4TH DAY (ie. Fri.) OF HUNDER PIT O.M.B. HEARING

The first witness presented on behalf of the Hunder Pit was a Mr. Matthew Caldwell. He is a Transportation Engineer with the I.B.I. group. The preferred haul route for gravel will be from the pit, south onto Katherine St. and then both left and right onto Sawmill Rd. Allegedly no trucks will be going north on Katherine through the village of Winterbourne. Mr. Caldwell agrees that the Crowsfoot Corners intersection is a fairly unique intersection and he feels it's problems have been addressed by the Region of Waterloo. They installed an overhead flashing light, an intersection ahead sign and lowered the speed limit from 80 to 70 km/hour. Possible greater mitigation of this intersection would include traffic signals and or a total reconstruction of the whole intersection. Mr. Caldwell then advised the hearing that in his opinion the pit traffic of ten trucks per hour will not trigger the need for improvements to Crowsfoot Corners. Mr. Caldwell also argued that the number of collisions at this intersection was consistent with other rural intersections. He also stated that there is no evidence that more trucks present will cause more collisions. His final position was that there will be zero issues arising from the gravel trucks from the Hunder Pit using this intersection.

Ms. Costello on behalf of Woolwich Township then cross-examined Mr. Caldwell. She asked and he grudgingly admitted that his in person traffic study of the intersection was over a two day period. He also agreed with her that based on delays at the intersection that it was graded level of service F by the Region of Waterloo during peak times. Two suggestions from Mr. Caldwell to improve the intersection included a dedicated left turn lane for turns from Katherine St. onto either Sawmill Rd. or onto Crowsfoot Rd.. The average wait time currently during rush hour is 112 seconds for a left turn from Katherine onto Sawmill rd. and 70 seconds for a right turn onto Sawmill Rd.. Ms. Costello took exception to the suggested increase in traffic of only 2.5% with the addition of ten trucks per hour. By her calculations there was an increase in truck traffic making particular turns (left or right) of greater than 20%. Mr. Caldwell was not happy with her calculations.

Mr Paton on behalf of the Conestoga Winterbourne Residents Association (CWRA) got Mr. Caldwell to agree that the K shaped Crowsfoot Corners intersection was an undesirable intersection. He then asked him if it was desirable to use it as a haul route for trucks. Mr. Caldwell replied that with operational controls the intersection could handle the trucks. He also suggested that there would be no difference with the addition of ten trucks per hour. Mr. Paton then asked the best question yet as he asked if there are no changes to Crowsfoot Corners will that intersection safely permit 10 trucks per hour from the Hunder Pit. Mr. Caldwell had two answers. The first was adding any additional vehicles will add to delays and I believe he muttered/whispered the word safety. His second response was more on line with his overall message as he said that 10 trucks will not in a disproportionate fashion add to problems at the intersection. That adding of the word "disproportionate" is rather interesting. I believe Mr. Caldwell's overall message is that anybody and everybody has the right to use public roads therefore why are you focusing/picking on my company's client? Very interesting.

The hearing will resume in Woolwich Council Chambers (Elmira) this Tuesday at 10 am.. I believe a witness on behalf of Hunder will give testimony in regards to agricultural rehabillatation of the proposed pit.