relief line - draft evaluation process and criteria
TRANSCRIPT
RELIEF LINE PROJECT ASSESSMENT
Evaluation Process and Criteria
DRAFT
March 2015
RELIEF LINE PROJECT ASSESSMENT Evaluation Process and Criteria
March 2015 – DRAFT 2
Evaluation Process
The proposed evaluation process for the Relief Line Project Assessment has four main steps. First,
potential station area options will be identified. Next, potential station area options will be assessed
against evaluation criteria. Then, preliminary corridors for the Relief Line will be developed, connecting
the best-performing station areas. Finally, alignments and station locations within the preferred
corridor will be evaluated in greater detail and refined in order to identify a preferred alignment.
At all stages of the Relief Line Project Assessment Evaluation, potential stations and alignments will be
evaluated using the evaluation framework developed as part of the Review of the City's Official Plan
Transportation Policies ("Feeling Congested?") as summarized in Table 1. The evaluation framework
captures the many aspects of city-building, all of which are important to the future of Toronto.
The evaluation process and criteria will be refined and finali zed based on feedback received from
stakeholders and the public through Phase 1B/2 consultation.
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Table 1 – Evaluation Framework *
Principles Objectives
Serving People Choice Develop an integrated network that connects different modes to provide for more travel options
Experience Capacity to ease crowding / congestion; reduce travel times; make travel more reliable, safe and enjoyable
Social Equity Do not favour any group or community over others; allow everyone good access to work, school and other activities
Strengthening Places
Shaping the City Use the transportation network as a tool to shape the residential development of the City
Healthy Neighbourhoods
Changes in the transportation network should strengthen and enhance existing neighbourhoods; promote safe walking and cycling within and between neighbourhoods
Public Health and Environment
Support and enhance natural areas; encourage people to reduce how far they drive; mitigate negative impacts
Supporting Prosperity
Affordability Improvements to the transportation system should be affordable to build, maintain and operate
Supports Growth Investment in public transportation should support economic development: allow workers to get to jobs more easily; allow goods to get to markets more efficiently
* Evaluation Framework developed as part of the review of the City's Official Plan Transportation Policies ("Feeling Congested?).
Evaluation Criteria
1. Identifying Potential Station Areas
A long list of potential station area options has been identified within the study area, with three areas of
focus: within downtown, along the Danforth, and key activity areas within the rest of the study area.
Primary considerations for potential station locations within downtown and along the Danforth are the
ability to support future connections of the Relief Line west and north and to provide connections to the
existing and planned transit system.
The full range of city building criteria were also taken into account, including the ability to support the
planning policy framework as set out in the City’s Official Plan, the potential to serve existing and future
population and employment, and consideration of opportunities for redevelopment and intensification.
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2. Assessment of Potential Station Areas
Each of the potential station areas will be assessed for ability to meet evaluation criteria outlined in
Table 2. The results of this evaluation will inform the development of potential corridors.
Table 2 – Evaluation Criteria for Assessment of Potential Station Areas
Principles Evaluation Criteria
Choice Connectivity to surface transit routes Suitability of future extension to the north (Danforth) and to the west
(Downtown) Downtown pedestrian network impacts above and below grade
(Downtown) Directness of the transfer from the Bloor-Danforth subway line and Relief
Line (Danforth) Directness of the transfer from the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line
and Relief Line (Danforth)
Experience Proximity to key destinations including community services and facilities such as libraries, schools and community centres
Relief to Yonge Subway line and Yonge-Bloor Station (ability to divert riders) (Danforth, Downtown)
Relief to surface transit network (Inline)
Social Equity Improving service to Neighbourhood Improvement Areas
Shaping the City Serving areas of existing population Serving areas of planned population growth Supporting City-Building opportunities by enhancing sites with high
development potential
Healthy Neighbourhoods
Improving existing neighbourhoods and minimizing impacts on properties, local businesses, parks and facilities
Opportunities for context-sensitive integration of the station facilities with adjacent properties and surrounding neighbourhoods
Minimize property impacts Improve access to community services and facilities
Public Health and Environment
Improving the natural environment Ability to mitigate negative impacts
Affordability Cost and constructability of interchange stations Minimize property acquisition costs Ease of providing connection to storage facility (Danforth Stations)
Supports Growth Serving areas of existing employment Serving areas of planned employment growth
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3. Developing and Evaluating Corridors and Stations
Following evaluation of potential station areas, potential corridors to connect the station areas having
the best overall potential to address the evaluation criteria will be identified. This will include
consideration of the ability to serve expansion of the Relief Line to the west and north in the future.
