Sixth Street Reconstruction

Notice of Public Information Centre - Week 1

Public Information Centre
Session will run from 6 pm to 8 pm in Community Rooms B & C on the third floor of the Collingwood Public Library, 55 Ste. Marie Street, Collingwood, Ontario. It will be run as an informal open house displaying the preliminary design drawings and providing an opportunity to discuss with and ask questions of Town Staff and Tatham Engineering. 

Public Review Period Ends

Sixth Street Reconstruction Update to Council

At the September 11, 2023 Council Meeting, Stuart West, Manager of Engineering Services, provided an operational update including project overview, objectives and opportunities, reviewed alternative cross sections considered, provided a visual of Alternative 2, being the preferred solution, reviewed public consultation and notices provided to date and clarification to the Municipal Class EA process. Manager West reviewed consultation feedback highlighting the desire to maintain the urban tree canopy along Sixth Street, specific drainage and driveway concerns, improved street lighting for safety, improvements to road safety, and the impacts of two-wat trails. Pedestrian and cyclist counts were reviewed, including OTM Book 18 recommendations and selection criteria to separating pedestrian and cyclists.

Questions of Council were addressed which included trail connectivity, potential for collisions with two-way cycle and pedestrian traffic on the proposed multi-use trail, ability to raise intersection crossings and other traffic calming tools, environmental impacts between asphalt and concrete surfaces, residential parking, and ensuring it is built for future needs.

Resolution of Council

At the October 16, 2023 Council meeting Resolution RES-341-2023 was passed:

WHEREAS Sixth Street is the main east-west cycling corridor through the Town of Collingwood;

AND WHEREAS the necessary reconstruction of Sixth Street presents opportunity for improvements to the active transportation facilities that reflect up to date best practices;

AND WHEREAS the objective of the proposed design is to create a “complete street” that cost-efficiently preserves the existing boulevards, trees and hydro poles, while improving active transportation conveyances on both the North and South sides of the street;

AND WHEREAS the proposed design would introduce a two-way raised cycle track on the south side of the street only, that would be shared with pedestrians;

AND WHEREAS industry best practice is to avoid two-way cycle tracks because of the significantly increased risk of conflict with motor vehicles in situations where there are a large number of driveways and intersections as exist on Sixth Street;

AND WHEREAS the same shared track would impact the travel experience and safety of pedestrians in that the majority of users are cyclists, and this form of transportation is likely to increase with the growing number of cyclists, plus users of scooters, e-bikes and other power-driven personal transport devices;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Staff reconsider the proposed Sixth Street Reconstruction design and request staff and/or consultant provide additional information regarding the Level of Service Guidelines for the potential implementation of one way cycle tracks on the north and south sides, and a separate pedestrian sidewalk on the north side;

AND FURTHER that the design ensure that active transportation crossings at all intersections reflect best practices which may include cycle track pavement markings, raised crosswalks or other treatments that reflect best practice and improve safety of all active transportation facilities on the reconstructed street.

Update To Council - Final Cross-Section Design

30 Jul 2024

At the July 8, 2024 Council meeting, Council voted down a re-consideration of the approved Sixth Street cross-section. Based on this outcome, staff are moving forward with the one way cycle track cross-section option. Staff shared the conclusions of an arborist report completed on the north side trees to help inform Council's decision. This report identified a majority of the Town owned trees are in fair-poor condition, there is a lack of tree diversity, and the predominate trees are not ideal as boulevard trees. The arborist report has been added to this page for reference. Click here to view the report.

28 May 2024

At the May 22, 2024 Council meeting, staff presented the cross section design for Sixth Street which incorporates the directions of Council Resolution RES-341-2023 from October 2023.

Sixth Street Cross Section - May 2024

23 Nov 2023

During the meeting held October 16, 2023 Council provided direction for staff to reconsider the proposed Sixth Street Reconstruction design and implement one way cycle tracks on the north and south sides, and a separate pedestrian sidewalk on the north side.

Council also directed staff to ensure that active transportation crossings at all intersections reflect best practices which may include cycle track pavement markings, raised crosswalks or other treatments that cost efficiently reflect best practice and improve safety of all active transportation facilities on the reconstructed street.

Council Resolution 341-2023 was passed as noted in the linked document which also includes an image of the proposed cross section reflecting what Council would like to see implemented.

Sixth Street Reconstruction - Council Resolution 341-2023

31 May 2023

Sketch of the proposed cross section of Sixth Street to be presented at the Public Information Centre on May 31, 2023

Sixth Street Cross Section

26 May 2023

The Concept Drawings - Aerial are available to assist with visualizing the project design and will be displayed at the Public Information Centre on May 31, 2023.

Concept Drawings - Aerial - Sixth Street

23 May 2023

Roll Plans drawings are provided to demonstrate the 'concept' of the proposed design. Aerial photography images will be posted once they are available.

Sixth Street - Roll Plan - Concept Option

23 May 2023

The Notice of Public Information Centre advises residents that an informal open house will be held with Town Staff and Tatham Engineering to display the preliminary design drawings and to discuss and answer any questions regarding the project. The Notice has been published in the local newspaper where it will be posted for two (2) weeks.

Notice of Public Information Centre
 

The primary objective of reconstructing Sixth Street is for the installation of a transmission watermain to improve water supply and pressure to the west end of Collingwood.   The existing distribution watermain is undersized and will be replaced, along with the existing sanitary and storm sewer.  

