C.C.Tatham & Associates Ltd. Consulting Engineers STEPHENSON ROAD I BRIDGE Town of Bracebridge ond Town of H u ntsville Municipol Closs Environmentol Assessment Proiect File prepared by: prepared for C.C. Tatham & Associates Ltd. The Town of Bracebridge and the Town of Huntsville I Banon Drive Bracebridge, ON P1L 0A1 November 17,2014 Tel: (705) 645-7756 Fax: (705)645-8'159 [email protected] CCTA File 212529-1 Toble of Contents 1 lntroduction and Background 1 1.1 I nhoduction/Backg rou nd I 1.2 Class Environmental Assessment Process 2 1.2.1 Class EA Schedules 2 1.2.2 Class EA Terminology 4 1.2.3 SelectedSchedule 4 2 Need & Justification 6 2.1 Existing Conditions and Background 6 2.1.1 StructuralCondition 7 2.1.2 TrafficConditions 10 2.1.3 Utilities 10 2.1.4 HydraulicAssessment 10 2.1.5 Geometry 11 21.6 BarrierProtection 11 2.2 Problem/Opportun ity Statement 11 3 Gonsultation - Study Commencement 12 3,1 Notification 12 3.2 Public Comments 12 3.3 Agency Comments 13 4 Alternative Solutions '14 4.1 Alternative 1 - Do Nothing 14 4.2 Alternative 2 - Rehabilitate the Bridge 4,3 Alternative 3 - Replace the Bridge 5 Environment lnventory 5.1 Natural Environment 5.2 Social Environment 5.2.1 Archaeological lnvestigation 5.2.2 Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report 5.2.3 Property Acquisition 5.3 Physical Environment 5.3.1 Existing Bridge Structure 5.3.2 Existing Approaches 5,3,3 Traffic Operations 5,3,4 Utilities 5.3.5 Hydraulics 5.3.6 Barriers 5.3.7 Geotechnical Considerations 5.4 Economic Environment 6 Evaluation of Alternative Solutions 6.1 Evaluation Criteria 6.2 Environment lmpacts 6.2.1 Alternative 1 - Do Nothing 6.2.2 Alternative 2 - Rehabilitate the Bridge 6.2.3 Alternative 3 - Replace the Bridge 6,3 Recommended Solution 26 7 Consultation - Public lnformation Centre 27 7.1 Notification 27 7.2 Public lnformation Centre 27 7.3 Public Comment 28 7.4 Agency Comment 29 8 ldentification of Preferred Solution 29 8.1 Preferred Solution 29 8.2 Confirmation of EA Schedule 29 I Completion of the Class EA Process 30 9.1 Submission to the Town of Bracebridge and Town of Huntsville 30 9.2 Submission to Stakeholders 30 9.3 lmplementation 31 Appendices Appendix A: Consultation - Study Commencement Appendix B: NHIC Biodiversity Explorer Results Appendix C: Natural Environment Review Report Appendix D: Archaeologícal Assessment Appendix E: Cultural Heritage Evaluation Report Appendix F: Consultation - Public lnformation Centre Appendix G: The Municipal Heritage Bridges Cultural, Heritage and Archaeological Resources Assessment Checklis Appendix H: Structural lnspection Reports (OSIM) Appendix l: Structural Evaluation Memo Appendix J: Load Posting Recommendation Appendix K: General Arrangement Drawing Appendix L: Town Council Resolutions Appendix M: Consultation - Notice of Study Completion list of Tobles Table 1: NHIC Species at Risk and lnvasive Species Database Search Results 18 Table 2: NHIC NaturalArea Database Search 18 Table 3: Bridge Solution Alternatives Evaluation Matrix 24 List of Figures Figure 1: Key Map Figure 2: Class EA Process 3 I lntroduction ond Bockground l.l Inlrodurtion/Bockground The Town of Bracebridge and the Town of Huntsville are considering improvements to the Stephenson Road 1 Bridge located on Stephenson Road 1, approximately 1 km east of Highway 11, over the north branch of the Muskoka River. A key map showing the site location can be seen in Figure 1. C.C, Tatham and Associates Ltd. (CCTA) was retained by the Town of Bracebridge (Town) to undertake a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study (Class EA Study), in accordance with the guidelinest. The objective of the Class EA Study is to confirm the need for improvements and consider the most appropriate manner in which they can be implemented. Figure 1: Key Map taarl:tydney (JtlersÞF lrr I q li4n 1øl HORÍH TO HU¡llTSV|l¡E lj"r |ã 1 Fã*e.sv e f.-*.= fcl _ STEPI{I RD. T útI t -{'r'af = ,15¡ HUSKOI<A RÍVER * (r{oErH æ ñlcH) t-l I dF Fs3kenbúr'g ¡Tiì srton Él€rBh 5lÐt¡aq t Gelf c l¡¡11 I5 '-!1 ; TOiN OF ERACE9R¡DGE 5'r'rrh trnr¡.rtqkR t* GGlf {: hrl, Él ! :rys!.| E6dßr 30urH TO ]each t/,t¡--o- BARRIE t:t-,-,*,o -.¡o * Fd l.+ [a.k oT ¡r rlû¡bair¡qlì *'Þ F¡,ttúÉtt.rì fi4f .,àÉrr^ .