Edmonton (alta ) 1982 transportation systems plan the transportation planning and implementation pro

5235

NSPORTATION G AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS IN EDMONTON T02012989/MAR

TRANSPLAN, EDMONTON -TRANSPORTA

IS R-07-81

Irransplan TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PLAN

4020a .E3 . E386 1982e

' 14,11ift

eirritonfon

TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS DESIGN

86T 686Z OZOI

J

TSR/07/81

TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PLAN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS IN EDMONTON SEPTEMBER, 1981 REVISED OCTOBER 28, 1981 REVISED MARCH 31, 1982

QTY O

TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS DESIGN

TSR/07/81: TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PLAN THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS IN EDMONTON

The Transportation System Plan consists of the following six reports:

TSR/02/81 Transportation System Plan:

Summary

TSR/03/81 Transportation System Plan:

Assessment of Future Demand

TSR/04/81 Transportation System Plan:

Development of Alternative Strategies

TSR/05/81 Transportation System Plan:

Assessment of Alternative Strategies

TSR/06/81 Transportation System Plan:

The Recommended Strategy

TSR/07/81 Transportation System Plan:

The Transportation Planning and Implementation Process in Edmonton

These reports were prepared in order to meet the requirements of the City Transportation Act 1970 and constitute the "comprehensive transportation study report" required by the Act.

This series of reports was received as information by City Council as the "comprehensive transportation study report(s)" required by the City Transportation Act, 11 May 1982.

These documents were used as the basis for the development of the "Transportation System Bylaw 6707", as required by the Act.

Finally, the Recommended Strategy was used as the basis for amendments to the "General Municipal Plan Bylaw 6000".

June, 1982

R.A. Heise, P. Eng. General Manager TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS DESIGN

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION

1.0 SUMMARY

PAGE

1

1.1 PHASES OF PLANNING PROCESS

1

1.2 PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROCESS

6

1.3 STEPS IN PROCESS

9

1.4 KEEPING THE PLAN AND PROGRAM CURRENT

10

1.5 IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE

11

1.6 SYNOPSIS

13

2.0 INTRODUCTION

14

2.1 TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS: AN OVERVIEW

14

2.2 SCOPE OF TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS

14

2.3 PHASES IN THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

15

2.4 GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES

21

2.5 LONG RANGE PLANNING PROCESS

22

2.6 TEN YEAR PLAN AND PROGRAM

25

2.7 FIVE YEAR PROGRAM

28

2.8 FUNCTIONAL PLANNING

30

2.9 DETAILED DESIGN

35

2.10 SYSTEM MONITORING

38

3.0 PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS: RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

43

3.1 SCOPE OF PARTICIPATION

43

3.2 ROLE OF CITY ADMINISTRATION

43

3.3 ROLE OF CITY COUNCIL

47

3.4 ROLE OF THE PUBLIC

48

3.5- ROLE OF ALBERTA TRANSPORTATION

49

4.0 DESCRIPTION OF STEPS IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

50

4.1 STEPS IN GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES

50

4.2 STEPS IN LONG RANGE PLANNING PHASE

52

4.3 TEN YEAR PLAN AND PROGRAM

53

4.4 FIVE YEAR PROGRAM

54

4.5 FUNCTIONAL PLANNING

55

PAGE 4.6 DETAILED DESIGN

57

4.7 CONSTRUCTION

58

4.8 SYSTEM MONITORING

59

5.0 IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS FOR MAJOR TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES

61

5.1 OVERALL SCHEDULE

61

5.2 IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS BY YEAR

63

6.0 CONCLUSION

67

LIST OF EXHIBITS

PAGE 1.1

Products of Each Phase

3

1.2

Approval Process for Major Transportation Proposals

5

1.3

Generalized Transportation Planning and Implementation Process in Edmonton

8

1.4

Implementation Schedule for Major Roadway Projects

12

2.1

Products of Each Phase

16

2.2

Summary Description of Phases of Transportation Plan Process

18

2.3

Goals, Objectives and Policies

20

2.4

Long Range Planning Process

23

2.5

Ten Year Plan and Program

26

2.6

Five Year Program

29

2.7

Functional Planning

31

2.8

Detailed Design

34

2.9

Traffic Monitoring

39

2.10

Land Use and Development Monitoring

41

3.1

Generalized Approval Process

45

4.1

Generalized Transportation Planning and Implementation Process in Edmonton

51

5.1

Implementation Schedule for Major Roadway Projects

62

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS IN EDMONTON

1.0 SUMMARY

This report describes the process of planning and implementing major transportation facilities in the City of Edmonton. It is one of a series of six documents supporting the Transportation System Bylaw.

1.1 PHASES OF PLANNING PROCESS

Planning and implementation of roads and transit services involve many phases, participation of several agencies and interest groups, and a planning time horizon of up to 20-25 years.

The preparation of the Transportation System Bylaw is required by provincial legislation, under the City Transportation Act,(1970). This Act specifies that City Council shall adopt by bylaw a transportation system, based on a comprehensive transportation study.

The comprehensive transportation study will be kept current to keep abreast of changes, technology, political and financial conditions which will impact the long range transportation requirements. Changes would be reflected in amendments to the Transportation System Bylaw as necessary.

The Transportation System Bylaw relates to the major transportation facilities under the jurisdiction of the City, and includes: s Major Roadways (arterials, expressways). •LRT lines (major transit facilities).

Specification of the location and timing of local roads and collector roads, is not considered as part of the Transportation System Bylaw. Rather, these facilities are generally designed and constructed by developers, in con-

2

junctional with various City Departments. Bus routing is designed by Edmonton Transit at the time Area Structure Plans are prepared. Bus service is implemented when the roads are built and the population warrants the introduction of transit service.

As shown in Exhibit 1.1, the phases in the transportation planning and implementation process cover a complete spectrum of time and detail, ranging from establishment of goals and objectives and long range planning to cover a period of up to 20-25 years, to short term detail design/construction for projects to be implemented in 1-2 years hence. As shown in the exhibit, the planning process is sequential, where each preceding phase presents a longer term frame work within which each succeeding phase must correspond. The underlying intent of the transportation planning and implementation process is to provide a flexible framework within which the incremental development of the transportation system can proceed in a manner which is reflective of the current goals, objectives and policies of the City. Another important aspect to note is that all phases of the transportation planning and implementation process are always ongoing.

The purpose of each phase in the transportation planning and implementation process is outlined below:

s Goals Objectives and Policies: This phase establishes, in conjunction with City Council and the public, the transportation goals and objectives which are consistent with the General Municipal Plan, and form the basis for developing the long range transportation plan. s Long Range Transportation Plan: The long range transportation plan, which forms the basis of the Transportation System Bylaw, establishes the transportation policies supporting the General Municpal Plan, presents the overall transportation concept for major roads and . transit services, and defines the overall investment strategy for transportation facilities in the City. The importance of this phase is the emphasis on strategic planning. s Ten Year Plan and Program: This phase defines the facilities to be constructed in the next 10 years and lays out the basic program priorities. This plan and program provides input to the development of the five year program.

3

Exhibit 1.1: Products of Each Phase

1. Goals, Objectives and Policies (General Municipal Plan)

2. Long Range Planning, Transportation System Plan and Transportation System Bylaw

3. Ten Year Plan & Program

4. Five Year Program Year Facility From To Capital Cost LUALIAAA t...k.A.A_A ClAA. 4 All ./ Lkn. lAAA

uktm.

4.61A_ 14/..t, tJdIJAAIALAA tkAAAA,

1.1A.n.. 1AAAAA

tk,AA_ tAAAA...

UAALAA,.. ULUA, JAAAuUA-4..

U.AAJLAAA. UAAAA UA AA,- 1.1AAIAA., RWMA • WAA., LU . VIAAA

(IAA.

4.14

(

ULM, 4 1,A, tkAAA_

5. Functional Planning

6. Detailed Design

7. Construction

8. System Monitoring

LAA.4.4 UlAAA4 .

'AAA_ &LAO. lktm.A.

0

•Five Year Program: This phase includes the priorization of all roadway and transit capital works over the next five years and indicates preliminary budget estimates. The result of this phase is input into the development of the Local Policy Plan.

41 Functional Planning: This phase involves the definition of the functional feasibility (technical, economic, environmental, social) of the transportation facilities. Functional plans define the right of way requirements that are to be protected in conjunction with land use and development plans under the legislative controls of the Planning Act (1977) and the City Transportation Act (1970). e Detailed Design: This phase results in the detail plan and profile designs of the facilities, sufficient for capital budgeting, tendering and construction. •Construction: This phase involves the actual implementation of the roadway or transit facility, which includes the construction work carried out by the City and contracts for major facilities (possibly constructed by the developer, as well), site inspection during and after construction, and recording of "as-built" dimensions of the facilities. •System Monitoring: There are two distinct aspects of this phase. The first aspect is an ongoing process of monitoring the performance of the transportation system and the travel behavior patterns of the City's residents, and surrounding communities as a basis for up-dating plans, programs and the planning process. Another important part of this aspect is operational review and planning including such things as signal timings, progressions, bus routings, one way streets and intersection improvements. The second aspect entails the detailed technical review of all land use and development circulations (area structure plans through to development permits), to ensure the protection of the physical, operational and legal integrity of the transportation system.

5 Exhibit 1.2: Approval Process for Major Transportation Proposals

Public

City Council

Alberta Transportation

Commission Board

Utilities & Engineering Committee

Transportation System Management Committee

Municipal Planning Commission Technical Advisory Committee Interdepartmental Transportation Committee

Functional Plan Review Committee

Engineering Department

Technical Review Committee

0

("I -a 1 <I

Engineering & Transportation Technical Committee

Transportation System Design Department

Planning Department

Edmonton Transit

Operational Coordination Committee

6

1.2 PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROCESS

As shown in Exhibit 1.2, the participants in the transportation planning and implementation process include several agencies and Departments of the City.

Within the City Adtinistration, the primary responsibility for the preparation of Goals, Objectives and Policies, the Long Range Plan, the Ten Year Plan and Program, Functional Planning and System Monitoring rests with the Transportation System Design Department with input from the Engineering, Edmonton Transit and Planning Departments. The implementation of the transportation plans, including preparation of the Five Year Program, preparation of Design, and supervision of Construction are the responsibility of the Engineering Department for roads, and the Transit Departtent for transit facilities and services.

The Planning Department is responsible for the preparation, up-dating monitoring and implenetation of the General Municipal Plan, Area Structure Plans, Neighbourhood Structure Plans, District Plans, and Area Redevelopment Plans. This information is used in the phases of the Transportation Planning and Implementation Process. Other City Departments, such as Parks and Recreation Department and Edmonton Social Services, provide inputs in the form of reaction and advice regarding transportation proposals. With respect to the Parks and Recreation Department they play an important part in the process particularly when proposals involve River Valley crossings and environmentally sensitive areas.