The potential station locations associated with each corridor will be analyzed based on the evaluation
criteria outline in Table 3. Additional considerations for the potential stations in downtown and along
the Danforth are outlined in Table 4.
As part of the evaluation, the potential corridors will be assessed in terms of potential transit ridership
and the ability to reduce crowding and congestion on the Yonge line, at the Bloor-Yonge Station and on
the surface transit routes. In addition, feasibility of options for crossing the Don River Valley will be
considered. The criteria for assessment of the potential corridors are outlined in Table 5.
4. Developing and Evaluating Alignments and Stations
Potential alignments and station locations within the preferred corridor will be developed to a finer level
of detail to consider both physical and operational constraints and/or features. The criteria in Tables 3,
4 and 5 will be used to guide evaluation of potential alignments and station locations.
The evaluation process will lead to a preferred alignment and stations for the Relief Line.
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Evaluation Process and Criteria
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Table 3 – Evaluation Criteria for Station Locations
Principle Criteria Description Measure
Choice Connectivity to Surface Transit
Routes
What is the ability to connect to existing and
planned bus and streetcar routes?
Quantitative – number of connections to existing
and planned surface transit routes
Quantitative – number of people who use the
station to transfer to and from surface routes
where modeling results are available; where
modeling results are not available, number of
transit riders passing by the potential station
location
Connectivity to Walking and
Cycling Routes
What is the ability to connect to existing and
planned walking and cycling routes?
Qualitative – Describe opportunities to connect
with existing and planned walking and cycling
routes
Compatibility with Metrolinx
Rapid Transit Planning
What is the ability to serve or complement
Metrolinx planned rapid transit projects such as
Regional Express Rail?
Qualitative - potential for connectivity with
Metrolinx services
Experience Proximity to Key Destinations
including community services
and facilities such as libraries,
schools, community centres
and care facilities
What is the ability to provide transit service to key
destinations (hospitals, daycare centres, seniors/
retirement homes, other care facilities, education
facilities, libraries, community centres, recreation
centres, major employment centres, shopping
malls, attractions, government offices, social
service centres, transit hubs, etc.)?
Quantitative - Number of key destinations within
500 m radius of the station
List the key destinations served and describe their
scale
Social Equity Improving Service to
Neighbourhood Improvement
Areas
What is the ability to serve the City's
disadvantaged residents?
Quantitative –City of Toronto Neighbourhood
Equity Score
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Evaluation Process and Criteria
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Principle Criteria Description Measure
Draw Public and Private
Investment to Neighbourhood
Improvement Areas
What is the ability of the project to attract public
and private investment to Neighbourhood
Improvement Areas?
Qualitative – describe the likelihood of further
public or private investment to be attracted to
Neighbourhood Improvement Areas as a result of
the station's construction
Supporting Gender, Racial,
Class, Family Status, and Age
Equity
Does the option improve transit access and
support the transit needs of all genders, racial
groups, classes, family statuses and ages in
consideration of the objective to improve equity
for all groups?
Quantitative – demographic analysis comparing the
percentage of population in the station area fitting
each social variable (gender, race, class, family
status, age group) with the percentage of
population fitting the same variable in the study
area as a whole; including interrelations between
groups of social variables to identify populations or
communities such as caregivers
Qualitative – beyond the identification of
concentrations of social groups, describe how the
inclusion of a station at this location may support
greater equity in terms of gender, racial, class,
family status and age groups
Opportunities for Community
Benefits Agreements
Does the option create opportunities for
community benefits to disadvantaged residents?
Qualitative – describe the kinds of opportunities to
make short- and long-term commitments to local
community benefits such as employment that
construction and operation of a station at this
location may create for disadvantaged residents
living in the local station area
Shaping the City Serving Areas of Existing
Population
What is the ability to serve people within station
area?
Quantitative - number of people within 500 m
radius of each station (reflecting physical barriers)
Serving Areas of Planned
Population Growth
What is the ability to serve areas of planned
population growth?
Quantitative – forecast future number of people
within 500 m radius of each station (reflecting
physical barriers)
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Evaluation Process and Criteria
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Principle Criteria Description Measure
Compatibility with City
Planning Policies
Does the option support the city’s planning
policies?
Qualitative – Descriptive of whether the option
supports the growth intentions of the official plan
or relevant planning studies within the station area
(i.e. is the station located within the Downtown,
Central Waterfront, or a Centre, Avenue or
Employment District in the urban structure?)
