Module 2: The Art of Transportation planning Flashcards
Good Planning.
-Planning sets the foundation for decision-making by identifying problems, opportunities, & solutions, enabling organizations to make informed choices.
-Good planning is open & transparent, getting good public input, looking at all options, understanding the options & implications.
Decision Making and Environmental Assessment.
-Planning in transportation involves decision-making processes in the principles of Environmental Assessment.
Environmental Assessment.
-Environmental Assessment (EA) is a study, which assesses the need & the potential environmental effects of a project.
-Key components include consultation, consideration of alternatives, & the management of potential effects.
-Each province has its own EA legislation.
Ontario Legislative Framework.
-All Infrastructure and Land Use Planning are subject to one of two pieces of legislation:
-Ontario Environmental Assessment Act
-Planning Act
-In addition, a project may be subject to the Canadian Impact Assessment Act.
Ontario Environmental Assessment (EA) Act.
-In Ontario, the EA Act defines the environmental assessment process.
-The EA Act sets out a planning & decision making process so that potential environmental effects are considered before a project begins.
-Objective: Ensure environmental effects are minimized & appropriate mitigation is applied.
“Environment” Under the EA Act.
“Environment”
-Natural environment: air, land, water, plant, & animal life
-Social & Economic: property, community, air, noise, & vibration
-Cultural heritage & archaeology
-Climate change
-Technical considerations: design, traffic, drainage, constructability
Ontario EA Act - Application
The Act applies to:
-provincial ministries & agencies
-municipalities
-public bodies such as conservation authorities & Metrolinx
Examples of projects include:
-public roads & highways
-transit projects
-waste management projects, etc.
Ontario EA Act - Two Process Types
- Individual Environmental Assessment
-Large-scale, complex projects with significant environmental
impacts.
-Examples: Hwy 413, Hwy 407, Teston road
-Subject to formal Minister review & approval - Class Environmental Assessment
-Routine, common projects (that have predictable & manageable
environmental effects)
-A streamlined, standardized process
The Act Encapsulates the Principles of “Good Planning.”
-Consultation with potentially affected parties early & throughout the process;
-Clear need & justification;
-Consideration of a reasonable range of alternatives;
-Systematic evaluation of alternatives, consideration of effects on all aspects of the environment;
-Traceability
Public Consultation.
-Consultation early in & throughout the process is a key component of environmental assessment planning.
-Most public consultations include:
-Notice of Study Commencement
-Notice of Public Consultation Centre
-Notice of Completion
Planning & Design Alternatives.
Planning Alternatives:
-Generate
-Evaluate
-Select Preferred
Design Alternatives:
-Generate
-Assess
-Evaluate
-Select Preferred
Design of Preferred Alternative:
-Functional Design
-Preliminary Design
-Detailed Design
Planning Alternatives Case Study - The Third Crossing.
-The Project was a Municipal Class EA.
-Its purpose was to evaluate the need for and the feasibility of implementing additional transportation capacity across the Cataraqui River within the City.
-As the riverbed in the Study Area is owned by the Federal Government, it was subject to the Federal EA framework until later when the the Federal EA changed the requirement.
-The early phase focused on evaluating the need or and the feasibility of implementing additional transportation capacity across the Cataraqui River.
The Third Crossing - Needs.
-LaSalle Causeway was operating at capacity. Travel volumes would continue to increase, and resulting in additional delays.
-Improve emergency vehicle access to the east end.
-Better transportation connectivity across the city.
-Improved access across John Counter Boulevard to Kingston east for jobs in the Business Park.
The Third Crossing - Planning Alternatives.
- Retain the status quo or do nothing.
- Implement Transportation Demand Management.
- Increase the capacity of the LaSalle Causeway.
- Increase the capacity of Highway 401.
- Implement a new crossing at a location between the LaSalle Causeway and Highway 401 by either a tunnel or bridge.
- Limit development in Pittsburgh.
The Third Crossing - Design Alternatives.
Preferred Planning Alternative:
-Implement a new crossing at a location between the LaSalle
Causeway and Highway 401 by either a tunnel or bridge.
Design Alternatives:
-Study area was subdivided into 6 corridor areas with crossing
alignment options based on potential connections to existing
roads.
Analysis & Evaluation of Alternatives:
-The 6 corridor areas were analyzed & evaluated based on all
environmental factors.
Selection of Preferred Design Alternative:
-A tunnel was not a viable alternative solution due to technical &
capital cost constraints.