Three major committees comprising representatives of_the Transportation System Design Department, Engineering Department and Edmonton Transit, ensure coordination between the various transportation plans and land use plans.

7

These committees are: the Functional Plan Review Committee to ensure feasibility of the functional plans; the Engineering Transportation Technical Committee to ensure the protection of the physical and operational integrity of the transportation facilities in conjunction with land use and development; and the Operational Coordination Committee which coordinates the minor miscellaneous construction programs and research and development priorities.

The Interdepartmental Transportation Committee, established by the Municipal Planning Commission, compris?'d of the branch managers of the involved departments, is responsible for ensuring that the transportation proposals are consistent with overall City Policies.

The Technical Review Committee, established by the Municipal Planning Commission,is responsible for resolving conflicts of land use proposals which includes transportation. Meetings are only held as required and conflict proposals are reviewed prior to submission to the Municipal Planning Commission.

The Municipal Planning Commission, and its sub-committee the Technical Advisory Committee, receives the major transportation proposals from the Interdepartmental Transportation Committee. This Committee consists of all the members of the MPC excluding the citizen at-large members. Further input is received as to whether programs are consistent with overall City Policies.

The Transportation System Management Committee consists of the Commissioner of Public Affairs, the General Managers of Edmonton Transit, Transportation System Design Department, Engineering Department and the General Manager of the Planning Department in an advisory capacity. It is responsible for reviewing transportation policy.

The Commission Board is responsible for relating the proposal and programs to the management policies in effect in the City Administration, relating these proposals to the capital and operating budgets aid ensuring City Council's policies are carried out.

OD

Exhibit 1.3: Generalized Transportation Planning & Implementation Process in Edmonton Cycle

Phase

Monitoring of Built Infrastructure

Goals Objectives & Policies

Information

Public Meetings

Long Range Planning

Ten Year Plan & Program

Monitoring Construction/ Implementation of Built Infrastructure

Design

Functional Planning

Five Year Program

Participants

Public

.

Interim Repo is Information

City Council

Public Hearings

Information

A.

Approval

Work Shops

e

Intormation

Information

Approval

.

\

ECM. Affairs Committee

Approval

Econ. Athens Committee

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 0-

City Administration

Traffic & Land Development Monitoring

Preliminary Goals &

Objectives

Develop Long Range Plan

10

14

I Bylaw

1 Informalion

A

Information

Information

.

k - a-- \,

0 \

1&2 Readings

InIon-nation

1111)111

A

1

Public

Utilities ti Engineering Co ninitlee

Council Amin val

Apo, nal

Appi oval 35

0 Econ Affairs Committee

Approval

Econ Allans Committee

C ity Council

Inter ifil Reports Information

A

Fcon Affairs COnin Mee

CO

ED

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;0 Develop 10 year Plan & Program

Deve op 5 yea Prom fun

110

Develm limner) nil PlanninJ Program Bildgol

Functional Platinum Studies ' 0

Deve op Desir ii Piog ant & Budget

7

0

0

Design '

0,

Construction Budget

Land

0

Acquisition 32

_ Build 01

i

Traffic & Land Development Monitoring

CCC 0

F AC As built

Provincial Government

Approval of L-G in Council

Approval

Cost-Sharing

Apploval no

Phase Duration

On-Going

6-12 mos.

2-3 yrs

6-9 mos.

Phase Frequency

Continuously

Every 5 yrs.

Every 5 yrs.

Every 2 yrs

Annually

CosiSharing

Approval

o

CostSliming

0

2-3 inns

3-9 rims

2-3 mos.

3-9 1110S

2-3 mos

2-4 yrs

Ongoing

Continuously

Continuously

Corninuously

Continuously

Continuously

Continuously

Continuously

'Discussions are currently being held to finalize the approval process of functional plans by Alberta Transportation.

9

City Council is responsible for approving transportation proposals from the Commission Board. For example, in the case of the Transportation System Bylaw, City Council reads the bylaw in line with statutory requirements.

In the case of other transportation proposals, City Council provides approval through Council resolution or other appropriate mechanism. In some instances City Council may refer the proposal to the Utilities and Engineering Committee for detailed review and potentially for further public input prior to dealing with the proposal.

Transportation proposals are discussed with the public prior to receiving City Council endorsement, when it is made available to the public for review either through a formal public hearing process, or less formal information items.

Alberta Transportation plays a role at general stages of this process.

Alberta Transportation reviews the Transportation System Bylaw for compliance with Alberta Regulation 301 /80 and makes appropriate recommendations to the Minster of Transportation, before submission to the Lieutenant Governor in Council for approval; reviews and agrees in general with the City's Ten Year Plan and Program; approves the contents and recommendations of functional planning studies; and administers UTAP, the Urban Transportation Assistance Program, which not only lays out the policy through which programs are funded, but the dollar amounts allocated.

1.3 STEPS IN PROCESS Exhibit 1.3 presents the many steps, phases and participants involved in planning and implementing the transportation facilities, ranging from the development of Goals and Objectives through to the Design and Construction of the facility. It should be noted that the process starts with the existing transportation system and often having gone through these above phases, the process ends up with the existing transportation system plus the modification. The steps have

10

been identified sequentially, starting in most cases with the initial proposal developed by the Transportation System Design Department, and then evolving through the process of review and approval with other City Departments, City Council, the public and Alberta Transportation.

The exhibit indicates that the longer range functions are carried out every five years, while the Five and Ten Year Programs, Functional Planning and Design Work are carried out on an annual basis. The exhibit also indicates the lead time required to carry out the respective phases.

It is seen in the exhibit that the transportation planning and implementation process is an ongoing process involving re-cycling through the phases of monitoring of the transportation system, development of Goals and Objectives and Long Range Plan, development of Ten and Five Year Programs, Functional Planning, Design, Construction and Monitoring of the built transportation system.

1.4 KEEPING THE PLAN AND PROGRAM CURRENT

Since the Long Range Planning Process is repeated every three to five years, and the shorter term programming, functional planning and design are carried out on an ongoing basis, a system of continually monitoi'ing system performance and travel behaviauris required to make sure that the plans and programs reflect current needs and travel behaviour.

Current information regarding travel behavior and performance of the system are obtained by a continuous process of traffic counts and turning movements at major intersections, transportation user surveys, inventory of road and transit facilAties, and review of the annual civic census. Every five years, the Traffic Monitoring Program includes a survey of home-based origin-destination travel demands to monitor travel behaviour patterns by socio-economic group, and to determine how these may vary over time.

11

Finally, the process of up-dating the plans and programs on a regular basis involves up-dating the transportation forecasting model with most recent travel behavior and land use information, and using this model to forecast -future travel demand in reviewing the various transportation systems proposals. Major up-dates are initiated in the year in which the census is taken.

1.5 IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE:

In order to appreciate the lead time required to plan, design and construct major transportation facilities, Exhibit 1.4 demonstrates the approximate time requirements of each of these phases, from the functional planning stage through to completion of construction. It should be emphasized that this exhibit pertains to major roadway proposals and many other roadway and transit proposals are planned and implemented in a shorter time frame.

The following is a summary, year by year, of the implementation schedule: oYear 1 - Up-date five year program; select facilities for functional planning. *Year 2 - Complete functional planning and carry out preliminary design to determine right-of-way. *Year 3 - Survey right-of-way and acquire land, and appoint staff/ consultants to carry out design work. *Year 4 - Prepare underground and structural design work, and preliminary geometric design work, followed by detailed geometric design work, and obtain appropriate crossing permits. *Year 5 - Estimate quantities, prepare tender, award contract and carry out grading and underground construction. .Year 6 - Carry out roadway pavement, and issue Construction Completion Certificate. *Year 7-8 - Issue Final Acceptance Certificate.

Exhibit 1.4: Implementation Schedule for Major Roadway Projects

Year 1 Five Year Plan -4 l

Year 2

Year 6

Year 5

Year 4

Year 3

Year 7

To Public Hearing Functional Planning

t Preliminary Design For R.O.W. Limits 1-4 IP,. 41 (If Required)

Right-of-Way Acquisition (Max. 2 Years) )

U ility Design 14â&#x20AC;&#x201D;* Storm Sewer Design

)

Utility Relocations and U/G Conshuction Storm Sewer Construction

Appoint Structural Consultant l.-4 -4Appoint Geometric Consultant I -4--1.Preliminary Preliminary Survey, Geometric Pipeline Locating, Design l -4 1,- ( 4 Soil Testing I Prepare Crossing 4 /. -4 Permit Applications

Structural Design

)

Quan ities "alculatect Cons ruction Coot acts 1.- 4 I. I Prepared, Tendered & Awarded Obtain Pipeline, Railway Crossing, and Alberta Environment Permits Detailed Geometric Design

Grading,

I, -4-

Struct Jral, Roadway Paving Maintenace Period 1-2 Yrs. ).1 4

/ Cons ruction Corn' lotion Certificate

I' Final Acceptance Certificate

13

1.6 SYNOPSIS

The transportation planning and implementation process involves many phases and steps, many disciplines and several agencies and departments in the approval process. It is a continuous process of refining and defining more precisely the long range transportation proposals as the need for these facilities becomes closer in time. Each step in the process of refinement and more precise definition involves a rigorous process of analysis, approval and scrutiny.

The complexity of the steps in the process and the involvement of several agencies and the public requires that the process be continuous, and that sufficient lead time is allowed to carry out the required analysis and evaluation. In this manner, an effective and publicly acceptable transportation system, supporting the other objectives of the City, may be maintained.

14

2.0 INTRODUCTION

The following sections of this report present in greater detail a discussion of the planning and implementation process in Edmonton. Section 2 presents a description of each of the planning and implementation phases, indicating the purpose of interrelationships of the various participants.

Section 3 discusses in greater detail the role of the various participants in the process. Section 4 presents a description of the detailed steps in the process.

Finally, Section 5 presents a description of the steps in the implementation schedule.

2.1 TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS: AN OVERVIEW

The transportation planning and implementation process in Edmonton, as in other large metropolitan areas, involves several phases of planning and design, all interrelated and each successively involving a greater level of detail.

This section of the report describes the many phases in the process, the relationship of the phases, the purpose of each phase, time frame, level of detail, evaluation methods and a broad overview of the role of the various participants.

2.2 SCOPE OF TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROCESS

The transportation planning process relates to the major roads and transit facilities in the City of Edmonton. The roadways that are considered in the process are arterials and expressways, which are generally multi-lane

15

facilities and carry long haul car, truck and bus traffic. Local and collector roads, which are generally the responsibility of developers to plan, design and construct, are not an explicit part of the transportation planning process, although the City Administration reviews the land use and development plans, (Area Structure Plans, Neighbourhood Structure Plan), designs and construction work by the developers, before approving and accepting these facilities for ownership by the City. It should be noted that the major portion of public transit service operates on local and collector roadways.

The transit facilities that are included in the transportation planning process comprtse LRT lines and stations, busways, and major bus routes such as express service.

