Nll-l Ihe Region of Peel is theproud recipient of the National Quality Institute Order of IfRegion of Peel Excellence, Quality; theNational Quality Institute Canada Award of Excellence Gold Award, Wotting fe/i i/eu Healthy Workplace; anda 2008 IPAC/Dcloittc Public Sector Leadership ColdAward.

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APK I 0 2015 April 24, 2015 Resolution Number 2015-268

Mr. Peter Fay HEtf.KO.: RLE MC: City Clerk City of Planning and Infrastructure 2 Wellington Street West Services Committee Brampton, ON L6Y 4R2

Dear Mr. Fay:

Subject: Ministry of Transportation Southern Highways Program 2014-2018

I am writing to advise that Regional Council approved the following resolution at its meeting held on Thursday, April 16, 2015:

Resolution 2015-268

That the comments outlined in the report of the Commissioner of Public Works titled 'Ministry of Transportation Southern Highways Program 2014-2018* be endorsed;

And further, that the Ministry of Transportation be requested to advance the planning, design and construction of highway improvements in and surrounding Peel Region listed in the "Planning for the Future Beyond 2018" section of the Southern Highways Program 2014-2018 to within the next five years, including Highways 401, 410, 427, , Simcoe Area, GTA West Corridor and Niagara to GTA Corridor;

And further, that the Ministry of Transportation be requested to plan for a further extension of Highway 427 to Highway 9;

And further, that the Ministry of Transportation be requested to publish a long range sustainable transportation plan for Southern highways;

And further, that a copy of the subject report be forwarded to the Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure, the Regions of York and Halton, the Cities of Brampton, , and Vaughan, and the Town of Caledon, for information.

Corporate Services Office of the Regional Clerk 10 Peel Centre Dr., Brampton, ON L6T4B9 Tel: 905-791-7800 www.peelregion.ca U\-l

A copy of the subject report is provided for your information.

Sincerely,

3 Stephanie Junius Legislative Specialist

SJ:rn cc: Damian Albanese, Director, Transportation, Public Works, Region of Peel

end.

Also Sent to: Steve Del Duca, Minister of Transportation Scott Pegg, Director (Acting), Inter-Governmental Policy Branch, Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure Denis Kelly, Regional Clerk, York Region Karyn Bennett, Regional Clerk, Halton Region Crystal Greer, City Clerk, City of Mississauga Ulli S. Watkiss, City Clerk, City of Toronto Jeffrey A. Abrams, City Clerk, City of Vaughan Carey deGorter, Clerk, Town of Caledon Tija Dirks, Director, Transportation Planning Branch, Ministry of Transportation Jason White, Acting Manager, Central Region Engineering Office, Ministry of Transportation

Corporate Services Office of the Regional Clerk 10 Peel Centre Dr., Brampton, ON L6T 4B9 Tel: 905-791 -7800 www.peelregion.ca WRegion cf Peel „ . REP0RT * tfttftiu hk tfOn Meeting Date: 20115-04-16 ^ 7 Regional Council

DATE: April 8, 2015

REPORT TITLE: MINISTRY OF TRANSPORTATION SOUTHERN HIGHWAYS PROGRAM 2014-2018

FROM: Dan Labrecque, Commissioner of Public Works

RECOMMENDATION

That the comments outlined in the report of the Commissioner of Public Works titled 'Ministry of Transportation Southern Highways Program 2014-2018' be endorsed and forwarded to the Ministry of Transportation as such;

And further, that the Ministry of Transportation be requested to advance the planning, design and construction of highway improvements in and surrounding Peel Region listed in the "Planning for the Future Beyond 2018" section of the Southern Highways Program 2014-2018 to within the next five years, including Highways 401, 410, 427, Queen Elizabeth Way, Simcoe Area, GTAWest Corridor and Niagara to GTACorridor;

And further, that the Ministry of Transportation be requested to plan for a further extension of Highway 427 to Highway 9;

And further, that the Ministry of Transportation be requested to publish a long range sustainable transportation plan for highways;

And further, that a copy of the subject report be forwarded to the Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure, the Regions of York and Halton, the Cities of Brampton, Mississauga, Toronto and Vaughan, and the Town of Caledon, for information.

