Brantford-Cambridge Transportation Corridor

[Duke-of-Waterloo]

Brantford to Cambridge Transportation Corridor
Formerly Highway 24 Transportation Corridor Class EA Study
www.brantford-cambridge-ea.ca (http://www.brantford-cambridge-ea.ca/)
Terms of Reference (http://www.brantford-cambridge-ea.ca/downloads/27_03_09/B-C%20TC%20EA_Terms_March11_09.pdf) | Supporting Documents (http://www.brantford-cambridge-ea.ca/downloads/27_03_09/B-C%20TC%20EA_Record%20of%20Consultation%20for%20Ter ms%20of%20Reference_March2009.pdf) | Record of Consultation (http://www.brantford-cambridge-ea.ca/downloads/27_03_09/B-C%20TC%20EA_Supporting%20Documents%20for%20Terms%2 0of%20Reference_%20March_2009.pdf)
Former Class EA Website (Web Archive) (http://web.archive.org/web/20080506171457/http://www.24corridorstudy.ca/)

http://www.brantford-cambridge-ea.ca/images/back_v2_01.jpghttp://www.brantford-cambridge-ea.ca/images/back_v2_02.jpg

"The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) initiated an Individual Environmental Assessment (EA) study under the Environmental Assessment Act to address the long-term problems and opportunities (to 2031) relative to the inter-regional movement of people and goods in the Brantford to Cambridge area. The Brantford to Cambridge Transportation Corridor Individual EA replaces the former Highway 24 Transportation Corridor Class EA Study. |

On June 10, 2008, MTO issued a news release announcing this new study."

The Study Terms of Reference was approved (http://www.brantford-cambridge-ea.ca/downloads/aug09/ToR.pdf) by the Minister of the Environment on July 17, 2009.

Study Area
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/4596/424eamapoy0.jpg

[Urbanomicon]

Hwy 24 Bypass Issue at Council
August 11, 2007 | KEVIN SWAYZE, RECORD STAFF; With files from the Hamilton Spectator | http://news.therecord.com/article/227066 (http://news.therecord.com/article/227066)

A planned Highway 24 bypass east of Cambridge will only bring more traffic problems to town, an opponent says.

Dr. Paul Cary, a Cambridge physician and Sheffield resident, said the proposed two-lane highway between highways 401 and 403 will funnel more traffic into Cambridge, not divert it.

A new route between Cambridge and Brantford would entice truck traffic to use a new exit at Highway 8 to access the city and points west, because it will offer a shorter route.

"It's not going to benefit Cambridge," Cary said. "It's going to drive more traffic in then take it out."

The province says the new highway is needed to link Brantford and Cambridge and Highway 401 and Highway 403 because of large population and traffic growth expected to hit the Golden Horseshoe Area in the next 25 years.

A meeting on the proposed highway attracted a crowd of about 500 people, mostly opposed, to the Rockton community centre Thursday night.

Fred Leech, a Ministry of Transportation official, told the meeting the highway is not predetermined but added Ontario cannot refuse to study it because of pressing regional and provincial transportation problems.

On Monday, Cary will take his message to Cambridge council and call on politicians to voice objection to the way the $2.2-million provincial highway study is unfolding.

The Stop the 424 coalition wants the province to look at upgrading Trussler Road west of Cambridge and add a full interchange with the 401 instead of building a new, north-south route east of Cambridge.

Cary is vice-chair of the stop 424 group, which also opposes the proposed study route because it will cross prime farmland, sensitive nature areas and cut through part of the protected provincial greenbelt. The group includes residents from Flamborough, Brant, North Dumfries, Puslinch, Cambridge and Brantford

The council meeting starts at 7 p.m. in historic city hall, 46 Dickson St.

Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig joined local mayors two years ago to lobby the province to start the study to deal with crash-prone and overburdened Highway 24 between Cambridge and Brantford. The study started a year ago.

Craig said Cary would be "respectfully received" but he doesn't want city council to intervene in the study process. The provincial study should be allowed to produce a recommendation that council would then comment on.

