Saskatoon, A Saskatoon Freeway Functional Planning Study Press Brie?ng October 8, 2019 saskatchewan.ca Introductions Fred Antunes, P.Eng. – Deputy Minister, Ministry of Highways & Infrastructure Geoff Meinert, P.Eng. – Senior Project Manager, Ministry of Highways Project team: Agenda • Introductions • Project Background – Previous Planning Activities – Project Overview • Functional Planning Study – What is a Functional Planning Study – Functional Planning Study Process • Project Status Update – Technical Working Groups – Design Workshop • Questions Previous Planning Studies 2001 2005 2007 2009 2012 2014 2017 Saskatoon Long East Perimeter Perimeter Highway No. 15 Future Perimeter Saskatoon South Saskatoon Term Highway Highway Phase 2 East Eioychuk Highway hlo. 1S Perimeter Freeway General Transportation Functional Route Location Drive to to the Proposed Highway Location Study Planning Study Planning Study and Functional Perimeter North Bridge. Validation Study Planning Study Highway Functional Functional Planning Study saskatchewan. ca Planning and Design Study Saskatoon NW Access Management Study Highway 5 East Func?onal Planning Study Saskatchewan L. Study Area • Project Scope: – – – – – • 55 km 16 interchanges 5 railway crossings 2 flyovers 1 Bridge crossing Project to be completed in 3 phases: – Phase 1 (2019) – Phase 2 (2020) – Phase 3 (2021) Study Area (Phase 1) • Phase I Scope: – 9.5 km 4-Lane – 4-5 Interchanges – 1 Railway Crossing – 1 flyovers – 1 River Bridge Crossing What is a Functional Planning Study?... • A Functional Planning Study establishes the criteria upon which further design is based. – Finalize the route within approved corridor; – Cost Estimate; – Stakeholder Engagement; and – Endorsed Functional Plan. • The study will define the standards, general layout and the staging needed to upgrade the road system for future traffic demands. • Of key importance is determining how much room is needed for the roadway, who and what will be affected, and how to mitigate impacts. Functional Planning Study Process Data Collection & Review • Review of Studies / Background Info • Site Survey • Environment & Heritage Review • Transportation Planning • Traffic Models • Traffic Operations • Traffic Study • Geometrics • Railways • Geotechnical Analysis • Complete • In Progress • Not Yet Started Generation and Evaluation of Options Reporting & Deliverables • Transportation Planning & Geometrics • Intersection & Interchange Review • Access Management • Active Transportation • Over-Dimensional Vehicles • Staged Corridor Review • Environmental & Heritage • Stakeholder Engagement • Transportation Planning & Geometrics • Intersections & Interchanges • Drainage • Utilities • Structural Memo • Intelligent Transportation Systems • Road Safety Audit • Geotechnical • Pavements • Aggregate Sourcing • Construction Cost Estimates Planning Study • Functional Value Engineering Report • Right-of-Way TECHNICAL WORKING GROUPS PROJECT UPDATE saskatchewan.ca Saskatchewan I A Stakeholder and Communications • Members – Ministry of Highways – City of Saskatoon – RM of Corman Park – Saskatoon Tribal Council – Partnership for Growth (P4G) Website Home Aboutthe Study Public Engagement Survey FAQ News Contact (1 Saskatoon I .4 Functional Planning Study The Government of Saskatchewan, through the Ministry of Highways 8t Infrastructure, is engaging in a functional planning study which will determine how the Saskatoon Freeway will look and operate. This freeway is expected to be a four-lane, 55-kilometre stretch of divided highway that begins at Highway 11 south of Saskatoon and connects with Highway '7 west of the city. The functional planning study will consider the placement of 16 interchanges, ?ve railway overpasses, two flyovers and one major river crossing. The study is scheduled to be completed in 2021. Currently, there is no timetable for a ?nal decision regarding the freeway's construction. About the Study s: saskatoonfreewa .or saskatchewan.ca Fall Engagement 1. Communications – Fall Newsletter – Social Media Story Calendar – Environmental Field Work Story, etc. 2. Landowners – Face-to-face meetings – Phase 1 Alignment meetings in Fall 3. Indigenous Partners – Saskatoon Tribal Council – Individual Nation/Chief meetings Fall Engagement 4. Environmental / Heritage Stakeholders – Summer Field Survey – MVA Field research – NE Swale Watchers – Validation Planning Session in October 5. Industry, Sector, Planning Associations & Stakeholders – RM of Corman Park Newsletter – P4G Fall Presentation – Social