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Expressway Impacts
Some
Identified Impacts of the Expressway on Natural Features
The
Red Hill Valley is Hamilton's largest park and natural area.
The 7.5 kilometre valley is the centrepiece of 700 hectares
of inter-connected publicly-owned parkland in the industrial
east end of Hamilton, which comprises over one-third of
all the parkland in the City of Hamilton. The valley area
encompasses part of the Niagara Escarpment and provides
the only remaining natural corridor between the Escarpment
and Lake Ontario. It is also the only large natural area
in the eastern half of the Region of Hamilton-Wentworth.
The valley is designated in the Regional Official Plan (1976,
1995) as an Environmentally Significant Area. It contains
a provincial Class One wetland (Van Wagner's Ponds and Red
Hill Marsh), as well as five provincially designated Areas
of Natural and Scientific Interest. Red Hill Creek is the
last of 14 streams that once flowed through the City of
Hamilton. It is the second largest stream currently flowing
into Hamilton Harbour.
More
than 90% of the proposed Red Hill Creek Expressway will
be located INSIDE the valley area designated as Environmentally
Significant. Much of the route is along the narrow floor
of the valley where it will cross Red Hill Creek eight times.
The number of crossings is actually greater than 14, but
the proponent (the Regional Municipality of Hamilton-Wentworth)
plans to re-locate and re-construct 5 to 6.5 kilometres
of the creek bed in order to reduce the number of crossings.
Approximately 25% of the valley will be cleared for the
expressway right-of-way and the proponent anticipates that
a further 25% will be "negatively impacted". Since the project
includes six interchanges, the remaining area will be carved
into a large number of small pieces. Some of the impacts
of the proposed expressway have been summarized in a document
issued by the proponent in July 1998 ("Red Hill Creek Expressway
North-South Section Impact Assessment and Design Process
Draft Summary Report, Volume 2). These include:
"High-level
impacts will occur throughout the entire Red Hill Creek
valley system including the re-entrant section into the
Niagara Escarpment. This is due to removal of habitats and
significant biota (i.e. Carolinian floodplain forests, valley
slope forests, and wetlands); and loss of critical ecological
functions such as primary and secondary linkage corridors"
(p.48). "High-level impacts cannot be mitigated due to the
magnitude of their effects in the landscape and the lack
of opportunities to replace similar ecological functions
elsewhere in the Watershed."(p.49)
"Respirable
Dust (Particulate Matter as PM10) - maximum predicted 24
hour PM10 concentrations will exceed the MOE interim AAQC
of 50 ug/m3 at 127 out of 150 receptor locations at least
13% of the time" (p.24).
"Changes
in sound levels as a result of Expressway operation will
range from 0 to 20 dB in noise sensitive areas" (p.26)
"A total of 18 archaeological sites have been identified
within the lands potentially impacted by the proposed Expressway
alignment". "The Expressway will impact a total of 10 built
heritage sites". "The Expressway will impact a total of
9 cultural landscapes". (p.28)
"The
Expressway will impact the Rennie Street Closed Landfill".
"The Expressway will impact 4 potentially contaminated sites."
(p.30)
High
level impacts are predicted to visual resources (p.32)
"Approximately
500 metres of the Red Hill Valley Recreational Trail will
be displaced" (this trail was constructed in 1995-96). "Approximately
100 metres of the Bruce Trail will be displaced". Other
impacts include closing three soccer fields and up to 4
baseball diamonds. (p.36)
"A
30% reduction in recharge may occur in the sensitive groundwater
areas." (p.42)
"The
estimated number of trees removed (i.e. trees with trunk
diameters greater than 5 centimeters) is approximately 40,000."
(p.49)
"High-level
impacts will occur in portions of the study area associated
with the Van Wagner's Marsh Wetlands." (p.50)
Health
Warning on Expressway Air Pollution
Health
consultants hired by the Regional government have confirmed
that the Red Hill Valley Expressway will seriously harm
the health of people living near the valley or using its
trails and sports fields. Some of the conclusions from the
health study are quoted in the box below. However, it is
clear that these are only the MINIMUM, and the actual health
effects will likely be much worse.
