It looks like we will get a noise barrier
December 3, 2020
Map indicating location of noise barriers. Note: “Recommended Noise Walls” on page two.
Here is a description of the new standards for noise mitigation.
Metrolinx has made promises to communities in the past and walked away from them.
Most important is the addition of standards that value the frequency of trains. With one train every 3.5 minutes from 5am until 1am the frequency of trains running past our homes is certainly a factor.
Key PRELIMINARY Design and Construction Commitments
Construction Noise, Vibration and Notice of Work
The GO Expansion program includes a large range of construction projects, some of which will last extended periods of time and may be carried out during the night, weekends and holidays to avoid major disruptions to rail service.In order to control the noise and vibration impacts of these individual projects on our neighbours, Metrolinx has devised a rules-based approach to construction noise and vibration management, which includes comprehensive and prescriptive project agreement clauses to effectively manage construction impacts, including:
•Strict noise and vibration exposure limits and monitoring requirements;
•Strict adherence to industry best practices;
•Requirement for comprehensive pre-project noise and vibration management plans;
•Requirement to deploy equipment that meets noise and vibration emission standards; and
•Requirement to notify affected public, in advance, of potentially impactful construction activities.In addition, where noise will have substantive long-term impacts on residents, Metrolinx is developing a community-based protocol to help residents impacted by excessive noise and vibration.
If you lived anywhere near the tracks you will read this and then shake your head. Some might explode with furry. The noise, arriving without warning, made life unbearable. People trying to work at home or children trying to attend school on line lost the entire day. Or days. Or weeks.
Looming ahead of us are eight to ten months of work in Small’s Creek, some of it with heavy equipment, like bulldozers, working only a few metres from bedroom windows. Much of this work will take place late at night, after the trains stop running. After that we face late night work until 2024 or 2025.
The link to details on this new policy is currently broken.
Damage to Property
There is no posting of Metrolinx’ policy to compensate people for damage to property or trees. With heavy construction in our backyards, such damage is inevitable.
Please contact us if you can lend a hand.
Community Response to Metrolinx Lack of Mitigation
with MPP Rima Berns-McGown and City Councillor Brad Bradford
Last night about 30 people met with MPP Berns-McGowan and City Councillor Bradford to respond to impact Metrolinx’ work will have on the community.
As you know, Metrolinx is building a 4th rail to expand service. The entire GTA needs this service but Metrolinx has chosen not to mitigate the impact of the required construction. Most work will take place late at night and will continue until 2024 or 2025. This work is just beginning. It will grow to include very loud noise late at night and substantial vibration. Train service will increase until there is one train every 3½ minutes from about 5am until 1am. The north side of the tracks will receive a noise barrier but a 1km stretch south of the tracks will have no noise barrier.
After years of discussion, Metrolinx has refused to address community concerns. We met last night to respond to the oncoming work.
Neighbouring communities share Wildwood’s concerns and it is my hope that we will find a few people from each community to work together. Please message me if you can lend a hand.
Media Campaign - Some have mounted high profile media campaigns. We have one volunteer who will work on this and we could another.
CTA – the Canadian Transport Authority - the federal body that regulates transportation. The CTA can force Metrolinx to mitigate its effect on communities. We need one or two people to investigate the CTA.
Petition – to be submitted to the Ontario Legislature. Demonstrates the number of people whose lives are impacted. We need people to collect signatures.
Community Advisory Committee (CAC) – representatives from communities meet and communicate with Metrolinx. One volunteer needed.
The Issues
No Noise Barriers – 1km stretch on the south side of the tracks from Ladykirk to a point south of Monarch Park. Homes on the north side of the tracks with the same number Hundreds of homes are just a few metres from the tracks. CTA, Media Campaign
Construction Schedule – we need to know when they will arrive, when they will leave and how disturbing the work will be. Please note that most work will take place when trains are not running – in the middle of the night. (CAC representative needed)
Emergency Contact/Site Contact/Code of Conduct/Construction Complaints – Lights shining into windows, unscheduled work. Contact with supervisor onsite who can immediately address concerns. (CAC representative needed)
Environmental Impact – The Ravine - retaining wall on the north side and enlarged culvert running under the tracks from north to south. All foliage will be cleared along the tracks and sometimes in parks and private property. (We have one person from Wildwood and others from Merrill Bridge Park, just across the tracks.)
Traffic through the Neighbourhood – Very late at night or when children are present. (CAC representative needed)
Damage Claims – Construction vibration and additional train traffic will damage homes. Metrolinx seldom pays and has no defined process of adjudication. We have one volunteer. Need one more. Will work with people in other communities who share the same concern.
October 28, 2020 Meeting between Metrolinx, Members of the Community, MPP and Member of City Council
This meeting was called to discuss the work underway in the Forward Baptist Church Parking Lot and on the Railway Right of Way (aka. the tracks).
At this meeting Metrolinx told us something about their use of the parking lot but gave no information about the impact that their work on the tracks would have on the community. They did not mention that there would be a very loud truck in the same place for weeks.
They sketched in the planned culvert expansion for the creek as it runs under the tracks, the retaining wall that they will build on the north side of the tracks in the ravine, but would not forward any information regarding the destruction of trees, flora or fauna in the ravine, despite ongoing requests for this information since 2018. They also mentioned a continued interest in the parking lot through 2024 or 2025 while the fourth rail is built.
