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Hwy 427 EA Public Meeting #2

Submitted by anthony on February 19, 2009 - 11:18pm
in

Highway 427 was built in the late 1960s to link the Queen Elizabeth Way and Highway 401 as well as to support development in the corridor. The highway has operated reasonably well since that time, and continues to play a vital role in the Toronto area transportation system.

The Ministry of Transportation is currently undertaking a thorough update of Highway 427, aimed at bringing the pavement structure, bridges, guiderails, lighting, traffic management system, and interchanges up to date. The need to do so reflects the heavy demands on the highway, some safety concerns, operational problems (congestion) in certain areas, and the requirement to rehabilitate driving surfaces and structures after close to 40 years of daily use.

The MTO is therefore taking this unique opportunity to review Highway 427 for operational improvements, safety-related improvements, transit provisions, and physical changes. If improvements can be identified and approved through the Environmental Assessment process, they can be incorporated in the rehabilitation work. This will reduce cost, minimize traffic disruption during construction, avoid reconstruction impact, and result in an improved corridor for users and the surrounding community.

emphasis: all mine - Anthony

Cyclists need to be there asking for safer/easier means to cross the highway.

For more info see http://www.427ea.ca/

Contact

Contact: 
Mr. Stephen Schijns, Consultant Project Manager of McCormick Rankin Corporation
Phone: 
905-823-8500
Email: 
sschijns@mrc.ca
Web: 
http://www.427ea.ca/

Comments

Highway 427 open house

I stopped by on my way home from work last night. It wasn't particularly busy, with maybe only 5 people there who weren't staff of some sort (staff outnumbered visitors).

The diagrams/maps on display did show some of those intersection improvements that are mentioned in the earlier posts here. Still some others could use improvement.

I filled out a comment sheet with my own suggestions, and thanked them for the good choices that already appeared in the plans.

-Vic

vic February 26, 2009 - 10:49am #

Can't make the meeting, but

Can't make the meeting, but sent the following letter to the contact listed above, as well as to David Fallows (david.fallows@ontario.ca -- the MTO project manager assigned to this particular study, also identified as a contact in the government notice):

Dear Messrs. Schijns and Fallows,

I will be unable to attend either of the Public Information Centres,
having conflicting appointments with both of them, but would like to
encourage you to ensure that the study is undertaken in a process that
gives due consideration to the safety of cyclists seeking to cross
Highway 427.

In particular, I think it would be important to avoid the use of
cloverleaf or partial cloverleaf overpasses where possible, favouring
instead on/off ramps meeting the cross-streets at a signalled
intersection. A study conducted on interchanges in Burlington, in
reponse to collisions at the (since repaired) QEW/Fairview interchange,
identified (partial) cloverleaf interchanges as being 33 times more
likely to lead to serious cyclist injuries or fatalities than a
signalled intersection.

This particular study was noted in a bicycle planning document
commissioned by the Ministry or Health Promotion (Ontario Bike Plan,
February 2008). It advised that "all new road construction and
reconstruction projects incorporate provisions for cycling facilities
[...] where the cost of these provisions are not [...] more than 20%
of the overall costs of the project".

While I can't claim to be familiar with the constraints that estimated
traffic flows would place on interchange design, I think that it is
nonetheless prudent to carry out the planning process in such a way as
to ensure the provision of safe crossings for cyclists that are adequate
in both number and distribution. This is necessary so that public
safety and liability concerns do not force early redevelopment of
projects undertaken in the study area (as happened at the QEW/Fairview
interchange).

I look forward to seeing the design proposals arising from this process.

Kindest regards,
Kristofer Coward M.Sc Ph.D.
Cyclist

kiwano February 24, 2009 - 1:28pm #

And the engineers write back

That letter received the following reply:

Dear Sir:

Thank you for taking the time to write regarding the Highway 427 study
being undertaken by MTO. As a cyclist myself I can appreciate your
concerns. You will be pleased to know that cycling is being taken into
consideration in the following ways:

- the loop ramps at the Rathburn Road interchange are being replaced by
direct ramps, so cyclists on the north side of Rathburn Road across
Highway 427 will be able to cross ramp traffic at signalized
intersections

- we will investigate whether the number of traffic lanes across the
Rathburn Road bridge can or should be reduced; the potential would exist
to dedicate any surplus space to cycling and/or pedestrian use.

