Notice of Study Completion - Hume Street and Hurontario Street Environmental Assessment Study

The Study

The Town of Collingwood has undertaken a Class Environmental Assessment for the Hume Street corridor (from Hurontario Street and Pretty River Parkway) and Hurontario Street (from Fourth Street to Sixth Street), see map.  Traffic growth along the Hume Street corridor has resulted in the need to assess road capacity and pavement condition to determine improvements necessary to accommodate future traffic demand. This project also provides opportunities to improve pedestrian facilities and rehabilitate/upgrade underground infrastructure within the study area.  An evaluation of technical, environmental, socio-economic and financial factors resulted in the recommendation of capacity/operation improvements and reconstruction from two lanes to three lanes, with a multi-use trail, as the preferred alternative.

 

Servicing improvements and mitigation measures including improved roadway geometric design and additional traffic signalization are identified in the Environmental Study Report (ESR).  Widening requirements for the Hume Street bridge have been identified and further pedestrian facility improvements are recommended such as a pedestrian tunnel under Hume Street to connect the River Trail.  Minor road profile adjustments will be made to improve drainage and driveway grades.  These improvements and mitigation measures will be further refined in the detailed design, approvals, implementation and monitoring phases of the project.

                                                                                                                                                                                               

The Process

This study was conducted in compliance with the planning and design process for Schedule ‘C’ projects as outlined in the Municipal Engineers Association Municipal Class Environmental Assessment document (October 2000, as amended in 2007), which is approved under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act.  A Notice of Study Commencement inviting initial input was published on November 2006 and re-circulated in March 2009, and Public Information Centre’s were held on November 22^nd 2006 and September 15^th 2009.  Following the Public Information Centre’s, the preferred alternative/design was reviewed in light of comments received and modified as required.

 

Environmental Study Report

The ESR has been prepared to document the planning and decision making process undertaken for this study. By this notice, the ESR is being placed on the public record for a 30-day review period (starting date July 23, 2010 and ending August 22, 2010)in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Class EA. The ESR is also available for download here: Hume Street ESR 

Further information may be obtained from Mr. Ted Prokopec, P.Eng, the Town’s Engineering Consultant. If concerns regarding this project cannot be resolved in discussion with the Town of Collingwood, a person or party may request that the Minister of Environment make an order for the project to comply with Part II of the Environmental Assessment Act (referred to as a Part II Order). Requests for a Part II Order must be received by the Minister, at the address below, by 4:30 pm August 22, 2010.  A copy of the request must also be sent to the Town’s Engineering Consultant (see below) by this time and date.  If no request is received the Town intends to proceed with detail design and construction as outlined in the ESR.