Cary wants the study detoured before it carries on to a what he says is a predetermined conclusion: Brantford's dream of attracting more development.

Cary knows Cambridge politicians support a new highway but he "wants to plant the seed" of doubt about the negative outcome of building such a highway.

"I think that we're going to try to make it low-key, nonemotional, solid factual sort of presentation," he said.

Cary recently made a presentation to Brant County council, but said his message wasn't welcome there. "They're salivating at the development" the new highway would bring, he said.

As for Brantford city council, he hasn't bothered to ask because he believes that city is pro-highway.


Highway 24 replacement returns to council
September 08, 2008 | Record Staff

Provincial officials are trying again to replace congested and accident-prone Highway 24 between Cambridge and Brantford. A study begun two years ago produced a recommended route east of Cambridge and the existing highway.

In June, Queen's Park shelved the study, after opponents said the road between highways 401 and 403 would have to cross the province's nondevelopment greenbelt between Waterloo Region and the Greater Toronto Area. A new study was commissioned, this time looking at a swath of land farther to the west, bisected by the existing Highway 24.

Provincial highway officials will be at Cambridge city hall tonight to kick off the new study process, which includes public meetings later in the month. The city meeting starts at 7 p.m. in new city hall, 50 Dickson St.


No quick fix for chronic Hwy. 24 congestion
September 09, 2008 | Kevin Swayze, RECORD STAFF | http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/411820 (http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/411820)

CAMBRIDGE - Motorists shouldn't hold their breath waiting for a fix to congested Highway 24 between Cambridge and Brantford.

Provincial officials have started work on a strategic plan to move people and goods between the two cities, but it's not likely to be done before 2013.

A detailed design of whatever transit solution is approved would take longer still, said Fred Leech, the Transportation Ministry's western region planning manager. The province would then have to approve a construction.

Leech said that "2015, 2016 would be an optimistic date" for the start of any construction.

The study area for the strategic plan is bounded by Trussler Road in the west, the Hamilton city limits in the east, and Highway 401 to the north and Highway 403 to the south.

Leech was at council last night to talk about the new "Brantford to Cambridge transportation corridor'' study. It replaces a Highway 24 corridor study started two years ago into how to improve the overburdened, crash-prone highway between Cambridge and Brantford.

Queen's Park scrapped that study in June, after opponents took aim at a recommendation to build a highway between Highways 401 and 403 through a protected greenbelt east of Cambridge.

Local politician were also lobbying to move the study area west to include Trussler Road, which has long been proposed as a truck route between the 401 and 403 around Ayr. The new study area also includes downtown Brantford.

The old study had a budget of $2.25 million, of which $1.5 million was spent before the study was scrapped.

The rest of that budget will be used to prepare the terms of reference for the new study, which the Environment Minister will be asked to approve next year, Leech said. Once that's done, a budget can be set.

A series of initial public comment sessions on the study are planned: Sept. 29, at Brant Park Inn, Brantford; Oct. 1, at the St. George arena; Oct. 6 at Future Inn, Cambridge; and Oct. 7 at the Ayr fire hall. All run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.


Cambridge Residents Must Wait for Relief
Cambridge Times | Link (http://www.cambridgetimes.ca/news/article/143082)

Cambridge residents seeking relief from heavy truck traffic through the Galt core will have to wait as much as a decade to see help from the province.

On Monday night, officials from the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) told members of the city's general committee they are going back to "square one" on the Brantford to Cambridge transportation corridor study.

That study, started more than two years ago, was supposed to find ways to steer heavy intercity truck traffic away from the Galt core and Highway 24 in Cambridge.

The "fresh start" comes in the wake of growing opposition from municipalities, community groups and residents objecting to planned improvements to the existing Highway 24 and the creation of a new two-lane road connecting highways 401 and 403 on the east side of Brantford and Cambridge.

