Tender No. RQQ-2021-PPDD-561
Metrolinx is issuing this Request to Qualify and Quote to retain the services of a Vendor to provide the goods and/or services described herein.
Metrolinx is accepting Submissions for the provision of completing a PDBC for the Queen St – Highway 7 BRT project, advancing the preliminary design of the project to a minimum of 30% (AACE Class 3 cost estimate), and obtaining TPAP approval for the entire corridor over 24 months.
Metrolinx is a crown agency of the Government of Ontario under the Metrolinx Act, 2006, reporting to the Ministry of Transportation. It was created to improve the coordination and integration of all modes of transportation in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). The Metrolinx mandate includes advancing an integrated transit network; making the best possible use of public transportation investment dollars to connect communities across the region; and measurably improving the quality of life in the region through a fast, frequent, and reliable transit network service.
One of the key strategies of Metrolinx’s 2008 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) (“The Big Move”) was to establish rapid transit on a number of suburban arterial corridors in the GTHA. This includes Highway 7 through York Region, which becomes Queen Street in Brampton and serves as one of the northern GTHA’s principal corridors for the movement of goods and people. The corridor is increasingly becoming a destination for employment and services for those within and outside the region. The strategy to establish rapid transit corridors led to the delivery of the Highway 7 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system through York Region which forms part of York Region Transit’s (YRT) Viva rapidway network. The 2041 RTP, released in 2018, built on the successes of The Big Move and aims to provide even more people with access to reliable rapid transit. One of the key strategies of the 2041 RTP is to continue the westward extension of the existing Highway 7 BRT infrastructure into Brampton.
The Queen Street - Highway 7 BRT is currently a priority “In Development” project (i.e., in advanced stages of planning and design) under the 2041 RTP. The Queen Street - Highway 7 BRT is also identified in the City of Brampton 2040 Official Plan Review (2019), Peel Region’s Official Plan and Long Range Transportation Plan (2019) and York Region’s Official Plan and Transportation Master Plan, connecting the City of Brampton with York Region’s existing westernmost terminus of Highway 7 BRT (also known as Viva Rapidway). Peel Region recognizes Queen Street East as a rapid transit corridor, and Queen Street West as a priority bus corridor.
The Queen Street - Highway 7 BRT is recognized by Metrolinx as a regional transit priority connection. The Queen Street - Highway 7 BRT when combined with York Region’s existing and future Highway 7 Rapidway corridor forms a crucial transportation corridor connecting the northwest and northcentral sections of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). The corridor has varied traffic, land use conditions, and constraints. Without improved transport alternatives, the overall livability and economic development potential of the corridor, including future developments, will be constrained.
Metrolinx is initiating a Preliminary Design Business Case (PDBC) to advance the planning for Queen St - Hwy 7 BRT investment based on the Queen St - Hwy 7 Bus Rapid Transit Initial Business Case (Queen Street - Highway 7 BRT IBC, also referred to as the 2020 IBC) which was approved in 2020. The study will consider recommendations from the 2020 IBC, develop options for BRT infrastructure and services along the Queen St - Hwy 7 BRT corridor, and analyse these options using the Metrolinx Business Case framework structure, as detailed in the Metrolinx Business Case Guidance.
The 2020 IBC recommended a preferred BRT alignment, and supportive service concept along Queen St - Hwy 7 between Mississauga Rd, in the City of Brampton, through Queen St and Highway 7, to Helen St/Wigwoss Dr, where the York Region Transit’s western most Highway 7 BRT terminus (Wigwoss-Helen stops) is located, in the City of Vaughan. This 2020 IBC evaluated service plans and infrastructure options separately, and the recommended options to be refined further in the PDBC stage feature a single main BRT trunk route plus additional feeder priority routes. The carried over options are:
(a) Centre-Median BRT with Lane Conversion (IBC Scenario 4): Conversion of a traffic lane per direction to median BRT exclusive lanes along the length of the Queen Street – Highway 7 Corridor, except in Downtown Brampton where one traffic lane per direction is converted to a curbside BRT lane, between McMurchy Avenue and Kennedy Road.
(b) Centre-Median BRT with Lane Addition (IBC Scenario 5): Median BRT lanes (one per direction) along the length of the Queen Street – Highway 7 Corridor as a result of road widening (retaining the current number of traffic lanes), everywhere except Downtown Brampton (Queen Street between McMurchy Avenue and Kennedy Road) where lane conversion is considered.
The portion of the BRT within the City of Brampton is between Mississauga Rd and the Brampton/Vaughan boundary (Highway 50) with an approximate length of 18.5km. The portion of the BRT within the City of Vaughan is between the municipal boundary and the existing westernmost Highway 7 terminus of York Region Transit’s Viva Rapidway at Helen St (eastbound) and Wigwoss Dr (westbound) stops, with an approximate length of 5.5km.
You are invited to submit your Submission for a Consultant Assignment for the preparation of a Preliminary Design, Detailed Design, Tender Support, Contract Administration and Post Construction Services for the project.
The objective of this Request to Qualify and Quote (RQQ) is to solicit request from Proponents for the for the provision of completing a PDBC for the Queen St – Highway 7 BRT project, advancing the preliminary design of the project to a minimum of 30% (AACE Class 3 cost estimate), and obtaining TPAP approval for the entire corridor over 24 months. The requirements are more particularly described in Scope of Work of this Request Document.
ELECTRONIC BID SUBMISSION will be accepted until 3:00 p.m. on January 14, 2022.
***NOTE: ELECTRONIC BID SUBMISSION
Your Submission for this opportunity must be sent to Metrolinx through the use of MetrolinxMERX EBS. Bidders shall be solely responsible for the delivery of their Submission using MetrolinxMERX EBS by the Closing, in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders.
Only Consultant who possess the following experience and qualifications will be considered for award of this Contract:
(A) Fifteen (15) years of experience in transportation planning, transit planning, transportation engineering, transportation modelling, microsimulation, transit infrastructure cost estimation, urban planning, BRT infrastructure design, business case development and public transportation operations and management.
(B) Fifteen (15) years of experience in design and engineering of public transit infrastructure including BRT systems.
(C) Ten (10) years of experience with business case development and evaluation of transit projects, including analysis and reporting of transit project strategic and economic benefits.
(D) Ten (10) years of professional experience with Environmental Assessments and/or the Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP) related to transportation infrastructure projects, including but not limited to bus and BRT stations, BRT platforms, BRT systems, road widenings, road realignments
Metrolinx reserves the right to reject any or all Submissions at its sole discretion.
