427 Transitway From Highway 407 to Highway 7 Class Environmental Assessment G.W.P. 2229-09-00 STUDY DESIGN REPORT SEPTEMBER 2011 427 Transitway – From Highway 407 to Highway 7, Class Environmental Assessment Study Design Report GWP 2229-09-00 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 STUDY AREA ................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 STUDY BACKGROUND ..................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 PURPOSE OF THE DOCUMENT ........................................................................................................................ 4 1.4 STUDY PROCESS ............................................................................................................................................ 4 2.0 TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS AND OPPOTUNITIES ............................................................. 6 2.1 STUDY PURPOSE ............................................................................................................................................ 6 2.2 PROBLEMS AND OPPORTUNITIES.................................................................................................................... 6 3.0 ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES ............................................................ 9 3.1 ALTERNATIVES TO THE UNDERTAKING ........................................................................................................... 9 3.2 ALTERNATIVE METHODS (DESIGN ALTERNATIVES) ..................................................................................... 10 3.3 IDENTIFY STUDY AREA FEATURES ............................................................................................................... 10 3.4 GENERATING AND REFINING ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................................ 13 3.5 ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES ..................................................................................... 13 3.6 CONCEPT DESIGN OF THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ................................................................................ 15 4.0 PUBLIC AND AGENCY CONSULTATION ................................................................................... 16 4.1 GENERAL PUBLIC / INTEREST GROUPS ........................................................................................................ 17 4.2 GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ............................................................................................................................. 19 4.3 FIRST NATIONS / ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES ............................................................................................... 20 4.4 MUNICIPALITIES ............................................................................................................................................. 20 4.5 TRANSPORTATION SERVICE PROVIDERS ..................................................................................................... 21 4.6 ISSUES / CONCERNS AND APPROACHES TOWARD RESOLVING CONCERNS ............................................... 22 5.0 PROPOSED DOCUMENTATION .................................................................................................. 23 6.0 MONITORING STRATEGY ........................................................................................................... 25 7.0 STATUTORY AND POLICY CONTEXT AND APPROVALS ....................................................... 26 7.1 STATUTORY CONTEXT .................................................................................................................................. 26 7.2 GOVERNMENT POLICIES POTENTIALLY AFFECTING STUDY ......................................................................... 27 7.3 FORMAL APPROVALS REQUIRED .................................................................................................................. 27 8.0 FUTURE WORK ............................................................................................................................ 28 McCormick Rankin Corporation September 2011 i | P a g e 427 Transitway – From Highway 407 to Highway 7, Class Environmental Assessment Study Design Report GWP 2229-09-00 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Ontario Ministry of Transportation is undertaking two environmental assessment processes to address the planning gap on Highway 427 between Albion Road and Highway 7 and to determine a long-term strategy to address the needs in the transportation corridor. The main study limits extend 2.5 km from south of Albion Road to Highway 7 however, to tie into the design completed to the south, the study limit extends to Finch Avenue as shown in Exhibit 1. The first study will address the interim and ultimate needs of Highway 427. The highway improvements will follow the approved environmental planning process for Group “B” projects under the Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Transportation Facilities (2000). The second study will address the planning and corridor protection for a proposed transitway on the west side of Highway 427 from Highway 407 to Highway 7 and will follow the approved environmental planning process for Group “A” projects under the Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Transportation Facilities (2000). This Study Design Report (SDR) is being prepared specifically for the Transitway project, to meet Group “A” Class EA requirements. 1.1 Study Area The study area, as shown in Exhibit 1, covers lands within the City of Vaughan, the City of Toronto and the City of Brampton. The area is currently transitioning from agricultural to urban with much of the lands adjacent to Highway 427 designated as Employment Areas. Additionally there are two cemeteries within the study area, one on each side of Highway 427. Approximately mid-way between Highway 407 and Highway 7 there is a 4-line high-voltage hydro corridor extending east-west through the study area, across Highway 427. The CN Rail Weston Subdivision Line extends in an east-west direction crossing Highway 427 just south of the study area. The CPR Vaughan Intermodal Facility is at the north end of the proposed Highway 427 Extension at Major Mackenzie Drive. The study area lies within the Humber River watershed; specifically within the Albion Creek and “Highway 50 Tributary” subwatersheds. The Highway 50 Tributary flows in a south-easterly direction through the Highway 7/Highway 427 interchange. This watercourse does not support direct fish use within the project limits (Ecoplans 2009). The Albion Creek tributaries have been heavily modified upstream and downstream of the study area. There are no natural channel elements remaining upstream of Highway 427; the system consists of a series of online ponds and ditches through the former „Ultimate Golf Centre‟ lands that are currently being redeveloped. Downstream of Highway 427, the Albion Creek tributaries occur as diffuse flow through dense pockets of cattails and have relatively short sections of defined channels. The main Albion Creek tributary crosses Highway 427 just north of 407 ETR and flows as ditch McCormick Rankin Corporation September 2011 1 | P a g e 427 Transitway – From Highway 407 to Highway 7, Class Environmental Assessment Study Design Report GWP 2229-09-00 drainage along the Highway 427 on ramps before crossing the 407. Based on the modifications upstream and downstream of Highway 427 and the lack of defined flow channels in large portions of these tributaries, it is anticipated that the Albion Creek tributaries do not support direct fish use within the study area however this will be confirmed through the study. Vegetation within the immediate vicinity of Highway 427 is dominated by culturally derived vegetation communities, primarily maintained lawn, cultural meadow, planted trees, and regenerating shrub / tree zones comprised mainly of weedy, ornamental, and / or exotic species. There are no Provincially Significant Wetlands within or adjacent to the study area although there are scattered small pockets of cattails present along drainage ditches. According to the York Region Official Plan, there are no Regional Greenlands, no Environmentally Significant Areas and no significant woodlands within the study area. 1.2 Study Background The Ministry has completed a number of transitway planning studies within the vicinity of the study area, recognizing that the Highway 427 corridor can form an important part of a region- wide network of high-capacity rapid transit facilities. The corridor has the capacity to carry both provincial and municipal transit vehicles and serve passengers travelling within and between Vaughan, Brampton, Mississauga, Toronto, and beyond. The following points summarize some of the transit initiatives planned in the area: Along the Highway 407 corridor, MTO has protected property for a transitway facility from the city of Hamilton to Highway 35/115, which included property for a station between Highway 50 & Highway 427 south of Highway 407; MTO has competed Environmental Assessments for the segments between Highway 400 and Kennedy Rd. (Markham) and Markham Rd. and Hwy 35/115 North of Highway 7, as part of the 427 Transportation Corridor EA MTO has protected property for a dedicated transitway along the west side of the highway;