Metrolinx has successfully managed excess soil from several infrastructure projects by reusing it onsite or transporting it to other projects, reducing waste and transportation costs. Initiatives include developing improved contract language and soil management plans to facilitate reuse. Metrolinx is also exploring a soil banking program and piloting ballast recycling to further promote sustainable practices. The goal is to continue diverting excess materials from landfill through increased reuse opportunities.

1. Soil Management at Metrolinx
September 9, 2012
Elise Croll
Director, Environmental Programs and Assessment, GO Capital Infrastructure
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2. Overview
Soil management on Metrolinx Projects
1. Overview of Metrolinx Organization
2. Soil Management -Where are we now?
• Initiatives to divert soil from landfill:
Case studies of success stories
3. Where are we going?
• Other strategies for soil management:
Ideas and challenges
2
Weston"Tunnel"–"prep"for"track"shi5"
2"

3. Overview
Soil management on Metrolinx Projects
1. Overview of Metrolinx Organization
2. Soil Management - Where are we now?
• Initiatives to divert soil from landfill:
Case studies of success stories
3. Where are we going?
• Other strategies for soil management:
Ideas and challenges
3
Weston"Tunnel"–"prep"for"track"shi5"
3"

4. Metrolinx, an agency of the Government of Ontario under the Metrolinx Act, 2006, was
created to improve the coordination and integration of all modes of transportation in the
Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).
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5. 5
Increase the
percentage of
people living
within 2km of
rapid transit to
81%
Triple the length
of rapid transit
service in GTHA
to 1,725km
Reduce commute
times to an
average of 77
minutes per
person per day
Decrease
Greenhouse Gas
emissions from
passenger
transportation per
person by 29%
We’’ve Got a Plan

6. Current Big Move Projects Underway ($16B)
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UP Express
Toronto Rapid
Transit - LRT
Bus Rapid Transit
York Viva BRT
Mississauga BRT
GO Transit
Expansion
Union Station
Revitalization

7. Soil Management at Project Sites
Metrolinx is committed to encouraging sustainable practices
including the re-use of excess materials where possible, and
minimizing transportation distances of excess materials.
Where the re-use of excess materials is not feasible on the
subject site, they are managed in accordance with Provincial
regulations, standards, and best management practices.
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8. Overview
Soil management on Metrolinx Projects
1. Overview of Metrolinx Organization
2. Soil Management - Where are we now?
• Initiatives to divert soil from landfill:
Case studies of success stories
3. Where are we going?
• Other strategies for soil management:
Ideas and challenges
8
Weston"Tunnel"–"prep"for"track"shi5"
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9. Where are we now?
Review of case studies to demonstrate various scenarios:
1. Richmond Hill Layover (fill import)
2. Carlingview Grade Separation (excess fill - re-use on-site)
3. West Toronto Diamond (excess fill – removal to third party)
4. James North Station (excess fill – removal to Metrolinx)
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Kitchener"Line"(Georgetown"South"Corridor)"
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10. Case Study #1 - Richmond Hill Layover
Project Overview:
• Construction of a new layover facility at Bethesda Road on Richmond Hill Corridor
• Adjacent to sensitive natural features
• Significant fill import requirements
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10"

11. Case Study #1 - Richmond Hill Layover
Testing Requirements:
• Environmental Consultant (EC) represented Metrolinx through Contract Administrator (CA)
• Contract called for clean pit run fill material; Metrolinx allowed re-used material from sites
generating excess fill, subject to testing
• Borrow sites proposed by Contractor and environmental information provided
• EC reviewed Phase 1 and 2 ESAs; approved borrow sites prior to material import
• Sampling frequency varied; generally minimum 1 sample/2000 tonnes ; note no RSC required
or frequency would have increased
• If outdated Phase 1 ESA or insufficient Phase 2, borrow site compelled to provide update or
undertaken by EC and backcharged to Contractor
• Sites with previous high risk land use (gas bar, drycleaner etc.) avoided irrespective of data
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12. Case Study #1 - Richmond Hill Layover
Contractor Management:
• Contract contained terms and conditions regarding import of fill material and oversight of
CA and EC
• Tickets for pre-approved borrow sites were issued and incoming loads checked to ensure
they had an appropriate ticket
• In addition to the ticketing system, on few occasions, system was audited by following a
truck back to the site of fill origin to ensure that tickets were not being 'traded' or exchanged
• Incoming material was also
visually inspected as deposited;
rejected if signs of deleterious material
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12"

13. Case Study #2 - Carlingview
Project Overview:
• Construction of a rail to road grade separation along Kitchener corridor (GTS project) in
vicinity of Carlingview Drive (Goreway to Hwy 27)
• Significant surficial material on Metrolinx land to be removed for grading
• Significant excavation for the lowered road on adjacent property
• Low level contaminants exceeding Table 3 I/C/C
• Initially planned disposal of excess material at landfill
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13"

14. Case Study #2 - Carlingview
Testing Requirements:
• EC represented Metrolinx through CA
• Contract called for disposal of excess material due to contaminants exceeding
applicable land use standards and initial inability to store on-site for re-use
• Material was sampled for metals/inorganics, PHCs, PAHs, PCBs, VOCs
• Impacts marginally exceeding land use standards (mostly metals)
• Consultant determined material would present low risk for re-use
• Data reviewed by Metrolinx Environmental group
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14"
Jun/12"Carlingview"Drive"underpass"will"remove"
level"crossing"
Oct/13"Completed"bridge"girders"

