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Background: The RHVP Inquiry often refers to two different tests. One is a pavement test strip that Dufferin Construction conducted to test the aggregate mix used for the paving. The second is a skid friction test conducted by the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) to assess proper tire to pavement friction, in other words, how slippery was the asphalt at 90 km/hr.
Over the span of two days, the primary witness was Gary Moore, the RHVP’s Manager of Design for the City of Hamilton. Moore would report to Chris Murray, the City’s RHVP Director in the Special Projects Office. In earlier testimony, Chris Murray would advise the Commission that he would rely on Gary Moore to make decisions on pavement design and specifications.
Further, given that Chris Murray is not an engineer, he would testify that Gary Moore would be primarily responsible to receive advice and recommendations from external consultants in respect of the RHVP’s pavement construction and design. Based on the information, Moore would make decisions on behalf of the City.
Day Ten and Eleven – May 9th and 10th
Gary Moore (City of Hamilton)
The inquiry received many documents from the City related to the RHVP’s design and construction. The documents identified that the road construction would utilize stone mastic asphalt (SMA) as the type of surface pavement. This would be Dufferin Construction’s first project in Ontario using this type of asphalt mix.
Prior to fully paving the RHVP, Dufferin conducted a pavement test strip of the SMA. The City’s consultant, Golder Associates, was responsible for quality control and was present at the test. Dr. Uzarowski of Golder Associates would report that the test strip failed. He recommended a second test strip to be completed, and if not, Dufferin would be paving at their own risk.
When asked, Moore could not recall if he was advised that the test strip failed. When the Commission’s lawyer asked if he was aware that Dr. Uzarowski recommended a second strip test, Moore replied he could not remember. And finally, when the Commission’s lawyer asked if he was aware that Dr. Uzarowski wrote that Dufferin would be conducting the paving at their own risk, Moore once again replied he was not aware.
After receiving the results of the pavement test strip, Dufferin did not complete a second test as recommended, and started to pave the RHVP the following day.
In regard to the second test, the MTO’s skid friction test completed in September 2007, Gary Moore did recall receiving the results. Moore also recalled that some of the results contained measurements that were less than a value of 30, which the MTO did highlight in their reporting. According to his testimony, Moore revealed he was not professionally trained to interpret skid friction results.
Yet, five years earlier in 2002, Gary Moore did co-author an industry paper discussing skid friction results. The paper identified a Burlington Street project in Hamilton using SMA, where the friction results produced values of 45 to 51 (well above the 30 benchmark).
Mr. Moore could not recall if he forwarded the MTO skid test results to anyone else at the City (other than his subordinate Marco Oddi), or for that matter, Dufferin Construction. At this time, in 2007, the RHVP’s Director Chris Murray had taken a job at Hamilton Housing and was no longer involved with the RHVP project. As a result, there was no direct reporting from Gary Moore to an RHVP Director.
Day Twelve – May 11th
David Hainer (Dufferin Construction)
Mr. David Hainer is the Senior Project Superintendent assigned to the RHVP by Dufferin Construction. He was responsible for the overall execution of the project, including the safety of the workers and the public, logistics, and financing.
After the pavement test strip was completed, Dr. Uzarowski emailed Dufferin Construction (Peter Janicas) and the City of Hamilton (Marco Oddi) that the test failed. He would also recommend a second test to be completed, and if Dufferin would proceed with the paving they would be doing so at their own risk. No second test strip was completed and Dufferin Construction started the paving.
According to Hainer, the Dufferin Construction team discussed the results of the pavement test strip, and Dufferin’s District Manager Jake Sudac gave the direction to start the paving the following day.
In regard to the 2007 MTO skid testing results, Hainer recalls receiving the results. He recalls the MTO friction measurements as good and that there were no concerns.
The RHVP Inquiry continues with Ministry of Transportation staff being called to testify.
Related articles:
April 12 – Red Hill Valley Parkway Inquiry: what you need to know before public hearings begin
April 15 – Red Hill Valley Parkway Inquiry: The question of privilege
April 29 – Red Hill Valley Parkway Inquiry: Week One
May 3 – Red Hill Valley Parkway Inquiry: The 2007 MTO Friction Test
May 7 – Red Hill Valley Parkway Inquiry: Week Two
May 13 – Red Hill Valley Parkway Inquiry: I Can’t Recall
