Environmental Study Report for Ashburnham Drive and McFarlane Street Bridge Available for Public Review

Peterborough, ON – The Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) study for the proposed Ashburnham Drive realignment and McFarlane Street bridge replacement is complete. The Environmental Study Report (ESR), which documents the assessment and includes the preferred design, is available for public review and comment until Monday, November 16, 2026. 

The ESR can be reviewed at connectptbo.ca/ashburnhamEA. Printed copies are available for review at Service Peterborough at City Hall, 500 George St. N, and at the Peterborough Public Library, 345 Aylmer St. N. 

Comments and questions can be submitted to ashburnhamEA@peterborough.ca by November 16, 2026. 

The Ashburnham Drive Realignment and McFarlane Street Bridge Replacement Project was identified as a priority through the Eastside Transportation Study completed in 2023. The MCEA examined options for realigning Ashburnham Drive between Maniece Avenue and McFarlane Street and replacing the existing McFarlane Street Bridge over the Trent-Severn Waterway. The MCEA considered potential impacts and incorporated public feedback to identify a preferred design. 

The preferred design in the ESR includes moving Ashburnham Drive east of its current alignment and constructing a new bridge immediately north of the existing bridge. The new roadway and bridge would include space for pedestrians and cyclists.   

The ESR lists the options considered, the preferred design, potential impacts and proposed ways to address them, as well as feedback received during the MCEA. 

For more information about the project, visit connectptbo.ca/ashburnhamEA.