Highway 148 at Greenwood Road to the Québec Border - Detail Design and Environmental Assessment Study (G.W.P. 239-00-00)

Highway 148 at Greenwood Road to the Québec Border
         Detail Design and Environmental Assessment Study (G.W.P. 239-00-00)
                                                                 April 2018

Study Area

             Located in the
             Township of
             Laurentian Valley,
             Renfrew County,
             Highway 148 and
             the detour route
             along Hazley Bay
             Drive, Forest Park
             Road, Beachburg
             Road and
             Greenwood Road
             are indicated.
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Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy

Information through this Online Public Information Centre is being
collected in accordance with the Freedom of Information and
Protection of Privacy Act (R.S.O. 1990). This information will be kept
on file and may be included in study documentation. With the
exception of personal information, all comments will become part of
the public record. Names and addresses will be kept confidential.
If you have any accessibility requirements in order to participate in this
project, please contact one of the Project Team members listed at the
end of this presentation.
You are encouraged to contact the Project Team if you have any
questions or concerns regarding the above information.
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Project Overview
 Rehabilitation of Highway 148 from Greenwood Road to the
  Quebec Border
 Removal of the existing CPR Overhead Bridge and replacement
  with a new trail culvert
 To facilitate the removal of the structure, the Highway will be
  closed and traffic detoured via local roads for 3 weeks

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Purpose
The purpose of the Online Public Information Centre (PIC) is to:
   Provide Background on the Study
   Present the Study Process
   Describe Existing Environmental Conditions
   Outline Proposed Improvements including:
      Proposed Work
      Construction Staging
      Detour Details
      Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures
   Obtain Public Input
   Present Next Steps
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Environmental Assessment Process
 Group ‘B’ undertaking under the Class
  Environmental Assessment for Provincial
  Transportation Facilities (2000)
 Opportunity for public input provided
  throughout process
 Public Notice published in Pembroke
  Observer and sent to various agencies and
  stakeholders
 Design and Construction Report (DCR) will
  be prepared for a 30-day public review period
  and will document the study process, public
  consultation and potential environmental
  impacts and mitigation; a DCR typically
  documents Detail Design, which is the
  development of the transportation plan to the
  design implementation level of detail
 Comments received will become part of the
  public record
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Study Background
 Preliminary Design and Environmental Assessment (EA) Study
  was completed and documented in a Transportation
  Environmental Study Report (TESR) which was approved in
  February 2018 Class EA Process
 Preliminary Design and EA study assessed and evaluated
  existing and future highway needs, including operational and
  safety improvements, pavement rehabilitation and active
  transportation
 Preliminary Design also determined most appropriate strategy
  for the removal of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) bridge
  over the former rail line crossing of Highway 148
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Study Background (continued)
 The Preliminary Design and Environmental Assessment Study
  recommended the following:
   Replacement of the CPR Bridge with a recreational trail culvert
   Paved shoulders, 2.5 m wide to accommodate cyclists and to improve
    connections to paved shoulders of the Des Allumettes Bridge project
   New right-turn lane at Hazley Bay Drive
   Protect for a 1.0 m painted buffer in the shoulder for potential future
    cycling route designation
   Detour traffic for 3 weeks along Hazley Bay Drive, Forest Park Road,
    Beachburg Road and Greenwood Road

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Proposed Highway Improvements
 2.5 m paved shoulders along Highway 148 (yellow)
 New right-turn lane at Hazley Bay Drive
 Drainage improvements
 Removal of the existing CPR overhead structure and replacement with a
  culvert (next slide)
 Lowering the road profile by approximately 1 m in the vicinity of the CPR
  overhead structure to improve sight distance (area is marked in red)

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Proposed Detour Improvements
 Pavement rehabilitation upgrades to Hazley Bay Drive to accommodate traffic and a
  new temporary connection between Hazley Bay Drive and Forest Park Road
 Improved turning radii to the intersection of Forest Park Road and Beachburg Road
 The project team is working with the Township of Laurentian Valley to determine the
  method of closure for the connection between Hazley Bay Drive and Forest Park
  Drive. Recommendation from Preliminary Design was to install a gate and maintain
  access for pedestrians and cyclists

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Construction Staging
 Construction tentatively scheduled to commence Fall 2018 and
  completed in 2019, subject to change based on funding, design,
  environmental approval, property acquisition and construction
  requirements.
 Pavement Rehabilitation on Highway 148 to be carried out
  using single lane closures controlled by flagging
 Closure of Highway 148 at the CPR structure is required to
  facilitate CPR overhead structure removal and replacement;
  closure will occur over a period of no more than 3 weeks and
  traffic will be diverted along the detour route