Quantitative – percentage of land within 500 m
radius of stations designated as mixed-use area
Existing Physical Barriers Are there any physical barriers (such as highways,
valleys, rail corridors) that impact connectivity or
limit the future ability to implement transit-
oriented development around the station?
Qualitative – Discussion of potential barriers, % of
walk-up catchment area (i.e. 500 m radius of
stations) lost, barriers to station entrances from
people/jobs
Supporting City-Building
Opportunities
Does the option support new, planned or
proposed development or opportunities for place-
making?
Qualitative – Describe opportunities to support
development areas, improve connectivity or
enhance sense of place, with consideration for
built form and development potential, area of
potential opportunity sites
Healthy
Neighbourhoods
Compatibility with Existing
Neighbourhoods
Are there opportunities to enhance existing
neighbourhoods through improved connectivity or
place-making?
Are there potential impacts on existing
neighbourhoods?
Qualitative – Describe opportunities for
neighbourhood improvement within 500 m radius
of rapid transit station, with consideration for
transition areas and integration of the station
facilities with adjacent properties and surrounding
neighbourhoods.
List private residences potentially impacted by
construction and long-term operations
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Evaluation Process and Criteria
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Principle Criteria Description Measure
Improving Access to
Community Services and
Facilities
Does the option improve access to schools, places
of worship, and community service providers?
Does the option impact schools, places of worship
and other community service providers?
Qualitative – List the key institutions and services
to which access will be improved;
List the institutions and services potentially
impacted by the construction or long term
operations
Impacts on Cultural / Heritage
/ Archaeological Features
Are there cultural / heritage / archaeological
features that might be affected?
Qualitative – Describe the potential impacts or
benefits to cultural/ heritage or archaeological
features if any
Public Health
and
Environment
Compatibility with the
Natural Environment
Does the option create opportunities for
improvement to the natural environment?
Is there potential for temporary or permanent
impacts natural features?
Qualitative – list species (flora and fauna) that may
be affected by the option and opportunities for
environmental improvement
Compatibility with Parks and
Public Spaces
Does the option create an opportunity to enhance
parks and public spaces?
Is there potential for temporary or permanent
impacts to parks?
Qualitative – Describe the opportunities to
enhance parks and public spaces;
List parks potentially impacted by the construction
or long term operations
Affordability Engineering Feasibility Is the option possible to construct and how
difficult will it be in comparison to other options?
Qualitative - List key technical challenges
associated with station construction such as:
Geotechnical conditions / flooding characteristics
Compatibility with other major infrastructure
projects (i.e. Coxwell Bypass sewer, flood
protection landform at the West Donlands, etc.)
Availability of laydown / staging areas
Traffic and transit impacts during construction
Construction Cost How expensive will the option be? Qualitative – high level cost estimate (high /
medium / low) based on complexity
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Evaluation Process and Criteria
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Principle Criteria Description Measure
Utility Impacts Are there potential conflicts with existing utilities,
challenges in re-locating utilities (temporarily or
permanently) or scheduling constraints?
Qualitative – statement on extent of utility impacts
Minimize Property Acquisition
Costs
How many properties will be impacted or need to
be purchased to support the option?
Qualitative – General description of property
impacts (High / Medium / Low), with consideration
for platforms, primary and secondary
access/egress, vertical circulation elements (VCE’s),
and service rooms
Supports
Growth
Serving Areas of Existing
Employment
What is the ability to connect to employment
areas?
Quantitative – number of existing jobs within 500
m radius of station (reflecting physical barriers)
Serving Areas of Planned
Employment Growth
What is the ability for station to serve areas of
new, planned and proposed commercial and
employment development?
Quantitative – forecast number of potential jobs
within 500 m radius of station
Supporting and Strengthening
Existing Businesses and
Industry
Does the option support existing local businesses
and industry by improving accessibility?
Is there potential for temporary or permanent
impacts on businesses, such as displacement and
reductions in parking?
Qualitative – Describe the nature of businesses
within 500 m radius of rapid transit station;
List businesses potentially impacted by the
construction or long term operations
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Evaluation Process and Criteria
March 2015 – DRAFT 11
Table 4 – Additional Evaluation Criteria for Specific Locations
Principle Criteria Description Measure
Danforth Station Locations
Choice
Flexibility for Future Northern
Extension to Don Mills
What is the future ability to serve customers and
key destinations such as Thorncliffe Park and
Flemingdon Park?
Qualitative – comment on the ability to provide
stations on the future alignment which would serve
people and destinations north of the Danforth,
based on population and employment
Directness of Transfer to the
Bloor/Danforth Subway
How direct is the connection to the
Bloor/Danforth Subway Line?
