Bradford Bypass project public consultation underway

A public consultation started last week for the Bradford Bypass project.

The Public Information Centre 1 opened April 22 and the  public comment period continues until May 6. An update and next steps will be presented May 18.

The project team includes project manager Harinder Singh and area manager Salia Kalali from the Ministry of Transportation and AECOM’s Tim Sorochinsky and Sonia Rankin.

“It’s something that our council has been looking forward to for a very long time,” Mayor Rob Keffer said at the meeting. “Members of council have expressed our willingness to work with MTO and AECON and to do whatever we can to help with this project.

“I think the more that you find out about the project, the happier you will be. Highways do go through sensitive areas . . . and there is a way to mitigate and to do it properly and still have the infrastructure that is so important to our community.”

The project team includes Project Manager Harinder Singh and Area Manager Salia Kalali from the Ministry of Transportation and AECOM’s Tim Sorochinsky and Sonia Rankin.

The 17-kilometre freeway project includes interchanges at Highway 400, County Road 4 (Yonge Street), Bathurst Street, Leslie Street and Highway 404. Grade-separated crossings are planned for 10th Sideroad, Professor Day Drive and Artesian Industrial Parkway/CN Rail line in Bradford.

Local councillors have requested an additional interchange at Sideroad 10.

In September 2020, the MTO began a preliminary design update study, building on the  2002 Environmental Assessment (EA) for the bypass, a 16.2-kilometre freeway connecting Highways 400 and 404.

The rationale for the project is the province’s commitment to ensure the transportation system “works for all people of Ontario,” Salia Kalali said.

“Transportation-related construction is vital to Ontario’s economic recovery especially in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic.”

She listed the benefits of the bypass, including:

• Relieve congestion on existing local roads between Highway 400 and Highway 404
• Address expected travel demand and support goods movement
• Help support urban development in York Region
• Provide a northern freeway connection between Highway 400 and Highway 404 – saving about 66 per cent in travel time – travellers are expected to save up to 35 minutes a trip.

“This new freeway is a solution that will manage the expected population growth and travel demand in the area.”

To limit the impacts, the proposed highway will cross the Holland Marsh Provincially Significant Wetland (PSW) at its narrowest point – where the crossing is only one km across.

The presentation also outlined the study process, which includes consultation with the public, regulatory agencies and Indigenous communities. Since the study notification in September 2020, over 230 comments have been received.

The preliminary design EA update study will include field investigations, impact assessment/mitigation, and adherence to environmental commitments. The design will consider minimizing potential impacts to the area of the wetland or Greenbelt areas through engineering design refinements.

“This is a project that has been on our books for a long time, we are excited about this. It’s going to be fantastic for all of us and an economic boom for all of the area – York Region, Simcoe County and even further north,” said Deputy Mayor Leduc after the presentation.

The project has support from local farmers who are encouraged that the new route will improve product transport times.

“As an Indigenous person, I think you are doing the responsible thing,” Councillor Mark Contois told the MTO representatives, noting that at present there is a single route into Bradford from York Region, and “when there’s one accident, you’re basically sitting there for hours.”

Council received the presentation, expressing strong support for the project, and requesting that MTO consider replacing the proposed grade-separated crossing at 10th Sideroad with an additional interchange. Council also approved an amendment to the motion encouraging the MTO to continue to work with the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Environment, Conservation Authority and municipalities to provide secondary benefits that can include conservation and active transportation.