Two people pushing baby strollers on the Millennium Trail

Niagara Falls People Mover Environmental Assessment and Economic Analysis

The purpose of this Environmental Assessment (EA) Report is to request approval to implement an upgraded people mover system in the City of Niagara Falls, Ontario. The Ontario Environmental Assessment and Consultation Improvement Act requires that if a new transit service is to operate within a dedicated right-of-way, it is subject to an Individual Environmental Assessment. The proposed upgraded people mover system in Niagara Falls clearly meets this criteria.

Introduction and Background

The City of Niagara Falls attracts millions of visitors every year. The Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) published figure for overall 1998 visitation was 14 million. The Niagara Falls Cities Analysis (Canadian Facts, February 1998) reported an annual visitation of 9 million people, not including visitation to Casino Niagara. Since its opening, Casino Niagara has reported a significant level of visitation; in 1997, the Ontario Casino Corporation reported that over 9 million people entered Casino Niagara.

With the level of annual visitation predicted to increase to 21.7 million by 2005 (Touristics Niagara Falls Tourism Projections, May 1994), and given the current levels of congestion encountered on roads and pathways in Niagara Falls, it is considered necessary to address the mobility needs of visitors.

Since 1981, when the need for a people mover system was first identified, the City and NPC have endeavoured to provide suitable mobility options for both visitors and residents of the City. In 1985 the NPC implemented a rubber-tire based (bus) people mover system that operates along the Niagara Parkway/River Road serving primarily NPC facilities. However, the propane-powered vehicles are reaching their expected life expectancy and with the ever increasing roadway congestion, they are not providing the required level of service for visitors to the area. These vehicles also do not provide service outside of NPC lands.

The current level of vehicular congestion in Queen Victoria Park (QVP) and throughout the Primary Tourist Area on summer weekends limits future opportunities for growth in visitation, which has an impact on economic growth, locally, Provincially, and nationally. There is a need for visitor mobility services that are environmentally and economically sustainable.

This EA Report documents the identification, assessment, and evaluation of the various alternatives to the undertaking (planning alternatives), route alternatives, and recommends mitigating measures, if necessary, for any impacts. This report does not recommend, or suggest, the specific people mover technology (manufacturer) to be implemented as it is recognized that many different systems may be appropriate and that a number of manufacturers can produce vehicles that meet the required operating criteria. A competitive bid process has been identified as the most effective method of procuring the most appropriate system for the City of Niagara Falls. Since the specific technology, i.e., a manufacturer, is not being identified at this time, rather a technology family, some potential impacts and mitigation measures will have to be addressed at the design stage of the system implementation process. The mechanism for dealing with such impacts (i.e., noise, vibration, etc.) is discussed in this document.

The proponents of this EA are the City of Niagara Falls and the Niagara Parks Commission. Both have an inherent need to provide the infrastructure that will ultimately increase transportation capacity around the Falls area and to stimulate economic growth within the community.

This report documents the results of the assessment and evaluation of the various planning alternatives and specific alignment alternatives against a number of factors. As initially presented in the Terms of Reference, which was approved by the Ministry of the Environment on November 5, 1997, these factors include:

Natural Environment;
Social Environment;
Economic Environment;
Cultural Environment; and
Transportation and Engineering.

There are a number of benefits that would accrue to the community, including the NPC, if the existing people mover system is upgraded. The following represents benefits considered by local residents, business owners and other stakeholders to be associated with improved mobility services within the community:

Increased potential for economic growth at a local, Provincial, and national level;
Decreased vehicular congestion within the Park area and throughout the City of Niagara Falls, increasing visitation potential;
Decreased emissions and other environmental impacts from circulating vehicles;
Less demand for parking within the Park permitting more greenspace and the protection of sensitive environmental areas;
The Niagara Parks Commission will be able to achieve their long term vision of providing a pedestrian friendly environment;
Increased potential for growth in shoulder and off-peak periods; and
Improved visitor experience resulting in a greater number of return visits.

In order for the community to realize the economic, social and environmental benefits described above, the upgraded people mover system must be recognized as part of the local tourism infrastructure and a key to overall tourism service delivery. The people mover will not only become a visitor transportation system but will also be an attraction unto itself. By further positioning Niagara Falls, Niagara Region, and the Province as an attractive visitor destination, the tourism industry will attract other investment opportunities to the community for a wide range of activities.

