October 1, 2012

Environmental assessment continues for proposed highway interchange north of Hamilton

GREG MECKBACH

digital media editor

An environmental assessment is underway for a proposed provincial highway interchange construction project north of Hamilton, Ontario.

IBI Group Inc. is working on the Environmental Assessment Addendum and Detail Design for an interchange of Highways 5 and 6 in the community of Clappison’s Corners. The level intersection of the highways is immediately west of the former village of Waterdown, now within the limits of the City of Hamilton.

If approved, the contract would be ready for tender in early 2014, Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) engineer Makael Kakakhel wrote in an e-mail to DCN.

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“The project is not on the ministry five-year Southern Highways Program (SHP),” wrote Kakakhel, project engineer for MTO Central Region, Hamilton and Niagara.

“However, the ministry reviews this program annually and makes necessary changes to it by adding or removing projects, depending on priorities.”

The project would have to get funding approval from the province before going to tender. Currently Highway 5 runs west from Highway 6 to Highway 8. Highway 6 goes southeast down the steep escarpment and through Hamilton, and northwest through Guelph.

The portion of Highway 5 east of Highway 6 was downloaded to local government and is officially known as Dundas Street.

If approved, part of the interchange, at the top of the Niagara escarpment about 15 kilometres northwest of the port of Hamilton, would be located within the Burlington city limits but most of the area is in Hamilton.

The preliminary and detail design study includes a realignment of Highway 6 slightly to the east of the intersection with Highway 5, and a realignment of Highway 5 north of the intersection.

It would also include a new Highway 5 overpass over Highway 6, with an interchange and bridge structure, plus construction of a concrete median barrier along Highway 6 within the interchange limits.

Kakakhel stated that MTO is not releasing the estimated cost of the project but will share the cost once the procurement process is complete.

The preliminary and detail design study also includes full illumination within the interchange limits, installation of new traffic signals, extension of a three-cell box culvert under Highway 6 at Boxer’s Creek, plus other culvert replacements and extensions.

Other components include paved shoulders along Highway 6 within the interchange limits, construction of a concrete curb and gutter along Highway 5 within the interchange limits and municipal road connections in the vicinity of the interchange, plus sidewalks, bicycle paths and a commuter parking lot.

Kakakhel wrote that the need for the interchange was established through an environmental assessment in 2003, and that the EA addendum that IBI Group is working on is intended to get approval for the municipal road network.

“Once we have EA approval, our plan is to initiate the Detail Design in early 2013,” he wrote, adding that design is expected to be completed in early 2014.

“Property acquisition is required before going to tender, and this is currently being managed by MTO,” he wrote.

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