Rathburn Road and Ponytrail Drive Integrated Road Project

The improvements are supported by current City plans and policies. In particular, this project will help us advance the City’s Vision Zero policy and reduce serious injuries by prioritizing the safety and access of our most vulnerable road users.

The City plans for road resurfacing along Rathburn Road and Ponytrail Drive as part of the Annual Resurfacing program. This has provided an opportunity to identify and implement different safety improvements along the road corridors including new pedestrian crossings, new cycling facilities and intersection improvements.

Bundling these projects into a single construction contract reduces the overall construction cost of the improvements and fatigue for local residents.

Improvements to the Dixie Road intersection will be part of a future project that will be undertaken by the Region of Peel.

Yes, there have been collisions in the study area. Collision and loss of life data are on file with the Peel Regional Police.

The City’s current traffic calming policy only provides for the installation of traffic calming devices on local and minor collector roadways.

Rathburn Road East and Ponytrail Drive are classified as a major collector roadways and therefore are not suitable for physical traffic calming measures due to potential negative impact on traffic movement and safety.

However, the introduction of other design features such as reduced lanes and lane widths could help reduce speed in the study area.

The City has a pest control program that gets implemented on medium and large construction projects. We expect that the pest control measures in the program will also be implemented for the Rathburn Road Integrated Road Project.

The alternatives for a roundabout and a conventional intersection were considered during the study. The roundabout alternative would have greater direct impact to existing private properties because of the larger footprint.

Also, when we reviewed the overall life cycle cost of a potential roundabout, it was considered to be less economically desirable compared to a conventional intersection because of the implementation costs including construction, design, and utility relocation.

There are no changes proposed to the existing parking by-laws.

Parking bays will be provided east of Garnetwood Chase on Rathburn Road East up the cul-de-sac as shown on the Preferred Design Concept plan. Parking will continue to not be allowed on the cul-de-sac.

Physical changes to the turning lanes at the Burnhamthorpe Road and Ponytrail Drive intersection are outside the scope of the Rathburn Road Integrated Project.

However, a review of the signal timing may be completed as part of the detail design phase of the project to optimize traffic operations at the intersection.

The need to include cycling infrastructure within this project was identified through the City’s approved Cycling Master Plan (2018). The City evaluated potential cycling facilities along the two road corridors taking into consideration safety and mobility challenges and opportunities along the corridors.

The proposed improvements will create a safer, more comfortable and environmentally-sustainable environment for all road users, including active transportation users like pedestrians and cyclists, as well as transit users.

The City implemented a lane reduction along Rathburn Road East from Ponytrail Drive to Etobicoke Creek, from 4 to 2 lanes, based on existing and future (2041) traffic volumes. Rathburn Road East, east of Ponytrail is a ‘dead-end’ street and 4-lanes of capacity is not required.

Both Rathburn Road East and Ponytrail Drive have been designed to accommodate emergency vehicles, including fire trucks, transit vehicles, garbage trucks and snow ploughs. There is also sufficient boulevard space to accommodate snow storage and drainage through the road design.

The westbound and eastbound right-hand turn lanes at the Fieldgate Drive intersection were removed with a goal to provide desired transit stop treatments, cycling facilities, sidewalks and green space for planting. A traffic analysis was completed to assess the impacts this change would have on vehicular traffic.

The results from the traffic analysis revealed there was no significant impact to the intersection performance and vehicle delay times and therefore supported the removal of the right-hand turn lanes.

In addition, removing the right-hand turn lanes shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians providing a safer design in line with the City’s Vision Zero mandate.

A Traffic Signal Warrant analysis was performed on this project and it was determined traffic signals were not needed at this intersection. However, the City is implementing an all-way stop control at the intersection of Bough Beeches Boulevard near Garnetwood Park, providing a protected pedestrian crossing at this intersection.

In an effort to promote speed reduction and reduce the exposure of pedestrians crossing the roadway, the City is introducing tighter turning radii at intersections, narrower lane widths and a reduction in the number of lanes.

The Rathburn Road East and Ponytrail Drive intersection was designed using the latest turning movement software utilizing a standard WB-20 truck as a template.

Only large transport trucks matching the physical properties of a WB-20 truck, as specified by the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) 2017 guidelines, will need to make the right-hand turn from the through lane.

Large transport trucks are not expected to make these turns frequently. Smaller vehicles will be able to make the right-hand turn from the dedicated right-hand turn lane. Smaller vehicles include, but are not limited to, moving trucks, delivery trucks, UPS and postal vehicles, City of Mississauga Aerial Fire Trucks, garbage trucks etc.

The construction drawings are the same design adopted from the planning stage and included in the Preliminary Design Report (PDR) issued in January 2023, with minor exceptions mainly to address infrastructure conflicts during construction.

The Forestry Department will be responsible for tree planting after construction is complete. Trees are scheduled to be planted in spring 2025 where appropriate space allows.

Deciduous varieties will be planted, both native and nonnative species will be considered. Species will be determined during an inspection visit by the planting team.