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS • On March 6, 2015, the Ontario Mnistry of Transportation (MTO) published the Southern Highways Program (SHP) which outlines the highway improvements plan in Southern Ontario from 2014 to 2018, and beyond. • The SHP contains 107 kilometers of new highway construction (including 10 new bridges) and 578 centerline kilometers of rehabilitation projects (including 142 bridge rehabilitations) within the next five years. Projects include widening of Highway 401, and the expansion of Highway 401 from the Highway 401/403/410 to Bridge to include High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes is also underway. April 8, 2015 rOI-4' MTO SHP 2014-2018

• The SHP also provides a list of projects that are beyond 2018, including extension of Highway 427, and further widening of Highways 401 and 410. • Within Peel, the MTO has invested $552 million on highway infrastructure improvement projects between 2003 and 2014. The MTO must continue to invest and advance critical projects within the next five year cycle in order to maximize their return-on-investment. • MTO is requested to expedite the planning and construction of the highways in Peel to keep pace with anticipated traffic demand due to the development of residential and employment lands. • The GTA West Project Team provided an update on the GTA West Transportation Corridor Route Planning and Environmental Study, Stage 2 at the March 26, 2015 Regional Council meeting. Council requested the Commissioner of Public Works to work with Mayor Thompson to host a meeting with staff from the Region, area municipalities and community representatives to discuss issues related to the transportation corridor affecting the Town of Caledon. Council also approved Resolution 2015-164 that stated the Region of Peel recognizes and respects the extended Environmental Assessment and consultation process for this complex project, but encourages the province and the project team to expedite the determination of preferred route alternatives, so that the Region can move forward with its comprehensive planning in those areas impacted by the GTA-W study area. • The MTO released the final Transportation Development Strategy (TDS) for the Niagara to GTA Corridor Planning and Environmental Assessment Study, Phase 1 in 2013. The TDS recommends highway expansions in Halton, Hamilton and Niagara regions, and identifies the need for a new transportation corridor connecting Highway 406/140 to the QEW. The MTO has not yet initiated Phase 2. However, MTO staff is currently working with Niagara Region as they develop some corridor protection guidelines for their Official Plan, which will help to protect the corridor for the new highway recommended in the southern tier.

DISCUSSION

1. Background

On March 6, 2015, MTO released the latest SHP for the period between 2014 and 2018, and a general program for beyond 2018. Since 2006, MTO has released its annual SHP, which is a five-year highway improvement plan for construction widening (expansion), and rehabilitation of provincial highways and bridges in Southern Ontario. Each year, the Ministry plans for and re-examines its highway program and project priorities across Ontario. The SHP for 2014-2018 contains 107 kilometers of new highway construction (including 10 new bridges) and 578 centerline kilometers of rehabilitation projects (including 142 bridge rehabilitations). The SHP notes that in 2014/2015, the Ontario government will be investing $2.5 billion to repair and expand provincial highways and bridges, $1.95 billion of which is in Southern Ontario, creating or sustaining approximately 19,500 direct and indirect jobs. The SHP report is available online at: http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/highwav-bridges/pdfs/southern-highwavs-program-2014­ 2018.pdf

2­ April 8, 2015 ^ MTO SHP 2014-2018

Peel Region faces unique growth pressures within the Province of Ontario. Over recent decades, Peel Region has had the highest population growth among all regions; regions that are themselves sources of strong growth. Peel Region is also home to the greatest concentration of businesses engaged in the movement of goods. These two pressures have led to increased congestion on Peel transportation routes. According to a study commissioned by Metrolinx in 2006, the total cost of congestion in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area is over $6 billion per year ($3.3 billion in commuter costs and $2.7 billion in costs to the economy) and is expected to reach $15 billion by 2031. The value of commodities through goods movement within Peel is $1.5 billion/day, and that equates to 20.5% of the Ontario GDP, 8.4% of the Canadian GDP and 18% of Ontario's $96 billion output. Delays in implementing new infrastructure projects have adverse economic implications for both the private and public sectors. Peel Region is investing $1.3 billion in transportation infrastructure over the next ten years to support the ambitious infrastructure plan in Ontario's Places to Grow document, and to maintain the roads and bridges in a state of good repair.

