~ ~~ ~~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~~~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~~~ ~ Agenda Item # Page # TO: FROM: -..-.-I- 3UBJCL I CHAIR AND MEMBERS ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MEETING ON OCTOBER 17,2005 DAVID A. LECKIE, P. ENG DIRECTOR OF ROADS AND TRANSPORTATION ENVIRONMENTAL 81 ENGINEERING SERVICES DEPARTMENT WELLINGTON ROAD AT HIGHWAY 401 PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS I1 1 RECOMMENDATION That, on the recommendation of the Director of Roads and Transportation: a) This report BE RECEIVED for information. b) Staging Plans by the Ministry of Transportation for the replacement of the Wellington Road interchange BE APPROVED. c) Any revisions to the $450,000 City cost share BE TABLED later in the 2006 Budget deliberation. II PREVIOUS REPORTS PERTINENT TO THIS MATTER II Report to ETC dated January 12,2004. Report to ETC dated December 13,2004. Report to ETC dated May 9,2005. I Purpose: BACKGROUND The purpose of this report is to update Council on Ministry of Transportation activities on the noted project to seek concurrence with the construction staging plans. Context: As previously reported, the Ministry of Transportation (Ministry) proposes to widen the existing four lanes of Highway 401 to six, from just west of Highway 402 to 1.0 km east of Wellington Road. This widening of Highway 401 includes a replacement of the Wellington Road interchange and widening of Wellington Road to six lanes from Exeter Road to Roxburgh Road. It is expected that construction will take place starting in the spring of 2006, and it will be completed early in 2008. The Ministry is receiving financial aid from the Federal government under the Border Infrastructure Fund (BIF) Program. The existing interchange at Wellington Road and Highway 401 in south London carries traffic over the highway in north and south directions, and it is owned by the Ministry. The Ministry has predicted a need to widen Highway 401 to eight lanes in 2021. These works have been described in the Ministry s Environmental Study Report previously supported by Council. Discussion : The Ministry is nearing completion of the detailed design of the improvements at Wellington Road and Highway 401. Some rehabilitation work is also planned for the Dingman Drive Bridge over Highway 401. The construction phase is anticipated to start in the spring of 2006 and have a duration of up to 2 years. Several stages of construction are anticipated which impact access to Highway 401 and traffic on Wellington Road.
Agenda Item # Page # SUBMITTED BY: RECOMMENDED BY:, G,, @bd JOHN LUCAS, P. ENG. MANAGER, TRANSPORTATION PLANNING & DESIGN DAVID A. LECKIE, P.ENG, DIRECTOR ROADS & TRANSPORTATION KPG I JVL Attach. Appendix A: Information Package for Public Information Centre on October 18, 2005. cc: P.W. Steblin, P. Eng Dennis Regan, MTO Martin Hayward
Agenda Item # Page # APPENDIX A Information Package for Public Information Centre on October 18,2005. HIGHWAY 401 WIDENING AND RECONSTRUCTION PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTRE HIGHWAY 401 WIDENlNG FROM 1=0 KM WEST OF HIGHWAY 402 TO 1=0 KM EAST OF WELLINGTON ROAD DETAIL DESIGN STUDY TUESDAV OCTOBER Y8,2005 4:OO p,m. to 8:OO p,m, Somerset Wesf Ballroom - Ramada Inn 817 Exeter Road, London, Ontario
- - - ~~ HIGHWAY 401 WIDENING AND RECONSTRUCTION PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTRE Welcome to the Public Information Centre (PIC) for the Class Environmental Assessment and Detail Design Study for the widening and reconstruction of Highway 401 from I km west of Highway 402 to I km east of Wellington Road in the City of London, County of Middlesex. This project is a joint partnership between the Ministry of Transportation, Transport Canada and the City of London. The proposed improvements include: widening Highway 401 to accommodate a six lane cross- section throughout the study area; reconstruction of the Wellington Road interchange including all ramps and speed change lanes; replacement of the Wellington Road structure over Highway 401; widening and deck rehabilitation of the Dingman Creek bridge; 0 rehabilitation of the Dingman Drive bridge; installation of high mast illumination at the Wellington Road interchange; 0 upgrading of permanent highway signage; and, drainage and roadside safety improvements. @I Ontario DELCAN
............., HIGHWAY 401 WIDENING AND RECONSTRUCTION The purpose of this PIC is to present: the detail design for this project; traffic staging during construction; and the next steps. Your input is important. Please review the information and displays presented here and discuss any aspects of the project with the Study Team members in attendance. Comment forms are provided for your convenience and may be completed here or returned to the Study Team by November 8,2005. Project information is also available in French, upon request. &ad% @I Ontario London PELCAN
~ STUDY AREA HIGHWAY 401 WIDENING AND RECONSTRUCTION The study area includes the Highway 401 right-of-way, plus 200 m on each side, from 1.0 km west of Highway 402 to 1.0 km east of Wellington Road. The project limits are presented below. ~-dg @Ontario London DELCAN
- HIGHWAY 401 WIDENING AND RECONSTRUCTION STUDY PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to conduct a Class Environmental Assessment and Detail Design Study for improvements to Highway 401 within the study area. To meet this increased demand it is necessary to: o replace the Highway 401Mlellington Road structure, o make improvements to this interchange, o widen Highway 401 within the study area, and o widen the crossing at Dingman Creek. Local growth and increased traffic volumes have increased the pressure on this section of Highway 401 and the adjacent interchanges; and, Traffic operations are projected to deteriorate as early as 2006. The design for Highway 401 is based on improvements The objective of this study is to carry out the detail design of the short-term improvements described previously.
