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•T he I FP • H al to n H ill s •T hu rs da y, N ov em be r 7 , 2 01 3 10 NOTICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTRE AND NOTICE OF 'STEP-DOWN' Highway 401 Bridge Rehabilitation or Replacement From Trafalgar Road Westerly to Halton Region Boundary G.W.P. 2188-10-00 THE PROJECT The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is undertaking a Preliminary/Detail Design and Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) study to prepare the strategy for the rehabilitation or replacement of thirteen bridge structures along Highway 401 in the Towns of Milton and Halton Hills. The study includes conducting detailed condition surveys of the bridges within the project limits, developing a strategy and design for the bridge works, and developing construction staging and traffic management measures. The design work and investigations completed to date have determined that ten of the bridges require replacement and three bridges require rehabilitation. The bridges included in this study are shown on the adjacent key plan and the rehabilitation or replacement strategy for each is detailed below. 1. First Line Underpass (rehabilitation) 2. CPR Overpass (replacement) 3. Campbell Avenue East Overpass (replacement) 4. Sixteen Mile Creek Bridge (replacement) 5. Appleby Line Overpass (replacement) 6. Tremaine Road Underpass (coordinating strategy with Region of Halton) 7. Regional Road 25 Interchange Underpass (replacement) 8. CNR Overpass (replacement) 9. Steeles Avenue Underpass (rehabilitation) 10. James Snow Parkway Interchange Underpass (rehabilitation) 11. 5th Line Overpass (replacement) 12. Oakville Creek West Branch Bridge (replacement) 13. Oakville Creek East Branch Bridge (replacement) PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTRE The public is invited to attend a Public Information Centre (PIC) which is being held to present the current condition of the bridge structures, environmental conditions at the bridge sites, the recommended plan for bridge works and traffic management during construction and associated environmental protection/ mitigation. The PIC will be held as an open house, drop-in style event on: Tuesday, November 19, 2013 Milton Lions Club Hall in the Milton Memorial Arena 77 Thompson Road South, Milton 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. THE PROCESS The study was initiated as a Group 'B' project with the intent of publishing a Transportation Environmental Assessment Report (TESR) in accordance with the Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Transportation Facilities (2000). Based on environmental investigations and the recommended plan for bridge works and traffic management, it is anticipated that there will be no significant environmental effects for seven of the bridges listed above (sites 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 and 10) and there is no benefit in preparing a TESR. MTO is therefore proposing the project classification for the work at these sites be 'stepped down' from a Group 'B' classification to a Group 'C' classification. The work at these sites would be documented in an Environmental Screening Document that outlines environmental impacts and mitigation. You have the opportunity to request that the work proposed at bridge sites #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 and 10 should remain a Group 'B' project and not be 'stepped down'. If MTO and the party objecting to the 'step-down' cannot agree, then the objector may ask the Minister of the Environment (135 St. Clair Avenue West, 12th Floor, Toronto, ON M4V 1P5) to rule on their request. It is the responsibility of the objector to submit this request to the Minister of the Environment before the end of the review period, which ends on December 20, 2013. A copy of the objection should also be forwarded to AECOM at the address shown below. The recommended plans for the remaining bridges (sites 7, 8, 11, 12 and 13) include significant widening of each bridge as documented in the TESR for the preliminary design of "Highway 401 Improvements from Trafalgar Road to Regional Road 25 Study (March 2013)". Design and Construction Reports (DCRs) will therefore be prepared to build upon the preliminary design and to document the detail design for these bridge sites. A public notice will be published when the DCRs are released for public review. COMMENTS Any objections to the 'step-down' and comments on the information presented at the PIC are requested by December 20, 2013 so that they can be considered in the finalization of both the 'step-down' decision and the identification of the recommended plan for each bridge. Comments and information regarding this study will be collected to assist the Project Team. This material will be maintained on file for use during the study and may be included in study documentation. Comment information collected will be used in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Access to Information Act. With the exception of personal information, all comments will become part of the public record. For further information or to be added to the mailing list, please contact one of the following: Ms. Brenda Jamieson, P.Eng. Ms. Miao Zhou, M.Eng., P.Eng. Consultant Project Manager MTO Project Engineer AECOM Canada Limited Highway Engineering 300 Water Street Peel & Halton Section Whitby, ON L1N 9J2 1201 Wilson Avenue, 4th Floor tel: 905-668-9363 Downsview, ON M3M 1J8 toll-free: 1-800-668-1983 tel: 416-235-4277 fax: 905-668-0221 fax: 416-235-3576 e-mail: brenda.jamieson@aecom.com e-mail: miao.zhou@ontario.ca If you have any accessibility requirements in order to participate in this project, please contact one of the Project Team members listed above. Key Plan Are you a Grade 12 student with a natural curiosity for the world around you? Are you fascinated with people and their stories? Do you have an urge to share ideas, especially through writing? Well, now's the chance to show off that raw journalistic talent of yours in an upcoming article-writ- ing competition through The Inde- pendent & Free Press. Beginning tomorrow (Thurs- day), the editors at The IFP will be accepting online submissions (go to www.theifp.ca) for the High School Bur- sary Contest, which includes a chance to win a $250 bursary and have your article published in the newspaper. Would-be journalists are asked to submit a 350-word piece, an- swering the question: "What is the most significant topic that mat- ters to you that directly affects your community?" Topics can cover anything: pov- erty, arts, youth unemployment, the environment, bullying, fam- ily issues, post-secondary fees, bad cafeteria food-- you name it. Entries can cover either positive or negative subject matter, so long as it's handled in a mature manner. When you've discovered the topic you're covering, make sure you answer "Why this is so impor- tant to you" in your article. Also, within your carefully- crafted piece, make sure you define the community (neighbourhood, arts scene, volunteer organization, etc.) you're writing about, address the five Ws (who, what, when, where, why-- and how) and try to provide a solution to the issue you've presented. Remember to be objective, specific, original (pla- giarism is a big no-no) and check your facts. The call for submissions runs until the end of January, but that's when the real fun begins because an editorial panel from The IFP will select articles which have met the criteria and post them on www.theifp.ca for all your friends, family and fellow Halton Hills res- idents to vote on. Online voting will begin Feb. 18 and closes April 7. Be sure to check back to see if your article made the cut. Write an article and win a $250 bursary!