Trans Canada Highway Twinning: Segments U/C

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by itom 987

I still can't believe that the world's second largest country by area is connected in the middle with only a single two lane highway just east of Thunder Bay, and a railroad.

2 railroads; CN and CP.

There is no way to get around the Nipigon Bridge in Canada.

[Dengler Avenue]

It just occurred to me:
Now that climate action will always be an election issue, doesn’t that totally kill the case of twinning the 2-lane sections? I have the feeling that we missed the highway building golden age and that it’s not coming back...

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

It just occurred to me:
Now that climate action will always be an election issue, doesn’t that totally kill the case of twinning the 2-lane sections? I have the feeling that we missed the highway building golden age and that it’s not coming back...

I doubt it. However, it is already moving at a snails pace, so it really can't slow down.

[milomilo]

This is a long term thing, but if (when) we figure out how to make cars carbon neutral or significantly less CO2 intensive (BEVs, hydrogen, whatever), then one of the main negatives of cars goes away. At that point, building roads, especially rural ones, stops being a trade off of climate vs economy - it just becomes investment.

[haljackey]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

It just occurred to me:
Now that climate action will always be an election issue, doesn’t that totally kill the case of twinning the 2-lane sections? I have the feeling that we missed the highway building golden age and that it’s not coming back...

I don't think so. Twinning will make vehicles more efficient and traffic may continue to increase.

And yes cars/trucks aren't going away any time soon. Their fuel source(s) may change however.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by haljackey

I don't think so. Twinning will make vehicles more efficient and traffic may continue to increase.

And yes cars/trucks aren't going away any time soon. Their fuel source(s) may change however.

Think for a moment, if most of the vehicles on the highway were EVs, then we would have green vehicles.

That is our future. Driving isn't going away, the fuel(s) we use might.

[MonctonRad]

The tipping point will be an EV with a 500 km range, able to be fast charged in under 10 minutes, and with enough oomph in the batteries to allow for AC/heating and the stereo system to be used.

[CityTech]

500km range is already here. 10 min charging probably never will be. Not that big of a deal though. Most people aren't driving over 500km without taking a 30 min break and if they are, they aren't doing it regularly.

Its more cost effective to buy a 200km range EV and just a rent a gas car for the handful of times you're going on a long road trip. But people don't get this they have the mentality that the car they own has to work for everything they want to do. My father in law commutes with just himself and his bag, but owns a pickup truck because he needs that space twice a year for camping trips. I told him he should buy a small car for daily use and just rent a truck for the camping trips as that would save him thousands of dollars per year, but he laughed because he thought it was ridiculous.

People make almost comically stupid decisions financially when it comes to their cars .

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

I doubt it. However, it is already moving at a snails pace, so it really can't slow down.

I agree with this. Twinning of the TCH in certain segments (usually the most needed stretches) will continue to progress slowly.

But no grand plan for twinning the whole thing can be expected.

[wave46]

Originally Posted by CityTech

500km range is already here. 10 min charging probably never will be. Not that big of a deal though. Most people aren't driving over 500km without taking a 30 min break and if they are, they aren't doing it regularly.

Its more cost effective to buy a 200km range EV and just a rent a gas car for the handful of times you're going on a long road trip. But people don't get this they have the mentality that the car they own has to work for everything they want to do. My father in law commutes with just himself and his bag, but owns a pickup truck because he needs that space twice a year for camping trips. I told him he should buy a small car for daily use and just rent a truck for the camping trips as that would save him thousands of dollars per year, but he laughed because he thought it was ridiculous.

People make almost comically stupid decisions financially when it comes to their cars .

I call it the 98% solution.

But a vehicle that meets 98% of your daily use requirements and then rent a specialty vehicle for the other 2%.

A plug-in hybrid makes a lot of sense - you're cruising on electrons when you're just commuting around in-town (where most people put on kms) and you can switch to the gasoline engine when you need to take an extended trip.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I agree with this. Twinning of the TCH in certain segments (usually the most needed stretches) will continue to progress slowly.

But no grand plan for twinning the whole thing can be expected.

In B.C., technically there is, but the delay due to politics is real.

In ON... I’m gonna pass the mic to swimmer_spe and wave46.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

In B.C., technically there is, but the delay due to politics is real.

In ON... I’m gonna pass the mic to swimmer_spe and wave46.

(I had in mind a cross-Canada plan, but I get it.)

There is a plan in Quebec as well, with only 40 km left to be completed.

As for Ontario I think it is safe to say there is no plan to fully twin any of the Trans-Canada routes all the way across the province.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Acajack

There is a plan in Quebec as well, with only 40 km left to be completed.

As for Ontario I think it is safe to say there is no plan to fully twin any of the Trans-Canada routes all the way across the province.