The Province's investment for highway improvement complements Peel's investment on Regional road improvements, supporting a good transportation system by the updating of the Long Range Transportation Plan, improving the efficiency of goods movement in Peel (highway improvements that are critical for truck movement) and influencing others levels of government to ensure the needs for the Peel community are considered and reflected in policy decisions of upper tier governments. It is important that Peel's interests are protected in the SHP. Within Peel, the MTO has invested $552 million on highway infrastructure improvement projects between 2003 and 2014. The MTO must continue to invest and advance critical projects within the next five year cycle in order to maximize their return-on­ investment.

2. Provincial Highway Improvements in Peel Region

As outlined in the SHP for the period between 2014 and 2018, MTO proposes numerous highway/bridge rehabilitations and two highway widening (expansion) projects in Peel. The focus on maintaining the state of good repair is necessary, but not adequate to address the growth and intensification as directed by the Growth Plan for the Greater . Timely highway expansion will be critical to accommodate the residential and employment growth targets of the province.

a) Projects between 2014 and 2018

i) Highway 401 (widening, resurfacing and bridge rehabilitations)

Highway 401 is the major east-west connector in Peel. Improvements to Highway 401 are progressing at different stages for various sections of the highway. The construction between Highway 401/403 interchange and resulted in the expansion of the highway to a 12-lane core-distributor system. This was completed in 2014. The expansion of Highway 401 from the Highway 401/403/410 interchange to Credit River Bridge to include High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes is also underway, with a targeted completion date of 2018. April 8, 2015 MTO SHP 2014-2018

In addition to the widening, there are several rehabilitation projects planned, including resurfacing/bridge rehabilitation between Renforth Drive and Highway 410 (project completion Spring 2015), bridge rehabilitation of the Highway 403 ramp, and the Dixie Road bridge (completion 2017).

ii) Highway 410 (expansion)

Construction commenced in 2014 for the widening of Highway 410 from south of Highway 401 ( on Highway 403) to north of on Highway 410. The project has a scheduled construction duration of five years and is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.

Project highlights include:

• Addition of one HOV lane and one additional General Purpose Lane in both the northbound and southbound directions; • Commuter parking lots at the Courtneypark Drive and Clark Boulevard interchanges; • Widening and/or rehabilitation of several structures between Eglington Avenue on Highway 403 and Queen Street on Highway 410; • Installation of traffic cameras and an Advanced Traffic Management System; • Placement of median tall wall barrier.

Further information about the project and construction progress can be viewed at the project website www.my410.ca.

iii) Queen Elizabeth Way (resurfacing and bridge rehabilitations)

Being one of the oldest freeways in Ontario, the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) requires significant rehabilitation. The Credit River Bridge will be replaced, a new structure constructed over Ford Drive, and several structures along the QEW will be rehabilitated. Resurfacing of the QEW between Winston Churchill Boulevard and Mississauga Road will also be completed.

iv) Highway 403 (resurfacing and bridge rehabilitations)

There are various bridge rehabilitation projects underway: Cawthra Road, Eastgate Parkway Extension, Mavis Road, CPR Subway, Credit Road, Credit River Bridge, Mullet Creek Bridge. These are expected to be completed in 2015. The Central Parkway, Hurontario Street, Erin Mils Parkway and Winston Churchill Boulevard structures are to be rehabilitated. Nl-Tr April 8, 2015 MTO SHP 2014-2018

v) Highway 427

Widening of Highway 427 between Campus Road/Fasken Drive (just south of Highway 409) and is underway. Three General Purposes Lanes plus one HOV lane will be added, in each direction, along with the rehabilitation of seven structures, installation of High Mast lighting and an Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS). Construction is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2017.

