MTO just looking north to Major Mack for 427 extension
By Bill Rea

Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) staff looking into the proposed extension of Highway 427 are suggesting the current study terminate at Major Mackenzie Drive.

MTO will be holding two public information centres next month on the status of the environmental assessment (EA) into the 427 Transportation corridor, and they will be presenting details of the technically preferred alternatives, including the proposed alignment and terminus of the road.

One of the centres will be in Bolton, May 15 at Caesar's Events Centre at 12495 Highway 50, from 4 until 8 p.m. The other will be May 13 at Le Jardin Events Centre, at 8440 Highway 27 in Vaughan.

Town councillors received an update of their own Tuesday from MTO staff. Michael Chiu, a consultant with McCormick Rankin Corporation, said Major Mackenzie was the preferred of three terminus points that were considered. The other two were Mayfield Road and Rutherford Road, he said.

A Rutherford terminus wouldn't have accomplished what the study has set out to do, he observed.

Dean Kemper, senior project engineer with MTO, said the main objective of the exercise is to get trucks in and out of the Canadian Pacific Intermodal Terminal (on the east side of Highway 50, between Major Mackenzie and Rutherford) more efficiently, as well as addressing traffic concerns around Highway 7. He stressed they are not trying to predetermine future transportation initiatives.

Chiu said there were public information centres a year ago, which were attended by about 140 people who gained background information and preliminary details about alternatives.

"It's about time," was a common reaction staff at the centres received from people, according to Chiu, who added there were some who wondered why the study didn't go as far north as Highway 9. Chiu explained the terms of reference for the EA called for a short-term solution involving lands south of the provincial Greenbelt.

Addressing a Rutherford terminus, Chiu said it would relieve congestion around Highway 7, but wouldn't do much for the CP terminal. stopping it at Major Mackenzie would satisfy all the objectives, he said, without added environmental impacts.

Councillor Annette Groves said she was pleased the public information centre will be held in Bolton, pointing out the community has been very engaged in the process.

She also called Major Mackenzie an "excellent" terminus.

"That's a good piece of work that you've got accomplished over the last few years," Councillor Richard Whitehead observed, but he brought up the issue of the Bolton Arterial Road (BAR). The western portion of BAR (Coleraine Drive) will be running south to Highway 50, where it connects with Major Mackenzie. He wanted to make sure that connection is clearly spelled out for people attending the information centres.

He also wondered if there was any word on when construction would take place.

Kemper said 2013 would be the earliest start date, although he said there has been no time frame set for things like land acquisition, detailed design or construction. Whitehead said they are hoping to have the bypass done by 2012, and it would be nice to have everything done at once.

Councillor Nick DeBoer agreed.

"We need to see a solution sooner rather than later," he remarked. "I don't think anyone in our community would say 2013 is 'sooner.'"

Mayor Marolyn Morrison was concerned about impacts north of Bolton, citing Palgrave.