MTO district manager Fred Leach explained in his presentation to council that with the agreement of the mayors of Brant County, North Dumfries, Blanchard-Blenheim, Oxford County, Brantford, Cambridge and the Waterloo Region chair, the analysis area has been revamped. It now excludes the provincial greenbelt, east of Cambridge, and has been pushed west across the Grand River to the boundaries of North and South Dumfries townships.

At the beginning of the month the MTO released a new draft terms of reference for the project's environmental assessment which will be presented at a series of public information centres taking place in the next few weeks. The local public meetings takes place Oct. 6 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Future Inn in Cambridge , and Oct. 7 at Ayr Fire Hall in Ayr.

Leach explained that the new study will take a holistic approach to addressing the long-term transportation needs of the area to 2031. It will come up with a

transportation development strategy that looks at everything from cars and trucks, to bus service and GO Transit. The strategy will also set out who will build what when it comes to developing the transportation network.

Following the public information centres the public will have until Nov. 14 to comment on the proposed terms of reference for the new study. Ministry officials will submit the final draft of the terms of reference to the Minister of the Environment early in 2009. The study is slated to wrap up in 2013 when it will be presented to cabinet for final approval.

Once approved, Leach said the provincial elements of the strategy would be implemented only as funding is available, but the earliest anything could likely be built would be 2016.

During his presentation Leach emphasized that the information collected to date would be used as background information for the new study. He also noted that MTO's plans will be integrated with those of the various municipalities.

"Just because we are starting over doesn't mean all construction will stop," he said. "Projects being done by the city and region will still go forward."

City chief administrative officer Don Smith tells the Times: "The connection between Highway 401 and 403 is very important to Cambridge for a number of economic reasons and we're hoping this study will move ahead as quickly as possible."

Smith said discussions are continuing on the development of the proposed south boundary road connecting highways 24 and 8.

"It's a regional project, so it wouldn't be affected," he said.

Any plans for the eastern bypass around Cambridge are now on hold.

[bzmwillemsen]

There are only about 4 proposed new 400-series highways for the next half century.
One of the proposals is to turn highway 24 into a 400 series highway. And as of right now there is an EA that was started in 2005.

What route do you think it would take through Cambridge? Would it follow the now defined 24 through Cambridge? or would it split off somewhere to reach the 401?

The EA is for 424 from the 403 in Brantford to the 401 in Cambridge.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_424_(Ontario)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/400-series_highways_(Ontario)#Future_400-series_highways


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/94/Highway-424.png

[bzmwillemsen]

Here's a little bit of a mock-up.

http://bzmwillemsen.com/Stuff/Planning/424.png (http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=43.363503,-80.334949&spn=0.08137,0.181789&t=h&z=13&msid=211511865910035277267.00049e40b8a4447775c19)
Click here for larger view. (http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=43.363503,-80.334949&spn=0.08137,0.181789&t=h&z=13&msid=211511865910035277267.00049e40b8a4447775c19)

[DHLawrence]

I can't see the red route happening; the proposal to run an extension of Highway 8 through Cruickston Park didn't make it off the drawing board; I doubt they'd try again. The blue route is a more likely, but probably not that close to Galt.

[bzmwillemsen]

I can't see the red route happening; the proposal to run an extension of Highway 8 through Cruickston Park didn't make it off the drawing board; I doubt they'd try again. The blue route is a more likely, but probably not that close to Galt.

Yah I can't realistically see the red route happening. For a couple reasons:
It is running along an already existing route.
It has to cross the river twice.
And it would require a redesign of the King/401 interchange.

I personally think the light blue line is the most feasible.

[Waterlooer]

It would go outside of Cambridge most likely.

[Urbanomicon]

Utilizing the existing Highway 24 through Cambridge was never an option. The debate was how to bypass the Cambridge section of the highway. There have been several proposals with the proposed highway being built either on the West side of Cambridge (near the Highway 8 interchange) or on the East side of Cambridge (just East of Townline Road).

