Item - 2011.PW4.2

The Public Works and Infrastructure Committee recommends that:

1.         City Council grant authority to the Acting General Manager, Transportation Services, to issue a Notice of Completion and to file the Environmental Study Report for the Dufferin Street Bridges Class Environmental Assessment Study in the public record for 30 days in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment.

A structural review of the Dufferin Street bridge over the Lakeshore Rail Corridor (the "Rail Bridge"), located immediately north of Exhibition Place, concluded that the bridge is in need of structural rehabilitation.  Given the age of the structure and the extent and associated costs of the required rehabilitation, it was necessary to undertake a Class Environmental Assessment (EA) Study to address the deteriorated condition and develop a range of rehabilitation alternatives.

The structural review also concluded that any significant changes to this Rail Bridge required to bring it up to standard would necessitate modifications to the adjacent Dufferin Street bridge over the Gardiner Expressway (the "Gardiner Bridge") located approximately 10 metres south of the Rail Bridge. 

The evaluation of a reasonable range of alternative solutions, which included consultation with the public and review agencies, resulted in the following Recommended Design:

-           The replacement of the Rail Bridge with a precast concrete box girder structure along its existing alignment that would comply with Metrolinx/GO Transit's  clearance requirements, both vertically (to protect for electrification) and horizontally (to protect for additional tracks); and

-           The replacement of the Gardiner Bridge with a welded steel box girder structure.

A Notice of Study Completion must now be issued and the Environmental Study Report (ESR) filed in the public record for a 30-day review period in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment.  In the event that the ESR is not approved or the funding is not in place in the near term to implement the bridge replacement, funds are available to undertake interim rehabilitation measures that might be required prior to the permanent replacement of these structures.