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In conflict with the City of Guelph's Strategic Plan

Problems with the Process
Hanlon Alterations (Jan 30, 2008) by Aaron Leybourne.
Letter sent to Liz Sandals, Lise Burcher, Christine Billings, Karl Wettstein, Leanne Piper
This letter is in response to the January 14th meeting at the Holiday Inn and subsequent Tribune article relating to the Hanlon changes.

To be perfectly candid, the City of Guelph, the MTO and Stantec should be embarrassed.
How is it, that a group of inexperienced citizens lacking the extensive resources of the supposed experts from the MTO or Stantec, was able to identify so many gaps in reasoning, and across such a large scope of issues? Read More
 

Risk to our Health

According to a growing body of scientific literature, people who living near freeways and major roadways, have a higher risk of developing health problems such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, pneumonia, and heart disease. Read more.

Hanlon part of the NAFTA Superhighway

What is the MTO's real plan for the Hanlon?  Will a 400-series Hanlon becomes part of the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) superhighway corridor meant to ship cheap Asian goods from ports in Mexico to urban areas in Canada and the U.S.? Read more

The size and cost of the Stone Rd. Interchange

Why has the MTO chosen a Partial Cloverleaf Interchange (PARCLO) over a Single Point Diamond interchange? The latter is similar to a conventional Diamond, but with a single set of lights controlling all arterial traffic. This type of interchange is more efficient and half the footprint of a PARCLO. Why not select an interchange that reduces the impact to adjacent residents and has the added benefit of saving taxpayers millions of dollars? Stone Rd. PARCLO interchange analysis

Flooding

The proposed Downey Rd. underpass requires that the road bed be lowered by approximately 6 meters. The old Downey Rd. was completely flooded in this area during Hurricane Hazel. The proposed underpass may flood creating safety and emergency access problems for residents on the west side of the Hanlon.  The MTO makes no mention of flood lines in their Preferred Plan. Click for reference document.

See  the collapse of the Finch. The collapse took place in 9 minutes!

Letter addressed to the Grand River Conservation Authority

"I have some concerns re flood issues and alteration of the one zone flood area at the Downey/Kortright/Hanlon intersection. . . .(the) preferred option to lower Downey Rd. under the Hanlon Expressway (is of concern) ... this map ...shows what appears to be a major east /west spillway across the Hanlon Expressway down the Hanlon Creek valley to the Speed River through (Downey/Kortright) area and  the spillway extends south to where homes are located in . .Kortright Hills. Read more

John Gamble Park and mature maple trees
The park that will be lost is the north half of John Gamble Park. The mature black walnut trees are in the park near Kortright where the ramp will be built. Read more
 
Noise Pollution
With an increase of traffic on the Hanlon of up to 50,000 vehicles per day, there will be an associated increase in noise and air pollutants from exhaust emissions. Noise will increase substantially. Read more

Air Pollution

Human Health Effect of Air Pollution by Dr. Guernsey, March 2006. Read report

Walkable Communities

Risk to our watershed

The Downey Well is too close to the proposed Downey Rd. Ramp. Fugitive contaminants from vehicles as well as salt runoff and risk of catastrophic spills could endanger our water supply. The Water Supply Master Plan proposes doubling the Downey Well water taking . The Downey Well could supply over 15% of city water or more. Source water protection was not listed as a weighted evaluation criterion for the MTO's Preferred Plan. Click here for diagram

Wetlands endangered

The Downey Rd. Ramp with possible traffic contaminants could cause damage to the Hanlon wetlands and the Hanlon creek. This area contains a critical wetland and wildlife link between the upper and lower Hanlon Creek Watershed and should be protected from further degradation. Downstream fish habitat may be negatively impacted.

The College Ave Extension cuts through an ecologically sensitive and provincially significant wetland and wooded area and involves a new crossing of the Hanlon Creek right beside the Kortright Waterfowl Park. Read more

College Extension

The College Ave Extension is designed to connect to the new Stone Rd. extension which crosses the Speed River to connect to Elmira Road to form part of an “inner ring road system” that connects to Highway 7. This will create a new north south roadway network that will bring more traffic into ours and other residential neighbourhoods. Read more