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"Some
children taking vigorous exercise for two evenings
per week at the fields located in the Red Hill Valley
would show evidence of increased respiratory irritation
that could prevent them from participating. Children
with asthma would have an increased likelihood for
respiratory irritability." — Cantox Environmental,
1998
The
elderly and the young "should be encouraged to limit
their exposures, and not frequent the Red Hill Valley
once the expressway has been completed." —
Cantox Environmental, 1998
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This
is because the health conclusions are based on the Region's
air pollution predictions. It is now clear that these predictions
have been seriously underestimated. Indeed, even the Region's
health consultants criticize these air pollution predictions
and state that they "must be an underestimate".
High
Levels of Dangerous Air Pollution
The
Region admitted in June 1998 that levels of PM10 (inhalable
microscopic particles smaller than 10 microns) will exceed
provincial standards at least 13% of the time at 490 residential
properties located within 200 metres of the expressway route.
The
provincial government has concluded that PM10 causes at
least 1800 premature deaths a year in Ontario. In 1997,
the Hamilton-Wentworth Air Quality Initiative (HAQI) confirmed
that at least 85 premature deaths a year in the region are
caused by PM10. There is no safe level for these pollutants,
but Ontario has set a "desirable" level of 50 ug/m3 (micrograms
per cubic metre). Federal authorities are proposing a level
of 25 ug/m3. The annual average in Hamilton is already 27
ug/m3.
Predicted
Health Effects
Cantox
Environmental was hired by the Region to estimate some of
the health effects resulting from the PM10 levels near the
expressway. Unfortunately they only considered outdoor exposures
and made no comments on the effects on nearby residents
or on children in school, even though PM10 easily penetrates
buildings. Nevertheless, their conclusions are frightening:
- "Some
children playing in a school yard for an hour a day, or
who walk to school, passing over the proposed highway
will be at slightly greater risk for respiratory irritation
or asthma." At least one school - Elizabeth Bagshaw elementary
- is only 70 metres from the proposed expressway.
The
Cantox study ends with the following paragraph:
- "In
conclusion, there will be increased opportunity for exposure
to PM10 in the population using the Red Hill Valley for
recreational activity once the expressway has been completed.
The current state of knowledge about the specific effects
associated with PM10 does not permit us to prepare a quantitative
estimate for the frequency or severity of these effects.
Scientific and medical opinion does provide support for
evidence of a relationship between health impairments
such as respiratory and cardiac illness particularly among
the young and the elderly in the population. These two
groups are often the most intensive users of recreational
facilities and nature trails. If the predicted levels
of PM10 based on the RWDI model are accurate, they should
be encouraged to limit their exposures, and not frequent
the Red Hill Valley once the expressway has been completed."
Pollution
Predictions Too Low
Earlier
in their report, Cantox identified seven problems with the
air pollution figures they were given. They noted, for example,
that the air pollution study used the annual average level
of PM10 in Hamilton (27 ug/m) as the basis for their calculations.
Cantox pointed out that on at least 140 days of the year
the actual levels are already over 40 ug/m and concluded
that the post-expressway predictions "must be an underestimate".
Of course, this means that Cantox's estimate of the health
effects is also an underestimate.
Both
consultant reports were subsequently evaluated by two of
Ontario's leading researchers on air pollution, Dr. Brian
McCarry and Dr. David Pengelly of McMaster University. Each
has made formal submissions to the Region on this issue.
Health
Experts Issue Warnings
Dr.
McCarry stated: "it is my view that the projections in the
reports underestimate by a significant margin the long-term
trends in both vehicular emissions and their accompanying
health effects impacts". Dr. Pengelly dismissed RWDI's claims
that only people within 200 metres of the valley would be
affected by the PM10 levels and noted that "The impact of
fine particulate is very likely to be substantial many kilometres
downwind of the Expressway. Thus I am certain that this
[RWDI] model has grossly underestimated the area impacted
by particulate pollution, and thus the number of people
experiencing adverse health impacts."