Quantitative – Approximate distance and journey
time between existing Bloor-Danforth subway
station and proposed new Relief Line station
Experience Relief to Existing Subway
Network
How much relief will the option provide to the
Yonge Subway Line, Yonge-Bloor Station and the
Bloor/Danforth subway, compared to other
options?
Qualitative - Proximity to Bloor-Yonge Station,
representing catchment area for diversion
Quantitative – Number of existing daily riders
entering the station
Affordability Ease of Providing Connection
to Storage Facility
How many properties will be affected to connect
to a storage facility?
Quantitative – Identify the approximate number of
properties affected
Qualitative – Comment on constructability and
impact to TTC operations from engineering
perspective
Ease of Constructing Future
Northern Extension
How possible will it be to cross the Don Valley to
the north in comparison to other options?
Qualitative – Comment on future potential
extension across the Don Valley from
constructability perspective, with consideration for
property impacts
Impact on Existing
DanforthSubway
How much disruption will the option cause to the
existing Danforth Subway?
Qualitative – comment on extent of disruption and
modifications that would be required to Danforth
subway stations and tunnels
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Evaluation Process and Criteria
March 2015 – DRAFT 12
Principle Criteria Description Measure
Downtown Stations
Choice
Compatibility with the PATH
network
What is the ability to support the expansion
and/or integrate with the downtown PATH
network?
What is the ability to improve pedestrian flow
within the PATH network?
Qualitative – comment on connectivity to PATH
and potential for improved pedestrian flow
Downtown Pedestrian
Network Impacts
What is the ability to reduce pedestrian crowding
at existing downtown stations and at street level?
Qualitative – comment on connectivity and
potential for improved or worsened pedestrian
flow at existing downtown stations and at sidewalk
level
Flexibility for Future Western
Extension
What is the future ability to serve customers and
destinations west of the downtown such as
Liberty Village, Parkdale and Roncesvalles?
Qualitative – comment on the ability to provide
stations on the future alignment which would serve
people and destinations west of the downtown,
based on population and employment
Directness of Transfer to the
Yonge-University-Spadina
Subway
How direct is the connection to the Yonge-
University-Spadina Subway Line?
Quantitative – Approximate distance and journey
time between existing Yonge-University-Spadina
subway station and proposed new Relief Line
station
Experience Relief to Existing Subway
Network
How much relief will the option provide to the
Yonge Subway Line, Yonge-Bloor Station, Union
Station and the Bloor/Danforth subway,
compared to other options?
Qualitative – Proximity to the centroid of
employment density, representing ability to divert
trips from existing subway network
Quantitative – existing boardings and alightings at
downtown subway stations, serving as an indicator
of transit demand
Affordability Impact on Existing Downtown
Subway Stations
How much disruption will the option cause to
downtown stations?
Qualitative – comment on extent of modifications
that would be required to downtown subway
stations and the disruption of service that may
result
RELIEF LINE PROJECT ASSESSMENT
Evaluation Process and Criteria
March 2015 – DRAFT 13
Principle Criteria Description Measure
Ease of Constructing Future
Western Extension
Are there constructability constraints associated
with extending the Relief Line west of downtown?
Qualitative – comment on future potential
extension from constructability perspective, with
consideration for property impacts
Table 5 – Evaluation Criteria for Corridors/Alignments
Principle Criteria Description Measure
Choice Rapid Transit Network
Connectivity and Flexibility
How good are the connections between
this alignment and the existing subway
lines?
How well will this alignment be able to
handle shutdowns of the
Bloor/Danforth or Yonge line?
Qualitative statement on the ability to connect to
the existing subway network and flexibility of the RL
to handle shutdowns of the BD subway and/or
Yonge subway.
Experience Travel Time How long will it take to get from the
Danforth to the downtown?
Quantitative – Estimated travel time from Danforth
to Downtown, which will vary based on distance,
number of stations and alignment
Relief to Yonge Subway Line How much relief will the alignment
provide to the Yonge Subway line?
Quantitative - Reduction in AM peak hour ridership
southbound on Yonge Subway south of Bloor
Relief to Yonge-Bloor Station How much relief will the alignment
provide to the Bloor/Yonge Station?
Quantitative - Reduction in passengers transferring
in AM peak hour between BD Subway (westbound)
and Yonge Subway (southbound)
Relief to Union Station
How much relief will the alignment
provide to Union Station?