-The preferred solution was a bridge linking John Counter
Boulevard and Gore Road within Area 4.
Analysis & Evaluation of Alternatives.
- Analysis of the impacts of the various alternatives.
-Identify the benefits & impacts of alternatives under each of the
environmental factors.
-Environmental factor groups: natural; socio-economic; land use;
cultural; transportation.
-Each of these factor groups are divided into evaluation sub- and
sub-sub factors. - Evaluation of the impacts of the various alternatives.
-Determine the relative importance of the environmental features.
-Compare the advantages & disadvantages of the alternatives.
-Rate the alternatives.
Evaluation is an Integral Component of an EA Study.
A sound evaluation process is based on 5 key principles:
-The evaluation of alternatives must be comprehensive;
-The process must be rational & understandable;
-The results must be replicable;
-The data must be traceable; and
-The entire activity must be participatory, with broad input from
public, stakeholders, regulatory agencies, users, etc.
Evaluation Methods.
Two complementary evaluation approaches to facilitate the selection of a technically preferred alternative can be conducted:
-A Reason Argument, or Trade-Off Method - typically used as a
primary tool to identify a preferred alternative.
-A Numerical, or Weighting-Scoring Method - typically employed as
a secondary tool & will be used to verify the results of the trade-
off method.
Reasoned Argument.
This method provides a clear presentation of the key trade-offs between the various evaluation factors & the reasons why one alternative is preferred over another.
-Qualitative, with words, compares the advantages and
disadvantages of the alternatives.
-The differences in net effects associated with the various
alternatives are highlighted.
-Based on these differences, the advantages & disadvantages of
each alternative are identified.
-The relative significance of the effects is then examined to provide
a clear rationale for the selection of a preferred alternative.
Reasoned Argument Process.
- Prioritize the relative importance of the Factors within each Factor Group.
- Prioritize the relative importance of the Factor Groups.
- Compares the advantages & disadvantages of the alternatives on each of the factors.
- The relative significance of the effects is then examined to provide a clear rationale for the selection of a preferred alternative.
Numerical Method.
This method provides a means to compare the alternatives based on a numerical scaling with weights assigned by the Study Team with public input.
-Quantitative, with numbers, compares the advantages &
disadvantages of the alternatives.
-Incorporates the relative level of importance of each
environmental attribute (“weight”) and the magnitude of the
effect associated with an alternative (“score”).
-Numerical values are derived for both the level of importance
(weight) & the magnitude of the effect (score).
-The weight us multiplied by the score to obtain a total for each
factor.
-The totals for each alternative are then compared to determine
the arithmetically preferred alternative.
Numerical Method Process.
- Assign “weight” to the relative importance of the Factors within each Factor Group (by distributing 100% among the factors).
- Assign “weight” to the relative importance of the Factor Groups (by distributing 100% among the factor groups).
- Assign “score” (between 0-10) to the alternative based on their benefits for each of the factors.
- Obtain the “weighted score” of each of the alternatives to test & confirm the results of the Reasoned Argument.
Highway 413 EA Case Study.
-The purpose of the EA study is to examine long0term transportation problems & opportunities & consider alternative solutions to provide better linkages between Urban Growth Centres in the GTA West Corridor Preliminary Study Area.
-The focus will be on developing an integrated, multi-modal transportation system that offers choices for the efficient movement of people & goods.
Highway 413 EA Requirements.
-This study is subject t the requirements of the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act.
-This is conducted under the Individual EA Process.
-It was also designated under the Federal Impact Assessment Act in 2021, then the requirement was removed.
Highway 413 Pros.
-Highway 413 will help alleviate congestion in the GTHA by reducing the amount of cars on Highway 400 and Highway 401.
-Toronto is currently ranked First in north America in traffic congestion, therefore, Highway 413 will help reduce congestion.
-The construction of Highway 413 will help boost the economy by generating $350 million of real GDP per year during construction and support up to 3500 jobs.
-A new 400-series highway will allow Ontario to become future-ready by allowing them to introduce new state of the art technologies.
Highway 413 Cons.
-Highway 413 may not be the most efficient planning alternative, as people believe the Ontario Government should purchase Highway 407 and reduce its tolls.
-Many environmentalists are concerned with the construction of Highway 413 and its effects on the Greenbelt and surrounding environment.
-Many people believe that the billions of dollars allocated for the project should be allocated to other issues within the Province.
