Plenty of critters live on the 4.5 billion year old Canadian Shield.
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Before igniting the first stick of dynamite to blast a path through the Precambrian Shield and extend Highway 400 north to Sudbury, the engineers sent in the dogs.
Roadside signage warns of wildlife vulnerabilities
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The Ministry of Transportation employs specially-trained dogs that sniff out buried nests of turtle eggs – an endangered species in Ontario. When the eggs are detected, construction engineers either relocate the nest or mark out the area to protect it from construction activity.
The dogs were kept busy as heavy construction advanced the existing 400 north from Parry Sound to north of the French River at a cost of $200 million.
Movement-activated cameras capture bears at night. Thousands of collisions a year involve wildlife in the province of Ontario. Along Highway 69, a series of wildlife tunnels and bridges have been created to reduce these numbers.
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The Blanding’s Turtle species in the Muskoka area – plus the other species of fresh-water turtles across Canada – painted, snapping, musk, spotted and map – are in danger of extinction, primarily from road kills and loss of habitat.
Driving a deep cut through the Precambrian Shield
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It takes a lot of dynamite to push a four-lane highway through the toughest rock on earth. The granite of the Precambrian Shield – also called the Canadian Shield – is estimated to be 4.5 billion years old and extends from the Severn River north to the Arctic Ocean.
The ministry built 10 bridges over the Highway 400 extension between Parry Sound and Highway 637 just north of the French River Canyon and one of them in particular has been very popular with nearby residents. It’s Ontario’s the first wildlife bridge.
Levesque dump trucks ply their trade on Highway 400 near the French River, Ontario.
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Wolves, bears, moose, deer, bob cats, lynx, red fox, fishers, rabbits, raccoons and skunks – even wildlife that flies, like bald eagles, Sandhill cranes and wild turkeys – have been captured by motion-sensor cameras using the overpass rather than challenging the open highway.
The 30-metre-wide roadbed of the $2.3 million overpass is finished like a forest pasture with high grass, boulders, trees and shrubs. On the exterior of the bridge are concrete etchings depicting the animals that use the overpass.
A moose uses the wildlife bridge near the Highway 637 turnoff for Killarney Provincial Park.
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A 14-kilometre-long wire-mesh fence at least 3.5 metres high has been erected along both sides of the new highway to persuade animals large and small to use the overpass or four tunnels spread through the length of the extension to cross the highway.
Massasauga Rattlesnakes don’t like Mississauga.
They prefer to live in cottage country enjoying the comforts of the Great Canadian Shield.
Workers punching Highway 400 north through the Shield were instructed on what the Massasauga Rattler looks like and what to do when they encounter one on the job.
The first thing is to call in a government ministry rattlesnake wrangler – a biologist who specializes in snakes who gently helps the reptile to find a quieter and safer place to live after giving it a physical checkup.
Humans are rarely bit by rattlesnakes in Ontario because they flee from the footfall of an approaching human. Their bite can be very painful and make a victim sick, but their venom is rarely fatal.
Heavy construction advances the existing 400 north from Parry Sound to north of the French River.
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Rattlesnakes in Arizona are much more lethal and aggressive. Phoenix is the U.S. capital of rattlesnake bites and researchers found that . . .
most snake bites are on the victim’s lips and most victims are men 18 to 34 who have been drinking alcohol.
Just south of the animal bridge the MOT has commissioned two spectacular new bridges to carry Highway 400 across the deep and wide French River Canyon.
Steel both sides – two spectacular new bridges will carry Highway 400 across the French River Canyon.
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The 110-kilometre-long French River, one of Canada’s first Heritage Rivers, flows in almost a straight line from Lake Nippising west to Georgian Bay. It was a principal thoroughfare for fur traders, missionaries and explorers heading west from Montreal.
Shier rock walls escort the river under Highway 400 and the ministry didn’t want to spoil the impressive view by putting pillars into the water to support the new bridge. So engineers and designers devised a system to carry a steel bridge across the chasm.
Highway 400 crossing the French River.
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Steel arms were designed to attach to the rock walls of the canyon and support thick, steel girders that carry the bridge’s concrete deck.
Central Welding of North Bay and Canam Group of Mississauga fabricated the steel box girders that are 55 feet long. Canam also had to design and build a truck trailer that could carry the 200,000-pound girders to the construction site.
The Pickerel River is just south of the French River and it is darn near as pretty. Again Ontario’s Ministry of Transport didn’t want to ruin that attractive scenery with pillars plunging down into the river from the overhead bridge. The Pickerel eventually flows into the French just before reaching Georgian Bay.
Steel box girders in place before the road deck goes on top.
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Fishing fans from far and wide are attracted to the Pickerel River for its record-size pickerel, also known as walleye. Some are 31 inches long and weigh six pounds or more.
Snowmobilers get their own bridge over the French River.
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The world’s largest snowmobile bridge also spans the French River a couple hundred metres downstream from the current Highway 69 and the new Highway 400 bridge. It’s part of the Trans Canada Trail.
The existing bridges that carry Highway 69 across the French and Pickerel Rivers will remain intact. Highway 69 will eventually become a service road for the rural outposts along the highway.
Vehicles are forecast to be using the new $24 million French River Bridge by September, 2021.
What a country we have!!
Another fine Brennan article. Is he single?
Pat, this smacks of blatant self-promotion! Great job nonetheless.
Road blasting of a 4-lane highway and pollution are a huge threat to wildlife. Tax $$$ do support our modern conveniences, as well as long-term highway maintenance.
Appears to be decently designed. Sixty foot median, appropriate horizontal and vertical curvature, full shoulders, even if not fully access controlled. A lot of catching up, Ontario has to do, in terms of highway infrastructure. Eventually, 417 should also extend across the entire province, as a similar divided facility.