In addition to roadway and transit facilities, the transportation planning process entails development and implementation of transportation policies, such as parking policies, car pooling incentives, and traffic systems management policies. The transportation planning process also involves providing advice to the Planning Department with respect to the ongoing process of developing and refining the General Municipal Plan.

Finally, the transportation planning process spans a wide time frame, ranging from immediate phases such as roadway and LRT design, through to long term phases such as defining the long range plan to serve the City of Edmonton in 20-30 years time.

2.3 PHASES IN THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

There are eight distinct phases in the transportation planning and implementation process, each of which comprises a different level of detail, and results in a different product. The product from one phase is generally input to the next phase, such that the process is a sequential process, ranging

16

Exhibit 2.1: Products of Each Phase

1. Goals, Objectives and Policies (General Municipal Plan)

2. Long Range Planning, Transportation System Plan and Transportation System Bylaw

3. Ten Year Plan & Program

4. Five Year Program Year Facility From To Capital Cost dbui141A A IIAAAA.

%haul LAti..AA

k1

'

I4A

4AAA..

LAJA..

UAAAA, LAAA.GUA".... lg. A. lIAAAAA. IA AA,...A lanAk... ((IA AA. 11.AAA Ll14. • UAAJA

LOA,/ L4 k.. uAj

LULL,

•l4.4.k. Wk.

u

CAA .

IA/An

itil1A144AA I, AAA AAA..

IAA AMA.

x.L.AAA, I, J. 4...i, lAnAA

11A.t.AAAk_

UM L&

LiA.

' -•

'1st

'

• ... ,

, 1 1 ---,- '-

7. Construction

-I -

f

4,64.

11UA AA, . tAA.1.4 ubLLIA. . LAAM-.

LUAA_ th.,(APA,.• AA

6. Detailed Design

5. Functional Planning '•s

AMA)

II.AAA,

lIAL.I.AAA., WA,.

..1.,taAAAA tAA

1 -'›

LLt4.

A

-•-,

...

.. -,.....

..

7 77

8. System Monitoring prase 4.10.

17

from the broad conceptual plans 20-25 years hence, to much more precise plans and facility design for implementation in 1-2 years hence.

The eight phases of the transportation planning process are listed below:

1. Goals, Objectives and Policies.

2. Long Range Planning.

3. Ten Year Plan and Program.

4. Five Year Program.

5. Functional Planning.

6. Detailed Design.

7. Construction.

8. System Monitoring.

Each phase involves different departments of the City Administration, with the Transportation System Design Department taking the lead role in the longer term planning phases and the monitoring phases, with support from the Engineering, Edmonton Transit, and Planning Departments. The Engineering Department assumes the responsibility for the implementation of transportation facilities, comprising the development of the Five Year Program, Detailed Design and Construction phases. Edmonton Transit also assumes the responsibility for the implementation of public transportation facilities. This includes the development of the Five Year Program, Detailed Design and Construction, plus service implementation. As outlined later in this report, the participation of both the City Departments and external agencies in the process is quite extensive.

In order to appreciate the purpose of each phase, Exhibit 2.1 shows schematically the type of product which is produced in each phase. These products are described briefly below:

CO

Exhibit 2.2: Summary Description of Phases of Transportation Plan Process Phases Description

Goals & Objectives

Long Range Plan

Ten Year Plan & Program

Five Year Construction Program

Functional Planning

Design

Construction / implementation

System Monitoring

Purpose

• Obtain views from Council & Public • Establish transportation goals & objectives supporting G.M.P.

• Transport policies supporting G.M.P. • Define transportation concept • Define investment strategy

• R.O.W. Protect.

• Input to A.S.P. • Input to 5 yr. program

• Input to capital programming

• Input 10 design • Input to R.O.W. acquisition • Discuss grants

• Capital budget requests • Basis lor grants • Basis for construction

• Implement facility • Inspect quality • Record as built'

• Update Plans, Programs & Process • Monitor land use and development Plans

Time Frame

• Short .& long Term

• Up to 20-30 yrs.

• 1-10 Yrs.

• 1-5 Yrs.

• 1-10 Yrs

• I -5 Yrs.

• 1-2 Yrs.

• Current

Frequency

• 5 Yrs.

• 5 Yrs.

• Annually

• Annually

• Continuously

• Continuously

• Annually

• Continuously

Level of Detail

• Policy Statements

• Concepts/Corridors

• Ft OW. definition (single line)

• R.O.W. definition (single line)

• 1:2000 scale

• 1:500 plan proliles

• Actual

• NA

Evaluation Methods

• Meetings • Goal Weighting • Conformity to General Municipal Plan

• Forecasting model • Broad Cost/Benefit of AIL land use & transport policies • Contormity to General Municipal Plan

• 10 year traffic forecasts • Detail cost/benefit • Conformity to General Municipal Plan

• Deka !nine capacity deficiencies • Detail costs • Conformity to General Municipal Plan

• Evaluate costs of alternatives • Conformity to General Municipal Plan

• Detail design

• Site inspection

• Traffic & transit counts • Population/ employment surveys

• Administration solicit views and propose goals • Council adopt goals • Public provide views

• Administration evaluate policies & propose • Public Hearings • Council adopt goals by bylaw • Alta. Transportation approve

• Administration evaluate • Council approve • Public review • Alta. Transportation approve

• Administration evaluate • Council approve • Public review

• Administration evaluate • Council approve • Public hearing • Alta. Transportation review

• Administrative design • Council approve • Public review • Alta. Transportation review

Role of Participants'

• Travel Surveys

• City or developer constructs • City inspects

• Administration collect & analyse • Council approve budget • Public information

19

â&#x20AC;˘Goals, Objectives and Policies: This phase establishes, in conjunction with City Council and the public, the transportation goals and objectives which are consistent with the General Municipal Plan, and form the basis for developing the long range transportation plan. s Long Range Transportation Plan: The long range transportation plan, which forms the basis of the Transportation System Bylaw, establishes the transportation policies supporting the General Municipal Plan, presents the overall transportation concept for major roads and transit services, and defines the overall investment strategy for transportation facilities in the City. The importance of this phase is the emphasis on strategic planning. a Ten Year Plan and Program: This phase defines the facilities to be

constructed in the next 10 years and lays out the basic program priorities. This plan and program provides input to the development of the five year program.

Five Year Program: This phase includes the priorization of all roadway and transit capital works over the next five years and indicates preliminary budget estimates. The result of this phase is input into the development of the Local Policy Plan. s Functional Planning: This phase involves the definition of the

functional feasibility (technical, economic, environmental, social) of the transportation facilities. Functional plans define the right of way requirements that are to be protected in conjunction with land use and development plans under the legislative controls of the Planning Act (1977) and the City Transportation Act (1970). a Detailed Design: This phase results in the detail plan and profile

designs of the facilities, sufficient for capital budgeting, tendering and construction. â&#x20AC;˘Construction: This phase involves the actual implementation of the roadway or transit facility, which includes the construction work carried out by the City and contracts for major facilities (possibly constructed by the developer, as well), site inspection during and after construction, and recording of "as-built" dimensions of the facilities. â&#x20AC;˘System Monitoring: There are two distinct aspects of this phase. The first aspect is an ongoing process of monitoring the performance of the transportation system and the travel behavior patterns of the City's residents, and surrounding communities as a basis for up-dating plans, programs and the planning process. Another important part of this aspect is operational review and planning including such things signal timings, progressions, bus routings, one way streets and intersection improvements. The second aspect entails the detailed technical review of all land use and development circulations area structure plans through to development permits), to ensure the protection of the physical, operational and legal integrity of the transportation system.

20

Exhibit 2.3: Goals, Objectives, and Policies

Review Goals & Objectives of Growth Strategy (General Municipal Plan)

Inventory of Transportation Systems, Requirements Problems, Opportunities

Define Transportation Goals & Objectives to Support G.M.P.

Transportation Issues

A ternative Goals, Objectives and Policies to Address Issues

Present to Council Council Comment &. Priorization of Goals & Objectives

Present to Public

Present to Civic Departments

Public Comment & Priorization of Goals & Objectives

Comments & Priorization of Goals & Objectives

Define Systems Alternatives to Investigate Policy Options Relative to Goals and Objectives G.M.P. Ammendment, and Transportation Strategy

2

a_

Transportation Goals & Objectives

Present to Council Public Hearings Council Adopt

To Long Range Plan

21

The remainder of this section presents a summary description of each of the phases in the transportation planning and implementation process, in terms of purpose, time frame, level of detail, evaluation methods and role of participants. This summary is presented in Exhibit 2.2.

2.4 GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES

The various steps involved in the Goals, Objectives and Policies Phase are as shown in Exhibit 2.3.

The first step in the Goals, Objectives and Policies Phase involves reviewing the Goals, Objectives and Policies presented in the General Municipal Plan and defining preliminary transportation goals and objectives to support the General Municipal Plan.

The definition of transportation goals and objectives is also based on the ongoing process of monitoring the transportation system, reviewing annual traffic counts, annual census information ad 5-year traffic surveys to determine transportation problems, land use changes and opportunities for and constraints to the provision of transportation service. As shown in Exhibit 2.3, this review of the existing transportation system and travel behaviour leads to the definition of transportation issues, which are essentially transportation situations or conflicts that require resolution.

The initial transportation goals, objectives, transportation issues and policies are concurrently reviewed by the public, other Civic Departments and City Council. In this process, their views are solicited regarding the relative importance of each of the goals and objectives, as well as their views on the transportation issues and alternative policies. Although the exhibit indicates that the definition of goals, objectives and policies and the development of the long range plans are separate phases, in practice these two phases

22

are sometimes carried out together, in order to be able to express the goals, objectives and policies more definitively in terms of land use plans and their implications.

Following the review by City Council, the goals, objectives and policies are presented to the public using various mechanisms, such as public information exchanges, mall displays, media, etc. The goals, objectives and policies are outlined to the public, the manner in which these support the General Municipal Plan is outlined, and an attempt is made to express the implications of these goals, objectives and policies in terms of physical transportation systems which the public is able to appreciate. In this step, the public is invited to express views regarding their priorities and transportation policy preferences. It is indicated in the process that the public's views on the goals, objectives and policies by the City Administration, after which the preferred set of transportation system policies emerging from this process will then be brought back to the public for review and comment.

2.5 LONG RANGE PLANNING PROCESS

The purpose of the Long Range Planning Phase is to define the overall transportation policies which support the General Municipal Plan, to define the transportation concepts in terms of corridors of service, by mode, and to define the overall investment strategy. The Long Range Plan is intended, therefore, to embrace a 20-25 year frame work, within which the shorter term planning and programming of specific facilities and their construction are carried out.

