General Committee
	TO:	Mayor and Members of Council
	FROM:	Alan Brown, Director of Engineering
	PREPARED BY:	Ralph Ehlers, Capital Engineer
	DATE OF MEETING:	2005-October-17
	SUBJECT:	Regional Maintenance and Reconstruction Work Noise By-law Exemption and Road Closure

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Region of York be granted exemptions to the Town’s Noise Control By-law # 218-86 as follows;

• Warden Avenue between McPherson Street and Highway 407

- to expedite the road reconstruction and reduce the duration of traffic impact

• November 1, 2005 to November 30, 2006
• Exemption from 1900 hours to 0700 hours Monday night to Saturday morning.
• Subject to;
• Region implementing a traffic management plan
• Region implementing a communication plan to advise motorists, businesses and residents
• the work to be carried out during the above hours shall be restricted to asphalt grinding, paving and sewer construction;
• noise levels emitting from the site must meet Ministry of Environment Guidelines and Town By-Law 218-89 (maximum 85 decibels);
• floodlighting must be adequately shielded to minimize light pollution;
• the Town has the right to rescind the exemption if the Region or its contractor fail to comply with the above conditions.

And that Mr. B Macgregor, Commissioner of Transportation and Works, Region of York, be advised accordingly.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to obtain Committee and Council’s approval for exemptions to the Town’s Noise By-Law to allow extended hours of operation for the Region of York’s reconstruction and widening of Warden Avenue from McPherson Street to Hwy 407. The exemption is required at this time so the Region can define the working hours in their pending tender. Extended hours would reduce the duration of the project and corresponding impact on traffic in the area.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The Region of York is expected to tender the reconstruction of Warden Avenue from McPherson Street to Highway 407 in October 2005 and commence construction in November 2005. The normal working hours under the Town’s Noise Control By-law #218-86 is 0700 hours to 1900 hours Monday to Saturday. Extended hours of operations will reduce the project duration, disruption to traffic and length of impact.

The Region has requested approval for their contractor(s) (Attachment A) to work extended hours so they can incorporate such into the pending tender(s).

BACKGROUND:

Widening of Warden Avenue from McPherson Street to Hwy 407

The Region of York will be tendering the reconstruction and widening of Warden Avenue from McPherson Street to Hwy 407 in October 2005 and commencing construction November, 2005 with a scheduled completion date of November 30, 2006. The project will maintain four lanes of traffic daily from 0600 hours to 1900 hours; however short term lane closures will be allowed between 0900 hours and 1500 hours for the purposes of delivering materials to site. The Region of York is requesting exemption from the Noise By-Law between 1900 hours and 0700 hours. During this time the contractor will be allowed to close lanes (maintain one lane each direction minimum) to carryout asphalt grinding, paving and sewer construction.

Staff recommends the exemption as there is minimal impact to abutting employment lands properties and it will substantially reduce the extent of time to undertake this project and the impact of traffic operations in the area. This is subject to conditions listed in the recommendations section.

Financial Considerations

There are no Town of Markham financial considerations relating to this report.

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment A, E-mail Region of York, August 17, 2005

Alan Brown, C.E.T. Director of Engineering

Jim Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Commissioner of Development Services

Q:\Development\Engineering\REPORTS\2005\May\Noise By Law Exemption Warden Ave May 16 2005.doc

10/13/2005 2:47:19 PM