vi) Highways 9 and 10

The SHP identifies Highway 9 (west of Tottenham Road to 2.4 km west of Regional Road 50) and Highway 10 (0.7 km south of Forks of the Credit Road to 1 km south of Charleston Sideroad) for resurfacing. The resurfacing of Highway 9 between Airport Road to the south junction of Highway 10 and 24 was completed inthe Fall 2014.

b) Projects beyond 2018

Planning for long term transportation needs is important to accommodate growth. Also, it is essential to our economy and the quality of life for Ontarians. The SHP includes a section of "Planning for Future Beyond 2018" with no specific timeframe. Projects in this category that are within and surrounding Peel Region include:

Highway 401 widening between Ivllton and Mssissauga; Construction of the widening of Highway 410 from Queen Street to north of Bovaird Drive; Highway 427 extension (new highway) between north of Highway 7 to Major Mackenzie Drive; QEW widening and rehabilitation between Highway 403 and Highway 427; QEW at Dixie Road interchange reconfiguration; GTA West Corridor Planning, Preliminary Design and Environmental Assessment (EA) Study; Niagara to GTA Corridor Planning, Preliminary Design and EA Study; Simcoe Area Multi-Modal Transportation Strategy.

Project timing is subject to change based on funding, planning, design, environmental approval, property acquisition and construction requirements.

3. Future Direction/Projects

Congestion is the top transportation issue in Peel. Peel is expecting a population increase from approximately 1.3 million today to 1.6 million in 20 years as directed by the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The five-year plan as stipulated in the SHP focuses primarily on rehabilitation projects, and is not sufficient to provide capacity to handle growth. Staff recommends that the projects in the "Planning for the Future Beyond 2018" section be advanced and expanded to address current needs and accommodate projected growth. NI-* April 8, 2015 MTO SHP 2014-2018

Highway 401

The widening of Highway 401 between Mlton and Mississauga continues to be shown in the "beyond 2018" category. It is recommended that MTO be requested to advance the construction of the widening within the next five years. To maintain Peel's and Ontario's economic competitiveness, it is critical that the widening to Highway 401 through Mississauga support the movement of goods. Staff recommends that Council continue to request MTO to further consider a full 12-lane core-distributor system on Highway 401 between the Credit River to Trafalgar Road.

Transportation staff at Peel Region and City of Mississauga continue to discuss with MTO a new ramp for Highway 401 near Dixie Road and the future Creekbank Road extension. This work would improve connectivity and network efficiency, and relieve some pressure on local and regional roads.

Highway 410

For the section of Highway 410 between Queen Street and Bovaird Drive, the MTO will be undertaking an HOV lane Planning Study. However, this widening projects falls in the 'beyond 2018' category. This further widening is needed now. Staff recommends that MTO expedite this project.

Highway 427

The SHP has identified the section between Highway 407 to Queen Street East/Highway 7 as a project that is 'currently approved for construction beyond 2018'. HOV lanes will be included as part of the widening. The MTO also recently filed a 427 Transitway Transportation Environmental Study Report (TESR). The key features of the recommended plan within the TESR include a new dedicated 2-lane transitway along the west side of Highway 427, two transitway stations (located south of Queen Street East/Highway 7 and south of Highway 407), a new overpass structure at Highway 407 and a new underpass structure at Queen Street East/Highway 7.