Both
Dr. McCarry and Dr. Pengelly referred to recent research
from Health Canada that recognizes that the health effects
of air pollution are much more severe than previously thought.
Dr. McCarry said these findings mean "that the number of
deaths and the number of cardio-respiratory problems directly
linked to exposures to air pollution is about three to four
times greater than had been estimated previously." Dr. Pengelly
noted that the Region's air study had not even included
a key pollutant and had minimized the effects of others,
leading him to conclude that "it is clear that the adverse
health impacts of traffic on the Red Hill Creek section
have been grossly underestimated."
Number
of Trucks Underestimated
Both
McCarry and Pengelly also pointed out that the Region appears
to have seriously underestimated the number of trucks that
will use the expressway and their health impacts. Dr. McCarry
noted "that truck traffic is predicted to double in southern
Ontario over the next five years as a result of NAFTA" and
that the expressway "will provide a convenient short cut
for truck traffic on the Detroit-Buffalo route".
Dr.
Pengelly described the "failure to properly estimate the
likely density of truck traffic" as the "fatal flaw in the
air pollution assessment of the Red Hill Creek Expressway".
He criticized the Region for not including the pollution
effects of vehicles climbing the escarpment in their model.
Instead the study made the incredible assumption that any
increases in emissions from vehicles going up the hill would
be offset by reductions in those going down the hill.
Dr.
Pengelly noted that "heavy diesel vehicles use decompression
braking on down slopes, raising crankcase pressures, and
thus leading to greater emissions."
Many
Other Problems in Air Study
Both
McCarry and Pengelly also praise a careful page-by-page
examination of the RWDI report and methods put together
by Tom Muir . Muir's review showed how artificially low
pollution results had been guaranteed in the Region's air
pollution study. Twelve major weaknesses are detailed in
the "The Dirty Dozen" article below.
The
Dirty Dozen:
12
Major Problems with the Region's Air Pollution Study
How
much harm the expressway causes to people's health obviously
depends on how much air pollution it produces. The Cantox
study warns there will be significant health problems.
They base this on the Region's predictions of the amount
of air pollution that will come from the expressway. However,
they also warn that these predictions "must be an underestimate".
An examination of the Region's air pollution study shows
this is true. The study is riddled with major problems.
Twelve of the most obvious distortions are explained below.
Assumed very low numbers of heavy trucks
The
Region has admitted that it doesn't have any good information
on truck movements in Hamilton-Wentworth. However, it
instructed the air pollution consultants to assume that
only 7.5% of the vehicles on the Red Hill Valley Expressway
would be heavy trucks. The provincial government assumes
that heavy trucks make up 15% of the traffic on expressways.
The current levels on the 403 and the QEW are even higher
than this. Heavy trucks produce 35-100 times more PM10
pollution than cars, and PM10 is the type of pollution
that even the Region's study admits will violate provincial
standards at least seven weeks of the year.
Assumed
no traffic congestion
The air pollution study assumed that all vehicles would
travel at 90 km/hour and that there will be no congestion
on the expressway, and then described their results as
a "worst case scenario". This is obviously the "best case"
not the "worst case". There is no expressway in Ontario
where stop-and-go traffic doesn't occur frequently. At
other times, the average speeds are more like 120-130
km/hour. Some types of air pollution from vehicles are
at their lowest levels around 90 km/hour. At higher or
lower speeds, the pollution gets worse.
Pulled
traffic figures out of a hat
The
air pollution study uses un-referenced traffic predictions
provided by the Region that have never been explained
and which are much lower than earlier predictions. The
study assumes 46-52,000 vehicles a day will use the expressway.
In 1989, the Region predicted that the daily traffic flow
would be 95,000. The Region has been repeatedly asked
to explain how they came up with their traffic predictions,
but they have refused to do this.