As shown in Exhibit 2.4, the Long Range Planning Process commences with input of goals, objectives and issues from the previous phase, land use

Exhibit 2.4: Long Range Transportation Planning Process Existing Traffic Counts and Travel Behaviour Patterns

Goals, Objectives & Issues

Calibration of Transportation Planning Model

Land Use Policy Options Location & Intensity • housing • employment

Evaluation of Transportation Implications of Land Use Policy Options

Preferred Land Use Policy

Evaluation of Transportation Policy Options

General Municipal Plan

Preferred Transportation Policy

City Council Review Public Input Transportation Plan Selection & Refinement

Long Range Transportation Plan

City Council Readings Public Hearings Transportation System Plan Bylaw

Approval of L-G in Council

City Council Adopt

Transportation Policy Options • Roads/Parking • Public Transit • Terminals

23

24

alternatives from the Planning Department, systems monitoring input carried out by the Transportation System Design Department and operational monitoring carried out by Engineering and Edmonton Transit.

From the Planning Department, alternative scenarios of likely future land uses are presented. These land use scenarios are expressed in terms of population and employment projections for the horizon year (usually 20-25 years hence), and an intermediate year, presented spatially according to a traffic zone system for the Edmonton subregion.

From the travel surveys an appraisal of the current travel behaviour patterns is prepared, and a traffic forecasting model is formulated and calibrated to replicate existing travel patterns. The purpose of this model is to be able to simulate future travel patterns, by inputting to the model future land use and future transportation facilities, assuming that residents in the future will exhibit travel demands and patterns similar to those observed in the surveys.

The major reason why the long range planning process is currently reviewed is to be sure to take account of changing social and economic conditions which cannot be determined from past surveys. Provided the model is suitably disaggregated into its descriptive variables, past experience in Edmonton and other cities has indicated that this assumption is valid for purposes of intermediate and long term planning. For example, the recent decline in family size and increasing labour force participation rate are accommodated in the traffic model by incorporating variables that explicitly express this phenomenon such as household size, and labour force participation rate.

From the Goals, Objectives and Policies Phase, transportation policy options are developed and input to the process. These transportation policy options are considered along with the land use policy options and evaluated from a point of view of transportation systems effectiveness. The traffic forecasting

25

model is one of the tools used in this process to project traffic volumes by corridor and mode, which are then used to determine the broad nature of the policy options and the transportation system required to manage the projected demand. Both the land use policy options and the transportation policy options should be examined inter-actively, in order to determine whether a certain transportation policy option supports a certain land use policy option and vice versa.

The result of this evaluation is a preferred land use policy and growth strategy, which is then input to the preparation/up-date of the General Municipal Plan.

From the identification of the preferred land use policy and growth strategy, more detailed evaluation of transportation policy options is carried out, and the transportation systenimplications are determined. From this step the preferred transportation policies are defined.

This evaluation process and the preferred transportation policies are then presented to City Council and the public, in order to solicit their respective comments and views. Following this, a preferred transportation plan is defined in support of the preferred transportation policies and this then becomes the Long Range Transportation Plan. This Long Range Transportation Plan is then presented to City Council for review and comment, then submitted to the public in a series of hearings. Following this, comments are absorbed by the City Staff, the Long Range Transportation Plan is ammended as necessary, then it is submitted to City Council accompanied by a supporting Transportation System Bylaw for adoption.

2.6 TEN YEAR PLAN AND PROGRAM

The Ten Year Plan and Program is a recently instituted requirement of the Alberta Transportation regulations, effective from the beginning of 1982. The

26

Exhibit 2.5: Ten Year Plan and Program

General Municipal Plan

Long Range Transportation Plan

System Monitoring

Identify Capacity Problems

Area Structure/Area Redevelopment Plans

J, Ten Year Development Plan

Review Transportation Needs & Timing

Facilities Capital Cost Estimates

Facilities Operating Benefits

Facilities Priorization

0..

Engineering Transit & Planning Departments Comments

r Ten Year Facilities Plan

Alberta Transportation Comment

Ten Year Facilities Priorization Program

City Council Review and Approval

Public Information

City Departments

Alberta Transportation Review and General Agreement

27

purpose of the Ten Year Plan and Program Phase is to provide a programming input to the Five Year Program, with basic priorities for major transportation facilities laid out over a ten year period.

The Ten Year Plan and Program, as the title implies, relates to the 1-10 year time frame.

The Ten Year Plan and Program is expressed in sufficient detail to define a transportation corridor conceptually, but not sufficient to provide definition of right-of-way requirement.

The development of the Ten Year Plan and Program requires preparation of 10-year traffic forecasts, as a basis for priorizing the facilities for programming. The process involves a cost/benefit analysis, based on facility unit costs and benefits expressed in terms of travel time savings, operational, maintenance and construction costs.

As shown in Exhibit 2.5, the Ten Year Plan and Program involves input from the General Municipal Plan, the Long Range Transportation Plan, and the System Monitoring Programs.

The input from the General Municipal Plan is expressed in terms of the areas to be developed over the next ten years. This information would be obtained from a review of the Area Structure Plan and Area Redevelopment Plan proposals by the Planning Department.

The purpose of incorporating information from the System Monitoring Program is to supplement the 10-year traffic forecasts by current traffic counts to identify transportation system capacity problems. With this information from the 10-year traffic forecast and the Long Range Transportation Plan, the specific ten year transportation needs may be identified, as well as the relative timing of these facilities.

28

Following the identification of those facilities to be implemented within the next ten years, and their respective timing, capital cost estimates of the implementation of the transportation facilities are prepared, using unit construciton costs typical of the Edmonton area (e.g. cost per mile of road, cost per mile of LRT). Then, the operating benefits in terms of travel time saved, maintenance cost savings, and operating cost savings, are estimated with and without the transportation facility in the system, as a basis for developing a benefit/cost ratio. This analysis is utilized for priorizing each transportation facility.

From this priorization analysis, a Ten Year Plan and Program is identified, which is reviewed within the Administration. The plan is then expressed in terms of program staging, and broad costs are assigned by stage.

The plan and program are then submitted to City Council for review and approval, and then to the public as information, and to Alberta Transportation for review and agreement in general. This plan and program is up-dated every two years. This up-dating could result in an amendment to the Transportation System Bylaw.

2.7

FIVE YEAR PROGRAM

The purpose of the Five Year Program is to provide capital programming information for the development of the Local Policy Plan by the Corporate Policy Planning Office and to provide direction for the preparation of the Functional Planning Program.

The Five Year Program is prepared each year and represents a rolling program of facilities and services to be implemented for the next five years.

The program relies on priorizing information from the 10-Year Plan and Program, and a review of the Area Structure Plan and Area Redevelopment Plan proposals for the next five years, as shown in Exhibit 2.6.

29

Exhibit 2.6: Five Year Program

General Municipal Plan

Ten Year Ptan and Program

Identify Capacity Problems

Area Structure/Area Redevelopment Plans

Five Year Development Plan

Review Transportation Needs & Timing

Update Facilities Capital Cost Estimates

Update Five Year Program

Alberta Transportation Urban Transportation Assistance Program City Capital Expenditure Guidelines

Local Policy Plan

City Council Review & Approval

Public Information

City Departments

30

Further, the Five Year Program incorporates an up-date of the capital cost estimates, the facilities, so that, the capital program may be reasonably current.

One of the major inputs to the development of the Five Year Program is the level of expenditure on transportation facilities that is expected to be available. The expenditure levels are established from capital expenditure guidelines set by the Corporate Policy Planning Office and City Council, by the Provincial Government's current Urban Transportation Assistance Program, and any other available source of financing.

With the information available on the expected capital funds for infrastructure acquisition and construction for roads and transit, and the preferred staging of transportation facilities as defined by Transportation System Design Department, the Engineering and Edmonton Transit Departments then define the Five Year Program to relate the needs to available funds. This Five Year Program is then reviewed by the Corporate Planning Policy Office, which is responsible for compiling the five year capital needs and construction programs of all the City Departments into a Local Policy Plan.

The Local Policy Plan, incorporating the Five Year Program, is then submitted to City Council for its review and approval. Finally, the approved Five Year Program is available to the public for information, and back to the City Departments as a basis for their capital budgeting and determining facilities for which functional planning and detailed design must be carried out over the next few years.

2.8 FUNCTIONAL PLANNING

The purpose of Functional Planning is to define transportation plans that are technically, economically, environmentally and socially feasible. The roadway or transit facility is designed in sufficient detail to define property

31 Exhibit 2.7: Functional Planning Ten Year Development Plan

Ten Year Plan and Program

Five Year Construction Program

Long Range Plan

'V

Identify Future Area Structure Plan Proposal/ Area Redevelopment Plan

Identify Facilities Requiring R.O.W. Protection Estimate Functional Planning Costs and Priorize List of Facilities Economic Affairs Commitee Review Budget Request

City Council Approve Planning Program and Budget

Public Information

Assemble Base Data

Design Criteria Developers Proposals

Functional Plan Preparation

Public Park

City Council Review

Utilities & Engineering Committee Review

City Council Review

Public Hearings

City Council Approval *Alberta Transportation Approval

H

City Administration

Design Year and Interim Year Traffic Volumes

32

requirements. Further, the Functional Planning Phase serves as a basis for reviewing the overall feasibility of the facility by both the City Administration and Alberta Transportation, defining costs and cost sharing, and as technical input to the detail design of the facility.

The Functional Planning Phase generally precedes the construction of the facility by 3-10 years. The length of time is dependent on the pressures for development in the area which may require the City to purchase the land well in advance of construction, or dependent on the importance of securing a specific right-of-way. For example, the functional planning phase may be carried out 1-2 years in advance of construction of a roadway in an undeveloped area. On the other hand, it may be necessary for the City to carry out a functional planning study some ten years in advance of constructing a major roadway or LRT facility through developed areas, in order to be able to respond to redevelopment proposals in the area.

As shown in Exhibit 2.7, the Functional Planning phase involves a review of the five and ten year plans and programs, the expected timing of development indicated in the Area Structure Plans, Neighbourhood Structure Plans, Subdivision Plans and Area Redevelopment Plans, as a basis for identifying facilities which require Functional Planning to identify and secure the rightof-way.

On an annual basis, the facilities which require functional planning are identified, estimates are prepared of the Functional Planning costs, the relative importance of each is identified, the complete proposed program is included in the annual operating budget of Transportation System Design Department. City Council then reviews and approves the Functional Planning program and the budget during the normal budgeting review process.

Following the approval of the Functional Planning program by City Council, a submission is made to Alberta Transportation to inform the Department

33

of the City's intention to prepare functional plans for facilities in which the Department may have an interest.

Functional Planning studies for each facility are carried out, internally or by consultants. The data base information includes design year and interim year traffic volumes, base mapping, major utilities locations, topographic information, land use information, etc. Also, design criteria in terms of geometric design standards, typical cross-section details etc., are specified by the Transportation Systems Design Department, as input to the Functional Planning process.

The Functional Planning Process requires that the following be dealt with comprehensively:

- establishment of the need, location, and designation for the facility and/or improvement.

