About Part B

Overview

The overall improvement plan for Highway 401 from Currie Road to Colonel Talbot Road includes the following:

• Approximately 28 km of full depth pavement reconstruction separated into 3 construction contracts (i.e., Contract 4, 5a, and 5b)
• Replacement of median barrier tall wall
• Installation of high tension median cable barrier from the western limit of
  Contract 4 to the start of median concrete barrier in Contract 5b
• Drainage improvements, including rehabilitation or replacement of culverts and sewers, as well as ditching, where required
• Replacement or removal of CNR Overhead Bridges (EBL & WBL) with new single-span structures
• Rehabilitation of the Dodd Creek Bridges (EBL & WBL)
• Replacement of the Dunwich Culvert (Site 5-372/C), Unnamed Culverts (Sites 5-289/C, and Site 5-290/C), McLelland Municipal Drain Culverts (Sites 5-291/C, 5-292/C and 5-293/C), Baird Creek Culvert (Site 5-294/C) and Unnamed Culverts (Sites 5‑295/C and 5-296/C)
• Installation of new retaining walls at the end of culverts, as required
• The development of environmental protection and mitigation, where required
• The development of a construction staging and traffic management plan

Adjacent Ministry Projects

There is an ongoing Ministry project located within the overall project limits. It includes interchange improvements at Highway 401 and Colonel Talbot Road.

Consultation

Ongoing stakeholder consultation will take place throughout the Detailed Design and Class EA Study process.

The Consultation Plan includes:

• Notice of Detailed Design Study Commencement
• Consultation with regulatory agencies
• Communication with First Nations and Métis Organizations
• Communication with property owners, residents, and businesses in the study area
• Preparation of an Environmental Screening Document (ESD) for MTO internal use (one per contract)
• Ongoing opportunity to submit comments and feedback for each design phase

Notice of Study Commencement

The project team is consulting with members of the public, property owners, Provincial and Federal Government Agencies, Municipalities, First Nations and Métis Groups, adjacent property owners and stakeholders. A Notice of Study Commencement was provided to advise that we are proceeding to Detailed Design and contract preparation.
Notice of Study Commencement [English, French] – Published in local newspapers including the St. Thomas Times-Journal in English and the West Elgin Chronicle in French on Thursday, August 11, 2016 and the West Elgin Chronicle in English on Thursday, August 18, 2016.

The study commenced in August 2016 as a Detailed Design and Class Environmental Assessment (EA) study for 28 km of full-depth pavement reconstruction of Highway 401 from Elgin Road 8 (Currie Road) to Elgin Road 20 (Union Road) in Elgin County (GWP 3132‑12‑00), and from Elgin Road 20 (Union Road) to Highway 4 (Colonel Talbot Road), in the Counties of Elgin and Middlesex, and the City of London (GWP 3093‑12‑00).
MTO is now proceeding with the delivery of GWP 3093‑12‑00 in two assignments as follows:

• Highway 401 from 1.4 km west of Union Road to 0.3 km east of Southminster Bourne (Contract 5a)
• Highway 401 from 0.3 km east of Southminster Bourne to Colonel Talbot Road (Contract 5b)

Construction start for contract 5a is tentatively scheduled for spring 2018, which includes reconstruction of Highway 401 from Union Road to Southminster Bourne. The project will be tendered as a Design-Build (DB) contract, with the final detailed design being undertaken by the DB Contractor.
The following highway and structural Improvements will be completed under Contract 5a:

• The reconstruction of approximately 10.4 km of eastbound and westbound lanes of Highway 401 from 1.4 km west of Union Road to 0.3 km east of Southminster Bourne
• Drainage Improvements including the replacement of non-structural culverts and sewers
• Site #5‑49/1 CNR Overhead Bridge, Temporary Repairs*
• Site #5‑49/2 CNR Overhead Bridge, Temporary Repairs*
• Site #5‑50 Union Road Underpass, Superstructure Replacement
• Site #5‑294/C Baird Creek Culvert Replacement
• Site #5‑2 Mill Road Underpass, Superstructure Replacement
• Site #5‑296/C Lewis Creek Culvert Replacement
• Site #5‑3/1 Dodd Creek Bridge EBL, Structure Rehabilitation
• Site #5‑3/2 Dodd Creek Bridge WBL, Structure Rehabilitation

* The CNR sites are located west of the pavement reconstruction limits but will be included in Contract 5a, as a holding strategy until Contract 4 is tendered.