Ideally it’s a major thoroughfare plus at most 2 EDR’s. For example, TCH through Interior BC east of Salmon Arm is bad for the lack of EDR. As for the Prairies, time to take out some of the range roads which are in bad conditions anyway?

As for E25 north of Genoa, 6 lanes through the mountains? I wonder if EU helped Italy with that.

I was attempting to improve the connection between SFPR and TCH (south of which it becomes Pacific Highway) today. Here's what I've got:
https://imgur.com/tgDFjYI
For comparison, one can search "Barnston Island" on google map and scroll down to look.

Notes:
(1) Traffic heading from TCH W to 15S uses the new ramp from TCH W to Golden Ears Way W, then loop back to 15S. Heading from 15N to TCH E, one will turn right onto GEW E then use the ramp from there to access TCH E. In fact, now that I think about it, I should have closed the intersection of GEW with 180th Street altogether, and join the 2 sections of 96 Avenue west of the cloverleaves.
(2) (IMO) The proximity between GEW and TCH makes weaving inevitable unless a 2+2+2+2 express-collector system be employed on that segment of Pacific Highway. I think ssiguy will love that idea.
(3) I wasn't able to include SFPR @ 104 Avenue (Golden Ears Connector) in the picture. (4) I tried drawing things to scale but probably did not.

Great idea.
In my opinion the whole area needs to be redone. I am talking about the whole road network - from Pacific Highway to Golden Ears connector and GE way.
180 str for example should not have left turns.

Golden Ears connector and GE way needs overpass without left turn lines. Drivers can use 192 str. for access.
Unfortunately nothing will be done. Highway 1 is the only real highway in the area with 2.2 million people which by every standard is insane.

Looks good, but please no cloverleafs. What happened in the 50's should stay in the 50's.

Use 192nd Street to access the connector and in turn GEW via an interchange?
IMO, it takes an Ontarian in B.C.’s highway department to revamp that area, besides Second Narrows Bridge, Lions Gate Bridge, Massey Tunnel, Okanagan Connector, Highway 97 from Prince George to border (in case Washington wanna expand it), TCH, etc.

Honestly though, if I were in charge, I would lose my cool and expropriate every single property in Barnston and in Anniedale.
It’s difficult to design anything else with that kind of distance, but I can try.

Assuming that vehicles coming down from SFPR will use the connector to reach GEW, we may not need the cloverleaf from Pacific Highway South to GEW E. Instead, where TCH E exits onto Pacific Highway, we will have 3 lanes, the left one to Pacific Highway N, the middle one to flyover TCH and Barnston Road to meet GEW, and the right one onto Pacific Highway S. In that case, we can do a Parclo at GEW with Pacific Highway freeflowing. I would even exclude the cloverleaf from GEW W to Pacific Highway S from the traffic lights.

As for SFPR to the connector, I would do a flyover from SFPR E to GEC E and from GEC W and put 2 massive roundabouts at 177A Street and 179 Street (in addition to the ones drawn). Since they’re by the rail, this is how they’ll operate -
Each direction will have a traffic light. When there’s no train, lights on all sides will flash yellow, but if there’s one coming, the lights on the cross intersections will go red.
Edit: What am I saying, RIRO’s the way to go. In fact, we can just get rid of the name Golden Ears altogether and sign the connector and the eastern portion of GEW Highway 17 all the way to Maple Ridge. GEW between the 2 disjoint sections of 96 Ave can just be renamed 96 Ave. Highway 15 as the number can be extended further north.

See if you two can follow. Thanks for the inputs. :)

Totally agree. :yeahthat:
The piecemeal 2km segments are getting frustrating after all these years. Not even close to addressing what was required 40 years ago. :brickwall:

Surley we can build one interstate level freeway seeing as the US has built 100,000s of kms worth.
At the very least, let's connect our 3rd, 4th, & 5th largest metros with such (rather than the current goat trails).

^ really the QE2 is about 30 years behind in terms of what it should be also. It should be 3 lanes the whole way and those at grade crossings should be removed. Then it would be a proper freeway.

^Agree completely.

Now what if the town of Sorrento also pushes a bit harder for a TCH bypass... As for Salmon Arms, does it want a TCH bypass too?

But yea good job on Peachland for holding out.

Coquihalla Pass & Okanagan Connector Interchange Remade
 

https://imgur.com/gallery/nZEJQOE

Last night when I was a bit buzzed, I drew this in half an hour. Here are the modifications to the current mess:

(1) new exit ramp from Coquihalla Pass (Kamloops direction) to Okanagan Connector to take out the left turn

(2) ramp from Okanagan Connector to Coquihalla Pass (Kamloops direction) moved back by a few hundred meters to make room for (3), which is...

(3)* flyover ramp from Okanagan Connector to Coquihalla Pass (Vancouver direction) to take out the left turn

(4)** realigned eastbound lanes of Okanagan Connector to make the turn from Coquihalla Pass (Vancouver direction) to Merritt safer

(5)&(6)*** new service roads and median barrier for Okanagan Connector

* It will first go under Coquihalla Pass then over Okanagan Connector.

** I realized after the fact that this was a bit excessive and that I only needed to add the exit ramp from Coquihalla Pass (Vancouver direction) to Okanagan Connector (Merritt direction). Oh well...

*** In reality, there are service roads to the south too...

They should've really built that 97C connection from Aspen Grove to about the Comstock Road interchange on Hwy 5 as first envisioned. I think it's still under future consideration or otherwise they would've done the upgraded 4-laned 5A/97C to proper freeway standards.

Knowing how B.C. cheapens out though, if it even makes that interchange free-flowing between the 2 freeways, it’s already pretty good. Then it remains to add service roads and median barriers.

When it comes to the safety of drivers and moving goods efficiently to port B.C. obviously doesn't care. What are they going to do next to save a few bucks? Stop putting lane markers on roads?

I remember when Apsen Grove to Merritt was a two lane highway. At least it’s all twinned now.

It’d be nice to shave 20 mins off the trip to Vancouver by doing that connection you suggested but I bet that 20 mins would cost a lot.

Just did 3000km’s on mostly BC highways, Some stretches in the Kootenays from the AB border to Creston need attention but overall through the Okanagan and Cariboo they’re in good shape. The Yellowhead from Edmonton to Jasper is in deplorable condition.

I hope my proposal covers everything then. :D

It’s been a while since I drove through that intersection, IIRC to head east towards Kelowna from Vancouver you flew under the overpass, made a 180 degree turn to a stop sign (or maybe a signal ?) then turned left. Is it still that way now ?

When I lived in Richmond, the eastern most I’ve been to, by car, was Harrison Spring. :haha: (I didn’t have a full license, let alone a car, back in B.C.)

My sole reference is google map satellite view. :haha: That’s how I drew the other few interchanges too.

I just google earth’d it and yes it’s that same as it’s been since the 90’s

There were always a lot of wrecks at that exit because people would be hauling down that big hill into Merritt, take the exit but be unprepared for the sharp curve, especially in winter time. They obviously have room for a proper interchange there, I wonder why it hasn’t been done yet.

It’s too bad you didn’t get to explore BC more. There are some exceptional drives that showcase the province’s natural beauty. We just did one of my personal favourites, Hwy 6 up the Slocan Valley through Nakusp and up over the Monashees to Vernon. It’s both a natural scenery lover and a driving enthusiasts dream. I highly recommend it :)