The City of Niagara Falls and the Niagara Parks Commission are submitting this EA for an upgraded people mover system to the Ministry of the Environment for approval.

Study Area

The Primary Tourist Area within the City of Niagara Falls is generally bounded by an area that extends from north of Highway 420 to the Rapidsview parking area to the south, the Niagara River to the east and Stanley Avenue to the west (see attached figure). This area includes Queen Victoria Park within Niagara Parks Commission property. Lundy's Lane is an east-west arterial extending west of Stanley Avenue beyond Garner Road. Although it is not geographically within the Primary Tourist Area, the Lundy's Lane corridor includes a major tourist area comprising many attractions and accommodation facilities and must be considered within the context of providing efficient visitor mobility services for the City.

What is a People Mover?

For the purpose of this Study, the term "people mover" has been defined as a technology family that operates within a relatively small and well-defined area such as a downtown, resort, airport, or amusement park. People movers usually operate in their own right-of-way, often on, or suspended from, a guideway. The vehicles can operate on rails with steel wheels or rubber tires, or on a concrete guideway with rubber tires. People movers can be powered by electricity (catenary), pulled with cables, or self-propelled vehicles. These types of systems can have a realistic capacity in excess of 6,000 passengers per hour per direction.

Need and Justification

The traffic and transportation problems in the City of Niagara Falls, and in particular in the Primary Tourist Area, can be summarized as follows:

With the number of new attractions expected to appear in the City of Niagara Falls and in Niagara Falls, New York, it is expected that visitation to the area will increase dramatically. An increase in visitation has been realized over the last 2-3 years as a result of the opening of Casino Niagara;
There are few choices when it comes to transportation for visitors travelling between the various attractions and their hotel or parking facilities;
The vehicular congestion in the Park has created a need to reduce automobile use and achieve the Niagara Parks Commission's vision for a more pedestrian friendly environment;
The NPC's people mover system operates on the congested roadways, which affects the system's already limited capacity. The vehicles are also reaching their expected life expectancy and must be replaced.
Congestion has limited the ability of any road-based means of transportation to efficiently move visitors from one location to another throughout the Primary Tourist Area.

It is unquestionable that there exists a number of real problems and needs regarding public transit, and in particular, visitor mobility services in Niagara Falls. Unlike an amusement park, which is enclosed and operated by a single company or consortium, the City of Niagara Falls is made up of many stakeholders all vying for the visitor's business. Therefore, based on the problems and needs of visitor mobility services in Niagara Falls, the following points summarize the justification for an upgraded people mover system:

There is a need for a high quality, safe and reliable transportation system (i.e. a people mover) within the Primary Tourist Area with the potential to serve all visitors, and provide seamless linkages to ancillary tourism areas, accommodation facilities, parking lots, and connections to the traditional transit network in the City. The system should be fully accessible to all patrons regardless of mobility or age and provide convenient service without separating families and other groups.
Of all the visitors to the City, 90% wish to see the Falls. This represents a large volume of people congregating in a relatively small area on foot and in automobiles;
An efficient, and aesthetically pleasing, people mover system will become an attraction unto itself and thus, enhance Niagara Falls as a vacation destination;
The existing people mover cannot maintain the capacity required to transport visitors throughout the Park as the vehicles are affected by roadway congested. On most summer weekends the volume of visitors is greater than the available capacity of the system;
Most visitors require a form of transportation when travelling between attractions and the automobile is currently viewed as the only convenient form of mobility in the Primary Tourist Area. This results in the local road network being at capacity, which thus affects the efficiency of the existing people mover (as discussed above);
Providing an environmentally friendly transportation service will encourage economic growth as more visitors will stay longer and more visitors will return for future visits. There will be an increase in visitation as the capacity of the Primary Tourist Area will increase;
Adequate and convenient parking facilities at Rapidsview and along the top of the wooded moraine are required. Well signed and managed lots will encourage long term parking. By encouraging increased utilization of parking facilities such as at Rapidsview, an upgraded people mover would substantially increase the movement of visitors through the Primary Tourist Area and decrease automobile and bus traffic (vehicular congestion) in Queen Victoria Park; and
The proposed plan for an upgraded people mover system is generally consistent with the plan/vision articulated in the Niagara Parks Commission's 100 Year Plan. An upgraded people mover system also would facilitate the development of a more pedestrian friendly environment in Queen Victoria Park.