Quantitative - Reduction in passengers using Union
Station in AM peak hour
Relief to Bloor-Danforth Subway
Line
How much relief will the alignment
provide to the Bloor/Danforth line?
Quantitative - Reduction in AM peak hour ridership
westbound on BD Subway west of Sherbourne
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Evaluation Process and Criteria
March 2015 – DRAFT 14
Principle Criteria Description Measure
Relief to Surface Transit Routes How much relief will the option provide
to surface routes?
Quantitative – Improvement to surface routes with
capacity deficiencies (measured by improvement to
volume-to-capacity ratios for routes with capacity
deficiencies)
Relief Line Ridership
How much ridership will this alignment
attract?
Quantitative - AM peak period total boardings on
the Relief Line
Total Transit Ridership How much total ridership can be
expected on transit routes with this
alignment?
Quantitative - Total transit ridership within model
area during the AM Peak Period
Healthy
Neighbourhoods
Compatibility with Existing
Neighbourhoods
What are the opportunities and impacts
on the neighbourhood arising from
infrastructure required for the tunnels
(launch and extraction shafts,
emergency exit buildings, etc.)?
Qualitative – List residential properties impacted by
the construction area
Improving Access to Institutions
and Services
What are the opportunities for and
impacts on institutions and services
arising from infrastructure required for
the tunnels (launch and extraction
shafts, emergency exit buildings, etc.)?
Qualitative – List institutions and services impacted
by the construction area
Impacts on Cultural / Heritage /
Archaeological Features
What are the opportunities for and
impacts on cultural / heritage /
archaeological features arising from
infrastructure required for the tunnels
(launch and extraction shafts,
emergency exit buildings, etc.)?
Qualitative – Descriptive analysis of potential
impacts
Eliminating Barriers within
Neighbourhoods
Will the alignment eliminate existing or
result in new barriers in existing
neighbourhoods?
Qualitative - Discuss potential barriers or additional
permeability created by alignment
RELIEF LINE PROJECT ASSESSMENT
Evaluation Process and Criteria
March 2015 – DRAFT 15
Principle Criteria Description Measure
Public Health and
Environment
Compatibility With the Natural
Environment
Does the alignment create
opportunities for improvement to the
natural environment?
Is there potential for temporary or
permanent impacts natural features?
Qualitative – list species (flora and fauna) that may
be affected, and opportunities for improvement
Compatibility with Parks and
Public Spaces
What are the opportunities for and
impacts on parks arising from
infrastructure required for the tunnels
(launch and extraction shafts,
emergency exit buildings, etc.)?
Qualitative - List parks impacted by the construction
area
Encouraging People to use
Public Transit and Drive Less
How much less will people drive as a
result of this alignment?
Quantitative – reduction in total vehicle kilometres
travelled during the AM Peak Period
Quantitative – reduction in auto mode share
Affordability Engineering Feasibility Is the option possible to construct and
how difficult will it be in comparison to
other options?
Qualitative - List key technical challenges associated
with tunnel construction such as:
Geotechnical conditions / flooding
characteristics
Compatibility with other major infrastructure
projects (i.e. Coxwell Bypass sewer, flood
protection landform at the West Donlands, etc.)
Availability of laydown / staging areas
Traffic and transit impacts during construction
Construction Cost
How much will it cost?
Qualitative – high level cost estimate
Track Alignment Does the alignment conform with TTC
Design Standards?
Qualitative – statement on conformity with TTC
Design Standards (i.e. radii for horizontal curves,
tangent distances, etc.)
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Evaluation Process and Criteria
March 2015 – DRAFT 16
Principle Criteria Description Measure
Utility Impacts Are there any potential conflicts with
existing utilities, challenges for re-
locating utilities (temporarily or
permanently) or scheduling constraints?
Qualitative – statement on extent of utility impacts
Minimize Property Acquisition
Costs
What are the property impacts
associated with this alignment?
Quantitative –General description of property
impacts (High / Medium / Low), required for tunnel
and associated infrastructure (launch and extraction
shafts, emergency exit buildings, etc.), number of
property acquisitions required or cost of
acquisitions
Connecting to the Storage
Facility
How easy will it be to connect to a
storage facility?
Quantitative – General description of property
requirements and construction complexity for
providing connection to a Storage Facility, beyond
those established in the evaluation of the
Bloor/Danforth Station location
Supports Growth Supporting and Strengthening
Existing Businesses and Industry
What are the opportunities for and
impacts on businesses arising from
infrastructure required for the tunnels
(launch and extraction shafts,
emergency exit buildings, etc.)?
Qualitative – List businesses impacted by the
construction area