May sound like a train but its not…it’s a wider 400!

If you live adjacent to Hwy 400 it is coming closer….and ….even if you don’t live adjacent you will know that it is coming closer by the noise!  December 6th Ministry of Transport (MOT) hosted an open house to review plans for the next installment for widening the 400.

Briefly:  project area is from King Road to just north of Hwy 9.  Scope is to build foundation and do grading to achieve 10 lanes in total; initially only 8 lanes will be paved.   Of the two new lanes in each direction, one in each direction will be a high occupancy lane.  Intent is to start construction at the north end i.e. from the South Canal bridge just north of Hwy 9 to SDRD 19.   Rough schedule is to finalize design spring 2012 and then commence property expropriation.

MOT insists that there will be no noise barriers as mediation.  They do so not because they are not needed; in fact, with questioning I was told that with the new lanes the noise at the tested receptive points (i.e. houses adjacent to the 400) will be greater than 65 decibels.  (This is the level at which MOE says there is to be remedies.)  Noise barriers will not be erected because of cost and low number of affected parties.

I certainly do not debate the need to address the every growing congestion on the 400.  I will say though that the problem is not surprising given the Province’s lack of urgency in providing effective alternate travel modes i.e. rail.

The widening necessitates the building of new interchanges.  At this time the plan for the Lloydtown/Aurora Rd interchange is to reconstruct it in current location.  York Region’s interest in moving it south ~1 km in order to have it line up with the 18^th SDRD continues to be off the table; hence MOT is planning to rebuild in same place.   Attendees at the public meeting identified concerns with the easterly off ramp as it appears to be very close to the Kettleby Public School entrance way.

I as many others were relieved to hear that the plan does not include high mast lighting.  And it is good planning to see car pool parking lots being built at each interchange.

If you missed the meeting you can see the plan here.  And if you would like to provide comments click here for the form and instructions where to submit.  On the latter there is also contact information.

The actual construction process will create the usual inconveniences and annoyances.  For those who live and work at the northern end of the project, it will require tremendous patience as the construction for the new bridge will take two years to complete.