Highway 7&8 Transportation Corridor

Planning and Class EA Study

Township of Perth East

Council Presentation
February 2, 2010

Today’s Presentation
Study Update
Overview of PIC #3 Comments
Overview of Strategy for Revisiting Shakespeare Area
Route Alternatives
Updated Study Schedule
Next Steps

1
Study Update
PIC #3 held in July / August 2009
Preferred Corridor
Widening / New Route Alternatives within Preferred Corridor
Meetings held with SARA and ABC Group in September /
October 2009
PIC #3 Comment Period ended on October 31, 2009
Significant number of comments received, particularly for
Shakespeare area
Comments have been reviewed; formal responses will be
issued in February
In response to comments received, strategy developed to
revisit Shakespeare area highway route alternatives

Overview of PIC #3 Comments

General Comments
PIC format
PIC notification
Information requests

Problems and Opportunities / Need and Justification

Need for improvements questioned
Address safety issues
Consider non-road based alternatives

Corridor Alternatives / Evaluation Process

Specific corridor alternatives suggested
Specific feedback provided on assessment and evaluation results
(criteria used; data used; qualitative assessment determinations; etc.)
Additional evaluation criteria suggested

2
Overview of PIC #3 Comments
Preferred Corridor / Route Alternatives
West of Erie Street Section
Movement of farm equipment
Impacts to agricultural lands
Property impacts

Erie Street to East of Stratford Section

Traffic congestion
Property / residential impacts
Accommodation of pedestrians / cyclists

Stratford to Shakespeare Section

Movement of farm equipment
Impacts to agricultural lands
Property / residential / heritage impacts
Alternate routes suggested

Overview of PIC #3 Comments

Preferred Corridor / Route Alternatives
Shakespeare Section
Property impacts
Noise, vibration and air quality impacts
Pedestrian safety
Snow removal
Cultural heritage impacts
Economic impacts (business area / tourism)
Alternate routes suggested

Shakespeare to New Hamburg Section

Cultural heritage impacts – Fryfogel Inn, Lingelbach Cemetery
Property impacts

New Hamburg Section

Crossing road access
Movement of farm equipment

3
Strategy for Revisiting Shakespeare Area
Highway Route Alternatives
Hold facilitated Shakespeare Community Workshops
Workshop #1 – Identify potential route alternatives and evaluation criteria
for Shakespeare area
Workshop #2 – Strengths and weaknesses of Shakespeare Area route
alternatives

Use input received at workshops to develop broader range of

Shakespeare area highway route alternatives and refined
approach for their evaluation
Hold additional Public Information Centre (PIC #3B) in
Shakespeare in early Summer 2010
Following PIC #3B, refine route alternatives and undertake
their evaluation
Note: Preferred Shakespeare route alternative and preferred route for
entire Highway 7&8 corridor will be presented at PIC #4, scheduled
for late Fall 2010

Shakespeare Community Workshops

Shakespeare Community Workshops will discuss:
Shakespeare area issues to be considered in planning for
future Highway 7&8 corridor
Criteria to be used to evaluate highway route alternatives in
Shakespeare area
Potential new highway routes in Shakespeare Area
North of existing Highway 7&8 corridor
South of existing Highway 7&8 corridor
Within the existing and/or expanded Highway 7&8 corridor

4
Preferred Corridor (as presented at PIC #3)

Approximate area for

further review

Approximate Area for Further Review

5
Shakespeare Community Workshops
Workshop #1:
Purpose:
Provide overview of identified problems / opportunities / challenges
Provide overview of environmental constraints
Review comments / concerns / issues received for Shakespeare area
Identify additional criteria to consider for the evaluation of Shakespeare
area route alternatives
Identify potential additional highway route alternatives in Shakespeare area

Open to all interested stakeholders

Tentatively scheduled for March 8th from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Shakespeare Community Workshops

Workshop #2
Purpose:
Review / refine evaluation criteria for Shakespeare area route alternatives
Review strengths and weaknesses of each route alternative and potential
measures to enhance each route alternative and/or mitigate potential
effects

Focused stakeholder group (~ 40 to 45 people) consisting of:

Representatives from key stakeholder groups
Municipal and emergency services representatives
Representatives from the general public who self-identify themselves
(random selection process)

Tentatively scheduled for March 27th from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm

6
 Updated Study Schedule

STUDY SCHEDULE
Highway 7&8 Transportation Corridor Planning and Class EA Study
Study Phase 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
1. Study Plan

2. Area Transportation System Planning

3. Preliminary Planning

4. Detailed Planning for Provincial Roadways

5. Preliminary Design for Provincial

Roadways

6. Transportation Environmental Study Report

(TESR)

Public Information Centres 1 2 2B 2C 3 3B 4 5 6

We are here

Next Steps
Issue responses to PIC #3 comments
Shakespeare Community Workshops – March 2010
Finalize workshop plan
Confirm workshop dates
Distribute notification

PIC #3B – Early Summer 2010

Shakespeare area route alternatives
Refined evaluation approach / criteria

PIC #4 – Late Fall 2010

Preferred widening / route alternative for each section

7
Thank You
Questions ?