12pm Tuesday March 17th – Update
There will be more information coming out regarding the CN proposal in the coming days but I wanted to give people an idea about the possible truck traffic that can be expected at a CN Intermodal.
I grew up in Brampton roughly about 10kms from the Brampton CN Intermodal (Airport Road and 407 area). Earlier this morning I took a trip by the facility to observe the area, the amount of traffic that is around the area and the types of businesses an intermodal attracts.
At one entrance to the facility – in a 15 minute time period – I observed 14 long bed trucks coming out of the facility and 23 going in. This was one entrance to the CN Intermodal and there are a few more for trucks to enter to and from.
Doing the math it looked like at least 1 truck going in and out per minute. Another item to keep in mind is that this will be a 24 hr 7 day a week operation. Lights and noise will be seen and heard from for km’s around the facility and residential development is now underway just north of the proposed facility.
CN will be making a presentation Thursday morning and I will be in attendance. I will have more information for you then so please stay tuned.
Feel free to pass along any comments you might have in the comment section as well.
Canadian National Railway Company to Announce Plans for Proposed Intermodal Facility in Milton
CN has not provided the Town or Halton Region with a formal site plan for the project or other important details, but both governments have serious concerns that this location is not appropriate.
“As it stands, CN’s proposal is contrary to our vision for the Town of Milton,” said Mayor Gordon Krantz. “Their plan lacks detail and does not recognize the needs of our residents or that the integrity of our community is protected.”
Town and Regional staff noted that the expanded railway operations and services proposed by CN are not consistent with existing zoning or the Official Plans of the Town and the Region, and could have significant environmental, transportation, social and land use planning implications.
The Town and the Region have made CN aware of these issues, but the company still plans to proceed with the project, claiming that neither Milton, the Region, nor the provincial or federal government, has a say in determining whether the project moves forward.
Town and Regional staff will work to ensure that the proposed facility follows a full regulatory approval process.
This proposal marks CN’s second attempt to establish an intermodal facility in Milton. In 2001, CN proposed a similar project. Both the Town and the Region identified several major issues with that plan, including an increase in traffic, noise and air pollution, a loss of agricultural land, and negative impacts on wildlife, habitats and other environmental resources. The proposal also prompted outcry from members of the community and opposition groups before it was withdrawn The present project is also at odds with CN’s commitment to Regional Council that it would not build the intermodal facility, and would pursue a rail-served industrial development on the lands instead.
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For further information, please contact:
Brett Kelly
Communications Specialist
905-878-7252, ext. 2154