Sixteen Mile Creek Heritage Trail Slope Remediation

Fourth Line and Dundas St. West
Project area: 1.0 hectares (2.47 acres)
Classification: Heritage Trail
Ward 4

About this project

The Town of Oakville maintains Sixteen Mile Creek Heritage Trail which is an asphalt multi-use recreational trail built into the west embankment of Sixteen Mile Creek valley. This slope has experienced multiple historical and recent slope failures occurring within the upper portion of the slope between the trail and Fourth Line.

The purpose of this project is to implement an engineered design solution to stabilize the slope embankment and re-instate the Heritage Trail.

Trail closure

Due to safety concerns, the section of trail just south of Dundas Road and east of Fourth Line remains closed. The effects of natural erosion have caused safety and maintenance issues including rock and shale fragments migrating on to the pathway and trees and vegetation falling over and blocking the pathway.

Project requirements

The general scope of the consulting work will include completing preliminary design(s), detailed design, preparation of tender documents and provide contract/construction administration services. Some tasks that will be required to complete the detailed design include:

A tree inventory and assessment including restoration and re-planting plans.
Targeted field work to document the existing conditions of the natural environment.
Ecological land classification (ELC) within the study area including a vegetation survey.
Targeted surveys for potential Species at Risk and Species at Risk habitat.
Significant wildlife habitat criteria assessment screening.
Environmental permitting and approvals (Conservation Authorities Act and Endangered Species Act).

Project status: Ongoing

A geotechnical investigation and slope stability assessment, including conceptual remediation options, have been completed. The report discusses options for retaining wall systems, retained soil systems, and re-grading alternatives. The town evaluated the remediation options, and a preferred option has been selected for implementation.

Environmental fieldwork and a tree inventory have been completed.

Detailed design is currently underway and tendering being completed by the end of 2025.

Construction work may only take place outside critical nesting and breeding windows for sensitive species in the area in keeping with Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and Conservation Halton regulation.

The project is expected to be completed by fall 2026.

Consultant

WSP has been retained to provide consulting services for this project.