Report to: Development Services Committee Report Date: March 29, 2011
SUBJECT: Miller Avenue Extension Class Environmental Assessment, Additional Scope of Work
PREPARED BY: Nehal Azmy, Senior Capital Works Engineer ext. 2197
Alain Cachola, Manager, Capital Works ext. 2711
RECOMMENDATION:
1) THAT the March 29, 2011 staff report entitled “Miller Avenue Extension Class Environmental Assessment, Additional Scope of Work” be received;
2) AND THAT the extension of Miller Avenue from Birchmount Road to Kennedy Road be incorporated as part of the current Miller Avenue Extension Class EA from Woodbine to Birchmount Road.
3) AND THAT URS Canada Inc. be retained to incorporate the extension of Miller Avenue from Birchmount Road to Kennedy Road to their current Miller Avenue Extension Class EA Study from Woodbine to Birchmount Road.
4) AND THAT the existing purchase order D8 187 be increased in the total amount of $274,349.77 inclusive of HST impact, to expand the scope of work of the Miller Avenue Class Environmental Assessment Study, in accordance to the Town’s Expenditure and Control Policy.
5) AND THAT funding for the project be provided from the approved Capital accounts 083-5350-8206-005 in the amount of $140,000.00 and 083-5350-9307-005 in the amount of $134,349.77.
6) AND THAT a contingency amount of $27,434.98, inclusive of HST, be established to cover any additional potential changes to the scope of work.
7) AND THAT funding for the contingency be provided from the approved Capital accounts 083-5350-8206-005 in the amount of $14,000.00 and 083-5350-9307-005 in the amount of $13,434.98.
8) AND THAT Staff be authorized and directed to do all things necessary to give effect to this resolution
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Not Applicable
PURPOSE:
To obtain approval to retain URS Canada Inc. to incorporate the extension of Miller Avenue from Birchmount Road to Kennedy Road as part of their current Miller Avenue Extension Class EA from Woodbine Avenue to Birchmount Road and to increase the existing purchase order to incorporate the additional scope of work and contingencies.
BACKGROUND:
Miller Avenue is an existing east-west roadway which extends from Woodbine Avenue to Rodick Road and provides access to the industrial lands north of 14th Avenue. Previous traffic studies have indicated that additional east-west road capacity is required in the area bounded by Woodbine Avenue, Kennedy Road, Highway 7 and 14th Avenue to support planned growth in the Markham Centre area. Furthermore, plans to redevelop a portion of the adjacent Miller industrial lands for commercial / other uses are expected to significantly increase traffic volumes along the existing section of Miller Avenue. Refer to Attachment A.
To address both of these issues, the Town retained URS Canada Inc. in June 2008 to complete the Class Environmental Assessment for a Miller Avenue extension from Rodick Road to Birchmount Road.
Furthermore, recent planned developments in the area including the expansion of GO Station parking facility and the anticipated intensification of development in Markham Centre and Transitway station adjacent to Highway 407 and west of Kennedy Road will increase the traffic volume in this area significantly, demanding additional connection to the major roads. One option is to extend Miller Avenue from Birchmount Road east to Kennedy Road to provide additional access and capacity to the arterial road and off load Enterprise Drive.
OPTIONS/ DISCUSSION:
In August 2008, a feasibility study was undertaken by URS Canada Inc. to examine the implications of further east-west capacity enhancement by extending Miller Avenue from Birchmount Road east to Kennedy Road. The results and analyses of the study suggest that the easterly extension of Miller Avenue to Kennedy Road would assist in accommodating anticipated growth in vehicular traffic in the study area east of Birchmount Road.
Based on the finding of the feasibility study, staff recommends the incorporation of this extension of Miller Avenue from Birchmount Road to Kennedy Road as part of the current Miller Avenue Extension Class EA from Woodbine to Birchmount Road.
The benefits to retain URS Canada Inc. to provide service for the Class EA study of the additional extension to Kennedy Road include:
· Efficiency and economy for the consultant to liaise essentially with the same agencies and stake holders of the Class EA.
