existing underpass with wider structure
New structure south of St. Clair Avenue West
New St. Clair
Avenue Overpass
New St. Clair
Avenue Overpass
This involves replacing the
St. Clair underpass with a
new overpass to the south
of St. Clair Ave West
A dedicated streetcar ROW
would be maintained.

15. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 15
Alternatives to be Considered (cont.)
An easterly extension of
Gunns Road across the rail
corridor to Union Street
and/or Old Weston Road
can provide an alternate
east-west travel route in
the area thereby relieving
demand on St. Clair Avenue
at the rail corridor.
Rail Crossing North
of St. Clair
(Gunns Road)
Rail Crossing North
of St. Clair
(Gunns Road)

16. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 16
Alternatives to be Considered (cont.)
A westerly extension of
Davenport Road across the
rail corridor to Keele Street
can provide an alternate
east-west travel route in
the area thereby relieving
demand on St. Clair Avenue
at the rail corridor.
Rail Crossing South
of St. Clair
(Davenport Road)
Rail Crossing South
of St. Clair
(Davenport Road)

17. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 17
Alternatives to be Considered (cont.)
A southerly extension of
Keele Street to Union
Street and/or the Gunns
Road extension can provide
an alternate north-south
travel route in the area.
This would allow for
additional route choice for
crossing through the area.
This alternative can be
combined with a full or
partial extension of Gunns
Road to improve network
connectivity north of St.
Clair Avenue.
Keele Extension
(to Gunns Road)
Keele Extension
(to Gunns Road)

18. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 18
Alternatives to be Considered (cont.)
Keele Extension
(to Davenport Road)
Keele Extension
(to Davenport Road)
An extension of Keele
Street to connect with
Davenport Road via a new
overpass structure for auto
traffic over St. Clair Avenue
West.
This alternative allows
north-south traffic to avoid
St. Clair Avenue entirely.
This alternative can be
combined with the Gunns
Road extension and/or the
Davenport Road extension
alternatives.
Keele Extension over St. Clair Avenue West

19. LEA Consulting Ltd.
St. Clair Avenue West / Rail Crossing – Environmental Assessment Study
Status Update December 2, 2014 19
Between now and March 2015, the study team will:
•Assess alternatives to determine the technical feasibility, outline
the design constraints, develop cost estimates, and identify
required approvals and property requirements associated with
each alternative
•Shortlist alternatives to take forward into the subsequent
phases of the Environmental Assessment Study
Next Steps