\.r Lt,:r Cnr:..,,- B€æbñdqe Gol6en E,apqor (Base Plan from Google Maps 2013) 1 MunicipalClass EnvironmenfalAssessmenf. Municipal Engineers Association, October 2000 as amended in2007 &2011 Stephenson Road I Bridge Page 1 Municipal Class Environmental Assessment November 17,2014 1.2 Closs Environmentol Assessmenl Proress The Class Environmental Assessment process is defined in the Municipal Class Environmental Assessmenf document, Applying to all municipal road improvement projects, a number of study categories or schedules have been established recognizing the range of expected environmental impacts. These are briefly described below whereas the process corresponding to each is illustrated in Figure 2, 1.2.1 Closs EA Schedules Schedule A Schedule A projects generally include normal or emergency operational and maintenance activities. As the environmental effects of these activities are usually minimal, these projects are pre-approved and may proceed directly to implementation without the need to complete the planning and design process. No reports or study documents need to be prepared. Schedule A* Schedule 4+ pro¡ects are typically limited in size and scope, and thus have minimal associated environmental impacts. While these projects are also pre-approved, they require notification to the public prior to implementation. No reports or study documents need to be prepared outside of the notification. Schedule B Schedule B projects generally include improvements and minor expansions to existing facilities. As there is the potential for some adverse environmental impacts, the municipality is required to conduct a screening process whereby members of the public and review agencies are informed of the project and given the opportunity to provide comment. Documentation of the planning and design process is required under a Schedule B Study. As Schedule B projects are generally straightfonruard and do not require detailed technical investigations to arrive at the preferred solution, a formal report is not required. Rather, a Project File is prepared to demonstrate that the appropriate steps have been followed. The Project File is to be submitted for review by the public and review agencies. Schedule C Schedule C projects generally include the construction of new facilities and major expansions to existing facilities, As they have the potential for environmental impacts, they must proceed under the full planning and documentation procedures specified by the Municipal Class EA document, Schedule C pro¡ects require an Environmental Study Report (ESR) to be prepared and appropriately filed for review by the public and review agencies. Stephenson Road'l Bridge Page 2 Municipal Class Environmental Assessment November 17,2014 Figure 2: Class EA Process Schedule B Phases I ALTERNATIVE DESIGN PROALEM OR ALTERHATTVE EHVIRONMENTAL CONCEPfS FOR IMPLEh'EHfATION OPPORTUNITY SOLUTIONS SfUDY REPORT FREFERREO SOLUTION I 1. I Hl ffii Rpo.t I I Seled J- tl 2€f Srñèdr¡le ----) t-t A ?- ProcÊ€d lo æn*tclid ü I e$mictrÉwffit & I I I I f m qder'. trr¡y I I 3l*ni|ùbr I Older" I I 1 I Sædql I I I I I .f- Édu¿úê aås¡dt€ G I I , -{ I I I -1 I -t- I I I t. S€leq I I MdÊr ---+ lftRÈt$ wfftE I EÈGi Þ -----J l¡rlcates m¡ ænts â Seled I a m*Isbî sdultm ;--2 ¡ I a I I I - - - -> lnd€tes prpùrble ænE t SÊdr¡þ I L-- I I I I I I I ¡ De¡sion pdrüs on dro¡cê of sc+ÊdLde IrnlclÞ.1 RËifl&sñm j I ¡*r¡i* dsffite t- Cng¡rrÉ I t-"s^:--i I BioÈl N l'r¡Cd{r f L I P¡n ll qds Stephenson Road 1 Bridge Page 3 Municipal Class Environmental Assessment November 17,2014 1.2.2 Closs EA Terminology Prior to determining the appropriate Class EA schedule, an understanding of the defining terminology is required as described below: Hydroulic Copocity Means capacity defined in terms of the volume of water that can be conveyed under or through a water crossing structure. Rood Copocily Means capacity defined in terms of the number of travelled lanes and does not differentiate between various lane widths to accommodate differing traffic volumes. Some Purpose, Use, Copucity & locotion Refers to the replacement or upgrading of a structure or facility or its performance, where the objective and application remain unchanged, and the volume, size and capability do not exceed the minimum municipal standard, or the existing rated capacity, and there is no substantial change of location. Works carried out within an existing road allowance such that no land acquisition is required are considered to be in the same location. Conversely, it is thus inferred that should improvements extend beyond the existing road allowance and additional property is required, the location is considered to have changed. Wotercourse Means flowing water, though not necessarily continuous, within a defined channel and with a bed and banks which usually discharges itself into some other watercourse or body of water, 1.2.3 SelectedSchedule As per the Class EA guidelines and in consideration of the improvement works, the following apply: Schedule A for the reconstruction or alteration of a structure or the grading adjacent to it when the structure is over 40 years old which after appropriate evaluation is found not to have cultural heritage value; Schedule A+ for the reconstruction of a water crossing for the same purpose, use, capacity (refers to either hydraulic capacity or road capacity)