Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutINS-14-098 - Noise Exemption - Highway 401 Reconstruction and Widening - MTO Staff Rport I r rc'.�► t .R Infrastructure Services Department wmkitchener.ca REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: December 8, 2014 SUBMITTED BY: Justin Readman, Director of Transportation Services, 519-741-2200, extension 7038 PREPARED BY: Stephanie Brasseur, Traffic Project Coordinator, 519-741-2200, extension 7373 WARD(S) INVOLVED: Ward 3 DATE OF REPORT: November 20, 2014 REPORT NO.: INS-14-098 SUBJECT: Noise Exemption - Highway 401 / Highway 8 Reconstruction and Widening MTO Project Reference 4-00-00 RECOMMENDATION: That the Ministry of Transportation, 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 reconstruction and widening project, reference WP 4-00-00, 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 April 1, 2015 and ending November 30, 2018. BACKGROUND: The MTO has engaged the engineering firm Parsons to administer the design contract for the upcoming Highway 401 and Highway 8 improvements in the Kitchener / Cambridge area. The project will take place over the next four (4) years and is expected to commence in April 2015 and end in November 2018. REPORT: This project will include the following improvements and construction operations: • Rehabilitation of the Sportsworld Bridge at Highway 8 This includes steel repairs, lighting upgrades and will involve partial lane restrictions. This will take three (3) weeks to complete either in 2015 or 2016 construction year. Actual construction dates, to be determined in advance of the construction stage of this project, will be communicated to the City of Kitchener in order to confirm no construction conflicts. 7 - 1 • Traffic control along Highway 401 Highway 401 between Highway 8 and Highway 24 will be widened to five (5) traffic lanes in each direction, including one high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane. The highway will remain open, but lane reductions on Highway 401 are anticipated throughout the duration of the project. • Signage and Pavement Markings This includes the placement of construction signage, roadway signing and lane markings, which will also take place periodically throughout the highway reconstruction. In order to maintain acceptable highway capacity during the peak traffic periods during day time hours, it has been requested to complete some of this work during evening and overnight hours. 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. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM — At the commencement of the work, notices will be placed in local newspapers that will provide contact information for the Contract Administration team as there are no adjacent residents to the work area. The public will have contact information via this notification process along with project boards and signing on the Highway 401 near the work zones. Through the contract administration stage of the project, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) will be requested to provide letters of notification to affected property owners of the planned after hours construction work, including project contact information. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Jim Witmer, Interim Deputy CAO Infrastructure Services Department 7 - 2