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HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-11-064 - Highways 7-8 - Noise Barrier Walls Cost Sharing AgStaff Re~p~r~ ~1ITCH~1`r?E~ 1lI~CQStrl~fi?'UC~ SB!'VlCES Dep~Cfn?e-ti} w~+w.kitthenerca REPORT TO: Council DATE OF MEETING: June 27, 2011 SUBMITTED BY: John McBride, Director of Transportation Planning 519-741-2374 PREPARED BY: Ken Carmichael, Supervisor of Traffic and Parking 519-741-2372 WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 9 DATE OF REPORT: June 27, 2011 REPORT NO.: INS-11-064 SUBJECT: HIGHWAY 7/8 NOISE WALLS - MTO/CITY OF KITCHENER COST SHARING AGREEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to execute a cost sharing agreement with the Ministry of Transportation for noise wall works on Highway 7/8 between Courtland Avenue and Fischer Hallman Road; said agreement to be in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor. BACKGROUND: Through the winter of 2010-2011, City staff met with Ministry of Transportation (MTO) staff to come to some form of arrangement to share the costs for the development of noise barrier walls along Highway 7/8 in the area of the Kehl Street subdivision and the Senioren Haus Concordia. The MTO's Noise Barrier Retrofit Policy deemed these sections to not meet the warrant for new noise barrier installation. Through these discussions, it was agreed that the City of Kitchener would cover approximately 1/3 of the cost to provide these noise barrier walls. REPORT: In order for the MTO to proceed with their contract for this highway widening project, they are required to receive confirmation of financial cost sharing arrangements made with local municipalities. The MTO advised that noise barrier walls for the Kehl Street subdivision, as well as for the Senioren Haus Concordia, did not meet the MTO's Noise Barrier Retrofit Policy. As a result, the MTO advised that the development of a noise barrier wall in these areas would be the financial responsibility of the local municipality -the City of Kitchener. Staff Re~p~r~ ~1ITCH~1`r?E~ 1lI~CQStrl~fl?'UC~ Se!'VICES D~p(1rf1?1~11~ w~+w.kitthenerca Negotiations between City of Kitchener staff and MTO staff rendered a cost sharing arrangement that would see the City of Kitchener cover approximately 1/3 of the costs to develop noise barrier walls for these two unwarranted locations, with the MTO covering approximately 2/3 of the costs. This resulted in the total amount of $640,000 being approved through 2011 budget discussions. This amount has been budgeted for the years 2011 to 2013, reflecting the time period of the actual road widening construction project. The City of Kitchener will be providing payment to the MTO for these walls upon completion of the actual development of the noise barrier walls. Legal Services' staff has reviewed the cost sharing agreement between the City of Kitchener and MTO and support its recommendations. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The City of Kitchener's financial responsibility of $640,000 has been approved through the 2011 budget process. CONCLUSION: This report serves to provide the MTO with the formal Council approval of the cost sharing agreement between the MTO and the City of Kitchener for the development of noise barrier walls in the areas of the Kehl Street subdivision and Senioren Haus Concordia -required by the MTO in order for them to proceed with the highway widening project. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Pauline Houston, Deputy CAO Infrastructure Services Department KC