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DoubleK May 27, 2021 2:54 PM

Has anyone pass through Kicking Horse after the month long closure?

Does it look much different?

Dengler Avenue May 27, 2021 2:57 PM

I have seen some pictures. Apparently the other set of lanes is taking shape in some places.

DoubleK May 28, 2021 2:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue (Post 9293351)
I have seen some pictures. Apparently the other set of lanes is taking shape in some places.

Yes, they have a Facebook page.

DoubleK Jul 7, 2021 4:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoubleK (Post 9293347)
Has anyone pass through Kicking Horse after the month long closure?

Does it look much different?

Drove this last night. Not much in terms of the road itself is different, but the amount of equipment on site, especially the crawler cranes.

Airboy Jul 8, 2021 3:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoubleK (Post 9333416)
Drove this last night. Not much in terms of the road itself is different, but the amount of equipment on site, especially the crawler cranes.

The facebook page shows quite a bit of work already done. There was a mud slide on the site last week but other than that it looks like they are moving ahead.

DKaz Jul 8, 2021 4:03 PM

Most of the widening is happening off the edge of the cliff with new retaining walls or viaducts. There's just a few spots where they would've blasted into the mountain to widen the highway that way.

DoubleK Jul 9, 2021 2:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airboy (Post 9334529)
The facebook page shows quite a bit of work already done. There was a mud slide on the site last week but other than that it looks like they are moving ahead.

The point I was trying to make is not much of the work is visible from the highway itself.

The Facebook site is really nice. The project team is doing an excellent job of capturing the work as they progress.

Dengler Avenue Jul 9, 2021 3:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoubleK (Post 9335663)
The point I was trying to make is not much of the work is visible from the highway itself.

The Facebook site is really nice. The project team is doing an excellent job of capturing the work as they progress.

Does anyone have the link? I struggled to find it on Facebook. Thanks.

Airboy Jul 9, 2021 4:42 PM

https://www.facebook.com/kickinghorsecanyon

Here you go.

Dengler Avenue Jul 9, 2021 5:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airboy (Post 9335804)

Very nice. Thanks.
I didn’t know it was just named “kicking horse canyon phase 4”. I searched for the name of the contractor to no avail.

craner Jul 19, 2021 12:43 AM

Drove out to Vancouver Island from Calgary & back - here are some of my observations & comments regarding the TCH in BC:

- Seems the most recent 4-laned sections do not include median barriers, this is concerning. One section had upright reflectors in the median (but no barrier) - WTF ?
- The main intersection in Revelstoke is a joke and an accident waiting to happen. Looks like a traffic circle was built to try and improve things rather than doing it properly with an interchange.
- BC highway standards appear to have deteriorated over time. Older twinned sections include a grass median where possible and concrete barriers where a median is not possible (the Coquihalla for example). Later twinned sections eliminated grass medians but have concrete barriers. And as mentioned, some of the most recent sections have no barrier.
- Also, newer twinned sections do not include a 3rd lane for trucks to use as a climbing lane on steep grades.
- The TCH east of Vancouver needs to be expanded from the current 2 lanes each direction as it's been like that since at least the 1970s. 3 lanes each direction out to Chilliwack would be nice.
- It seems 4-laning west of Golden for about 45kms would be pretty simple and inexpensive (by BC standards). Wish they would tackle this low hanging fruit and get a decent chunk done at once.
- I can confirm a traffic signal has been added to the TCH at Field. Unfortunate that we're still adding lights to the TCH. :(

On the Island:
- Was surprised the TCH entering Victoria from the north reduces from 4 lanes to 3 (or 2) lanes. I thought the highway would get wider (not narrower) entering the largest city on the island.
- The rest of the TCH between Victoria & Nanaimo (as far as I went) was 4 lanes but was littered with traffic lights (a very BCey thing to do).

My intent is not to pick on BC. I really wish national highways were a much higher priority for the Federal Government. IMO the Feds should be developing minimum standards for a system of TC Highways and dictating those standards as well as footing 90% of the bill for upgrading these highways.

I think the best I can hope for before I leave this life is for a TCH in BC that is continuously 4-laned from the west to Salmon Arm, and from the east to the Glacier Park east boundary. That would leave from Salmon Arm to the east Glacier Park boundary to 4-lane. I think an alternate route will need to be found for the 3-Valley Gap section.