Ignored
the fact the expressway is going uphill
The
air pollution study ignored the fact that the expressway
is climbing the Niagara Escarpment. Vehicles, especially
trucks, produce more pollution when going uphill. Pollution
from heavy trucks is also increased when going down hill
because of their use of decompression braking. Incredibly,
the region's air pollution experts apparently believe
that increased pollution from "going up a hill is expected
to be roughly balanced by the decrease in emission rate
experienced by vehicles going down the hill" because vehicles
will be "coasting downhill". Do you turn off your vehicle
when going down a hill?
Reduced
pollution predictions by using 24-hour averages
The
air pollution study gives the predicted pollution levels
as average levels over 24 hours. The usual practice is
to also give the averages for the highest traffic periods,
including the main rush hour, and the average for the
hours when most people and up and active, when children
are at school or going and coming from there, etc. These
one-hour and eight-hour average pollution levels are obviously
much more important to know in order to determine health
effects. These pollution levels are also obviously going
to be much higher than the 24-hour averages, which include
levels in the middle of the night when there is little
or no traffic on the road. By using only 24-hour averages,
the air pollution study seriously underestimates the actual
pollution people will suffer.
Didn't
include calm days when pollution doesn't blow away
The
air pollution study admits that its computer model doesn't
work on calm days, so it pretended that the valley area
is windier than it actually is. Of course this helps them
conclude that the air pollution from the expressway will
blow away. When the authors found that there were too
many calm days when they used the wind records at 10 metres
off the ground, they decided to use measurements at 30
metres off the ground instead.
Didn't
include pollutants such as Ozone, Nitrous Oxides and Sulphur
The
air pollution study only looked at a few kinds of air
pollution. Among the ones it didn't bother to consider
were Ozone, Nitrous Oxides and Sulphur compounds. Sulphur
is what scientists tell us should be reduced in Ontario
gasoline. Its concentration in Hamilton air is twice the
national average. Ozone is the main component in smog
and a known killer. Hamilton already has higher than average
levels and it causes many people burning eyes on at least
some days of the year. Nitrous Oxides react with other
air pollutants, including some produced by vehicles, to
form Ozone in the presence of sunlight.
Didn't
include cancer-causing toxics like PAHs
The
air pollution study also ignored known toxics like heavy
metals, and cancer-causing agents like PAHs (polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons). Vehicle exhaust is known to be
a major source of various types of PAHs. Diesel trucks
are a particular problem. Their exhaust contains over
40 different toxics.
Underestimated
existing air pollution
Expressway pollution will be on top of the air problems
we already have in Hamilton. The air pollution study decided
to use an artificially low figure for the current air
pollution levels. It used the annual average for the entire
region. Even the Region's health consultants couldn't
stomach this distortion. They pointed out that "for at
least 140 days of the year (or about 38% of the time)"
the levels of PM10 pollution in Hamilton are 50% higher
than this average. Thus they concluded the predictions
"must be an underestimate".
Assumed
existing air pollution is the same all along the valley
The
Red Hill Expressway is 7.5 kilometres long and runs from
on top of the Niagara Escarpment down to the QEW. The
current pollution levels at one end of the valley are
often twice as high as they are at the other end. However,
the air pollution study ignored this and assumed that
the existing air pollution is the same in all parts of
the valley.
Ignored
the effect of removing the trees
The
Region has announced that over 41,000 will be removed
for the expressway. Trees play a significant role in removing
air pollutants, but the region's air pollution study admits
that it didn't consider this factor when it made its predictions
about the air quality effects of the expressway.
Ignored
potential climate change
Scientists
are warning that major changes are taking place in the
world's weather patterns and temperature. 1999 was the
warmest ever recorded and 1998 was the second hottest.
The ten hottest years ever recorded have all occurred
since 1980. It is well known that the health effects of
air pollution are made worse by hot weather. Pollution
from vehicles is also a major cause of global climate
change, so building an expressway in the first place is
problematic for that reason alone. However, neither the
air pollution study nor the health effects study considered
the potential problems arising from climate change.
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