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Construction Staging (Continued)
Anticipated and subject to award timing and contractor schedule:
 Site preparation and start construction on new trail culvert at
  CPR (2018)
 Construct detour (i.e. Pavement rehabilitation upgrades and
  drainage improvements to Hazley Bay Drive; temporary
  connection between Hazley Bay Drive and Forest Park Road;
  and improvements to the intersection of Forest Park Road and
  Beachburg Road [Between July 15 and September 30, 2019])
 Complete bridge removal/replacement and profile change under
  full closure using detour (3 week window in late summer / early
  fall 2019)
 Complete pavement rehabilitation on Highway 148 (fall 2019)
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Existing Environmental Conditions
Fish and Fish Habitat
 Field investigations conducted summer 2017
 8 of 13 culvert locations identified as providing direct fish habitat
  (i.e. fish captured at culvert)
 Culverts along Highway 148 and Hazley Bay Drive feed into
  Hazley Bay
 Culverts assessed along Forest Park Road drain into the Lower
  Allumette Lake
 Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) classify
  each tributary as coldwater thermal regimes with mixed fish
  communities
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Existing Environmental Conditions (Continued)

Terrestrial Ecosystems
 Located within former glacial Ottawa River and Champlain Sea
  within the Petawawa Sand Plain and Ottawa Valley Clay Plains
 Laurentian Valley Official Plan indicates lands North and South
  of Highway 148 include Provincially Significant Wetland (PSW)
 Area supports variety of wildlife, vegetation communities (21),
  environmentally sensitive areas (7 wetland communities) and
  provides habitat for some Species at Risk (SAR)

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Existing Environmental Conditions (Continued)
Socio-Economic
 Rural and low density residential (approximately 144 properties)
 Emergency vehicles use Highway 148 as an emergency access
  corridor
 School buses and cyclists use Highway 148 as a transportation
  route
 A number of utilities including natural gas and hydro exist along
  Highway 148

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Existing Environmental Conditions (Continued)
Archaeology – Stage I / Stage II
 Hazley Bay Drive detour and two trail options determined to
  have potential due to proximity to water therefore Stage II
  assessment was conducted
 Stage II assessment did not recover any archaeological
  remains
Cultural Heritage
 Hazley Bay Drive stone culvert crossing was determined to
  retain cultural heritage value and can be considered for
  municipal designation
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Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures

Fish and Fish Habitat
 In-water works or work on channel banks only permitted
  between July 16 to September 30
 Develop and implement Erosion and Sediment Control Plan
 Bank re-vegetation and stabilization
 Machine operation constraints

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Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures
Terrestrial Ecosystems
 Appropriate protection along the perimeter of designated work
  areas as required to limit construction impacts
 Awareness training provided to all on-site personnel
 Protective measures prior to turtle nesting season (June –
  September) in order to exclude turtles from the site and to
  prevent nesting in areas which may be disturbed by digging or
  other works
 Develop Revegetation and Replanting Plan
 Avoid clearing during migratory bird timing window (April 15 –
  August 31) otherwise screening for breeding birds must be
  conducted by an Avian biologist
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Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures (Continued)

Noise
 Ministry will apply for a Noise By-Law Exemption for the 3 week
  closure period.
 Construction noise will be temporary and largely unavoidable
 The Contractor will be required to keep equipment in proper
  working order and idling to a minimum

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Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures (Continued)

Socio-Economic
 The traffic detour is anticipated to be in place for approximately 3
  weeks
 Construction activities will be scheduled in a manner to minimize
  impact to the community
 Emergency Medical Services / Fire will be notified of the
  construction, highway closures and detours
 Advance notification signage to notify motorists of the Highway 148
  closure will be provided two weeks in advance of the closure
 MTO is working with Ministère des Transports, de la Mobilité durable
  et de l'Électrification des transports to provide alternative route
  signage in both Ontario and Quebec
 OPP will assist with the Highway closure and speed control when
  necessary
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Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures (Continued)

Cultural Heritage
 Potential impact to the Hazley Bay Drive stone culvert will be
  mitigated by installation of protection measures such as steel
  plates on the wearing surface above the culvert
 Staging and construction activities to avoid impacts to the
  identified cultural heritage resource

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Next Steps
Following the Online PIC, the Project Team will:
 Review and respond to public comments
 Seek Council Resolution will be sought
 Finalize the detail design and construction staging plans
 Prepare a Design and Construction Report (DCR)
 DCR will be placed on the public record for a 30-day review,
  where members of the public can review and comment on the
  study
 Issue Environmental Clearance for Construction Start

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Thank you
                             Your input is important to us.

      Please feel free to ask questions and submit your comments by
          May 3, 2018 to the Project Team members listed below:

Chris Belanger, Project Manager               Brad Hewton, P.Eng., Consultant Project Manager
Ministry of Transportation – Eastern Region   Morrison Hershfield Limited
1355 John Counter Blvd., P.O. Box 4000        2440 Don Reid Drive
Kingston, ON K7L 5A3                          Ottawa, ON K1H 1E1
tel: 613-540-5187 or 1-800-267-0295           tel: 613-739-2910, ext. 1022292 or 1-877-644-7687
fax: 613-540-5106                             fax: 613-739-4926
e-mail: chris.belanger@ontario.ca             e-mail: bhewton@morrisonhershfeld.com

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