Well that doesn’t stop me from stipulating where to put down the 417 extension (especially from SSM to Kenora) though. I’m doing some highway drawing on ArcGis right now. The only sad thing is, I have to fix the part east of SSM, and that’s going to take long.

[Acajack]

So taking a step back and looking at the big picture, once Quebec finishes A-85 and assuming BC finishes their stretch at some point, really the only missing link in a coast to coast four-lane highway will be in northern Ontario.

Never thought about it that way.

[wave46]

Originally Posted by Acajack

So taking a step back and looking at the big picture, once Quebec finishes A-85 and assuming BC finishes their stretch at some point, really the only missing link in a coast to coast four-lane highway will be in northern Ontario.

Never thought about it that way.

The East-West divide in this country isn't just metaphorical, you know.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by CityTech

500km range is already here. 10 min charging probably never will be. Not that big of a deal though. Most people aren't driving over 500km without taking a 30 min break and if they are, they aren't doing it regularly.

Its more cost effective to buy a 200km range EV and just a rent a gas car for the handful of times you're going on a long road trip. But people don't get this they have the mentality that the car they own has to work for everything they want to do. My father in law commutes with just himself and his bag, but owns a pickup truck because he needs that space twice a year for camping trips. I told him he should buy a small car for daily use and just rent a truck for the camping trips as that would save him thousands of dollars per year, but he laughed because he thought it was ridiculous.

People make almost comically stupid decisions financially when it comes to their cars .

The 1000km range is where it needs to be. Legally, unless you are a commercial driver, you should not be driving more than 10 hours a day. Charging in an hour at that range would be the real game changer.

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

In B.C., technically there is, but the delay due to politics is real.

In ON... I’m gonna pass the mic to swimmer_spe and wave46.

Originally Posted by wave46

The East-West divide in this country isn't just metaphorical, you know.

AFAIK there is no real plan by any government to twin much beyond what has been announced. I expect that no more than 500km of highways 69, 17 and 11 will be added within the next 20-50 years.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

AFAIK there is no real plan by any government to twin much beyond what has been announced. I expect that no more than 500km of highways 69, 17 and 11 will be added within the next 20-50 years.

To add to my post, but keep it relevant. Not including current construction projects to twin, between the 4 lanes and the MB border.

Highway 69 - 70km
Highway 17 between North Bay and Arnprior - 281 km
Highway 11 Between North Bay and Nipigon - 981 km
Highway 11/17 between Nipigon and Thunder Bay - 83 km
Highway 17 Between Thunder Bay and the MB border - 541 km

Total is 1886 km. That does not include 17 between North Bay and Nipigon.

I doubt I will see 4 lanes across the entire country in my life time.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

To add to my post, but keep it relevant. Not including current construction projects to twin, between the 4 lanes and the MB border.

Highway 69 - 70km
Highway 17 between North Bay and Arnprior - 281 km
Highway 11 Between North Bay and Nipigon - 981 km
Highway 11/17 between Nipigon and Thunder Bay - 83 km
Highway 17 Between Thunder Bay and the MB border - 541 km

Total is 1886 km. That does not include 17 between North Bay and Nipigon.

I doubt I will see 4 lanes across the entire country in my life time.

I am around 50 years old and in my lifetime what I'd expect to see twinned on the TCH in Ontario is:

- the remaining stretch of the 400/69 to Sudbury

- Highway 17 between Sudbury and North Bay

- Highway 417 from Arnprior to the Pembroke-Petawawa region

- 11-17 between Thunder Bay and Nipigon

Other than that there might be some small twinning projects around specific cities in the north, but that's really it in terms of longer inter-city routes.

I don't see any twinning in the cards for on the 11 north of North Bay all the way across the northern route.

And I don't really see much happening on the 17 between Petawawa and North Bay, or west of Sudbury towards Nipigon.

[DavefromSt.Vital]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I am around 50 years old and in my lifetime what I'd expect to see twinned on the TCH in Ontario is:

- the remaining stretch of the 400/69 to Sudbury

- Highway 17 between Sudbury and North Bay

- Highway 417 from Arnprior to the Pembroke-Petawawa region

- 11-17 between Thunder Bay and Nipigon

Other than that there might be some small twinning projects around specific cities in the north, but that's really it in terms of longer inter-city routes.

I don't see any twinning in the cards for on the 11 north of North Bay all the way across the northern route.

And I don't really see much happening on the 17 between Petawawa and North Bay, or west of Sudbury towards Nipigon.

Perhaps wishful thinking on my part, but I would add the long talked about stretch of 17 from Manitoba to Kenora (~40 km)

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by DavefromSt.Vital

Perhaps wishful thinking on my part, but I would add the long talked about stretch of 17 from Manitoba to Kenora (~40 km)

That's already underway, isn't it?