Study Update Notice

​Study Update Notice

Highway 400/6th Line Interchange
Town of Innisfil, Simcoe County
Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Review

THE STUDY

In 2017, the Town of Innisfil (the Town) completed a Schedule ‘C’ Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed interchange at Highway 400 and 6th Line. The interchange has been identified in the Town’s Official Plan (OP) and Transportation Master Plan (TMP). Improvements to 6th Line and the new interchange will service current and future traffic for planned development in the Town. The project was cleared to proceed after an Environmental Study Report (ESR) received EA approval in 2017.

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) has entered into a co-proponency with the Town to undertake a Municipal Class EA Review of the preliminary design for the new interchange. This review involves updating existing environmental conditions and determining whether any design changes to the proposed interchange are required. Morrison Hershfield (now Stantec) and HDR have been retained by MTO to undertake the review.

THE PROCESS

The EA Review is following the requirements of the Municipal Class EA process, with the opportunity for engagement throughout the study with Indigenous communities, external agencies, adjacent property owners, and members of the public.

STUDY UPDATE

The review of the EA-approved interchange identified a number of issues that warrant consideration of design changes. A Study Update has been provided on the project website (www.Highway400-6thLine.ca) on June 26, 2024 to present the outcome of this review and the proposed design changes to the interchange for further review and comment. The proposed design changes involve:

• Updating the interchange design to meet current standards and best practices;
• Realigning the proposed interchange ramps;
• Replacing the proposed roundabouts with traffic signals at the ramp terminals;
• Replacing the existing Innisfil Creek culvert crossing under Highway 400 with new bridges; and
• Installing new bridges for the crossings of Innisfil Creek for the future West-to-South (W-S) and South-to-East/West ramps (S-E/W).

Following the Study Update, an Addendum to the ESR will be prepared to document the changes to the existing environmental conditions from 2017 and the proposed design changes to the interchange. The Addendum to the 2017 ESR will be available for a 30-day public review period near the end of the study.

COMMENTS

Please visit us at www.Highway400-6thLine.ca to review the Study Update and provide comments by July 19, 2024. If you wish to obtain additional information, or if you would like to be added to the study’s mailing list, please contact:

Elena Nicol, P.Eng.
Project Engineer
Ministry of Transportation, Ontario
Project Delivery – York West/Simcoe
159 Sir William Hearst Avenue
Toronto, ON M3M 0B7
tel: 437-226-0181
e-mail: [email protected]

Carolina Cautillo, P.Eng.
Capital Planning Engineering Associate
Town of Innisfil
2101 Innisfil Beach Road
Innisfil, ON L9S 1A1
tel: 705-436-3740 ext. 3256
toll free: 1-888-436-3710
e-mail: [email protected]

Consultant Project Manager
HDR
5035 South Service Road, Suite 400
Burlington, ON L7L 6M9
tel: 647-777-1660
e-mail: [email protected]

Comments and information will be collected to assist MTO in meeting the requirements of the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. Information will be collected in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O., 1990, c.F.31. All comments will be maintained on file for use during the study and, with the exception of personal information, may be included in study documentation and become part of the public record.