· Efficiency for the Town to manage one consultant instead of two.
· Consistency in addressing similar policies and issues throughout the extension.
· Better co-ordination between the two projects in terms of schedule and progress.
· Information will be organized by the same consultant.
· Price negotiated is consistent with similar EA studies.
· Political and agency consultation streamlined.
· Filing one (1) Class EA study will be far more efficient that completing two (2) separate ones and will require a shorter approval process.
This Class EA study is among the most difficult and challenging EA study undertaken by the Town to date. The following issues related to extending Miller Avenue beyond Birchmount Road to Kennedy Road are:
· Conflict with the east cell of the existing storm water management pond at Birchmount Road
· Crossing of the CN / Go Rail
· Existing Hydro transmission towers, overhead high voltage wires
· Relationship to Power Stream sub-station at Kennedy Road
· Creek crossings
· Limited space between the Highway 407 ramp and the CN Rail overpass on Kennedy Road
· Agency approvals
· Costs.
Due to the numerous conflicts with existing infrastructures (i.e. Hydro corridor, Hydro lines and Towers, MDE, CN / GO rail, Hwy 407 Transit Line and Substations) and environmentally sensitive areas, this Class EA study will require more field investigation and testing than normally required.
The additional scope of work and fee to incorporate the additional study area from Birchmount Road to Kennedy Road into the original EA will include, but not be limited to the following:
· Topographic survey
· Geotechnical investigations
· Natural environment investigation
· Archaelogical Assessment
· Utility collection
· Stormwater management and structural requirement
· Coordination with agencies and obtaining approvals.
The cost estimate provided by URS Canada inc. for the additional study area is $188,585.34 and the additional work required on the original study area is $85,764.43.
The request for proposal 001-R-08 Miller Avenue Class EA - Woodbine Avenue to Birchmount Road was awarded in March 2008. The Class EA study was put on hold due to property negotiations with Hydro One and Miller Developments. The increase in cost for the original study area is due to the increase of staff hourly rates from 2008 to 2011 and additional works not included in the original request for proposal. This additional works include, but not limited to the following:
· Coordinate info from Hydro One and revise plans
· Coordinate info from Hwy 407 Transitway and revise plans
· Coordinate info from Markham District Energy and revise plans
· Coordinate and review storm water management reports
· Update traffic analysis
· Underground utilities identification at Warden tunneling (provisional)
· Topographic survey at Warden crossing (provisional).
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND TEMPLATE:
The additional fees submitted by URS Canada Inc. to complete this assignment is estimated in the total amount of $219,744.84 (inclusive of HST).
An additional estimated fee of $54,604.93 (inclusive of HST) will be required to cover for additional provisional tasks that may be required for the completion of the Environmental Assessment Study including:
· Address potential comments on traffic analysis
· Additional underground utilities identification at Warden tunneling
· Additional topographic survey at Warden crossing
· Additional meetings with the Town /agencies.
The funding for this additional fee will be from the Miller Ave Reconstruction Capital Accounts nos. 083-5350-8206-005 and 083-5350-9307-005
|
Account # |
Current Budget Available |
Cost of award |
Budget Remaining after this award |
|
083-5350-8206-005 |
$172,500.00 |
$154,000.00 |
$18,500.00 |
|
083-5350-9307-005 |
$200,000.00 |
$147,784.75 |
$52,215.26 |
Staff recommends using the detailed design accounts nos. 083-5350-8206-005 and 083-5350-9307-005 to fund the increase in the Environmental Assessment cost. Staff will request for additional funding for the detailed design phase of the project in 2012/2013.
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:
The extension of Miller Avenue to Kennedy Road would support planned growth in the Markham Centre area.
RECOMMENDED BY:
________________________ ______________________________
Alan Brown, C.E.T. Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.
Director of Engineering Commissioner, Development Services
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment “A” - Miller Avenue Extension Class Environmental Assessment from Woodbine Road to Kennedy Road.