- the intersections of the exit ramps to Burnhamthorpe Road will have
channelized turns removed; all vehicles exiting Highway 427 will need to
stop before turning either right or left

- most of the short "buttonhook" ramps are proposed to be closed,
thereby removing high-speed highway traffic from short local streets

- the closure of the ramps to and from Eringate Drive will remove
cut-through traffic from that route and substantially reduce traffic
volume on that collector road

- improvements are planned for key intersections along East Mall and
West Mall, to improve intersection operations for all users

- the loop ramp from westbound Dundas Street to southbound Highway 427
is proposed to be replaced by a signalized left turn, thereby removing
the conflict between ramp traffic and westbound cyclists

- overall highway capacity and operations will be substantially
improved, which will have the effect of removing "cut-through" and
longer distance "overflow" traffic from local roads in the corridor,
leaving those streets for local traffic and cyclists.

We trust you recognize the constraints under which the plans are being
developed - cost, property impact, high traffic volumes, road and
structure geometry, traffic operational requirements, vehicular
capacity, etc. - and appreciate that cycling needs are being addressed
within those constraints. The Ministry will continue to liaise with the
City of Toronto in tackling the impacts of the Highway improvements on
all users of City streets in the corridor.

The Information Centre displays and plans will be posted on the project
web site (www.427ea.ca) shortly after tomorrow's PIC.

Regards,

Stephen Schijns, P.Eng.
McCormick Rankin Corp.
2655 North Sheridan Way
Mississauga, ON
Canada
L5K 2P8

kiwano February 24, 2009 - 2:42pm # Replied

My response from David Fallows on the 427 study

Mr Juliusson

Thank you for taking the time to write regarding the Highway 427 study
being undertaken by MTO. You will be pleased to know that cycling is being taken into
consideration in the following ways:

  • the loop ramps at the Rathburn Road interchange are being replaced by
    direct ramps, so cyclists on the north side of Rathburn Road across
    Highway 427 will be able to cross ramp traffic at signalized
    intersections
  • the intersections of the exit ramps to Burnhamthorpe Road will have
    channelized turns removed; all vehicles exiting Highway 427 will need to
    stop before turning either right or left
  • most of the short "buttonhook" ramps are proposed to be closed,
    thereby removing high-speed highway traffic from short local streets
  • the closure of the ramps to and from Eringate Drive will remove
    cut-through traffic from that route and substantially reduce traffic
    volume on that collector road
  • improvements are planned for key intersections along East Mall and
    West Mall, to improve intersection operations for all users
  • the loop ramp from westbound Dundas Street to southbound Highway 427
    is proposed to be replaced by a signalized left turn, thereby removing
    the conflict between ramp traffic and westbound cyclists
  • overall highway capacity and operations will be substantially
    improved, which will have the effect of removing "cut-through" and
    longer distance "overflow" traffic from local roads in the corridor,
    leaving those streets for local traffic and cyclists.

We trust you recognize the constraints under which the plans are being
developed - cost, property impact, high traffic volumes, road and
structure geometry, traffic operational requirements, vehicular
capacity, etc. - and appreciate that cycling needs are being addressed
within those constraints. The Ministry will continue to liaise with the
City of Toronto in tackling the impacts of the Highway improvements on
all users of City streets in the corridor.

The Information Centre displays and plans will be posted on the project
web site (www.427ea.ca) shortly after tomorrow's PIC.

David Fallows, P. Eng
Senior Project Engineer
Highway Engineering - Toronto, Durham
Ministry of Transportation

David Juliusson (not verified) February 26, 2009 - 10:01am # Replied