Item - 2015.PW4.1

June 10, 2015 at 12:25 p.m. - Speaker Nunziata advised that City Council had not yet completed its closed session consideration of Item PW4.1 headed "Gardiner Expressway and Lake Shore Boulevard East Reconfiguration Environmental Assessment (EA) and Integrated Urban Design Study - Updated Evaluation of Alternatives".  Council would resume closed session consideration after the lunch break.

June 10, 2015 at 3:08 p.m. - Speaker Nunziata advised that City Council had completed its closed session consideration of Item PW4.1 headed "Gardiner Expressway and Lake Shore Boulevard East Reconfiguration Environmental Assessment (EA) and Integrated Urban Design Study - Updated Evaluation of Alternatives ".  No motions were made in closed session.

City Council would now proceed to questions.

That City Council delete the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee recommendations and instead adopt the following:

1.  City Council maintain the elevated Gardiner Expressway east of Jarvis Street in its existing configuration.

2.  City Council authorize staff to cancel the Environmental Assessment.

3.  City Council direct staff to proceed with the rehabilitation of the Gardiner Expressway east of Jarvis Street.

If motion a fails:

That:

1. City Council's preferred alternative for the Gardiner East Environmental Assessment is "Removal", on the basis of greater emphasis on the Environmental Assessment urban design, environment and economics study lenses, composed of:

• Removal of 1.7 kilometres of elevated expressway east of Jarvis Street and replacement with an at-grade eight-lane tree-lined Lake Shore Boulevard;

• Realignment of Lake Shore Boulevard from Cherry Street to Don River;

• Removal of about 750 metres (eastbound lanes) and 850 metres (westbound lanes) of the existing Gardiner on/off ramps west of Logan Avenue;

• Removal of all road infrastructure along Keating Channel;

• Construction of a new Lake Shore-Don Valley Parkway ramp connection;

• Construction of new three-lane on/off ramps at Jarvis Street; and

• Construction of a new multi-use pathway, as well as pedestrian and intersection improvements.

Amended by motions 7a and 8a.

If motions a and b fail:

That:

1.  City Council's preferred alternative for the Gardiner East Environmental Assessment is "Hybrid", on the basis of greater emphasis on the Environmental Assessment transportation and infrastructure study lens, and as it retains continuous expressway linkage to the Don Valley Parkway, as well as:

• Re-decking of the existing elevated expressway east of Jarvis Street;

• Re-decking of existing Gardiner-Don Valley Parkway ramps;

• Removal of about 750 metres (eastbound lanes) and 850 metres (westbound lanes) of the existing Gardiner on/off ramps west of Logan Avenue;

• Addition of two new ramps (two lanes each) in the Keating precinct:

- about 470 metres of new westbound on-ramp; and

- about 425 metres of new eastbound off-ramp;

• Realignment of Lake Shore Boulevard from Cherry Street to Don River; and

• Construction of a new multi-use pathway, as well as some pedestrian and intersection improvements.

2.  City Council direct the City Manager to report back to the next Public Works and Infrastructure Commitee on various options for the hybrid alignment of the Don Valley Parkway and Gardiner Expressway East, to maximize the development potential of the area including the original First Gulf proposal.  The various options would assess the following implications:

a.  Degree of turns;

b.  Speed of vehicles on turning point;

c.  All associated costs;

d.  Construction feasibility; and

e.  Impact on development potential in the area.

3.  City Council direct the City Manager to report back to the next Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on the feasibility of a tunnelling option for the Gardiner, taking into account cost implications and technical capabilities.

Amended by motions 2b, 8b, 9, 10a and 13.

Councillor Perks, rising on a Point of Order, asked the Speaker to rule on whether motion 1c was in order. Councillor Perks stated that Part 1 of the motion says Council's preferred option should be the hybrid option and Part 3 of the motion asks the City Manager to report on the tunnelling option, and Council can't give contradictory advice.

Councillor Davis, rising on a Point of Order, asked the Speaker to rule on whether Part 2 of motion 1c was properly before Council as Part 2 is contrary to Part 1 of the motion.

That motion 2a by Councillor Karygiannis be amended by adding the following words "as well as further analysis of the feasibility of the Hybrid option as originally proposed including moving the elevated expressway alignment closer to the railway", so that it now reads as follows:

That City Council refer the item back to the Acting City Manager to report to the September 30 and October 1, 2015 City Council meeting, through the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, on the feasibility of a tunnel to replace the elevated portion of the Gardiner Expressway, such report to include funding options on public and private partnerships as well as City of Toronto highway road pricing (tolling) as well as further analysis of the feasibility of the Hybrid option as originally proposed including moving the elevated expressway alignment closer to the railway.

That motion 2a by Councillor Karygiannis be amended by adding the following words "and direct the City Manager to include proposed weighting of the Environmental Assessment (EA) criteria in his report", so that it now reads as follows:

That City Council refer the item back to the Acting City Manager to report to the September 30 and October 1, 2015 City Council meeting, through the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, on the feasibility of a tunnel to replace the elevated portion of the Gardiner Expressway, such report to include funding options on public and private partnerships as well as City of Toronto highway road pricing (tolling) and direct the City Manager to include proposed weighting of the Environmental Assessment (EA) criteria in his report.

That motion 1b by Mayor Tory be amended by adding the following new recommendation:

2.  That City Council direct the City Manager to report back to the next Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on acceleration and costing of the Congestion Management Plan for the entire city and analysis of how its implementation would reduce travel times under the Remove option.

That City Council adopt the recommendation contained in the supplementary report (June 1, 2015) from the Acting City Manager and the City Solicitor [PW4.1b]:

1. City Council consider the confidential Attachment 2 to this report for information, and that Attachment 2 remain confidential.