Community Notes on the Meeting
In their minutes they state, among other things:
Action #4 Afterhours Contact for Emergencies: During the walkabout, it was observed by CAC/community members that there is no contact number for emergencies afterhours. It was further discussed that a sign would be posted with the contact number for an employee at Sommerville. Update: Upon further deliberation on this action, we think its prudent that community members call 911 in the event on an onsite emergency after hours to notify first responders. 311 is also available 24 per day to field non-emergency related questions.
Metrolinx’ Minutes of the Meeting
List of Community Requests with Responses
On September 15, 2018 the Community Advisory Committee Submitted a list of requests asking Metrolinx to mitigate the construction work that they are doing as well as noise and vibration from train service after the fact.
(The request and responses begin on page 5 (appendix C). At best, Metrolinx agreed to consider the requests.)
Community Requests and Responses from Metrolinx
Wildwood Park
What will happen in the parking lot next to the playground?
Equipment, machinery and supplies will move back and forth onto the railway right-of-way;
Most work will happen during the day;
Metrolinx has chosen not to follow Toronto’s construction bylaws;
That means that they are not required to provide noise barriers;
They do not have to provide a 24 hour emergency phone number;
They do not have to provide a detailed schedule of work;
They do not need to meet with our our member of city council or MPP be make sure that the interests of people living next to their work are protected.
What To Do?
Organize a neighbourhood committee;
Sign up for periodic updates from the Community Advisory Committee (CAC);
Sign up here to receive email updates from Metrolinx;
Send a representative to the Community Advisory Committee (CAC), an organization of communities living next to the tracks organized to communicate with the Metrolinx and to advocate for community interests lse.cac.20@gmail.com.
Contacts & background info
Councillor Bradford: councillor_bradford@toronto.ca 416 338-2755
MPP Berns-McGown: RBerns-McGown-QP@ndp.on.ca 416 325-2881
Toronto Noise/Construction Bylaw (strict requirements which Metrolinx will ignore)
Metrolinx: torontoeast@metrolinx.com
Sign up for Metrolinx Construction Updates
This is only the beginning.
Metrolinx is preparing the rail corridor for the construction of a fourth track. Work on our section of track will continue, on and off, for an estimated three years.
The Ravine.
Metrolinx will rebuild and expand the culvert in Smalls Creek (the ravine) that runs under the tracks. When asked about work on the south side and the large stand of mature oak trees they said that there would be no work on the south side. Metrolinx did not say whether or not they will use the parking lot next to Wildwood Park or anything else on the south side of the tracks for the culvert work in the ravine.
Building the fourth rail
In order to provide service every 15 minutes along the Lakeshore East and Stouffville lines that run past Wildwood Crescent, Metrolinx needs to build a fourth rail line. It will take about three years to build. Construction will take place on and off. Some of it very loud and some of it will create vibration. Most construction will take place between 1am and 5am, when passenger service is not running. When complete the diesel trains will be replaced by electric trains which are quieter and lighter. Trains will run every 3½ minutes from 5am. to 1am. The electric trains will be less noisy than the diesel. At the end of construction Metrolinx will build noise barriers for some homes but not for others.
During the three years when Metrolinx will be building the fourth track Metrolinx has, so far, refused to obey Toronto’s construction regulations or noise bylaws: no emergency 24 hour contact, no timely schedule of work.
Noise Barriers
At the end of the construction period Metrolinx will build a noise barrier along the tracks in some areas. Homes on the north side of the tracks will receive a noise barrier. Some homes along Wildwood will receive a noise barrier others, a few doors west of the park, will not.
Purple lines indicate where Metrolinx has committed to build noise barriers. Noise barriers will be constructed last.
Background Information
Metrolinx 2016 background info on the impact of their work on communities next to the tracks.
GO Rail Network Electrification Trainsit Project Assessment Process Environmental Project Report - 2017
(A huge document looking at the regulations governing Metrolinx’s work throughout the entire GO rail system.)
For example:
Section 3.3
“As a Crown Agency, Metrolinx is not bound by zoning by-laws passed by municipalities under s.34 of the Planning Act and as such does not have a requirement to apply for and obtain zoning amendments. However, Metrolinx will consult with, and have regard for, municipal planning policies with regard to specific projects (or components thereof) and will comply with municipal requests when and where reasonable and feasible;”
Noise and Vibration Guidelines
Metrolinx informed the CAC that it has developed a policy framework (Environmental Guide for Noise and Vibration, 2019) for assessing and mitigating noise and vibration impacts from Metrolinx projects. They tell us that the policy framework is defined by:
MOEE/GO Transit Draft Protocol for Noise and Vibration Assessment (1995)
MOEE/TTC Protocol for Noise and Vibration Assessment for the Proposed Yonge-Spadina Subway Loop (1993)
Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) Environmental Guide for Noise (2006, updated 2008)
MECP guideline NPC-300 “Environmental Noise Guideline – Stationary and Transportation Sources – Approval and Planning” (August 2013)
FHWA. Highway Traffic Noise: Analysis and Abatement Guidance (2011)
FHWA. Construction Noise Handbook (2006)
The CAC has not, at this point, been able to locate this Guide.