Transportation Corridor Study & Design

We obtain agency approval for transportation initiatives on behalf of upper and lower tier municipalities, and provincial transportation planning agencies. Some of our major project teams have received awards for planning and design including:

• CSLA NATIONAL HONOUR AWARD: Wildlife Crossings – Highway Overpass, 2011
• HAMILTON-HALTON HOMEBUILDERS ASSOCIATION ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD: Red Hill Valley Project, 2007

Our longstanding relationships with public sector clients and approval agencies are proof of the efficacy of our approach and the quality of our work.

Our Approach

D&A has been working in the public transportation sector since our inception in 1981, encompassing local municipal roads to 400-series freeways, and commuter rail.  Our experience gives us the foresight to anticipate and prepare for contingencies that may occur through the life cycle of major projects. Road Ecology is a specialized field within Landscape Ecology science where we have demonstrated expertise.

As part of the project planning team in an Environmental Assessment process, D&A staff review the natural heritage policies that are relevant to the planning process.  We support the planning and design team (Transportation Planners, Engineers, and other professionals) for the successful completion of the project.

Our network of associates provides expertise in any discipline beyond the scope of D&A services.

Services include:

• Environmental Assessment support and negotiations (including public and agency consultation)
• Natural heritage constraint screening (to support review of alternatives and preliminary design)
• Identify environmental studies for detailed design (in co-operation with agencies)
• Terrestrial surveys (i.e. amphibian and bird surveys, roadkill studies, Ecological Land Classification, botanical/arboricultural assessments)
• Feature assessment and boundary delineation (i.e. wetlands, woodlands, wildlife habitat)
• Wildlife monitoring and Species at Risk inventories
• Impact assessment and design  recommendations for impact avoidance and/or mitigation
• Environmental Study Reports and related documentation
• Completion of landscape plans, such as:
  • Impact mitigation and compensation plans
  • Edge management / buffer plans
  • Restoration and habitat compensation strategies and plans
  • Right-of-way native planting design and management
  • Wildlife impact assessments and crossing plans
  • Street tree plans
  • Stormwater management facility landscaping plans
• Monitoring (post construction and performance monitoring)

Requirements for a project will depend on its location, policy framework, and the nature and scale of proposed development.  Our experience spans preliminary design to construction supervision and monitoring.

Choosing D&A

We achieve innovative and science-based solutions for road developments in complex landscapes, and are recognized by agencies for the quality and competence of our work. Our portfolio includes municipal clients across southern Ontario, in Peel, Halton, Hamilton, Waterloo and Toronto. We have participated in major MTO projects across Southern and Central Ontario.