- a detailed examination of acceptable alternatives to determine the most appropriate scale, location, and designation for the facility and/or improvement giving full consideration particularly to complementary modes of transportation and existing and proposed facilities and/or improvements in the vicinity.

- impact on land use and redevelopment trends.

- social impacts. environmental impacts.

- impacts on vehicular and pedestrian circulation.

- impacts on community facilities and prime residential amenities.

- costs and benefits of the proposed facility and/or improvement.

- the functional planning study will include full evaluation and documentation of all acceptable alternative facilities and/or improvements including the "do-nothing" and "down grading" alternatives where appropriate.

The issues should be addressed not only for and in the immediate vicinity of the study area, but generally, on any area which may be directly impacted by the proposals.

34

Exhibit 2.8: Detailed Design

Five Year Program Select Facilities for Detailed Design

Functional Plan

Base Data

Develop Design Program and Budget Economic Affairs Committee Review Program and Budget

Public Information Alberta Transportation Approve Program

t City Council Approve Program and Budget

Update Data Base

Update Design Criteria Prepare Preliminary ; Les,gn

Survey and Acquire R.O.W.

Circulate for Utilities Relocation Requirements

s-t-,ii-- Product --).-1

Collect Site Information

Underground Design

Update Cost Estimates & Prepare Construction Budget Economic Affairs Approval

Public Information

Alberta Transportation Approval

City Council Approval Underground Tender and Construction Surface Tender and Construction

as"

2 0_ 0.

Roadway Design

Construction Completion Certificate As Built Drawings Final Acceptance Certificate

Other Agencies Approval

35

The Functional Plan is generally prepared at a scale 1:2000, indicating basic geometric alignments, and right-of-way requirements. In the process, alternative alignments and profiles may be investigated, depending upon the options available. Further, comments from affected property owners in the area, as well as developers, are obtained in the preliminary stages of the functional planning work, to ensure that their respective concerns are considered in the evaluation and, therefore, an attempt is made to minimize conflicts between the land owners in the area and the proposed Functional Plan.

Following completion of the Functional Planning study, the Functional Plan is forwarded to City Council for approval via the Interdepartmental Transportation Committee, Technical Advisory Committee and Commission Board.

The plan by City Council's discretion may be referred to the Utilities and Engineering Committee for specific review and recommendations back to Council.

Following this phase, the plan could be submitted to a process of public hearings where specific comments are solicited from affected property owners and persons in the area.

After public hearings are held, the potential exists to revise the plan, and resubmit to City Council for approval. Then, the plan is submttted to Alberta Transportation for its approval, if necessary for future cost-sharing, and then back to the City Departments for the next step in the implementation process, Detailed Design.

2.9 DETAILED DESIGN

The purpose of the Detailed Design Phase is to prepare the construction details of the transportation facility, to determine capital budget requirements, and to identify funding requirements from Alberta Transportation for any costshareable facilities.

36 Typically, the Detailed Design Phase is carried out 1-2 years in advance of construction, and possibly longer for the major facilities such as LRT.

The design details involve plan and profile design of all surface and underground services, generally at a scale of 1:500. Also, the design details involve the preparation of appropriate construction documents for the tender call and materials and construction specifications to ensure a product acceptable to the City.

As shown in Exhibit 2.8, the Detailed Design Phase involves an annual review of the the Five Year Program to determine the facilities to be selected for detailed design. The selected facilities are included as part of the design program and budget request submitted to City Council for review and approval.

It should be noted that this process is similar for some Edmonton Transit facilities such as new operational garages, trolley network improvements and new transit centres.

The approved program is made available to the public, and submitted annually to Alberta Transportation to approve funding for the cost shareable design items.

The first step in the design part of the phase involves the preparation of a preliminary design, the purpose of which is to identify the specific rightof-way requirement. Then, the right-of-way is legally surveyed by either the Real Estate and Housing Department or by the Engineering Department and the right-of-way plan is filed accordingly. Rights-of-way are secured through land dedication by the developer in the land development approval process and by purchase of required lands for improvements on existing rights-of-way. This requires the City and the land developer and/or owner to agree on a purchase price, which is usually based on an independent land appraisal. Failing reaching

37

an agreement on land purchase price, the City may enter into expropriation procedures to acquire the land, as laid out in the Government Expropriation Act with amendments to 1977. Expropriation may involve a period of six months to two years.

It should be noted that via the System Monitoring Phase, land required for an approved functional plan that is not in preliminary or final design stage may be secured by offers for sale, dedication, review of circulars to dispose of City owned lands, development permits and/or land exchanges.

After the preliminary design is prepared, the Engineering, and Edmonton Transit Departments then circulate the preliminary design to the various utilities (e.g. Water and Sanitation Department, Edmonton Telephones, Edmonton Power, Northwestern Utilities, etc.) and to other agencies that may be affected such as the railroads and Alberta Transportation, to determine any impacts that the proposed right-of-way may have on their facilities.

Following a reply by these agencies regarding their respective design requirements, work then proceeds in the design of the underground services as well as the surface facilities-roadway or LRT line. The underground design is generally carried out by the Water and Sanitation Department, while the roadway/LRT design is carried out by Engineering and Edmonton Transit.

As part of the detailed underground and surface design work, cost estimate up-dates are prepared and put into the annual construction budget.

This budget is submitted to Economic Affairs Committee for review, and then to City Council for approval.

Following approval by City Council, the construction budget is made available to the public for information, and submitted to Alberta Transportation for approval from a point of view of both design and funding for the cost shareable facilities.

38

Following approval by City Council, Alberta Transportation, and other agencies (e.g. Canadian Transport Commission for railway crossings), the underground and surface facilities are tendered. For large projects, the underground construction may precede the surface construction by several months or a year, in which case separate tenders may be awarded.

During the construction phase, the City Engineering Department continually monitors construction and inspects materials and workmanship, to ensure the product meets the City's specifications. Following construction, the City Engineering Department reviews the constructed facility and issues a Construction Completion Certificate (CCC) if the construction meets the City's specifications. The contractor/owner prepares "as-builtw drawings recording the construction details as actually built. Then, 1 - 2 years after construction, the City carries out a final inspection and issues, as appropriate, a Final Acceptance Certificate (FAC).

2.10 SYSTEM MONITORING There are two distinct aspects of this phase. The first is the traffic monitoring and the second is the monitoring of land use and development circulars.

The purpose of the traffic monitoring program is to continually collect and review the relevant information regarding the performance of the transportation system and the behaviour of the travelling public, as a basis for up-dating the short and long term plans and programs, and up-dating the evaluation process. As shown in Exhibit 2.9 the system information which is collected on an annual basis includes: traffic counts, turning movement counts, system user surveys (e.g. transit rider surveys, parking surveys, etc), road inventory (structural, capacity), and transit facilities inventory (vehicles, stations, roadbeds, etc.). The annual population census, carried out by the City provides demographic information such as the location of population changes and,

39

Exhibit 2.9: Traffic Monitoring

Traffic Counts & System User Surveys

Road & Transit Inventory

Capacity Deficiencies

Structural Deficiencies

5-Year Travel Survey

Annual Population Census

Comparison to Population Projections in Long Range Plan

Federal Census

Comparison to Travel Behaviour in Long Range Plan 1.

Update Traffic Model

Update Land Use Forecasts

Update Traffic Forecasts I I

Input to Planning Department

Long Range Plan

Ten Year Plan & Program

Five Year Program

Functional Plan

-4â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Product

Review/Update Long Range Plan & 5 & 10 Year Transportation Programs

40

household size. This information is used as a basis for determining whether the City is developing in the stages assumed in the General Municipal Plan and the Long Range Transportation Plan.

The five-year travel survey and the 10-year federal census information, both of which contain travel behaviour information expressed in such terms as trip rates by mode and time of day, trip origins and destinations, car availability and usage, provide a basis for reviewing the applicability of the traffic forecasting model and the requirement for up-dating the travel behaviour relationships in the traffic mode.

From the traffic counts and inventory information, capacity deficiencies as well as structural deficiencies are identified on an annual basis. This information is then input to the process of reviewing and up-dating the short term transportation plans and programs.

In addition, operational review and plannina,including such things as signal timings, progressions, bus routings, one way streets, and intersection improvements, are always ongoing.

From the monitoring of land use information, the land use forecasts are up-dated, every five years up-dated traffic forecasts (uting the up-dated traffic model) are prepared, as input to the review and up-date of the Long Range Plan and the Five and Ten Plans and Programs.

The purpose of monitoring land use and development circulars is to protect the legal, physical and operational integrity of the transportation system in conjunction with the approval of land use and development circulars.

The planning process is not static and as plans are developed by the "land development process", transportation proposals are developed via the

41 Exhibit 2.10: Land Use & Development Monitoring

General Municipal Plan (Bylaw) • Sector Plans • Area Structure Plans (Bylaw)

Transportation System Plan — Recommended Strategy.

(Bylaw)

• Neighbourhood Structure Plans (Bylaw) • Area Redevelopment Plans (Bylaw) • District Plans (Bylaw) • Subdivison Plans

• Transportation System Plan • 10 Year Plan and Program

• Redistrictings

• 5 Year Program

• Road Closures

• Functional Plans

• Development Permits

• Detailed Design Plans

Coordination • Transportation System Design • Engineering • Transit • Planning • Parks & Recreation • Social Services

Land Purchase • Offers For Sale • Development Agreements • Land Exchange • Expropriation

42 "transportation process", the land use and transportation proposals are co-ordinated to ensure- that plans, bylaws and agreements protect transportation requirements.

This integration of the land development process and the transportation process requires the co-ordination by Transportation System Design Department, the Engineering DeparLwent, and Edmonton Transit in order to review all land use and development circulars.

The various land development processes which are monitored to ensure co-ordination between the land development process and the transportation process are shown in Exhibit 2.10. These processes fall into 3 categories: General Municipal Plan; Land Purchase; Transportation System Plan. Co-ordination is achieved at various levels in the administration from the Interdepartmental Transportation Committee to the Technical Review Committee at the highest level.

This section has outlined the several phases involved in the transportation planning and implementation process, showing the interrelationship with other activities carried out by the City Administration. It has been indicated that the process is an ongoing, cyclical process, where each cycle commences with the continuous monitoring of the land use and transportation systems, development of long range plan, and the sequential refinement and detailing of these plans through to construction and addition of these facilities to the transportation system. Then, the cycle continues with the monitoring of the land use and transportation system, on a continuous basis.

43

3.0 PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS: RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

As described in the previous section, there are several participants in the transportation planning and implementation process, including: several City Departments, City Council, the Public, Alberta Transportation and other external agencies. This section of the report describes the respective responsibilities of these participants.

3.1 SCOPE OF PARTICIPATION

Participation in the transportation planning and implementation process involves a sequential process of obtaining views regarding transportation issues, preparing proposals and reviewing proposals. This sequence of plan and program definition is summarized below:

O solicit views and comments from interest groups. prepare transportation proposal.

O review of proposal by interest groups.