Existing Conditions

Section 3 of the EA Report describes in detail the existing conditions within the Study Area. Figure A-1 (see envelope in report) indicates the location of existing constraints associated with the natural environment, cultural environment, and transportation and engineering environment.

Some of the constraints / factors that were identified in the Study Area include:

Bedrock - There is a possibility that rock horizons may contain benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) and a contingency for detection and management is recommended;
Physiology and Soils - There is some potential for encountering contaminated soils and contingency measures are recommended;
Groundwater - Groundwater seepage occur along the base of the moraine and must be considered in the structural design of the guideway if footings are proposed near these areas;
Aquatic Resources and Fisheries - The aquatic resources and fisheries within the study area will be avoided by the upgraded people mover system. Dufferin Island provides a seasonal fish and aquatic habitat area when flow regulation provides water to the system; and
Vegetation Resources / Wildlife Habitat and Linkages - There are a number of areas requiring special consideration for the protection of vegetation associations and wildlife habitat including: Niagara River Gorge rim and slope vegetation, wooded moraine slopes and associated seepage wetland, Dufferin Island Park, Marineland woodlot, and Stanley Avenue woodlot.

No archaeological sites have been registered within the urban core of the City of Niagara Falls. However, approximately 50% of the technically preferred alignment exhibits moderate to high potential for the presence of archaeological resources. A number of built heritage features and cultural landscape units have been identified throughout the study area.

An adequate supply of parking is one of the major factors that will determine the overall success of the upgraded people mover system. At present, there is a 550 space lot at Table Rock, 65 spaces at the Greenhouses, 1,600 spaces at Rapidsview, 3,000 spaces at Marineland, 700 spaces at the Skylon Tower, 450 at the Venture Inn, and 2,000 at Casino Niagara. There is currently enough parking within the community to satisfy the existing demand, although the strategic relocation of the parking lot at Table Rock will be required upon implementation of the upgraded people mover system.

A pedestrian friendly environment is a goal of the NPC and there are a number of pathways throughout Queen Victoria Park that will be maintained, if not enhanced, through the construction of the people mover system.

Niagara Falls is the most popular tour bus destination in North America (National Tour Association). It is estimated that approximately 200 buses may travel through Niagara Falls on a typical summer's day. Hence, convenient pick-up and drop-off areas are necessary.

There are many utility constraints within the study area, both in the Park and above the wooded moraine. The most prevalent are Ontario Hydro conduits in the Park and Canadian Niagara Power overhead power lines at Marineland and north of Marineland Pkwy.

Alternatives to the Undertaking

Section 4 of the EA Report provides a description, assessment and evaluation of the planning alternatives that could be implemented to resolve the problem of limited visitor mobility. The following alternatives were considered

Do Nothing;
Promote Transportation Demand Management Improvements (TDM);
Expand Existing Transit Service;
Improve Arterial / Municipal Roadways;
Upgraded People Mover System;
Light Rail Transit; and
Subway.

After assessing the planning alternatives, an upgraded people mover system was deemed the preferred alternative. An upgraded people mover system would replace the existing NPC people mover and utilize a separate elevated right-of-way to transport visitors along a fixed route. This is the only alternative that will address the existing and future transportation and tourism needs of the community. This alternative:

Satisfies the short and long term transportation requirements;
Satisfies visitor transportation requirements;
Does not substantially impact environmental matters; and
Significantly benefits the local, regional, Provincial and national economy.

An upgraded people mover system will satisfy the existing and future transportation and tourism needs of the community and promote visitor growth and economic development. Route Planning Alternatives

A number of potential routes for the transit service were identified in the Primary Tourist Area based on the following considerations:

Property availability for route and stations;
Service area;
Stakeholder input, values, and sentiments;
Land uses;
The location and availability of parking facilities; and
Major activity areas.

The identification and analysis of the individual route segments followed a three step process.

Identification of Route Alternatives - In this phase basic route alternatives and route segments were identified;
Pre-screening - In this phase route segments were eliminated that did not meet critical project requirements; and
Analysis of Route Alternatives - In this phase route alternatives were compared in areas where alternatives were feasible, which resulted in the selection of the technically preferred sections.

