Highway 401 Reconstruction and Widening Detailed Design

From East of Highway 3 to East of Essex Road 17

GWP 64-00-00

Public Information Centre

September 14, 2006

Table of Contents

• Project Background & Need For Improvements
• Study Area
• Project Description
• Environmental Assessment (EA) Requirements
• Public and Agency Consultation
• Natural Features
• Socio-Economic Environment
• Typical Sections
• What's Next

---

Project Background & Need For Improvements

In March 2003, MTO completed an Environmental Assessment (EA) and Preliminary Design of improvements to Highway 401 from Windsor to Tilbury. Dillon has been retained to complete the Detailed Design and Class EA process for improvements from Highway 3 to Essex County Road 17.

This project is the fourth phase of the five phase Highway 401 widening project, and will address the following key traffic and highway safety needs:

• Narrow medians and deteriorating asphalt/concrete pavement structures
• Projected 2021 traffic volumes requiring six lanes
• Visibility concerns at Dougall Parkway and Provincial Road interchanges
• Rehabilitation or replacement of structures and culverts.

In March 2004, the Governments of Canada, Ontario and the City of Windsor announced the Let's Get Windsor-Essex Moving strategy, a $300 Million joint investment by the Federal and Provincial governments for several short- and medium-term projects to improve traffic flow at existing crossings and address congestion issues at the Windsor-Detroit Gateway. Funding comes from the Border Infrastructure Fund.

Top of page  

---

Study Area

Highway 401, Reconstruction and Widening

Top of page  

---

Project Description

Major project features include:

• Reconstruction and widening of Highway 401 from 4 to 6 lanes, construction of concrete median barrier, closed median drainage system, paved median and outside shoulders
• Replacement of the Provincial Road overpass, Walker Road overpass, C&O/Conrail Railway overpass and Dougall Parkway diversion structures
• Reconstruction of ramps at the Provincial Road (County Road 46) interchange
• Rehabilitation of North Talbot Road, Concession 9, County Road 17 and Concession 11 underpass structures
• Upgrading of permanent highway signing
• Installation of high mast lighting and Automated Traffic Management System.

Top of page  

---

Environmental Assessment (EA) Requirements

MTO's March 2003 Transportation Environmental Study Report (TESR) for improvements to Highway 401 from Windsor to Tilbury, was prepared under MTO's Class EA for Provincial Transportation Facilities (2000). The Class EA provides a decision-making process to ensure that all relevant engineering and environmental factors are considered in the planning and design of transportation facilities, such as highway reconstruction and widening projects.

Following a 30-day public and agency review period, the improvements outlined in the TESR were cleared to proceed to Detailed Design. Federal funding "triggers" the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA). Transport Canada accepted the CEAA Environmental Screening Report (ESR) in May 2004.

The Detailed Design of this project must fulfill the environmental commitments made in MTO's TESR and CEAA ESR. During the Detailed Design of the Highway 3 to Essex Road 17 section, the EA process involves:

• Detailed environmental impact study including environmental protection/mitigation measures
• Incorporation of environmental protection/mitigation into construction contract
• Preparation of the Design and Construction Report (DCR) and Environmental Protection Plan (EPP).

Top of page  

---

Public and Agency Consultation

Over 300 Notices of Study Commencement were distributed at the beginning of the Detailed Design study to Federal, Provincial, municipal and local agencies and residents along the highway. Almost sixty replies were received:

Agency Concerns:

• City of Windsor – noise concerns
• Essex Region Conservation Authority – watercourse crossings, integration of Chrysler Canada Greenway Trail into project, natural heritage features, stormwater management, tree planting along highway

Residents' Concerns:

• Most significant concern is noise impacts on residential subdivisions. Several residents requested a noise barrier to reduce noise
• Air quality concerns at Dougall Parkway
• Impacts of high mast lighting
• Proximity of widened highway to houses

Top of page  

---

Environmental Impact Study & Environmental Protection/Mitigation
Natural Features

Field work was completed in Spring 2006 and the following features were noted:

Terrestrial Features:

• Several hedgerows, small plantings and one woodlot along the highway
• Common species include grey dogwood, cottonwood and white elm
• No significant terrestrial features noted within the Study Area
• Detailed Design will preserve and enhance, where possible, existing vegetation and wildlife corridors
• Landscape plans will be developed in consultation with Essex Region Conservation Authority.

Migratory Birds:

• Observed species in the right-of-way include northern oriole, grey catbird, American goldfinch, blue jay and swallow
• Harm to migratory/wild birds will be avoided by preventing nesting in structures and culverts prior to construction. Timing restrictions for vegetation removal will also avoid impacts.