O approval of proposals by City Council and Alberta Transportation.

•City council adopts the proposals by appropriate bylaw.

The respective roles of each of the participants are described in this section.

3.2 ROLE OF CITY ADMINISTRATION

The key participants in the City Administration involved in the Transportation Planning and Implementation Process include:

•Transportation Systems Design Department.

•Edmonton Transit.

• Engineering Department.

•Planning Department.

Other Departments are involved on a comment and review basis, such as Parks and Recreation Department and Social Services Department.

44

The responsibilities of the Transportation Systems Design Department are as follows:

e organization of the public and City Council meetings to develop goals and objectives and preparation of General Municipal Plan requirements in conjunction with the Planning Department.

•prepare and evaluate transportation policy alternatives and propose long range plan in the Transportation System Bylaw.

•prepare 10-Year Plan and Program proposal.

•carry out Functional Planning Studies. s carry out System Monitoring Program.

The Engineering Department is involved primarily in the implementation phase of the process, which includes the following responsibility:

* development of the Five Year Program. * preparation of facility designs and tender/supervision of construction.

•system monitoring. a operational planning.

Edmonton Transit is primarily, involved in the implementationphase, being responsible for the following:

•development of the Five Year Program.

•development of LRT facility designs.

•development of changes and extensions to regular transit service in support of land development.

•implementation of LRT facility designs and tender/supervision of construction.

•acquisition of equipment and infrastructure to deliver service.

The City Planning Department is responsible for:

o the definition of land use options and expression of these in terms of population and employment allocation by traffic zone; •definition of the General Municipal Plan Growth Strategy in terms of staging of population and employment by traffic zones.

•monitoring of population and employment growth.

•preparation, up-dating, monitoring and implementation of the GMP and supporting plans e.g. Area Structure Plans, Neighbourhood Structure Plans, District Planning and Area Redevelopment Plans.

45 Exhibit 3.1: Generalized Approval Process

Public

City Council

Alberta Transportation

Commission Board

Utilities & Engineering Committee

Transportation System Management Committee 4.

Municipal Planning Cornmission Technical Advisory Committee Interdepartmental Transportation Committee

Functional Plan Review Comm ttee

Engineering Department

Technical Review Committee

cn I

Engineering & Transportation Technical Committee

Transportation System Design Department

Planning Department

Edmonton Transit

Operational Coordination Committee

46

Depending on the type of transportation product, Exhibit 3.1 illustrates the generalized approval process for transportation proposals. Various project specific technical committees review and develop transportation proposals which are reviewed and approved at these technical committees.

These committees are: the Functional Plan Review Committee to ensure feasibility of the functional plans; the Engineering Transportation Technical Committee to ensure the protection of the physical and operational integrity of the transportation facilities in conjunction with land use and development; and the Operational Coordination Committee which coordinates the minor miscellaneous construction programs and research and development priorities.

The Interdepartmental Transportation Committee, established by the Municipal Planning Commission, comprist of the branch managers of the involved departments,is responsible for ensuring that the transportation proposals are consistent with overall City Policies.

The Technical Review Committee, established by the Municipal Planning Commission,is responsible for resolving conflicts of land use circulars which includes transportation. Meetings are only held as required and conflict circulars are reviewed prior to submission to the Municipal Planning Commission.

The Municipal Planning Commission, and the Technical Advisory Committee, receives the major transportation proposals from the Interdepartmental Transportation Committee. This Committee consists of all the members of the MPC excluding the citizen at-large members. Further input is received as to whether programs are consistent with overall City Policies.

The Transportation System Management Committee consists of the Commissioner of Public Affairs, the General Managers of Edmonton Transit, Transportation System Design Department, Engineering Department and the General Manager reviewing transportation policy.

47

The Commission Board is responsible for relating the proposal and programs to the management policies in effect in the City Administration, and relating these proposals to the capital and operating budgets aid ensuring City Council's policies are carried out.

3.3 ROLE OF CITY COUNCIL

The role of City Council is to decide on all matters of major City Policy. As this pertains to the transportation process, City Council is responsible for the following:

â&#x20AC;˘approval of goals and objectives through resolution of Council or as part of the Long Range Plan.

O adoption of the Long Range Plan through the Transportation System Bylaw. e approval by resolution of Council of the Ten Year Plan and Program. e approval by resolution of Council of the Five Year Program. e approval of the Functional Planning program and budget approval of the resultant Functional Plan. â&#x20AC;˘approval of the Design Program and budget approval of land purchase, transportation facility design, construction budget and construction of the project.

Approval of a transportation proposal may be in various degrees of formality. The City Transportation Act of the Province of Alberta requires that the City prepare a comprehensive transportation study report and establish by bylaw a transportation system. This process, therefore requires that any amendments to the transportation system plan be carried out by amendments to the bylaw. This rigorous and formal procedure of adoption ensures that proper consideration is given by City Council to the preparation of the plan, including obtaining public input to the plan, and that a similar process of City Council and public review is carried out prior to any amendments to the plan.

48

The other phases of the review and approval by City Council are less formal. City Council's review and approval'of the 10-Year Plan and Program, the Five Year Program, the Functional Plan and Design budgets and proposals may be approved by resolution of Council, or in some cases received for information, where overall approval is implied by a higher level of approval (e.g. Long Range Plan). In some instances City Council may offer transportation proposals to the Utilities and Engineering Committee for detailed review and potentially for further public input prior to dealing with the transportation proposal.

3.4 ROLE OF THE PUBLIC

As outlined above, the public is involved throughout the process of planning and implementation of transportation facilities, with an expressed purpose of ensuring that the public is aware of the implications of all transportation proposals and able to present any concerns to City Council.

The participation of the public in the transportation planning process ranges from formal hearings, in the case of the establishment of goals and objectives and review and comment on the Long Range Plan, through to having access to plans and programs approved by City Council. The involvement of the

public is most critical at the Functional Planning Stage, as it is at this point that Council approves specific alignments for design and implementation.

The public is involved via workshops, public meetings, information centres, task forces, citizens organizations and other means in the development of functional plans.

49

The involvement of the public after this phase is less formal, since these phases generally relate to implementation of the planning process or construction program, following approval of the plan or program in an earlier stage.

For example, a specific road improvement project may involve public hearings at the functional planning stage, but such a review would not be required following the detailed design stage, since the project would have already received approval

by City Council based on the functional Plan.

3.5 ROLE OF ALBERTA TRANSPORTATION

The function of Alberta Transportation in the Process is as follows: a To review the contents and format of any City's Transportation System Bylaw draft and any amendments for compliance with Alberta Regulation 301/80 and prior to forwarding for Lieutenant Governor in Council approval, to make appropriate comments and recommendations for the Minister of Transportation's consideration.

• To review and agree in general with the City's ten year priority plan.

• To approve functional planning study report's contents and recommendations.

• To ensure the integrity of the Province's Transportation System is maintained as a result of any transportation proposal by the City.

• To administer the Urban Transportation Assistance Program package which includes provision of annual funding towards functional planning, design, construction and right-of-way acquisition for those components of the transportation system to which the Province assists with funding (e.g. cost shareable arterial roadway network, major continuous corridors, transit, railway/highway and LRT/highway grade separation structures, transportation system management, research and development, etc.).

As was indicated in the previous section, City Council submits to Alberta Transportation all program requests that involve funding from Alberta Transportation for the Department's review and comment. If the funding is refused, the option is still open to the City to proceed using its own funds.

50

In addition to those plans and programs that involve funding from Alberta Transportation, City Council also submits, for information purposes, the product from each of the phases of the process, for review and comment. The Transportation System Bylaw, based on the Long Range Plan is submitted to the Province for formal approval of the Lieutenant Governor in Council;

4.0

DESCRIPTION OF STEPS IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS

The transportation planning and implementation process comprises over 40 steps, the majority of which are initiated by the Transportation System Design Department, whereas others are initiated by the Engineering Department, Edmonton Transit, and other City Departments. This section of the report presents a description of the content of each of these steps, the department with the responsibility to initiate the work, the other participants in the process, and the approximate timing and frequency of carrying out the step.

4.1

STEPS IN GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES

The Goals, Objectives and Policies Phase is part of the Long Range Planning process and, as such, is to be carried out approximately every five years.

The frequency of carrying out the Goals, Objectives and Policies phase will be dependent upon the population growth rate, changes in development patterns, for example resulting from the recent annexation, or significant changes in transportation policy.

The Goals, Objectives and Policies Phase comprises three steps:

1. Preliminary Goals, Objectives and Policies: The first statement of the transportation goals and objectives is prepared by the Transportation Systems Design Department, and is derived from interpretation of the intent of the General Municipal Plan, and expressed in transportation terms. The transportation goals are

Exhibit 4.1: Generalized Transportation Planning & Implementation Process in Edmonton Cycle

Phase

Monitoring of Built Infrastructure

Goals Objectives & Policies

Information

Public Meetings

Long Range Planning

Ten Year Plan & Program

Construction/ Monitoring Implementation of Built Infrastructure

Design

Functional Planning

Five Year Program

Participants

Public

fulmination

Public Hearings

Infonnatiod

Infounation

Apj royal

A1411 rval

Politic litma

1

[

IliMinimum I

1 intminaliun

rInformation

...

Interim Reports Information

Work Shops

[Approval . 0

0

City Council

,& 2

0

Readings Ecori Allairs Committee

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;A LA,,povai Illilit t, & Emil leoung Committee

Traffic & Land Development Monitoring

Preliminary Goals & Objectives

1 rAppioval 1 LApproval

t \

r

t Ecriri Allairs Comnatiee 0

Cr iincil \ Alin. vitt

f con Allaus Commillee

EC011 Alli110d Cominitme

N. ___

[ (--7,,,IY:rneii

litter ni

iniounatioil

t CID El:011 Allairs _ Cr manatee ..

'-011$

Bylaw k

City Administration

fInformation

Develop Develop 10 year Long Range / Plan & Plan 0 Program

Develop 5 year Program

Develoi Functional Hamlin j Program Budget

Em ir itoal n Plan mai .i Sind es

Dov e oil ii Pion aiii & Burk et

0

Design Land

Cosiniction n Budget

E

Acq,aisitioll

0

r Haiti i TCCC

0

Dana; & Land Development Monitniing

i FAC * Astarilt 46

0

Provincial Government

1

Approval of L-G in Council

Appi oval

Cost-Sharing

Al wioviil

CosiShining

Ajil a whit â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

CosiSharing

0

Phase D uration

On-Going

6-12 mos

2-3 yrs.

6-9 riles

Phase Frequency

Continuously

Every 5 yrs.

Every 5 yis

Every 2 yrs

Annually

2-3 fires

3 9 cam

2 - 3 mos

3 9 mos

2-3 mos

2.4 yrs

Oliguing

Continuously

Continuously

C011111111011sly

Continuously

Continuously

Cl/1111111.101151y

Continuously

' Discussions are currently being held to finalize the approval process of functional plans by Alberta Transportation.