The preferred alignment (see Figure A-1) follows a route that will exit Rapidsview station, cross the end of the wooded slope near the Niagara Parkway, follow the north edge of Dufferin Island Park west of the Niagara Parkway and continue north through Queen Victoria Park along the base of the wooded moraine. The route continues north past the Oakes Gardens Theatre, following the area between Highway 420 and Hiram Street, and completes the loop back to Rapidsview following the existing Canada Southern Railway line along the tableland above the wooded moraine. Prior to entering Rapidsview, the alignment loops south to the future entrance to Marineland. From Marineland the alignment follows a route that crosses Portage Road and enters the Rapidsview multi-modal station.

Based on extensive consultation with the stakeholders of Niagara Falls, 13 locations have been identified for possible people mover stations. Of the 13 locations, only 12 are recommended in the first stage of implementation. The following is a list of the proposed station locations:

Rapidsview Parking Area;
Greenhouses / Toronto Powerhouse;
Table Rock and the Incline Railway;
Victoria Park Restaurant / Murray Hill;
Maid of the Mist / Clifton Hill;
Rainbow Bridge;
Canada Southern ROW (Victoria Avenue) south of Bender Street;
Canada Southern ROW (Victoria Avenue) south of Clifton Hill;
Canada Southern ROW south of Robinson Street;
Canada Southern ROW south of Murray Hill;
Canada Southern ROW south of Portage Road;
Chippawa Branch ROW south of Old McLeod Road (future); and
Future entrance to Marineland.

A suitable location for a maintenance facility has been determined to be south of Upper Rapids Boulevard, east of Portage Road. Located approximately 300 metres from the main guideway, the maintenance facility will be used to maintain the people mover vehicles, service ancillary vehicles, and house administration offices. As with stations, the dimensions of the facility will be dependent on the technology employed, which will not be determined until a constructor is selected through a competitive process.

The stakeholders within the community and the general public have endorsed the route and the locations of stations.

Description of the Undertaking

The alignment (guideway) component of the system is comprised of the following major features:

10.3 kilometre loop;
0.3 kilometre spur line (two-way) to the maintenance facility;
One-way operation initially (counter clockwise), with protection for two-way operation;
10 metre basic right-of-way, includes space for a centre emergency walkway;
Elevated a minimum of 3-5 metres above ground depending upon clearance needs maintaining minimum clearances as defined in the Ontario Highway Bridge Design Code and the Standard Respecting Railway Clearances;
Maximum desirable grade of 6% (sustained);
Minimum desirable horizontal radius of 100 metres;
Absolute minimum radius of 55 metres;
Minimum desirable vertical curve, K=8 (Length = 40 metres); and
Column spacing of 20 - 30 metres.

The station and maintenance facility component includes the following major features:

13 stations (12 initially);
Protected station footprint of approximately 17 metres (minimum) by 75 metres (to be confirmed after the technology has been identified);
One maintenance facility south of Upper Rapids Blvd. with a protected footprint of 60 metres by 40 metres (dependant on technology);
At 0.0% grade;
Centre loading (two-way operation);
Enclosed with doors; and
Stairs and elevators.

From the work undertaken to date, it has been determined that there is sufficient visitor parking. There are a number of parking lots that do not reach capacity, even on the busiest summer weekends. This EA Report has recommended that people mover station locations be within walking distance of existing and proposed parking facilities. At a number of stations, expansion of existing parking lots is possible, specifically, Rapidsview.

The alignment for the upgraded people mover system, as recommended in this document, is predicated on the removal of the trains from the Canada Southern railway ROW (i.e., corridor abandonment). At the time of this writing, the City and the Province of Ontario are negotiating with the railway company to abandon the Canada Southern railway line (ROW) through Niagara Falls.

Property acquisition will be necessary for the implementation of an upgraded people mover system. The following sections of right-of-way must be acquired:

Six residential houses (eight properties) north of Highway 420; and
The Canada Southern railway line (ROW);

Access or easement agreements are required to permit the people mover guideway to cross the following properties:

The most northerly section of the property on which the Niagara Gateway Motel lies (Ontario Avenue at Bender Street);
The lands under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transportation in the area of the Rainbow Bridge;
The strip of property owned by Canadian Niagara Power east of the Chippawa Branch, north of Marineland Parkway;
Anywhere the guideway crosses roads under the jurisdiction of the Region of Niagara or the Ministry of Transportation; and
Marineland.