Fisheries:

• Nine watercourse crossings. Six of the crossings have low sensitivity with respect to fish habitat
• Hayes Drain and Sullivan Drain are moderately sensitive
• 9^th Concession Drain is a "High Sensitivity" watercourse and has a range of warmwater fish/baitfish/game fish species
• Potential impacts of culvert replacement/ extensions are not expected to result in a "Harmful Alteration, Disruption or Destruction" (HADD) of fish habitat provided appropriate mitigation measures are implemented, subject to Fisheries and Oceans Canada review. 

Existing Drainage Conditions

• Existing Drainage conditions from 9th Concession Drain east to Hayes Drain
• Existing Drainage conditions from Hayes Drain east to Marshall Drain

Top of page  

---

Environmental Impact Study & Environmental Protection/Mitigation
Socio-Economic Environment

Cultural and Built Heritage Resources:

• No registered archaeological sites affected. Further assessment is being completed of lands with archaeological potential. Archaeological clearance required from the Ministry of Culture prior to construction
• Replacement of the C&O/Conrail Overpass Bridge requires a Built Heritage Impact Assessment. Clearance from the Ministry of Culture is required prior to construction.

Surrounding Land Use/Human Health:

• Widening of Highway 401 will result in the edge of pavement being approximately 4 to 9 metres closer to adjacent properties east of Dougall Parkway.
• Air quality impacts will be mitigated by applying standard dust and emission control measures during construction
• Impacts of temporary road and interchange ramp closures will be mitigated by:
  • minimizing length of time of road closures
  • providing newspaper notices on timing and duration of closures
  • installing information signs advising drivers of "exit" interchange closures and alternative routes
• The Detailed Design will accommodate greenway trail passage under Highway 401 at Walker Road
• Median treatments, such as conventional lighting and/or landscaping may be installed at the west project limits in speed transition zones
• Highmast lighting will be installed in the median, between Provincial Road interchange and Dougall Parkway. Illumination will be directed towards the right-of-way by the use of shields

Diagram of expected lighting installation by type

MTO's Noise Policy is based on an outdoor objective of 55 Decibel (dBA), A-Weighted or pre-construction equivalent, whichever is higher. Noise assessments were completed in July 2006 to determine potential impacts and mitigation:

• On-site ambient noise monitoring (48 hour period) was conducted at 4 noise receptors in July 2006. Existing noise levels are between 56 and 61 dBA
• An operational noise assessment to determine future noise levels to the year 2021 was completed
  • Increases in road traffic sound exposures resulting from this project will be less than 5 dBA
  • The change in vertical alignment of Dougall Parkway (Dougall Parkway on-ramp will go over Highway 401) will provide a decrease in road traffic sound volumes
  • MTO's Noise Policy requires that mitigation be considered where noise increases are significant (greater than 5 dBA). Based on this policy, the noise impacts of this project do not meet the mitigation requirements 
• Residential subdivisions adjacent to the highway do not meet MTO's Noise Barrier Retrofit Policy
• A construction noise assessment concluded that construction noise impacts are temporary and largely unavoidable. Standard MTO construction noise provisions will be in place, including requiring that all equipment be properly maintained with effective muffling devices.

Top of page  

---

Typical Sections

Construction Staging Key Plan

• Year 1 — Stage 1A/1B Construction
• Year 2 — Stage 2 Construction
• Year 2 — Stage 3 Construction
• Year 3 — Stage 4 Construction
• Year 4 — Stage 5 Construction
• Year 4 — Stage 6 Construction
  

Top of page  

---

What's Next?

Review and consider comments received at Public Information Centre. Comments due by October 12, 2006:

• MTO and Dillon will follow-up on comments, questions and concerns
• Refine Detailed Design, where possible, to reflect input.

Complete Detailed Design and EA process:

• Detailed assessment of impacts on "environment"
• Incorporate mitigation/monitoring measures into Detailed Design, including:
  • Landscaping, migratory bird protection, watercourse and fisheries protection measures and other environmental protection measures
  • Emergency services access during construction.

Document Detailed Design and EA process in Design and Construction Report (DCR) and Environmental Protection Plan (EPP):

• File DCR for 30-day public and agency review period. Notice of Completion will be distributed to Contact List
• Submit EPP for Federal approval under CEAA
• No additional review required if project complies with MTO's TESR and CEAA ESR
• Incorporate public and agency comments received during 30-day review period into Detailed Design, where possible.
  

Complete final Detailed Design contract package. Construction currently scheduled for 2008, subject to approvals and property acquisition.

Top of page