01

52 statments of the desirable quality of transportation service that is to be achieved, while the transportation objectives are means of implementing or achieving these goals in terms of types of transportation services. They are intended to be approved

by City Council resolution in the Transportation System Plan: The Recommended Strategy.

2. City Council Workshops: The preliminary goals and objectives are presented by the Transportation System Design Department to City Council in the form of a series of workshops, through which the entire transportation planning process is explained, and the preliminary goals and objectjves are set out for discussion. The City Council members are then asked to priorize the goals and objectives, which are then used in the process to evaluate the alternative transportation systems policies.

3. Public Meetings: Following the review by City Council, the goals and objectives are then presented to the public through a series of public meetings. The purpose of these meetings is similar to the workshops, that is to inform the public of the entire transportation planning process and to discuss and debate the goals and objectives.

4.2 STEPS IN LONG RANGE PLANNING PHASE

As outlined above, the Long Range Planning Phase is carried out approximately every 5 years and requires 2 - 3 years, depending upon the requirements to obtain the travel behaviour system data.

The Long Range Planning Process involves formulating and evaluating alternative transportation system policies relative to the goals and objectives formulated by the City Administration and reviewed and agreed by City Council and the public.

The following are the major steps in this process:

4. Develop Long Range Plan: The Transportation System Design Department is responsible for the preparation of alternative transportation system plans, developed to explore the implications of alternative transportation policies and to investigate the implications of alternative land use plans. The evaluations of the alternative land use plans and transportation system plans and policies are reviewed firstly with the other departments in the City Administration, prior to forwarding to City Council.

53

5. City Council First and Second Readings: Following the completion of the documentation of the Long Range Plan, the plan and supporting documents are submitted to City Council, along with the Transportation System Bylaw, and these are discussed and given first and second reading by City Council.

6. Public Hearings: Following the first and second reading of the Transportation System Bylaw and supporting documentation, public hearings are convened with the public, at which time the process leading to the development of the Long Range Plan is explained and specific comments are obtained. As appropriate, elaboration/ amendments may be made to the Transportation System Bylaw and supporting documentation, prior to submission back to Council for final reading.

7. City Council Adopts the Bylaw: Following the review of the Transportation System Bylaw and the supporting documentation, City Council will give third and final reading to the Bylaw.

8. Approval of Lieutenant Governor in Council: The Transportation System Bylaw as adopted by City Council is forwarded to the Provincial Government for review by Alberta Transportation and approval by the Lieutenant Governor in Council in accordance with the City Transportation Act (1970).

4.3 TEN YEAR PLAN AND PROGRAM

Following the preparation of the long range plan and the adoption of the Transportation Sytem Bylaw, the Transportation System Design Department then has a long range transportation planning frame work within which the shorter term plans and programs are prepared. The next level of detail in these plans and programs is the Ten Year Plan and Program. This phase has recently been initiated

by Alberta Transportation as part of the Administrative regulation requirements of the City Transportation Act. (1970).

54

The 10 Year Plan and Program is a statement of the major road and transit facilities to be constructed over the succeeding ten-year period, indicating the broad priority of the staging of these facilities. This plan and program is to be prepared/up-dated every two years. The following is a discussion of the steps in this process:

9. Develop Ten Year Plan and Program: Based on a review of recent growth patterns, traffic counts, and projected 10-year traffic volumes, Transportation System Design Department prepares a costbenefit analysis of each of the major transportation facilities comprising the Long Range Plan as a basis for determining those facilities to be constructed within the next ten years. The Ten Year Plan Program is circulated to other City Departments for their review and comment, prior to submission to City Council.

10. Approval by City Council: The Ten Year plan and Program, as agreed by the City Administration, is forwarded to City Council for review and approval. The Plan and Program are to form the basis for the planning, design and construction work pHority in the City.

11. Public Information: Once the TenYear Plan and Program is approved

by City Council, the information is made available to the public.

Public hearings are not called at this time, since the purpose. of the 10 Year Plan and Program is administrative, in that it ls consistent with the long range plan.

12. Alberta Transportation Approval: The final step in the approval of the 10 Year Plan and Program is the submission of this proposal by City Council to Alberta Transportation to satisfy the requirements of the Administrative regulations. Detailed discussion with Alberta Transportation is not required at this time, since the plan is intended to be consistent with the long range plan and lacking specific detail to discuss in terms of functional details. However, this plan is very important to Alberta Transportation in determining longer range financial requirements.

4.4 FIVE YEAR PROGRAM

The Five Year Program is prepared by the Engineering Department, and Edmonton Transit based on the first five years of the Ten Year Plan and Program.

The purpose of the Five Year Program is to form a part of the Local Policy Plan presented by the Corporate Policy Planning Office of the City. It also provides a basis for capital programming, land acquisition and work sheduling. This

55

document states the major capital projects that the City proposes to carry out in the next five years, and forms the basis for raising the necessary funds.

13. Corporate Policy Planning Office: As outlined above, the Five Year Program is used for the Local Policy Plan by the C.P.P.O. and submitted to City Council.

14. Review By Economic Affairs Committee: The Local Policy Plan, containing the Five Year Program for road and transit facilities is reviewed in conjunction with other programs and forwarded to Council.

15. City Council Approval: The Local Policy Plan, containing the Five Year Program for road and transit facilities is reviewed and approved by City Council on an annual basis.

16. Public Information: Like other information approved by City Council, the Local Policy Plan is made available to the public for information purposes.

4.5 FUNCTIONAL PLANNING

The functional Planning Phase is an ongoing process which is the responsibility of the Transportation System Design Department. The purpose of Functional Planning is to define transportation facilities that are technically, economically, environmentally and socially feasible, as described on page 22.

This involves showing the functional operation of the facility in sufficient detail to determine the necessary rights-of-way and relationships to local road and land uses. The functional plans are used as a reference point for responding to developers proposals, and providing five year program budget information.

Following are the steps in the Functional Planning Phase:

17. Develop Functional Planning Program and Budget: The first step in the functional planning process is to determine the transportation facilities which require functional planning definition, and obtaining funding approval. Generally, the facilities included in the functional planning work for a particular year would be those facilities which are to be constructed approximately five years hence, to allow for land acquisition and detailed design of these facilities.

56

18. Review by Economic Affairs Committee: Similar to most budget requests, the functional planning program and budget is reviewed by the Economic Affairs Committee to determine the financial priority of the work.

19. City Council Approval: The proposed functional planning program and budget for the year is forwarded by the Economic Affairs Committee to City Council for review and approval. The submission

by Economic Affairs Committee to City Council is part of the annual operating budget request for funding by the Transportation System Design Department.

20. Public Information: The request for funding for the Functional Planning Program is made public, along with the entire operating budget for the year as approved by City Council.

21. Provincial Government Cost Sharing: The proposed functional Planning program and budget is submitted to Alberta Transportation for review and comment, and approval of cost sharing on transportation facilities which are part of the Cost Shareable Network. The cost sharing on approved projects is 1 /3 City, 2/3 Provincial Government cost sharing. Cost sharing on continuous corridors is 10% City 90% Provincial Government.

22. Functional Planning Study: Based on the approval of the functional planning work by City Council and Alberta Transportation, work is commenced on the Functional Planning Studies, carried out entirely

by City Staff or with assistance from consultants. The product of the work is a plan and profile design at an approximate scale of 1:2000 showing the carriage-way and right-of-way design as well as the impact of various alternatives. During this study a complete public participation program is carried out in accordance with the study.

23. City Council Approval: City Council receives the functional plan.

If it desires, Council may refer the plan to the U & E Committee.

In any event, the plan is approved by City Council.

24. Utilities and Engineering Committee: The Committee reviews the plan in detail and may even hold non-statutory public hearings on the plan. When completed, the Committee recommends appropriate action to City Council.

25. Public Input: Public input is received in the areas affected by the specific transportation facilities for which functional planning stages have been carried out, the details of the functional plans are presented and discussed, and comments received regarding the impact on the community and neighbourhood. As appropriate, revisions may be made to the functional plans and the approval process, through Utilities and Engineering Committee and City Council, repeated. This process is optional by Council.

57

26. Alberta Transportation Approval: Following approval of the functional plans by City Council, the functional planning work is forwarded to Alberta Transportation for approval for those facilities which affect the Provincial network and/or form part of the Cost Shareable Network.

4.6 DETAILED DESIGN

The detailed transportation facility design work is carried out by the Engineering Department for roads, and Edmonton Transit for transit/LRT facilities.

This is ongoing work and is carried out 2-3 years in advance of construction, depending upon the complexity of the design (e.g. if structures are included), and the difficulty in obtaining land.

27. Develop Design Program and Budget: The first step in this phase is to prepare a list of transportation facilities for which design work is to be carried out and to estimate the costs of this design work. This step also includes improvements in the transit system such as the trolley network, operational garages, transit centres and equipment acquisition.

28. Review by Economic Affairs Committee: The request for design funds is reviewed by the Economic Affairs Committee as part of this Committee's review of the Engineering and/or Edmonton Transit's annual operating budget.

29. Approval by City CounciT: The annual operating budget, after review by the Economic Affairs Committee, is forwarded to City Council for review and approval, including the request for engineering design budget.

30. Public Information: The annual operating budget, comprising the funds for the transportation facility design work, is made available to the public for information purposes.

31. Provincial Government Costs: A request is submitted by City Council to Alberta Transportation for cost sharing of the design costs for those items which are a part of the Cost Shareable Network.

32. Land Acquisition: Based on a preliminary design of the transportation facility, the rights-of-ways are determined and surveyed, and negotiations are entered into by the Real Estate and Housing Department regarding the acquisition of the land.

33. Detailed Design: Following purchase of the land, work is commenced on the preparation of detailed design for the underground and surface works for the road and transit improvements.

58

34. Review by Economic Affairs Committee: As part of the review of the annual capital budget, the Economic Affairs Committee considers the request for construction capital funds for road and transit construction or purchase of equipment, based on the design and cost estimates emerging from the detailed design step.

35. Approval by City Council: Following formulation and verification of the capital budget by the Economic Affiars Committee, City Council reviews the overall capital budget, comprising, among other things, the request for capital construction for roads and transit facilities.

36. Public Information: As part of the release of the annual capital budget, the information regarding the construction work for roads and transit is made available to the public for information purposes.

37. Alberta Transportation Approval: Following approval by City Council of the capital budget, a request is submitted to Alberta Transportation for capital funds for the construction of the roads and transit facilities for the current year.

38. Construction Budget: Following the approval of the design work, capital cost estimates for the facilities to be constructed in the current year are up-dated and included in the capital construction budget.

39.. Review by Economic Affairs Committee: The Economic Affairs Committee reviews the capital budget, including the funds budgeted for construction of roads and transit facilities.

40. City Council Approval: City Council reviews, amends as appropriate, and approves the capital budget as recommended by the Economic Affairs Committee.