As for the extension of Highway 427 from north of Highway 7 to Major Mackenzie Drive, the extension was included in the 2013 Provincial budget and Infrastructure Ontario is currently undertaking a value-for-money exercise and reviewing which Alternative Finance and Procurement model could be used to deliver this project. The MTO is proceeding with property acquisition (owners of expropriated lands have all been contacted), utility relocations and preparing for the next design phase. Construction could commence in 2016 or 2017 and take three to four years to complete. The highway connection to the GTAWest Corridor is not part of this extension work. Regional Council has previously requested MTO to expedite this highway extension. It is recommended by staff that Peel Region should continue to request MTO to expedite the Highway 427 extension to serve communities and businesses in east Peel. In addition, staff will continue to request MTO to examine the longer term transportation needs of the Highway 427 extension corridor north to Highway 9 and beyond. MM April 8, 2015 MTO SHP 2014-2018

Related to the Highway 427 extension corridor, the MTO initiated a Multi-modal Transportation Strategy in January 2012 to create a new long-term planning strategy for Simcoe County and the surrounding area that could address the region's transportation needs up to the year 2041. Over the past two years, the MTO assessed the state of the area's transportation infrastructure and network capacity, and identified existing and future system deficiencies and potential multi-modal solutions for further study. This 'Needs Assessment' work was completed in 2014 and will be used to develop a transportation strategy for the Simcoe area, including the need for follow-up EAs. The timelines are still being assessed.

QEW

MTO is currently undertaking several EAs that will examine the rehabilitation and widening of the QEW between Highway 403 and Highway 427. The Dixie Road interchange reconfiguration project is part of a larger EA that is currently programmed for construction in 2018. The QEW is the key east-west corridors to link the residential area from the western GT regions to the employment areas in . The advancement of the improvements will benefit the economy and quality of life.

GTAWest Transportation Corridor Route Planning and EA Study, Stage 2

The GTA West Corridor is an important east-west corridor to serve the growth in Peel and other regions. It will be needed to provide east-west connectivity for the developing residential and employment lands in north Brampton and Caledon.

Stage 1 of the EA concluded with the release of the Transportation Development Strategy (TDS) in November 2012. Building on the TDS recommendations, Stage 2 of the EA study commenced in February 2014 and this stage will identify the preferred route, determine interchanges locations and complete the preliminary design for the new transportation corridor within the route planning study area. The new corridor will include a 400-series highway, transitway and potential goods movement priority features. The EA is expected to be completed before the end of 2018.

A separate staff report was provided to Regional Council at its March 26, 2015 Regional Council meeting. At that meeting, the GTA West Project Team provided an update on the GTA West Transportation Corridor Route Planning and Environmental Study, Stage 2. Council requested the Commissioner of Public Works to work with Mayor Thompson to host a meeting with staff from the Region, area municipalities and community representatives to discuss issues related to the transportation corridor affecting the Town of Caledon. Council also approved Resolution 2015-164 that stated the Region of Peel recognizes and respects the extended Environmental Assessment and consultation process for this complex project, but encourages the province and the project team to expedite the determination of preferred route alternatives, so that the Region can move forward with its comprehensive planning in those areas impacted by the GTA-W study area. MI-ID April 8, 2015 MTO SHP 2014-2018

Niagara to GTA Corridor Planning and EA Study - Phase 1

MTO is currently undertaking an Individual EA to examine the multi-modal transportation system connecting Niagara Region and the GTA (NGTA). The NGTA Corridor is an important corridor for commuters and promotes better economic activities for goods movement at the Niagara-Buffalo border crossings.

The MTO completed Phase 1 of the EA as per the approved Terms of Reference, with the September 2013 release of the final Transportation Development Strategy (TDS). The TDS recommendations will assist the MTO with Phase 2 of the NGTA Study. The TDS recommends a staged 'building block' approach for its recommended improvements and assumes (and supports) the full implementation of the Metrolinx Regional Transportation Plan and GO 2020 Strategic Plan projects.

The groups are as follows:

• Group 1 - Optimize Existing Networks (transit, transportation demand/system management, Active Traffic Management Study). • Group 2 - New/Improved Non-Road Infrastructure (transit, rail, marine, air). • Group 3 - Widen/Improve Existing Roads. • Group 4 - New Transportation Corridors.