There is an already existing thread about this proposed highway with more information. http://www.wonderfulwaterloo.com/showthread.php/115-Brantford-Cambridge-Transportation-Corridor

[notmyfriends]

I like drawing. (http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=201706634877444404241.00049e41b8c1f4f73b5f8&ll=43.337165,-80.244827&spn=0.423505,1.056747&t=h&z=11)

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=http:%2F%2Fmaps.google.ca%2Fmaps%2Fms%3Fie%3DUTF 8%26hl%3Den%26t%3Dh%26msa%3D0%26output%3Dnl%26msid %3D201706634877444404241.00049e41b8c1f4f73b5f8&aq=&sll=43.316186,-80.391769&sspn=0.38718,0.891953&ie=UTF8&ll=43.350148,-80.37735&spn=0.773923,1.783905&t=h&z=10

[IEFBR14]

I like drawing. (http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=201706634877444404241.00049e41b8c1f4f73b5f8&ll=43.337165,-80.244827&spn=0.423505,1.056747&t=h&z=11)
Any idea how much time that would save a K-W resident who needs to drive to Hamilton?

[Urban_Enthusiast86]

I always thought it go north-south directly through Puslinch township, starting directly east of Cambridge/west of Guelph (eventually connecting to new hwy 7), and continuing on to connect to the 403 just east of Brantford.

If that were the case, I'd imagine it would probably save an easy 10 minutes for people coming from KW and heading to Hamilton.

[bzmwillemsen]

Any idea how much time that would save a K-W resident who needs to drive to Hamilton?

I did a little bit of Google Maps directions and right now without a 424 if you take the 24 to the 403 it's only 5-10 minutes longer.
So with that in mind it would probably be about 5-10 minutes faster to get to Hamilton as you don't have to do inner-city traffic or the 80km/h route 24 or route 8.

[bzmwillemsen]

A little update to display everyone's thoughts.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=http:%2F%2Fmaps.google.ca%2Fmaps%2Fms%3Fie%3DUTF 8%26hl%3Den%26t%3Dh%26msa%3D0%26output%3Dnl%26msid %3D211511865910035277267.00049e40b8a4447775c19&aq=&sll=43.42051,-80.331345&sspn=0.395491,0.891953&ie=UTF8&ll=43.412031,-80.389023&spn=0.395547,0.891953&t=h&z=11

View on Google Maps. (http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=h&msa=0&msid=211511865910035277267.00049e40b8a4447775c19&ll=43.42051,-80.331345&spn=0.325172,0.727158&z=11)

[dunkalunk]

I see your map and counter you a map. (http://goo.gl/maps/r7Zq)

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=http:%2F%2Fmaps.google.ca%2Fmaps%2Fms%3Fie%3DUTF 8%26hl%3Den%26t%3Dh%26msa%3D0%26output%3Dnl%26msid %3D203319728042495193153.00049e50ca38c32257a48&aq=&sll=43.428988,-80.309372&sspn=0.395436,0.891953&ie=UTF8&ll=43.371116,-80.334778&spn=0.791624,1.783905&z=10
I don't really think a full 400-series highway is necessary between Cambridge and Brantford, or even Kitchener and Guelph for that matter. Instead we should upgrade highways 7 and 24 to 2+2 or 2+1 roads with at-grade intersections and a concrete median, upgrade highway 6 to expressway standards, fully build out the Cambridge Boundary Road, build out LRT and BRT, and electrify and run frequent 2 or 3 car EMUs on our rail tracks.
Of course, this is just a vision, but I imagine we could achieve this by the time Waterloo-Wellington's population reaches 1 million in the 2030s.

