A meeting here to review the reconstruction of the Erin-Halton Townline drew the ire of residents – especially since the open house was held over a week after construction was set to start.
The concerns started last week, as residents discovered trees being felled – without advance warning – in the road allowances in front of their properties.
But it seems the issue was more tied to communication than the need for the work.
The open house on Aug. 22 provided a one-on-one contact with staff to get answers to technical questions. About 20 residents, staff and municipal politicians representing Erin and Halton Hills were in attendance.
An Aug. 18 notice to Erin-Halton Townline property owners from Erin roads superintendent Larry Van Wyck stated the project – reconstructing the Townline Road (Sideroad 32) from Wellington County Road 125 to Crewson’s Corners (the Erin-Eramosa Townline) – will take place from Aug. 15 to mid-October.
During that time, the road will be open to local traffic only. Construction is to take place entirely within the 20m (66 feet) right-of-way. The work includes:
– clearing trees from the entire right of way to accommodate grading and ditching as well as improving visibility for access or egress to the road;
– cutting hills down to improve visibility;
– placing fill in valleys, once again to improve visibility to accommodate a 60km/h design speed;
– replacing one culvert that crosses the road between 1st Line and Crewson’s Corners;
– placing 300mm of granular B in the areas disturbed during cutting and filling operations;
– placing 150 mm of granular A gravel over the entire road;
– constructing the road base to accommodate two 3.35m lanes (11 feet), plus 0.9m shoulders (three feet), for a total width of 8.5m (about 28 feet);
– grading at intersections and driveways to improve drainage at approaches;
– ditching;
– trimming roadsides and ditches and seeding; and
– upon completion of all that work, placing double surface treatment (that is a weather sensitive process and should be done only if it can be completed by the third week of September, otherwise it will have to wait until next summer).
Van Wyck noted there are grading constraints to match existing driveways.
During his discussion with Halton Hills councillors, another item that came up was a Halton Region and Halton Hills transportation study and that the stretch of road is under consideration as a potential truck route.
Van Wyck told the members of the Halton Hills council if he’d known that, he would have waited until that was decided before proceeding. He said that decision could dramatically alter the road needs in the long term.
One of the proposals for work on the road now, is the decrease of the speed limit on to 60km/hour.
The study is being done by the Region of Halton and identifies the section of road as a potential Highway 7 bypass.
Van Wyck did not see the potential in part because of the road alignment and other physical features that would preclude the road being a truck route.
As for the current project, there are time constraints. “There is too much work and not enough time.”
Van Wyck said the work was improved in Erin’s budget earlier this year. He noted there are visibility issues as a result of hills and trees throughout the town.
But since it is a boundary road, it is not just an issue for Erin residents, but one that crosses municipal and county boundaries.
Halton Hills councillor Jon Hurst hopes not too many trees will be removed from the Halton Hills side. His concern was removal of trees on the right-of-way but in locations that would not impede the work.
Hurst also noted many residents he talked to are very reasonable; if they have someone explain why things are being done.
Hurst said he was called out by a Halton Hills ratepayer on Aug. 17 as trees were being cut. He said that the Halton Hills ward he represents includes Acton and the area along the boundary road.
The question raised at that time was “Why are they cutting so many trees down.”
While he was out there, he spoke with two Erin residents who were being affected.
For one resident, several trees had been cut at the front of her property and she was very upset, Hurst said. “She was very distressed at it happening without any foreknowledge of it.
“I don’t think anyone realized, when they said they were going to repair the road, that it meant removing so many matures trees.”
He suggested staff is caught between a rock and a hard place.
Hurst said he understood the original intent was to clear everything out from the right-of-way, and the residents are asking why.
Erin Mayor Lou Maeiron agreed that even though the item on the open house came up at the July council meeting, it was moved forward to last week’s council session at which time the question was asked about holding the meeting.
The next day, residents on the road began expressing concerns about removing trees to make way for the reconstruction work. As a result, tree cutting was halted.
Maeiron added that most residents understand the need to improve the road.
He said there was also talk of a “tree sparing program” where trees would not be removed – unless required for the road project to move ahead.
Maeiron added he had also been in contact with Rob Johnson, of Wellington County’s Green Legacy program, about obtaining trees for property owners who are concerned that the loss of trees had affected their privacy. Those trees would be planted on the owner’s property – not the road allowance.
Maieron stressed the road is being rebuilt and hardtopped to improve safety.
The concerns raised by residents were a result of the timing and the notification process.
“I apologize on behalf of the town,” Maieron said.
At the same time, he believes the open house did address many of the concerns.
“I think most of their questions were answered.”
Some of that explanation involved the amount of land required to create proper ditches to allow water to drain. Because of that, some trees had to go.
“It’s part of an overall improvement of the road and will address safety concerns and visibility.”
Maieron believes it was unfortunate some trees were cut down that may not have had to be removed, but said that, too, is being addressed.
Even Carmel Euwen, one of the most vocal of the concerned residents, felt many of her concerns were answered.
She said the town is anxious to keep the project moving because of timing.
But, at the same time, there was an agreement to not cut more trees on either her property or her neighbour’s until later.
In addition, she had a scheduled meeting with Van Wyck on Aug. 24 to walk the road superintendent through her areas of concern.
“I am not against progress, I just want to stay informed,” Euwen said.
One of her main concerns was watching the trees at the front of her property being cut down without being told in advance.
In talking with Euwen, Erin councillor Barb Tocher noted the work was approved when council approved its budget.
However she said a number of factors led to the current situation, “and I don’t think council is happy with what happened either.”
She said communication should have been better, and added “anything we can do to improve the way we do things is wonderful. We’re always open to new and wonderful ideas.”
But she said the idea is to come up with the best possible solution for residents, understanding that the road work still must be done.
Erin councillor John Brennan added that there is the safety view that needs to be considered. He said the way the road is now there are issues with sight lines.
Euwen had issues with the open house format, and initially stated a preference for a meeting where councillors could be asked questions in front of the group.
She felt information could be missed with several conversations going on in the room at the same time.
She was concerned residents were given no real notification before the tree cutting began.
By the time she found out, the trees in front of her property had already been cut down.
Brennan commented, “As a general rule of thumb, we don’t want to cut down trees that do not need to be cut down.”
