By Cecilia Nasmith

The future of Highway 401 between Cobourg and Colborne – including a new Nagle Road exit east of Division Street – will be the subject of a Public Information Centre event Sept. 18 at the Cobourg Lions Community Centre.

A press release from the town has announced that the Ontario Ministry of Transportation has retained Stantec Consulting Ltd. For a planning-preliminary design and class environmental assessment study for the replacement and rehabilitation of structures, interchange modifications, establishment of the footprint of future six- and eight-lane roadways to ensure an appropriate design of replacement bridges, and commuter parking-lot improvements that apply over an 18-km. area - from two km. east of Nagle Rd. to 800 metres east of Percy Street.

The MTO and the Town of of Cobourg have also retained Stantec to undertake a planning preliminary design and class environmental assessment study for a new interchange near Nagle Road. This is the town's initiative, to be completed concurrently with the Cobourg-to-Colborne planning study.

The Public Information Centre applies to both studies, the town's press release said. It will be conducted in a drop-in format between 4 and 8 p.m. for the purpose of displaying and seeking input on the preliminary improvement alternatives, displaying and seeking input on the existing conditions in the study area (natural, social, economic and cultural aspects), and answering questions about the studies.

Both studies are Group B projects under the Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Transportation Facilities (2000), and include undertaking environmental and engineering field investigations and seeking input from the public, local municipalities, external ministries and agencies, and businesses.

Two Public Information Centres are planned, with notices placed in local newspapers and sent to the project mailing list.

Upon completion of preliminary design, a separate Transportation Environmental Study Report for each study will be prepared and made available for public review. Notices in local newspapers will advise members of the public on the applicable public-review periods.

Members of the public are encouraged to participate in the studies and provide comments in writing to the project team. If you have questions, or wish to have your name added to the project mailing list – or if you have accessibility requirements in order to participate in these projects - you can contact Stantec consultant project manager Gregg Cooke (write to 200-835 Paramount Dr., Stoney Creek ON L8J 0B4, call 905-381-3227, call collect 905-385-3234, fax 905-385-3534 or e-mail comments@highway401cobourgcolborne.ca), MTO Eastern Region poroject engineer Muhammad Easeem (write to 1355 John Counter Boulevard, Postal Bag 4000, Kingston ON K7L 5A3, call 613-449-2615, call toll-free 1-800-267-0295 ext. 4701, fax 613-540-5106 or e-mail comments@highway401cobourgcolborne.ca), or Cobourg's manager of engineering and capital projects Terry Hoekstra (write to 740 Division St., Building 7, Cobourg ON K9A 0H6, call 905-372-9971 ext. 4371 or e-mail comments@highway401cobourgcolborne.ca).

You can also find such project information as study notices and background information at www.highway401cobourgcolborne.ca. Public Information Centre displays and the Transportation Environmental Study Reports will be made available as the studies progress.

Comments and information are being collected to assist the 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. All comments will be maintained on file for use during the studies and, with the exception of personal information, may be included in study documentation and become part of the public record.