aconsulting c.c. Tatham & Associates Ltd. Option 1: Access via 3 rd Line CCTA File

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1 Consulting Engineers Collingwood Bracebridge Orillia Barrie Ottawa 115 Sandford Fleming Drive, Suite 200 Collingwood, Ontario 19Y 5A6 Tel: (705) Fax: (705) Web: December 22, 2016 via CCTA File Zsolt Katzirz Corridor Management Planner MTO - West Region, London 659 Exeter Road London, ON N6E 1L3 Re: Violet Hill Gravel Pit, Town of Mono Site Access Options Dear Zsolt: Further to our site meeting of October 20, 2016 and in consideration of your letter to the MNRF of November 14, 2016, we are writing to review the potential means of site access for the proposed Violet Hill pit. Given the configuration of the proposed site, which includes frontage on 3 rd Line, 4 th Line and Highway 89, access to each has been considered and previously discussed with MTO. Key points of discussion pertaining to each are noted below. Option 1: Access via 3 rd Line Good sight lines are provided in both directions along Highway 89 at its intersection with 3 rd Line (see Figure 1), albeit there are some minor restrictions to the east due to the combined horizontal and vertical alignment of the highway. The prevailing grade on Highway 89 in the area of 3 rd Line is uphill to the east and thus trucks entering the highway at this location travelling east (which is expected to be the primary direction of travel given the market areas) will be negatively impacted by the grade (ie. it will take the trucks a longer distance to attain highway speeds, thus increasing the potential for impacts to vehicles approaching from behind). While the proposed pit has frontage along the 3 rd Line, the abutting lands are constrained due to topography and are considered sensitive lands. Lands to the west of 3 rd Line are within the Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC) jurisdiction and are classified as either Escarpment Natural Area or Escarpment Rural Area. n this regard, it is anticipated that any use of the 3 rd Line for access to the pit would not be favourable to the NEC, given that alternative means of access, which are not adjacent to NEC designated lands, are available. Professional Onrario engineers Au1horized by the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario to offer Professional engineering services. aconsulting Engineers of Ontario

2 The hamlet of Violet Hill is located along the 3 rd Line north of Highway 89, and thus significant opposition from the area residents would be expected. n consideration of this, we do not believe this option for access would be supported by the Town of Mono. Option 2: Access via 4 th Line Access to the 4 th Line from the site is readily available and would have minimal impacts to area residents given the limited number of such along 4 th Line. Sight lines to/from the west along Highway 89 are acceptable (see Figure 2), and thus for trucks departing the site to travel east, or those approaching the site from the west, there is no concern. The sight lines to/from the east are limited due to the combined horizontal and vertical curves (see Figure 2). The provision of a WB left turn lane on Highway 89 at 4 th Line would address issues relating to trucks arriving from the east in that they would be removed from the through stream of traffic (and thus WB vehicles approaching from behind would not be impacted by a slowing, turning truck). However, trucks departing from the site destined to the west would continue to have limited sight lines for approaching WB vehicles. While a WB acceleration lane could be provided, such would still require the truck to pull out onto Highway 89 under restricted sight line conditions. The notion of utilizing a centre lane for truck acceleration was discussed. However, this is not a standard configuration and thus there is concern with the resulting operations (it is common practice for slower moving vehicles to stay in the right lane, whereas under this scenario, they would be promoted to use the left lane). Highway 89 could also be widened to provide 2 WB lanes through the intersection (to provide shared left-through and through-right lanes), which could accommodate truck movements from the east and to the west. However, this would not resolve the restricted sight lines and associated impacts with truck operations in that passenger vehicles would be permitted to travel in both lanes. To address the restricted sight lines to/from the east, it would be necessary to remove the embankment on the north side of Highway 89, thus extending the plane of vision. However, such is not readily achievable given the existing right-of-way. Furthermore, it is understood that MTO has no mechanism by which the required lands could be secured (and likewise, neither does our client). While reconstruction of the highway would also serve to improve sightlines, it would require additional lands and would result in significant costs. Option 3: Direct Access to Highway 89 The proposed site access is located direct to Highway 89, approximately 380 metres west of 4 th Line (on the west side of the existing residential property). Sight lines to/from the east are appropriate; those to/from the west may be limited due to the vertical alignment of Highway 89 (refer to Figure 3). To address the latter, an EB acceleration lane could be provided, which would allow trucks to exit the site and proceed easterly without interfering with oncoming EB traffic. There appears to be opportunity to undertaken a minor widening of Highway 89 to accommodate this. However, it is unlikely that both an EB acceleration lane and a WB left turn lane could be accommodated should MTO require such, given the limited opportunity Zsolt Katzirz MTO - West Region, London Page 2 of 4 December 22, 2016