That Recommendation 3 of motion 1c by Mayor Tory be amended by deleting the words "next" and inserting the words "September 22, 2015 meeting of the", so that it now reads as follows:

3. City Council direct the City Manager to report back to the September 22, 2015 meeting of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on the feasibility of a tunnelling option for the Gardiner, taking into account cost implications and technical capabilities.

That Recommendation 3 of motion 1c by Mayor Tory be amended by adding the words "such report also to include options with no cost to the taxpayer", so that it now reads as follows:

3. City Council direct the City Manager to report back to the next Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on the feasibility of a tunnelling option for the Gardiner, taking into account cost implications and technical capabilities, such report also to include options with no cost to the taxpayer.

That City Council refer the package attached to this Motion to the City Manager for consideration in any future discussion of options for the remaining portion of the Gardiner Expressway.

That City Council direct that a copy of Council's decision on this Item be forwarded to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities with a request for their assistance in advocating for transportation funding for municipalities.

That motion 6 by Councillor Pasternak be amended by adding the words "whether tunnelled or elevated" after the word "Highway" so that it now reads as follows:

That City Council request the City Manager to report back to City Council on a process to request the Province of Ontario to designate the Gardiner Expressway a King's Highway, whether tunnelled or elevated; such report to include but not be limited to:

a.  the steps required to complete this process under the Ontario Public Transportation and Highway Improvement Act including an assumption plan;

b.  the business case for the Province controlling the Gardiner Expressway due to the use of the expressway by residents predominantly from outside of Toronto;

c.  the need to create an intergovernmental working group to advise and assist throughout the process;

d.  regulatory conditions including maintaining connectivity of the ring road via the Don Valley Parkway and its connections to Highway 401 and Highway 404; and

e.  case studies of Ontario and/or Canadian municipalities uploading existing large infrastructure to the Province.

That City Council request the City Manager to report to the September 21, 2015 meeting of the Executive Committee on the feasibility of City of Toronto highway road pricing (tolling) for the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway, for non-residents of the City, with the resulting revenues to be directed to the Toronto Transit Expansion Reserve Fund.

That:

1.   City Council direct the City Manager to report to the September 21, 2015 meeting of the Executive Committee on various options for City of Toronto highway road pricing (tolling) for the Gardiner Expressway, including linkage to the Don Valley Parkway, for the purpose of offsetting capital, operating and maintenance cost for these highways and other Transportation needs, and such report to include:

a. the following options and associated projected revenues:

1. flat rate fees;

2. fees by distance;

3. fee cost allocation reduced by number of passengers;

4. fee cost reduced by frequency or monthly pass concept; and

5. a five (5) and ten (10) year sunset clause,

b. information on the number of vehicles per day including:

1. number and type of trucks and commercial vehicles per day;

2. estimated number of cars and truck originating:

a. from within Toronto City limits; and

b. from outside Toronto,

c. information on various technological options such as electronic scanning of plates, transponders and number of passengers; and

d. current and projected operating and capital costs.

Councillor Kelly, rising on a Point of Order, stated that Professor Murtaza Haider from Ryerson University would be available in the Members Lounge if Members have questions.

Councillor Perks, rising on a Point of Privilege, stated that his privilege as a Member was abrogated as the Members Lounge is for Members only and not for bringing people in to lobby for a particular point of view on an issue.

Councillor Perks, rising on a Point of Order, stated that City Council should recess to permit circulation of Mayor Tory's motions before Members ask questions of the Mayor.

Councillor Campbell, rising on a Point of Order, stated that Councillor Robinson's questions of the Mayor are not a clarification of his motions.

Councillor Mammoliti, rising on a Point of Order, stated that he needed clarification on the extension of speaking time for local Councillors.

Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong, rising on a Point of Order, stated that Councillor Pasternak's questions were not in order.

Councillor Shiner, rising on a Point of Privilege, stated that Councillor Carroll, at the end of asking questions, tends to make statements and/or comments, then apologizes, but Councillor Shiner does not believe the Councillor is sorry. Councillor Shiner stated that if a Member wants to express opinions on his motion, they can do so by putting their name down to speak on the Item.

Councillor Carroll, rising on a Point of Privilege, stated that Councillor Shiner's remarks about whether she is sincere or not when apologizing is disrespectful. Councillor Carroll further stated that when she did apologize, she meant it.

Councillor Carroll, rising on a Point of Privilege, stated that Councillor Mammoliti is making remarks about her tweets.

Councillor Davis, rising on a Point of Order, stated that she needed clarification on whether Committee Recommendation 5 should be deleted as a result of Council's decision on this item.

Speaker Nunziata proposed that Council consent to a two minute extension of Councillor Fletcher's speaking time.

Speaker Nunziata proposed that Council consent to a two minute extension of Councillor McMahon's speaking time.

That the Acting City Manager report directly to City Council on additional strategies to enhance the Hybrid option, such as:
 
a.  the location and/or necessity of expressway on/off ramps east of Jarvis Street;
 
b.  opportunities to enhance the areas underneath and beside the elevated expressway and on/off ramps; and,
 
c. opportunities to improve the streetscape of Lake Shore Boulevard, including opportunities to improve pedestrian safety.
 

That the Acting City Manager report directly to City Council on additional strategies to mitigate the congestion impacts of the Remove alternative, including:
 
a.  additional travel lanes on Lake Shore Boulevard;
 
b.  pedestrian overpasses at key intersections on Lake Shore Boulevard; and,
 
c.  any other opportunities to reduce vehicle travel times.