The highway expansion recommendations (Groups 3 and 4) were based on 3 distinct areas within the overall study area; East (St. Catharines to Fort Erie), Central (Hamilton to St. Catharines) and West (HamiRon/Halton). The recommendations are:

• East Area - new corridor connecting Highway 406/140 to the QEW; • Central Area - widening of the QEW to 8 lanes (includes High Occupancy Vehicle lanes); • West Area - widening of Highways 6, 403, 407 and QEW (addresses medium-term needs only).

The TDS identifies medium-term highway expansion improvements and further recommends a future study to determine how to meet longer-term (beyond 2031) needs. The timing and scope of this future study will be determined through consultation with affected municipalities, stakeholders and the public.

The MTO has not initiated Phase 2. However, MTO staff is currently working with Niagara Region as they develop some corridor protection guidelines for their Official Plan, which will helpto protectthe corridor for the new highway recommended in the southern tier.

Peel continues to identify the need to advance and coordinate planning for the Niagara to GTA Corridor, so as to provide commuters and commercial vehicles with an alternative connection from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to the US border. The future study should investigate long range area planning principles (i.e. Provincial Multi-Modal Transportation Plan) and examine options north of Highway 401.

-8 Wl-U April 8, 2015 MTO SHP 2014-2018

Continued need for a Provincial Long Range Transportation Plan The SHP focuses primarily on operating and maintaining current highway infrastructure. It inadequately addresses current and future demand through new highway construction expansion programs. From a long term perspective, building new highways and maintaining existing ones are both equally critical to support the anticipated growth in the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Delays in highway expansion will result in major transportation impacts, and higher property and construction costs. The need for a province-wide long range transportation plan is important to address the growth and economic competitiveness in Southern Ontario. Also, there are advantages to have a predictable program suchas better enabling municipalities to plan development and integrate with the expanded highway network.

4. Courtneypark Drive / Highway 410 Interchange

The Region of Peel and City of Mississauga are close to completing an Environmental Assessment study for Courtneypark Drive (from Kennedy Road to Dixie Road). The EA is scheduled to be filed with the Ivlnistry ofEnvironment and Climate Change in April 2015. Findings conclude that a full moves interchange would improve traffic/level ofservice, goods movement, emergency response times, and balance the network. While not identified in the SHP, there is an opportunity to include a full interchange in the current Highway 410 widening projectfrom south of Highway 401 to Queen Street. The Region of Peel and City of Mississauga will be meeting with MTO in the upcoming months to develop a Memorandum of Understanding to cost-share as part of the current project in 2018. Staff will report backto Regional Council subsequent to this meeting.

CONCLUSION

MTO has released the SHP for 2014-2018 to improve its highway network to better accommodate the growth anticipated in and around Peel Region. Although MTO is making progress on highway expansions and rehabilitations within the next five years, the projects do not adequately address the current and future needs in Peel. Highway improvement efforts should not only maximize the MTO investments already made in Peel, but also complement Peel's investment for regional transportation infrastructure improvements as per the former Term of Council Priority #14 for a Long Range Transportation Plan. From a goods movement perspective, highway improvements are necessary to maintain Peel's attractiveness as a goods movement hub. Peel's Goods Movement Strategic Plan (2012-2016) identifies a priority action to advocate for additional federal and provincial funding sources for the 400 series highway improvements. All in all, it is a collective effort from all levels of government to provide an overall transportation network that can handle existing and future needs.

The MTO is requested to advance several projects that are critical to accommodate the residential and employment growth that the Province has targeted for Peel Region, and that help to improve the economic competitiveness of not only the Region, but the Province as a whole.

9­ KJH2 April 8, 2015 MTO SHP 2014-2018

Regional staff continues to work collaboratively with their Provincial colleagues in advancing related projects and addressing issues of concern to Peel Region. Staff will continue to report to Regional Council on the various Provincial initiatives at key milestones.

Dan Labrecque, Commissioner of Public Works

Approved for Submission:

D. Szwarc, ChiefAdministrative Officer

Forfurther information regarding this report, please contactEric Flora, Principal Planner, extension 4694, [email protected].

Authored By: EricFlora

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