Media Story Calendar 6. The General Public – Website Updates – Social Media Stories – Fall Public Forums Structural/Geotechnical/Pavements • Members – Ministry of Highways – City of Saskatoon – RM of Corman Park Structural, Geotechnical & Pavements • Structures: – Setting alignment of river bridge. – Proceeding with Bridge Option Study. • Optimize design to mitigate environmental and heritage risk • Study looked at 15 possible bridge options. • Narrowed down to 4 options Structural, Geotechnical & Pavements • Geotechnical: – Field work to commence in spring 2020. – Letters to notify landowners of access have been sent. – Aquatic Habitat Protection Permit has been submitted. Transportation Planning/Utilities/ITS • Members – Ministry of Highways – Ministry of Government Relations – City of Saskatoon – City of Warman – City of Martensville – RM of Corman Park – Partnership for Growth Transportation Planning & Utilities • Traffic Modelling – Completed review of model for performance and forecast assumptions. – Conducted model runs to extract freeways interchange demand volumes in Phase I. – Ongoing development of traffic operation functional plans for interchange scenarios. Geometric and Drainage • Members – Ministry of Highways – City of Saskatoon – RM of Corman Park – Water Security Agency Geometric & Drainage • Finalizing Design Criteria for all phases. • Design Workshop Scenarios • Completing Review of Phase I Elements: – Alignment Review – Interchange Spacing and Challenges – Required Traffic Information to Analyze Configuration – Service Roads Environment/Heritage • Members – Ministry of Highways – City of Saskatoon – Meewasin Valley Authority – Wanuskewin Heritage Park – North East Swale Watchers – Water Security Agency Environmental & Heritage • Desktop review Item Schedule Desktop Assessment Complete – Biophysical & Heritage Field Survey • Public Data Sets • Previous Reports Complete Reporting October Engineering Input Ongoing • Field Survey – Identification of key movement corridors – Identification of critical habitat for rare/sensitive species – Supplementing with other agencies information Environmental Considerations • Small Swale/Northeast Swale – Unique environment, having ecological, hydrological and hydrogeological characteristics. – Swale Watchers have substantial concerns with the Freeway crossing the area. – MVA conducted Bio-Blitz in northeast / small swale. • West Swale – Similar habitat to Northeast / Small Swales but more existing disturbance (i.e. cultivated land). • River Crossing – Wanuskewin currently investigating potential for heritage resources on north river bank. – Collecting biophysical data in river valley. Small & Northeast Swale • Meewasin Valley Authority (MVA) – Meewasin Northeast Swale Master Plan – Trail Upgrades • Wanuskewin – UNESCO application. West Swale Illill DESIGN WORKSHOP saskatchewanca Saskatchewan I - A Design Workshop • Number of alternatives available to address the technical challenges: – tight interchange spacing; – access requirements. • Need to focus on a preferred scenario, with major stakeholders. Allow further development of options within the preferred scenario. Design Workshop • Participants: – Attendees: • • • • • • • Ministry of Highways City of Saskatoon RM of Corman Park Partnership for Growth Wanuskewin Heritage Park Meewasin Valley Authority North Saskatoon Business Association – Others • SNC/AECOM Design Workshop Scenarios ALT 1: THREE INTERCHANGESI :Iuam HJCIOH PENNERRD ALT 2: TWO INTERCHANGES I 3 MEG HI WM 'n'{Ii-3? ALT 3: MILLAR FLYOVER mequm "mm 1% DERI- Imam? 1: HEM-lipcf? =59 UCDOO OHX LEGEND FREEWAY ARTERIAL POTENTIAL ARTERIAL CONNECTION CLOSURE GRADE SEPARATION INTERSECTION SYSTEM INTERCHANGE SERVICE INTERCHANGE HYBRID - SYSTEMISERVICE INTERCHANGE PARTIAL INTERCHANGE saskatchewan. ca Saskatoon Freeway Functional Planning Study Saskatchewan Alternative 1 – Three Interchanges › Disadvantages: › › › › › › 3 interchanges within 4.3 km (Hwy 12, 11, Wanuskewin Road); Ultimately requires core-collector lanes; Core collector will require additional property requirements and costs; Direct connection from Highway 11 into Saskatoon removed, results in out-of-way travel; i.e. traffic must backtrack to Highway 12 or ‘zig-zag’ to Wanuskewin via Saskatoon Freeway. Requires 2.5 k closure of Highway 11.3 interchanges in close proximity (Hwy 12, 11, Wanuskewin Road); May require collector lanes to accommodate multiple ramps. Saskatoon Freeway Functional Planning Study 28 Alternative 2 Two lnterchanges PENNER RD WAN SKEWIN HERI AGE PARK ALT 21TWO INTERCHANGESI - FREEWAY ARTERIAL Ml - IN ill POTENTIAL ARTERIAL CONNECTION CLOSURE GRADE SEPARATION . NEW INTERSECTION saskatchewan.ca Saskatoon Freeway Functional Planning Study Saskatchewan 29 Alternative 3 Millar Flyover PENNER RD WAN SKEWIN HERI AGE PARK ALT 3: MILLAR FLYOVER LEGEND FREEWAY ARTERIAL MI 4' 31 POTENTIAL ARTERLAL CONNECTION CLOSURE GRADE . NEW INTERSECTION saskatchewan.ca Saskatoon Freeway Functional Planning Study Saskatchewan 30 Alternative 4 Highway 11 Flyover Tl} PENNER RD WAN SKEWIN HER AGE PARK ALT 4: HIGHWAY 11 FLYOVERI i ?9 PE Q- ?dE a Ewnmn 21LEGEND 123$ R- ANUS g? POTENTIAL ARTERIAL CONNECTION - . 