This is a Generational project – The new cross-section will look very different and will transform the street into one that we hope will encourage active movement as the preferred means of transportation throughout Town.

This project was initiated for water infrastructure needs and renewal of all infrastructure is part of responsible long-term asset management planning.

This is a Generational project – The new cross-section will look very different and will transform the street into one that we hope will encourage active movement as the preferred means of transportation throughout Town.

The new OTM (Ontario Traffic Manuel) Book 18 guidelines recommend when the average daily traffic volumes are above 5,000 vehicles per day, that a physically separated bikeway be installed such as a separated bike lane, multiuse path, or cycle track.   Sixth Street currently has approximately 7,500 vehicles per day.  

Sixth Street was identified as an east-west cycling in the Collingwood Cycling Plan because of the existing signalized intersections at Hurontario Street and High Street. Sixth Street connects to the trail system on the west end and Hamilton Street leading to Central Park and the Train Trail on the east end.

Sixth Street was identified as an east-west cycling in the Collingwood Cycling Plan because of the existing signalized intersections at Hurontario Street and High Street. Sixth Street connects to the trail system on the west end and Hamilton Street leading to Central Park and the Train Trail on the east end.

There are thirty-six (36) boulevard trees that will be removed as part of the project to accommodate the new "one way" cycle track on the north side of the street.  More trees may need to be removed when individual services are installed to each property depending on location, however every effort will be made to save as many trees as possible.

The arborist report concluded that six (6) trees had a rating of ‘Good’, fourteen (14) had a rating of ‘Good-Fair & Fair’, and nineteen (19) had a ‘Fair-Poor & Poor’ rating.  Approximately half of the Town owned trees were rated in the ‘Fair-Poor & Poor’ rating, species diversity is love and the streetscape is dominated by Silver and Norway Maples, neither of which is recommended for the location.  Most of the trees don’t have critical reasons for removal, however those that are in poor health will have less resilience to construction impacts, which may accelerate their decline.

Council directed staff to replace at a minimum of 2:1 or as determined using a science-based calculation to ensure that the net environmental benefit of the removed trees is not lost.

As the design progresses and staff and the consultants move through the detailed design, a tree replacement strategy will be brought back to Council in the fall of 2024

Utility relocation work could start as early as 2025 and construction is scheduled for 2026 and 2027.   Construction will start at the Hurontario & Sixth Street intersection and proceed west.  Phase 1 (Hurontario to Oak) will be completed in 2026 and Phase 2 (Oak Street to High Steet) will be completed in 2027.

The new cross section will transform the street into one that we hope will encourage active movement as the preferred means of transportation throughout Town.

A public information center was held on May 31 2023 at the Collingwood Library.  Staff then provided an update to Council in September 2023 , Council provided a motion to revisit the recommended design with the implementation of cycle tracks in October 2023.  In May 2024 Staff provided another update to Council highlighting the challenges of the cycle track option, mainly the removal of existing trees in the north boulevard area.  The engineering consultants also hand delivered notices to residents along Sixth Street ahead of the public meeting  in September 2023.

The project is still at the beginning stages of design.  In fact, Staff reviewed 5 designs with Council in Sept 2023 and recommended one.  Council made a decision to support the design with one way cycle tracks in Oct 2023.  Following this direction, Staff came back to Council in XX, 2024 to share what the design will look like.  With Council's recent decision, Staff are moving forward to complete the engineering in 2024, so utility relocations can start in 2025.

The arborist report concluded that six (6) trees had a rating of ‘Good’, fourteen (14) had a rating of ‘Good-Fair & Fair’, and nineteen (19) had a ‘Fair-Poor & Poor’ rating.  Approximately half of the Town owned trees were rated in the ‘Fair-Poor & Poor’ rating, species diversity is love and the streetscape is dominated by Silver and Norway Maples, neither of which is recommended for the location.  Most of the trees don’t have critical reasons for removal, those that are in poor health will have less resilience to construction impacts, which may accelerate their decline.  

Q: What will happen to the trees on the north side? I assume they will need to be cut down. What is the plan to replace them? chorny asked.

Trees within the north boulevard will be removed to accommodate the one-way cycle track on the north side of the boulevard.  Trees will be replaced at a minimum 2:1.

Q: I attended the Public Information Session in May and was surprised to learn that there were no plans to replace the sidewalk on the north side of Sixth Street. For several years now, a great deal of water (and ice in the winter) has pooled on the sidewalk and it poses a danger to the public to not rectify the situation when you have the opportunity to. If you drive down Sixth Street after a rainstorm you will see the extend of the pooling. I had emailed the Town about this last year but never received a response. If you would kindly investigate this as an option, it would be greatly appreciated. We are at 419 Sixth Street, just west of Spruce Street. Thank you, Marg Thibideau and Clarke Richards asked.

The sidewalk will be reconstructed where the sanitary and water services cross, and catch basins will be installed near the sidewalk to help with the flooding and ponding problems.

Q: When will this all begin? We are at 303 Sixth Street and need access to remove our 5th wheel for a few camping reservations throughout the summer. Christine asked.

Utility relocations and possibly construction could start as early as 2024, but most likely Phase 1 would start in 2025 and Phase 2 in 2026.  Residents will be kept informed and there will be no issues with the fifth wheel leaving or entering the site; that can be coordinated with the successful contractor.