Dear Messrs Gawley and Rogers,
I wish to contribute to the environmental assessment and design requirements of the proposed lane reconstruction of Hwy 417 on either side of the Hwy 34 intersection.
About 10 years ago both east and west-bound lanes of Hwy 417, from just east of Junction 9 to approx 5 km east of Junction 51, were reconstructed in concrete, (rather than the more conventional crushed stone and asphalt). Vehicles running on that concrete surface cause high levels of tire noise both inside and outside the vehicle, and the expansion joints between the sections (and there are many) result in a thumping noise as each set of tires crosses it. The result is a whine and thump, inside the vehicle, and constant roar and thump outside.
Those of us who live in quiet farm country along the length of 417 have had the quality of our lives negatively affected by this noise from the concrete-surfaced section. Those traveling in vehicles on it are also negatively affected by the noise, but for them it passes as they move onto the much quieter asphalt covered sections. For us, we cannot move on, we have to suffer the noise day and night, and it can be very loud, particularly from the ever increasing number of transport trucks using this road.
The section of 417 from the Quebec / Ontario border to Junction 9 was resurfaced with a very quiet asphalt coating this past summer, as was the section between Junctions 88 and 96. It is now a pleasure to drive on these sections and, more importantly, they are quiet for those who live along their length.
So, in your environmental assessment, and in your design of the reconstruction, please, very seriously consider the noise impact on those of us who are currently being negatively affected by this road.
A return to crushed stone and asphalt, or even an asphalt skin on top of the concrete?
Anyone reading this who is concerned about the road noise can add their voices by e-mailing John Gawley of Dillon Consulting : [email protected] and Ken Rogers of MTO : [email protected].
Yours sincerely,
Geoff Anderson,
Vankleek Hill