HIGHWAY 401 WIDENING AND RECONSTRUCTION CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS This study is being conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Transportation Facilities (MTO 2000). The project is classified as a Group E, which includes major improvements to existing provincial transportation facilities. This study will also satisfy the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (2000). This project is being funded under the Border Infrastructure Fund (BIF), which is a partnership investment between the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and the Canadian Government. Due to federal funding, the Canadian nvironmenfa/assessmenf Acf (CERCI) will also apply to this project.
~~ HIGHWAY 401 WIDENING AND RECONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC STAGING DURING CONSTRUCTION The Study Team has determined that the proposed works can be constructed with minimal traffic disruption. Some temporary lane restrictions or closures will be required on Highway 401, ramps and local roads, as follows: Maintain two lanes of traffic on Highway 401 during daytime hours in each direction; Night time lane reductions of Highway 401 for paving operations, milling, crack repairs, pavement markings, and other construction activities; Access to the Wellington Road interchange using modified ramp alignments; Some traffic will be directed to the Highbury Avenue interchange along Wilton Grove Road; One night closure of the Wellington Road interchange to demolish the existing bridge, thus: o Highway 401 traffic will be directed through modified interchange ramps; o Wellington Road will be closed north and south of the interchange; o No access will be available between Highway 401 and Wellington Road during the closure; Temporary, nightly lane closures will be required on Dingman Drive to make repairs. Dingman Drive will be temporarily closed to install new deck joint seals. Construction of the improvements is expected to take up to two years.
HIGHWAY 401 WIDENING AND RECONSTRUCTION ROJECT SCHEDULE AND PLANNED/COMPLETED UBLIC CONSUL TATION ACT1 VITIES TASK/MILESTONE SCHEDULEJMILESTONE DATE Initial Contact Letter Notice of Study Commencement PIC Notice of PIC PIC Notification 0 Issued to external agencieslstakeholders in November 2004 Placed in the London Free Press on November 4 and IO, 2004 and in the London s L Observateuron November 2 & 9,2004 respectively. Placed in the London Free Press on October 12 & 15, 2005 and in the London Le Regional on October 12, 2005 respectively Delivered by Canada Post to about 55 agencies and 48 people in the study area on October 12,2005 PIC Brochure issued to external agencies1 Submission of Final DCR Notice of Study CompletionlDCR Public Review Period To Be Determined To be Placed in the London Free Press and London Le Regionaland letters to mailing lists London OELCAN
HIGHWAY 401 WIDENING AND RECONSTRUCTION FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND PROTECTION OF PRIVACY Comments and information regarding this study are being collected to satisfy the requirements of the Environmental Assessment Act, and in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. With the exception of personal information, all comments will. become part of the public record. You are encouraged to contact the Study Team if you have questions or concerns regarding the above information. NEXT STEPS lnformationlcomments received from external agencies, municipalities and the public will be reviewed and incorporated into the detail design, where appropriate; The technically preferred detail design alternative will be finalized following this Public Information Centre; Upon completion of the detail design study, a Design and Construction Report will be prepared and made available for a 30-day public review period; and, The Design and Construction Report review locations will be advertised in local newspapers.
HIGHWAY 401 WIDENING AND RECONSTRUCTION YOUR INPUT IS IMPORTANT Your input is important. We invite you to complete the comment form provided and return it to us by November 8, 2005. If you wish to be added to our mailing list, require further information, or wish to provide input to this study, please contact either of the following: Mr. Henry Huotari, P.Eng. Consultant Project Manager Delcan Corporation 1069 Wellington Road South, London, Ontario, N6E 2H6 Tel: 519-681-8771 Fax: 519-681-4995 E-mail: h.huotari@delcan.com Mr. Dennis Regan Project Manager Ministry of Transportation Southwestern Region 659 Exeter Road London, Ontario, N6E ll3 Tel: 1-800-265-6072 Fax: 519-873-4548 E-mail: dennis.regan@mto.gov.on.ca Thank you for your participation in this study. Project information is also available in French, upon request.