41. Public Information: The capital budget, including the construction budget for roads and transit facilities, is made available to the public for information purposes, following approval by City Council.

42. Provincial Government Cost Sharing: Following review of the construction budget by City Council, the request is submitted to Alberta Transportation for construction funds on the cost shareable network.

4.7 CONSTRUCTION

Following agreement of the design and construction budget by City Council and, as appropriate, by Alberta Transportation, the process of preparing the tender call is able to proceed for the surface and underground work for the road and

59

transit facilities. The responsibility for carrying out the construction rests with the Engineering Department for roadway facilities and the Transit Department for transit facilities. The following is a description of the steps in this phase.

43. Build Transportation Facilities: The construction process involves calling public tenders for the construction of the underground and surface work, selection of the successful tender, construction supervision and inspection. The storm systems design is usually the responsibility of the Drainage Division, Water and Sanitation Department, while the surface work is the responsibility of the Engineering Department and/or the Edmonton Transit. Provision/ relocation of other utilities such as power, telephone and gas is the responsibility of the respective departments, coordinated by the Engineering o,Transit Departments.

44. Issue Construction Ccmpletion Certificate: Following the inspection of the completed work by the Engineering or Edmonton transit, a Construction Completion Certificate, indicating that the constructed work has been carried out in accordance with City standards, is issued.

A , Final Acceptance Certificate: One year after issuance of the ,o.

Construction Completion Certificate for underground work, and two years for surface works, the facilities are inspected again by the respective Department and a Final Acceptance Certificate is issued indicating that the construction work has passed the maintenance period of approval and the City formally accepts ownership of the facility. In addition advertising of the completed project takes place in the event there are claims against the City.

46. Preparation of As Built Drawings: The Engineer in charge of the project is responsible for the preparation of as built drawings which detail the actual dimensions of the transportation facility, as built.

4.8 SYSTEM MONITORING

The system monitoring process is a continuous process of monitoring the performance of the transportation system and the travel behaviour patterns. The information monitored by each City Department is as follows:

o Transportation System Design Department: This department monitors on a regular basis the traffic count and intersection turning movements, for example, complaints, surveys and the like and a variety of other attitudinal, behavioural information. The Department also up-dates short and long term traffic forecasts, based on changes in travel patterns and determined from surveys, and based upon changes in development growth patterns as determined by Planning Department. The depart-

60 meat also monitors all land use and development proposals to make sure the protection of the physical and operational integrity df the transportation system.

0 Engineering and Edmonton Transit: These Departments are responsible for inventorying on a regular basis the physical state of the respective transportation facilities for which they are responsible. This information serves a basis for these departments to up-date their capital works programs, taking into account the need for replacement of existing facilities due to structural deterioration and expansion of these facilities to account for growth or change in level of service.

The inventory information is submitted to City Council as part of the capital construction budget request, and to Alberta Transportation as the basis for cost sharing considerations. a Planning Department: The Planning Department is responsible for monitoring development in the City and comparing this to the growth forecasts implicit in the General N!unicipal Plan and the Transportation System Plan.

61

5.0 IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS FOR MAJOR TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES

The last section of this report presents the typical timing of the implementation schedule from the Functional Planning Phase through to the completion of construction, to demonstrate the significant lead time to design and construct facilities, prior to operation of these facilities, and to provide a greater definition of the several tasks involved, than was presented above.

The implementation process comprises the Functional Planning Phase, the Detailed Desion Phase and the Construction Phase. It is in this phase that the transportation facility is taken from the planning stage and detailed for implementation.

The implementation process entails several tasks, involving different departments and agencies, and phased over 4-6 years

Because of the large

number of tasks and participants in the process, the scheduling of these tasks is critical to the timely implementation of the transportation facilities, particularly major roadway and LRT facilities. This section of the report outlines the tasks in greater detail to demonstrate the importance of timing, and the need to commence functional planning and design well in advance of the date that the facility is required operationally.

5.1 OVERALL SCHEDULE

As shown in Exhibit 5.1, the implementation process commences with the incorporation of the transportation facility in the Five Year Plan, and involves a series of planning and design tasks, resulting in the construction of the facility during year 5 and year 6. This schedule is considered typical of major roadway projects, that is expressway and/or arterial roads involving grade separations, and is some 2-3 years longer for major transit projects, e.g. LRT.

Exhibit 5.1: Implementation Schedule for Major Roadway Projects

Year 1

Year 2

Five Year Plan

Year 7

Year 6

Year 5

Year 4

Year 3

To Public Hearing Funcl onal Planning -4

0-

t

Preliminary Design For R.O.W. Limits

1-4---1-10 -4

Right-of-Way Acquisition (Max. 2 Years)

),

,-

(It Required)

U ility Design Storm Sewer Design

r-- '

Utility Relocations and U/G Construction Storm Sewer Construction

Appoint Structural Consultant Appoint Geometric Consultant -4---xI Preliminary Preliminary Survey, Geometric Pipeline Locating, Design I 4 1.- 4 4 Soil Testing I Prepai e Crossing 4

i

0. .4

Permit Applications

,.

Structural Design

Detailed Geometric Design

Quantities Calct Wed, Cons ruction Contiacts 4

Prepared, Tencleied & Awarded Obtain Pipeline, Railway Crossing, and Albei la Environment Permits

4

Staid iral, Roadway Paving

Grading, 0 -4-

Mainten ice Period 1-2 Yrs.

Cons ruction Completion Cot lificale

Final AccLptance Certificate

63

The process could be reduced to 3 years for facilities not requiring construction of structures (e.g. grade separations), and for which right-of-way is readily available. On the other hand, the process might be lengthened 2-3 years if land acquisition is a problem and if major utilities and structures must also be relocated/constructed.

The following is a discussion of the process by year.

5.2 IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS BY YEAR

Year 1: Priorization and Functional Planning

The first step in the implementation process is the selection of the tran;portation facility for inclusion in the Five Year Program. As shown in Exhibit 5.1, development of the Five Year Program involves the first several months of Year 1, following which the functional planning work is carried out.

The functional planning process would commence in the latter part of Year 1, and then be completed in a two month to twelve month time spec, depending upon the complexity of the project.

The functional planning task is the responsibility of the Transportation System Design Department. The work is carried out either by the Department with its own staff, or by consultants under the supervision of the Department.

Year 2: Preliminary Design

For major transportation facility construction projects, such as design and construction of grade separated roadways e.g. freeways, more detailed preliminary design work is required to delineate the rights-of-way, and to identify impacts on utilities. In this case, Year 2 would entail the preparation of the preliminary design for the project.

64

This work comprises plan and profile drawings, at approximate scale 1:1000, indicating the functioaal operation of the facility, and the location of major facilities. Furthermore, the roadway widths and setbacks would be defined sufficiently for purposes of detailing the right-of-way requirements and carrying out the survey for Property acquisition.

Year 3: Property Acquisition and Preliminary Site Investigation

In Year 3, the property would be acquired, based on the preliminary design definition of the right of way requirements. For arterial road construction which is entirely at-grade, this preliminary design phase may be omitted and the right-of-way may be acquired in Year 2. On the other hand, major excavation work and construction of interchanges will require the preliminary design phase in Year 2, delaying the land acquisition until Year 3. If expropriation is required to acquire the land, the land acquisition stage may take up to 2 years.

Also in Year 3, work is commenced on design of the underground facilities (utility design, storm sewer design), the structural and geometric consultants are appointed if required, and preliminary site investigations are carried out including the survey of the right-of-way, location of pipe lines in the area and soils tests.

Finally, any crossing permit applications, such as for railroads and gas lines, are requested. Typically, railway crossings requiring a board order from the Canadian Transport Commission will require a minimum of six months and up to two years to obtain, depending upon the potential impact on the rail facility.

Year 4: Capital Budget Preparation and Underground Construction

For major utility relocations and construction under the roadway or transit facility, it is desirable that this work be carried out one year prior

65

to the construction of the roadway, so that the backfill in the trench has one winter to settle. Thus, the schedule calls for construction of the major underground utilities in Year 4, prior to roadway construction in Year 5.

The responsibility for design and construction of sanitary sewers and water mains within the right-of-way is the responsibility of the Water and Sanitation Department and is sometimes carried out by the developer. The construction of storm sewers is the responsibility of the Water and Sanitation Department. This work might also be carried out by the developer with reimbursement by the Department.

The relocation of major utilities, such as telephone, gas, power, is the responsibility of the respective utilities who normally design and carry

out

this work within their respective utilities.

In Year 4, the structural design work is carried out, and the detailed geometric design work. This detailed design, including quantities and estimated construction costs, is used as a basis for developing the tender package and as input to the capital budget for work to be constructed in the following year.

Year 5: Tender and Grading Work

In Year 5, the construction project is approved by City Council early in the year, and the tender process is commenced, resulting in the completion of the grading contract during the summer of Year 5. The structural work, to the extent that this is required, is carried out over the winter of Year 5-Year 6.

Year 6: Construction Completion

During Year 6, the roadway work is carried out including the construction of curb and gutters and paving. It is possible, if there is no structural work involved, that this phase may also be carried out during Year 5, following the

66

grading work. The pavement is sometimes laid in two or three lifts, with the final lift being placed one year after the first lifts. The purpose of the delay of the final lift is to ensure the settlement of the roadway prior to final acceptance of the roadway by the City.

After the paving work is complete, the City Engineering Department inspects the roadway and issues the Construction Completion Certificate (CCC), certifying that the work has been carried out in accordance with City standards.

Year 7-8: Final Acceptance

During Year 7 and Year 8, the final inspection of the construction work is carried out by the City Engineering Department and the Final Acceptance Certificate is issued (FAC). The FAC certifies that the maintenance period is over and the facility has been accepted for ownership by the City.

Also during Year 7-8, after the paving work is complete and the CCC and FAC have been issued, the final "as-built" survey and drawings are prepared. This information is maintained by the Engineering Department as an actual record of the constructed work, for future reference when designing and constructing other facilities in the right-of-way.

As demonstrated in the schedule, the average time to implement a major roadway project is 5-6 years. This varies from as short as 3 years, to as long as 8 - 10 years. This timing, therefore, confirms the need to maintain an up to date ongoing 10 Year Plan and Program, as well as the need to maintain a Five Year Construction Budget.

67 6.0

CONCLUSION

It is clear that the transportation planning and implementation process as it exists in Edmonton is complex, lengthy, incremental in nature and involves a large number of participants with often opposing opinions on what is required.

The process is not static. This point cannot be overstated; all parts of it are always ongoing. The process has become more complicated in recent years.

In any event, this document serves to lay out the process, to make participants aware of their role and the role of others in following this process.

In conclusion, it must be remembered that the underlying intent of the transportation planning and implementation process in Edmonton is to provide a flexible framework within which the incremental development of the transportation system can proceed in a manner which is reflective of the current goals, objectives and policies of the City.

t104uo5t:p3 10 AID

041