Environmental Study Report – REVISED FINAL Trent River Crossing & Arterial Road Network Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Prepared for County of Northumberland by IBI Group February 2016 PREFACE This Environmental Study Report (ESR) – Revised Final should be read in association with the Final Draft ESR prepared by AECOM dated August 2009 and included under separate cover in Appendix 1. References to relevant information from that 2009 report and other appended reports are included throughout this Revised Final Report. Also, this ESR was initially finalized and dated August 2014. Since then, some additions or changes have been made to the report in 2015 and 2016 in response to agency reviews and input. The location of these additions or changes is highlighted in the left margins. IBI GROUP DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY REPORT - REVISED TRENT RIVER CROSSING & ARTERIAL ROAD NETW ORK MUNICIPAL CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT County of Northumberland Table of Contents PREFACE 1 Study Approach .................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background .............................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Study Area ............................................................................................................... 6 1.3 Previous Studies ...................................................................................................... 6 1.3.1 Pre-2008 ..................................................................................................... 6 1.3.2 2008-09 AECOM Canada Limited .............................................................. 9 1.3.3 2009 McCormick-Rankin Corporation ....................................................... 11 1.3.4 2012 GENIVAR ......................................................................................... 11 1.4 2013-14 IBI Group Study Re-Commencement ...................................................... 12 1.4.1 Produce an Updated Environmental Study Report (ESR) ........................ 12 1.4.2 Comply with Municipal Class EA Process ................................................ 13 1.4.3 Maximize Existing Information .................................................................. 13 1.4.4 Use Updated Technical Information Where Required .............................. 13 1.4.5 Ensure Effective Community Engagement ............................................... 13 1.4.6 Avoid Any Piecemealing ........................................................................... 14 1.5 Study Context ........................................................................................................ 14 1.5.1 Trent Hills Locational Context ................................................................... 14 1.5.2 Trent River Crossings in Northumberland County .................................... 15 1.5.3 Northumberland County Draft Official Plan, June 18, 2014 ...................... 18 1.5.4 Municipality of Trent Hills Draft Official Plan, October 2012 ..................... 18 1.6 Study Purpose ....................................................................................................... 19 1.7 Study Objectives .................................................................................................... 19 1.8 Study Direction ....................................................................................................... 20 2 Study Process ................................................................................................................... 22 2.1 Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Process ........................................... 22 2.1.1 Notice of Study Completion and Revised Environmental Study Report ....................................................................................................... 22 2.2 Canadian Environmental Assessment Act ............................................................. 23 February 2016 i IBI GROUP DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY REPORT - REVISED TRENT RIVER CROSSING & ARTERIAL ROAD NETW ORK MUNICIPAL CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT County of Northumberland Table of Contents (continued) 3 Existing Conditions .......................................................................................................... 24 3.1 Socio-Economic Environment ................................................................................ 24 3.1.1 Policy Framework ...................................................................................... 24 3.1.1.1 Provincial Policy Statement, 2014 .................................................................... 24 3.1.1.2 Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan – Trent Hills OP Amendment No. 2 ................................................................................................................. 25 3.1.1.3 Official Plan Policies ......................................................................................... 25 3.1.2 Project Population Growth and Development ........................................... 25 3.1.3 Existing Land Use ..................................................................................... 26 3.1.4 Rental Housing .......................................................................................... 27 3.2 Cultural Heritage Inventory: Pre-2014 ................................................................... 27 3.2.1 Built Heritage, Heritage Landscapes & Waterscapes ............................... 27 3.2.2 Archaeology .............................................................................................. 28 3.3 Cultural Heritage Inventory: Post 2014 .................................................................. 29 3.3.1 Built Heritage Resources and Cultural Heritage Landscapes................... 29 3.3.1.1 Second Street / Alma Street Corridor – Existing Conditions ............................ 30 3.3.1.2 Second Street / Alma Street Corridor – 2015 Update on Identified Cultural Heritage Resources ............................................................................ 30 3.3.2 Archaeology .............................................................................................. 31 3.4 Natural Environment .............................................................................................. 32 3.5 Transportation ........................................................................................................ 32 3.5.1 Road Traffic ............................................................................................... 33 3.5.1.1 2009 ESR ......................................................................................................... 33 3.5.1.2 Other Post 2008 Traffic Findings ...................................................................... 34 3.5.1.3 2013 Update ..................................................................................................... 34 3.5.2 Bridges ...................................................................................................... 39 3.5.2.1 Bridge Street Bridge (AKA High Level Bridge) ................................................. 39 3.5.2.2 Other Trent River Bridges ................................................................................ 39 3.5.3 Emergency Services ................................................................................. 40 4 Future Conditions ............................................................................................................. 41 February 2016 ii IBI GROUP DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY REPORT - REVISED TRENT RIVER CROSSING & ARTERIAL ROAD NETW ORK MUNICIPAL CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT County of Northumberland Table of Contents (continued) 4.1 Community Growth ................................................................................................ 41 4.2 Future of the Existing Bridge Street Bridge ........................................................... 42 4.3 Road Network Traffic Growth ................................................................................ 42 4.3.1 Traffic Diversion to a Second Street / Alma Street River Crossing .......... 44 4.4 Traffic Operations .................................................................................................. 46 4.4.1 Summertime Sensitivity Analysis .............................................................. 47 4.4.2 Delay, Emissions and Road User Costs ................................................... 48 5 Project Need and Justification ........................................................................................ 49 5.1 Finalist River Crossing Project Alternatives ........................................................... 49 5.2 Planning for Bridge Street Bridge Replacement .................................................... 49 5.2.1 Twin /Replace Bridge Lead Time .............................................................. 50 5.2.2 Construction Impacts ................................................................................ 51 5.2.3 Confirmation of Bridge Replacement Impacts .......................................... 51 5.3 Transportation Service Improvements ................................................................... 51 5.4 Related Improvements to Emergency Access ....................................................... 53 6 Public and Agency Consultation .................................................................................... 54 6.1 AECOM 2008-09 ...................................................................................................