HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-12-032 - Noise Exemption - Resurfacing of Hwy 401 & Homer Watson Blvd1
Staff Re ort
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Krr~.~-~~,i~iER ~nfrastru~ture Servrces Department www.kitthenerta
REPORT TO: Community & Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: March 19, 2012
SUBMITTED BY: John McBride, Director, Transportation Services
PREPARED BY: Stephanie Brasseur, Traffic Project Coordinator (741-2373)
WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 4
DATE OF REPORT: March 6, 2012
REPORT NO.: INS-12-032
SUBJECT: NOISE EXEMPTION -RESURFACING OF HIGHWAY 401
AND HOMER WATSON BOULEVARD
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) and its contractor(s) be exempt from
the provisions of Chapter 450 Noise of the City of Kitchener Municipal Code Article 6
Construction Work during the Highway 401 and Homer Watson Boulevard resurfacing in
the City of Kitchener. The request for the noise by-law exemption is between the hours of
7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. for the period May 1, 2012 to October 31, 2012.
BACKGROUND:
Ongoing Highway 401 improvements include the resurfacing project at Homer Watson
Boulevard for the MTO. In order to complete the construction work and minimize traffic
disruption for this project, night-time and weekend work must take place in order to complete the
project in the time allotment.
This proposed work will undertake overnight construction operations during the milling/saw
cutting and paving associated with the resurfacing at Highway 401 and Homer Watson
Boulevard. This resurfacing will affect travel patterns in the area. Traffic interference will be
minimized by working at night and weekends when volumes are significantly lower.
REPORT:
The project will take place between May 1, 2012 and October 31, 2012 and the contractor is
required to keep idling of construction equipmentto a minimum and to maintain equipment in
good working order to reduce noise. In addition, the MTO construction noise protocol requires
that the Contract Administratorrnonitor and investigate any complaints regarding construction
noise.
The general work relative to the noise exemption involves the following construction activities:
Saw cutting of asphalt
• Night-time paving operations with heavy machinery
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Staff Re ort
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Krr~.~-~~,i~iER ~nfrastru~ture Servrces Department www.kitthenerta
Noise from these activities will be a result of excavation equipment, jack hammers, saw cutting,
equipment operations and reverse warning signals.
These operations are preferably carried out at night when traffic volumes are low in order to
minimize disruption to traffic and to improve worker safety.
Noise protocol will be followed, which covers administrative measures such as scheduling of
noisy activities at times of least impact, selection of haulage routes to minimize close proximity
to neighbours, and maintaining contact with residents.
The MTO, through execution of their highway projects, will complete as much work as possible
during the permitted 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. construction time period. However due to the
impacts of some types of work that require lane closures or full road closures, work will be
executed during after hours or atnight-time in an effort to reduce the significant impact to travel
patterns within the City of Kitchener and Region of Waterloo.
In order to expedite the construction and allow extended hours of work to take place for this
project, thereby minimizing traffic impacts on Highway 401 and Homer Watson Boulevard, we
recommend that this request for a noise by-law exemption be granted.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
This initiative falls under the Community Priority of Quality of Life. "Work with partners, including
all orders of government, to create a culture of safety in our community." The implementation of
improved traffic flow and safety will provide positive direction for motorists.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
COMMUNICATIONS:
All affected residents and property owners are advised of highway widening projects, including
expected after hours and night-time work operations, through amail-out and Public Information
Centre. As the project progresses, after hours and night-time work details will be communicated
through a project website.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Pauline Houston, General Manager
Infrastructure Services Department
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