15. Case Study #2 - Carlingview
Contractor Management:
• Original contract contained terms and conditions regarding tracking of material disposed
at landfill; arrangements made with Contractor to re-use materials
• Metrolinx purchased land adjacent to the corridor to stockpile surficial material (topsoil)
from excavation area on Metrolinx property
• Material will be placed back into corridor following grading (approx. 3500 tonnes)
• Metrolinx arranged with adjacent land owner (Woodbine Entertainment ) to re-use
material from excavation area on their land for the lowered road
• Woodbine retained project Contractor directly to have berms constructed along the
railway corridor on their property; (previously scheduled for off-site disposal); estimated
20,000 m3 placed
• Portion of cost savings of landfilling passed along to Metrolinx
• Materials never left source sites
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15"

16. Case Study #3 – West Toronto Diamond
Project Overview:
• Construction of a rail to rail grade separation along Kitchener corridor (GTS project) at
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CP rail West Toronto crossing
• Significant excavation for fly under of GO corridor tracks beneath CP tracks
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17. Case Study #3 – West Toronto Diamond
Testing Requirements:
• The site has a Soil Management Plan (SMP), Excavation Management Plan Addendum
and SMP Addendum
• Contractor will separate material during excavation into “impacted” and “non-impacted”
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(strip away top impacted layer)
• Stockpiles will be located in designated areas of the site
• Table 1 or 2 materials classified as non-impacted disposed at designated receiver site
(which adheres to limits); OPSS 180 documentation provided
• All Table 3 material disposed impacted
(Greensoils or another designated soil
treatment and/or disposal center)
Bridge"at"North"Toronto;"tracks"c1o7m" pleted"

18. Case Study #3 – West Toronto Diamond
Contractor Management:
• OPSS 180 documentation for receiver sites including signed authorization
• Oversight by CA and EC
• Material documentation for removal to receiver sites for non-impacted material
• Four designated sites in Townships of Innisfil, King, Orangeville
• Table 3 material disposed as impacted; manifested as per MOE requirements; weigh
West"Toronto"Diamond,"Aug/13" Jan/13"Tiebacks"to"stabilize"north"track"during"excavaWon"
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bills passed along to CA for tracking
18"

19. Case Study #4 – James North Station
• Soil in excess of planned volume generated during construction activities at new
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Hamilton James North GO Station
• Soil required simultaneously at Aldershot GO Station
• EC performs soil testing on source material; below Table 3 I/C/C
• Results reviewed for acceptance at receiver site
• Benefits included:
• Cost savings on transport and disposal of source materials – sites are close
• Cost savings realized for receiver site
• Diversion of soil from fill sites; avoidance
of use of new pit or quarry material
• Reduced liability to Metrolinx
Fill"pile"at"Aldershot"GO"StaWon"
19"

20. Overview
Soil management on Metrolinx Projects
1. Overview of Metrolinx Organization
2. Soil Management - Where are we now?
• Initiatives to divert soil from landfill:
Case studies of success stories
3. Where are we going?
• Other strategies for soil management:
Ideas and challenges
20
Weston"Tunnel"–"prep"for"track"shi5"
20"

21. Where are we going?
Challenges
Improvements to Contract Language
Exploration of Soil Banking Options
New ideas
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22. Challenges
• Contractual difficulties in requiring contractors to use Metrolinx – generated material
• Procurement language
• Timing delays
• Penalties if delay in providing source material/receiver sites
• Perception by Project Managers as Complex
• Liability issues regarding re-use of soil by other receivers
• Availability of short term storage sites located centrally
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23. Improvements to Contract Language
• Revision of standard Consulting contract to ensure basic characterization of soil and
groundwater at the design stage; previously just required geotechnical characterization
and notification of Metrolinx if contamination identified
• Development of improved project specifications for Contracting assignments; reference
to Best Management Practices; requirements for soil management plans; meeting
OPSS 180; more specific legislative references, definition of materials, standards to be
used, requirement for Qualified Persons, etc.
• Process in place for Metrolinx Environmental group to review all new project Charters
and flag where assistance is potentially needed on contract language (includes both
design and construction contracts)
• Review of available MTO documents around soil
management and incorporation where appropriate
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• Training for staff
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24. Exploration of Soil Banking
• Monitoring of industry best practices
• Attended Soil Banking workshop, Spring 2013
• Met with representatives from the Netherlands, Fall 2013 to discuss process in
Netherlands and possible solutions to challenges faced by Metrolinx
• Interactions with RCCAO and monitoring of developments with soil banking initiatives
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with multi-organizational participants
• Internal discussions around matching soils within Metrolinx sites, and how to address
through procurement process
• Discussions with other provincial bodies regarding partnership
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25. New Ideas
• Pilot project undertaken to evaluate the viability of recycling track ballast
• Comparative analysis of cost of disposal of used ballast and replacement with new
material vs. removal of fines for disposal and re-use of coarse materials
• Determined to be cost-effective and less environmental impact
• Currently evaluating implementation on a larger scale, potential application of
mobile treatment option for more remote track areas
• Internal discussions around promoting more sustainable soil management practices
such as increased re-use or treatment of soil; stakeholders include Environmental
Group, Innovation Group (Policy and Planning), Capital Infrastructure delivery teams,
Procurement
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26. Summary
Metrolinx is committed to encouraging sustainable
practices including the re-use of excess materials
where possible, and minimizing transportation
distances of excess materials.
Many projects have been conducted over the past
few years which have successfully managed
excess fill.
Future initiatives will continue to encourage further
re-use of excess materials and diversion from
landfill.
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