[jamesbow]

I did some research on the Highway 424 proposal while interviewing local candidates during the 2007 provincial election. Things may have changed since then (and probably have), but this is what I heard:

1. There is no official "Highway 424" proposal. That's just the monicker opponents to the proposal have applied. Pretty effectively too, I thought. The Ministry of Transportation is looking at "improvements to the Highway 24 corridor". We could get a limited access highway between Highway 401 and Highway 403, but it might well just be called "Highway 24".
2. It's very likely to run down the east side of Cambridge, just east of the town line, possibly, and staying one concession road east of the current Highway 24, possibly all the way to Brantford, possibly swinging over to the Highway 24 corridor as it nears Brantford. This has the residents of St. George, Ontario very, VERY concerned.
3. The connection with Highway 403 could come by following Wayne Gretzky Parkway south and upgrading the current interchange there. Looking at the satellite photographs, the current Highway 24 has too many businesses that would be negatively affected by construction. By comparison, the right-of-way of Wayne Gretzky is much wider, and could handle expansion. You also notice that there is room for a full interchange at Powerline Road. With that in mind, I suspect we have a possible name for this highway should it ever be built to Cambridge.

Anyway, that's what I heard. Hope it helps!

[Waterlooer]

I disagree and think there needs to be an express-way from Kitchener to Guelph.

[mpd618]

In this day and age, building new grade-separated highways? Really?

[Duke-of-Waterloo]

1. There is no official "Highway 424" proposal. That's just the monicker opponents to the proposal have applied. Pretty effectively too, I thought. The Ministry of Transportation is looking at "improvements to the Highway 24 corridor". We could get a limited access highway between Highway 401 and Highway 403, but it might well just be called "Highway 24".


Actually, there used to be a Highway 424 proposal. This was back when there was a class environmental assessment about 6 years ago for the highway. However, a "bump up" order was issued and there is now an individual environmental assessment currently going on known as the Brantford-Cambridge Transportation Corridor. If you go to the website www.24corridorstudy.ca, it redirects you to the new official EA site. There was already a thread created on WW for this study some time ago right here (perhaps these two threads should be merged?):

http://www.wonderfulwaterloo.com/showthread.php/115-Brantford-Cambridge-Transportation-Corridor

[WaterlooNative]

I don't really think a full 400-series highway is necessary between Cambridge and Brantford, or even Kitchener and Guelph for that matter. Instead we should upgrade highways 7 and 24 to 2+2 or 2+1 roads with at-grade intersections and a concrete median, upgrade highway 6 to expressway standards, fully build out the Cambridge Boundary Road, build out LRT and BRT, and electrify and run frequent 2 or 3 car EMUs on our rail tracks.


I second this vision. I'm waiting to see how traffic patterns might shift once GO Rail service arrives between Kitchener and Guelph. Is there any possibility to encourage GO to expand their service to include rail services that do not terminate in Toronto? Likewise, to use 2 or 3 car EMUS?

[dunkalunk]

Unfortunately, the MTO and Metrolinx are different bodies, so it will be a challenge to get the highway builders and the transit people to cooperate enough to develop something comprehensive.

In the mean time, Shirley Ave should be at least connected to the Wellington Street Interchange to allow through traffic to bypass Victoria.

[bzmwillemsen]

I see your map and counter you a map. (http://goo.gl/maps/r7Zq)
I don't really think a full 400-series highway is necessary between Cambridge and Brantford, or even Kitchener and Guelph for that matter. Instead we should upgrade highways 7 and 24 to 2+2 or 2+1 roads with at-grade intersections and a concrete median, upgrade highway 6 to expressway standards, fully build out the Cambridge Boundary Road, build out LRT and BRT, and electrify and run frequent 2 or 3 car EMUs on our rail tracks.
Of course, this is just a vision, but I imagine we could achieve this by the time Waterloo-Wellington's population reaches 1 million in the 2030s.

I agree!
I hope that the EA comes out saying that a 400 series highway between Cambridge and Brantford is not necessary and never will be. And I hope that instead they build up the 24 to something similar to what highway 6 is right now. (Maybe the center turning lane for the entire length is not necessary) So probably just 4 lanes.
I would also love to see a GO connection to Hamilton whether it be from Cambridge or from Guelph I feel it would greatly benefit both regions.
I have always wondered why highway 8 was never busier than it was and why connections to Hamilton very non-existent.