2 CLOSURE GRADESEPARATION 0 NEW INTERSECTION saskatchewan?a Saskatoon Freeway Functional Planning Study Saskatchewan 31 Performance Criteria Performance Criteria Measures Access Inside Freeway Access to industrial lands Access Outside Freeway Access to industrials, residential and First Nation lands Access to Wanuskewin Heritage Park Potential to provide full access from provincial Highway system Alternate Modes of Transportation Flexibility to integrate all modes of transportation, including transit and active transportation Connectivity to Municipal Infrastructure Aligns with future, planned, and existing infrastructure Interchange Spacing Meets interchange spacing requirements Environmental/Heritage Impact Noise, view shed and sound scape impacts Highway to Highway Connectivity Travel time passing through the city of Saskatoon Access Across Freeway or Intercity Travel Travel time and distribution of traffic across multiple points in and out of the city of Saskatoon saskatchewanra Saskatchewan ,4 Evaluation 1. HOW WELL DOES THE SCENARIO SATISFY THE PERFORMANCE c; 15: CRITERIA 3 3 (ENTER RATING FROM 1-10{-33 9 3 2. ENTER ASSIGNED WEIGHT TIMES .RATING IN SUB TOTAL SUM ACROSS AND RANK AlternatIves eEgg 1.00 3.00 5.00 3.00 3.00 1.00 7.00 5.00 1.00 Alternative 1: Three Interchanges Tolt?al 11.00 30.00 35.00 9.00 30.00 23.00 21.00 100.00 14.00 273 t? :1'39 2.00 4.00 9.00 2.00 4.00 7.00 4.00 8.00 5.00 Alternative 2: Two lnterchanges Tolt?al 22.00 40.00 63.00 6.00 40.00 161.00 12.00 160.00 70.00 574 R5239 5.00 6.00 9.00 5.00 6.00 8.00 4.00 8.00 6.00 Alternative 3: Millar Flyover Tol?al 55.00 60.00 63.00 15.00 60.00 184.00 12.00 160.00 84.00 693 R5239 8.00 7.00 9.00 5.00 8.00 8.00 4.00 9.00 8.00 Alternative 4: Highway 11 Flyover Tol?al 88.00 70.00 63.00 15.00 80.00 184.00 12.00 180.00 112.00 804 saskatchewanra Saskatchewan ,4 Preferred Alternative I I PENNER RD WAN SKEWIN HER. AGE PARK POTENTIAL ARTERIAL CONNECTION LEGEND FREEWAY I .. ARTERIAL MI R- ANUS EWIN m9. -: CLOSURE GRAD SEPARATION INTERSECTION saskatchewan.ca Saskatchewan ,4 Updated Alternative PRELIMINARWDRAFT I :5 PENNER RD WAN SKEWIN HERI AGE PARK to LEGEND FREEWAY I ARTEM KEWIN - PDTEHTIAL ARTERIAL CONNECTION ELCGURE . saskatchewan.ca Saskatchewan ,4 Additional Con?qurations saskatchewan.ca Additional Con?qurations saskatchewan.ca Saskatchewan ,4 Additional Con?gurations - Hwy 12: Protection for System Interchange saskatchewan.ca Saskatchewan ,4 Additional Con?gurations - Hwy 16: Option 1 (Freeway WB exits right) 39 9 I a" saskatchewan.ca Saskatchewan ,4 Timelines • Phase 1 – early 2020 • Completion of Functional Plan - 2021 • Completed ROW requirements • Land Purchase • Allows for advanced purchase if allocated budget • Willing seller – willing buyer • Construction • No scheduled construction timelines • Potential of 10 – 15 years in future • Anticipated need at a city population of 400k, functioning to 750k. Look Ahead • Stakeholder Engagement – Present alternatives, evaluation criteria and recommended alternative to stakeholders and public • Website • One-on-One meeting • Community events • Develop various options for recommended alternative – Public Engagement Forums (i.e. Open Houses) after options are developed. – Further meetings with stakeholders/landowners. – Expect increased involvement from landowners once options are presented, first discussions about amount of actual impact to land. Look Ahead • Transportation Planning & Utilities – Transportation Demand Model – Continue working with utilities to obtain existing and future plans. • Environment & Heritage – Completion of Field Surveys and Reporting – Ongoing Engineering Input • Geotechnical & Structures – Drilling program – Bridge Option Study • Geometric and Drainage – Further detailed work on developing options for Phase I around preferred alternative. Questions? saskatchewan.ca Saskatchewan Saskatoon I A saskatchewan.ca