$430M for separated rail crossings in Barrhaven
It would cost $430 million to separate roads and railways at five locations in south Ottawa, according to a report published Wednesday.
The deadly crash between an OC Transpo double-decker bus and a Via Rail train on Sept. 18, 2013, in Barrhaven prompted a study by the City of Ottawa and Via on grade-separated crossings at Woodroffe Avenue, the southwest Transitway, Fallowfield Road, Merivale Road and Jockvale Road.
The result of the study is a proposed Barrhaven Safety Rail Program, which will be presented to council’s transportation committee next Wednesday.
The study confirmed that all five crossings should be separated.
Because of the soil conditions at Woodroffe Avenue, the Transitway and Fallowfield Road, the study recommends building overpasses at those locations. Underpasses would be appropriate for the Merivale Road and Jockvale Road crossings, the study says.
The $250,000 study, which was done by Parsons, recommends that the priority should be the Woodroffe Avenue, Transitway and Fallowfield Road crossings, followed by Merivale Road and finally Jockvale Road.
While Jockvale Road is last in the priority list, the city says there should be a plan for a multi-use pathway underpass in the “near term” because of the high number of pedestrians and cyclists at the location. The work could cost about $6 million.
“In order for these projects to fit within the city’s long-range financial plan and affordability model, partnership funding from the federal and provincial governments, and potentially Via Rail, will be required, and it is anticipated that projects will be phased in over time,” the report says.
Each of the five road-rail crossings would cost between $75 million and $145 million to add an underpass or overpass, the report says. Those estimates are very preliminary and don’t include related costs such as OC Transpo detours, water service for impacted properties on private wells in the area of Merivale Road and other studies.
The city wants to get moving on environmental assessments in 2018 for Woodroffe Avenue, the Transitway, Fallowfield Road and the multi-use pathway at Jockvale Road, knowing that the federal and provincial governments are keen on funding transportation projects. The studies will be part of the city’s 2018 draft budget.
The city wants to leave it to Mayor Jim Watson, with advice from the ward councillors, to start funding discussions with the other levels of government and with Via.
The cost estimates by location are: Merivale Road, $75 million; Woodroffe Avenue and Transitway, $145 million; Fallowfield Road, $130 million; and Jockvale Road, $80 million.
The city also plans to build an overpass above the tracks on Strandherd Drive as part of a roadwidening project already in the transportation master plan.
The 2013 crash at the Transitway level rail crossing killed five bus passengers and the bus driver.
In 2015, the Transportation Safety Board released an investigative report recommending the city review the need for grade separation at the Woodroffe Avenue, Transitway and Fallowfield Road rail crossings. The city added the crossings at Merivale Road and Jockvale Road to its study with Via.