Simcoe County Road 90 Widening

Burnside was retained by the County of Simcoe to plan and design transportation engineering improvements to a 13 km section of Simcoe County Road 90 (Barrie to Angus), including a Schedule C Class Environmental Assessment, detail design, and six years of construction administration and construction inspection.

During the project, we prepared traffic forecasts and analyzed the need for reconstruction to a five-lane cross-section. Alternative designs were prepared and a preferred alternative selected, including elements to mitigate impacts on the natural environment. The detailed design included four signalized intersections, five structural culverts replacements, one multi-span bridge replacement, one railway overpass widening, a 4m wildlife | snowmobile tunnel, stormwater management facilities, illumination, utility relocations, and property acquisition.

During property negotiations with a concerned commercial property owner, we identified the opportunity to relocate the watercourse through a private property. This option provided a more natural channel alignment and eliminated the need to purchase property at this location, benefitting the property owner by moving the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA)-regulated area away from their commercially zoned lot. Additionally, the channel was planted to enhance the watercourse and its fish habitat, thus promoting the sustainability of the local environment.

The majority of the project was located in a sensitive floodplain and the NVCA would not permit any grade raise. We reviewed various paving and rehabilitation options, and the selected option was to mill 100mm of asphalt and spread it over the widened granular road base, followed by the application of expanded asphalt. This option increased the road strength without raising the road, and removing the existing granular provided a more cost effective, environmentally friendly solution which satisfied the requirements of the NVCA.