Although the highest concentration of tourist-commercial activity is found within the Primary Tourist Area, it is not the only area of the City that experiences a significant number of visitors. Chippawa, Lundy's Lane, the Whirlpool Area, Downtown Niagara Falls, and Queenston, among others, also receive a substantial number of visitors each year. Therefore, to provide a transportation service that meets the needs of all visitors to Niagara Falls, an ancillary service is required to complement the upgraded people mover system. The ancillary service will be a bus-based transit service that connects the upgraded people mover system to the other tourist areas of Niagara Falls. Connections will be made at key multi-modal stations. It is intended that multi-modal connections for visitors who access the people mover by non-auto modes will be located at stations near the Skylon Tower, Rapidsview, and the Maid of the Mist. These stations, which were identified through the public consultation process, would accommodate transit/shuttle buses that serve the Lundy's Lane hotels/motels and attractions, as well as other areas including Downtown Niagara Falls, Queenston, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Chippawa. The location of multi-modal stations are subject to change based on stakeholder requirements and the seasonal changes in visitation patterns.

The following is a summary of basic operating criteria for the upgraded people mover system in terms of providing visitor mobility services (subject to change):

Capacity ranges from 4,100 to 5,900 passengers per hour per direction;
Maximum operating speed of 60 km/h;
Station dwell times between 5 and 60 seconds;
Maximum grade 10%, sustained 6%;
Automated technology available;
Accessible regardless of mobility requirements;
Operate year-round;
Demand responsive;
Accommodate larger groups (e.g., 20 to 40 persons) without separating;
Integrated with ancillary transit system;
Safe;
Electric motive power or other environmentally friendly (non-polluting) source; and
Aesthetically pleasing.

Future Commitments

Some major infrastructure modifications are necessary to accommodate the upgraded people mover system:

Removal of the Robinson Street bridge;
Incorporation of the pedestrian bridge into the station south of Portage Road;
Removal of the Oakes Inn parking deck (and relocation of existing structure);
Relocation of Falls Parking Lot to the Greenhouses or Rapidsview (consultation with NPC is required); and
Raising the overhead power lines suspended from the Canadian Niagara Power hydro tower.

Environmental assessments and recommendations are compromised if environmental protection requirements are not adequately communicated and implemented in the field during construction and operation phases. Environmental Protection Plans (EPPs) for this project have been prepared for the following construction and post-construction activities:

Drilling and Test Pitting;
Works Yard Development;
Clearing and Grubbing;
Vegetation Management (Site - Specific Areas);
Earth and Rock Excavation;
BTX Containing Rock;
Contaminated Soil;
Dewatering;
Grading;
Erosion and Sediment Control Installation;
Pile Driving;
Equipment Maintenance and Fuelling;
Product Storage and Handling; and
Facility Maintenance.

Approximately 50% of the route exhibits a moderate to high potential for the presence of archaeological resources and will be subject to a comprehensive Stage 2 field assessment.

There is a potential for disruption of built heritage features and cultural landscape units due to the introduction of physical, visual, audible or atmospheric elements that are not in keeping with their character and/or setting.

The majority of utility conflicts have been identified through the course of the EA as some buried and overhead plant must be avoided; an example is the buried conduit in the Park that transports water from upstream of the Falls to the Ontario Power Generating Station. Conflicts with most utilities are mitigatable with their relocation or the careful placement of support piers.

Other commitments that will be the responsibility of the constructor include:

Station area plans;
Maintenance area plans;
An independent Environmental Inspector; and
An Environmental Management Plan.

Economic Viability

Based upon a number of assumptions regarding the operation of the proposed upgraded people mover system, a financial model was developed to depict the likely economic performance of the system over a suggested thirty-year concession period. The primary objective of this cash flow model was to determine the fare that would be required for individual riders given the assumed operational criteria, including an acceptable return to project investors.

Based on the financial model, the system is considered economically viable as a private concession. It is recognised that the system could be a viable private sector venture with little or no public funds.

Implementation Strategy

The current preferred method of system procurement for the City and NPC is through a competitive bid process. The proponents of this EA Report wish to pursue a concession-type approach with respect to the design / construction / operation / maintenance / finance of the system.

In order to implement the upgraded people mover system, it is recommended that the City and NPC form a "Co-ordinating Committee" / "Transportation Agency" to oversee the selection process and liaise with the successful developer/builder/operator with respect to the on-going operations of the people mover. Such an agency/committee would be responsible for ensuring public interest in the operation of the people mover and act as a "public approval board" for fare increases, scheduling changes, etc. The formation of this committee is fundamental to the success of the procurement process and the construction and management of the system.

Transit Service Route