3 for widening on the north side (due to prevailing grades and the existing pond) and similar restrictions on the south side (to the existing residential property). As summarized above, each of the access options have limitations in one respect or another. As documented in the traffic review of June 15, 2015, the preferred option is the direct access to Highway 89. However, we understand that this option does not satisfy the MTO access management requirements and thus cannot be supported by MTO at this time. n consideration of this, and as discussed at our site meeting, Option 4 was devised, which involves the realignment of 4 th Line to effectively eliminate the sight line concerns at its current location. Site access would then be provided direct to the realigned Option 4. Key points of this option are noted below. Option 4: Access via Realigned 4 th Line The existing south leg of the 4 th Line would be realigned upon approach to Highway 89, resulting in a shift of approximately 170 metres to the west. A 30 metre buffer would be provided to the abutting residential property (thus providing a 40 metre offset to the centre of the road, assuming it would be located in a 20 metre right-of-way). Figure 4 provides a concept plan of the realignment. A detailed sight line investigation was undertaken at the realigned intersection location, based on Highway 89 engineering plans as provided by the MTO. As illustrated in the attached PP-1 drawing (refer to the profile showing truck sight lines), the following sight lines are realized (also refer to Figure 5): a truck stopped on the realigned 4 th Line waiting to enter Highway 89 can see approaching vehicles from a distance of 495 metres to the west and 325 metres to the east (corresponds to entering sight distance ); and a truck slowing or stopped on Highway 89 to turn onto 4 th Line can be seen from 465 metres to the west and 295 metres to the east (corresponds to stopping sight distance ). For a posted speed of 80 km/h, the MTO Highway Access Management Guideline requires a stopping sight distance of 185 metres and an entering sight distance of 320 metres for a public road or commercial access to a 2-lane road. The realigned 4 th Line provides sight lines in excess of the noted requirements. n this regard, the MTO requirements are satisfied and thus it would not be necessary to construct a left turn lane or an acceleration lane on the highway to address restricted sight lines (the intent of which was to separate car traffic from truck traffic, recognizing that the entering sight distance requirements were not otherwise deemed appropriate). While adequate sight lines would be provided at the realigned 4 th Line location, further enhancements could be implemented through a lowering of the Highway 89 profile through its intersection with the north leg of 4 th Line. There is a hydro sub-station on the existing south leg of the 4 th Line, which would require an extension to its driveway under the realignment. There are no other driveways that would be impacted (while there is a residence at the corner with Highway 89, its driveway access is provided to the highway). Zsolt Katzirz MTO - West Region, London Page 3 of 4 December 22, 2016

4 Any lands required to accommodate the realignment can be conveyed to the MTO and/or Town of Mono at no cost (in that they are currently part of the Violet Hill pit land holdings). Summary Through our discussions and site meeting, and further investigations pertaining to sight lines, we believe the realignment of the 4 th Line is a viable solution and would satisfy the requirements of MTO. Furthermore, given the constraints and limited sight lines at the existing intersection of 4 th Line with Highway 89, we believe that the realignment will be advantageous to the Town and prove beneficial to the area residents and motorists. Further to your review of the above, and provided you concur with the noted statements, we would ask that you provide a letter to MNRF indicating your support in principle for Option 4: Access via Realigned 4 th Line such that our client can continue through the application process with the Town (at present, the Town has deemed the application incomplete in that an appropriate access strategy has yet to be resolved with the MTO). Should you have any questions or comments on the above, please do not hesitate to contact us. Otherwise, we look forward to a favourable response. Yours truly, C.C. Tatham & Associates Ltd. Michael Cullip, P.Eng Director, Manager Municipal & Transportation Engineering MJC:mjc copy: Sam Greenwood, Greenwood Construction (sam@greenwoodconst.ca) :\2014 Projects\ Violet Hill, Mono Twp\Documents\Correspondence\L - MTO - Site Access Options.doc Zsolt Katzirz MTO - West Region, London Page 4 of 4 December 22, 2016

5 looking west on Highway 89 from 3 rd Line looking east on Highway 89 from 3 rd Line Consulting Engi_" Violet Hill Gravel Pit Sight Lines on Highway 89 at 3 rd Line 1 Figure

6 looking west on Highway 89 from 4 th Line looking east on Highway 89 from 4 th Line Consulting Engi_" Violet Hill Gravel Pit Sight Lines on Highway 89 at 4 th Line Figure 2

7 looking west on Highway 89 from proposed direct access to Highway 89 looking east on Highway 89 from proposed direct access to Highway 89 Consulting Engi_" Violet Hill Gravel Pit Sight Lines on Highway 89 at Direct Highway Access Figure 3

8 Alternate Entrance Sketch -ro 1:4,000 i5asl" ~..3$"v~ (VJ~ cf." 4 30m 170m 20m <, Consulting Engineers Violet Hill Gravel Pit Figure Realignment of 4th Line Concept Plan 4

9 looking west on Highway 89 from proposed realigned 4 th Line intersection looking east on Highway 89 from proposed realigned 4 th Line intersection Consulting Engi_" Violet Hill Gravel Pit Sight Lines on Highway 89 at Realigned 4 th Line Figure 5

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