Anyway - this has all been discussed before, just had to vent - thanks all. :cheers:

DKaz Jul 19, 2021 1:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craner (Post 9343486)
Drove out to Vancouver Island from Calgary & back - here are some of my observations & comments regarding the TCH in BC:

- Seems the most recent 4-laned sections do not include median barriers, this is concerning. One section had upright reflectors in the median (but no barrier) - WTF ?
- The main intersection in Revelstoke is a joke and an accident waiting to happen. Looks like a traffic circle was built to try and improve things rather than doing it properly with an interchange.
- BC highway standards appear to have deteriorated over time. Older twinned sections include a grass median where possible and concrete barriers where a median is not possible (the Coquihalla for example). Later twinned sections eliminated grass medians but have concrete barriers. And as mentioned, some of the most recent sections have no barrier.
- Also, newer twinned sections do not include a 3rd lane for trucks to use as a climbing lane on steep grades.
- The TCH east of Vancouver needs to be expanded from the current 2 lanes each direction as it's been like that since at least the 1970s. 3 lanes each direction out to Chilliwack would be nice.
- It seems 4-laning west of Golden for about 45kms would be pretty simple and inexpensive (by BC standards). Wish they would tackle this low hanging fruit and get a decent chunk done at once.
- I can confirm a traffic signal has been added to the TCH at Field. Unfortunate that we're still adding lights to the TCH. :(

On the Island:
- Was surprised the TCH entering Victoria from the north reduces from 4 lanes to 3 (or 2) lanes. I thought the highway would get wider (not narrower) entering the largest city on the island.
- The rest of the TCH between Victoria & Nanaimo (as far as I went) was 4 lanes but was littered with traffic lights (a very BCey thing to do).

My intent is not to pick on BC. I really wish national highways were a much higher priority for the Federal Government. IMO the Feds should be developing minimum standards for a system of TC Highways and dictating those standards as well as footing 90% of the bill for upgrading these highways.

I think the best I can hope for before I leave this life is for a TCH in BC that is continuously 4-laned from the west to Salmon Arm, and from the east to the Glacier Park east boundary. That would leave from Salmon Arm to the east Glacier Park boundary to 4-lane. I think an alternate route will need to be found for the 3-Valley Gap section.

Anyway - this has all been discussed before, just had to vent - thanks all. :cheers:

The 2km section west of the Golden commercial vehicle inspection station? There might be some 4 laned sections within National Parks as well but I can't recall. It's not in the works to upgrade TCH to a freeway, just a twinned highway with interchanges if warranted. It's no worse than all the unprotected intersections on Hwy 16 in Alberta, even on Hwy 2 between Edmonton and Calgary. Hwy 2 is baffling, just close those intersections and force drivers to drive 5km north or south to the next interchange then up the speed limit to 120 km/h in the summer.

An new alignment for TCH has been discussed for between Revelstoke to Craigellachie which is likely why there have been no desire to spend beyond the bare minimum on that stretch including that intersection in Revelstoke. Oh there is a short 4 lane section on that stretch without median barriers as well. I think they treated it as concurrent passing lanes in both directions.

The traffic light at Field is under Federal jurisdiction, I don't think we can trust the Feds to implement a standard for the national highway. :haha:

Metro-One Jul 19, 2021 1:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craner (Post 9343486)
Drove out to Vancouver Island from Calgary & back - here are some of my observations & comments regarding the TCH in BC:

- Seems the most recent 4-laned sections do not include median barriers, this is concerning. One section had upright reflectors in the median (but no barrier) - WTF ?
- The main intersection in Revelstoke is a joke and an accident waiting to happen. Looks like a traffic circle was built to try and improve things rather than doing it properly with an interchange.
- BC highway standards appear to have deteriorated over time. Older twinned sections include a grass median where possible and concrete barriers where a median is not possible (the Coquihalla for example). Later twinned sections eliminated grass medians but have concrete barriers. And as mentioned, some of the most recent sections have no barrier.
- Also, newer twinned sections do not include a 3rd lane for trucks to use as a climbing lane on steep grades.
- The TCH east of Vancouver needs to be expanded from the current 2 lanes each direction as it's been like that since at least the 1970s. 3 lanes each direction out to Chilliwack would be nice.
- It seems 4-laning west of Golden for about 45kms would be pretty simple and inexpensive (by BC standards). Wish they would tackle this low hanging fruit and get a decent chunk done at once.
- I can confirm a traffic signal has been added to the TCH at Field. Unfortunate that we're still adding lights to the TCH. :(

On the Island:
- Was surprised the TCH entering Victoria from the north reduces from 4 lanes to 3 (or 2) lanes. I thought the highway would get wider (not narrower) entering the largest city on the island.
- The rest of the TCH between Victoria & Nanaimo (as far as I went) was 4 lanes but was littered with traffic lights (a very BCey thing to do).

My intent is not to pick on BC. I really wish national highways were a much higher priority for the Federal Government. IMO the Feds should be developing minimum standards for a system of TC Highways and dictating those standards as well as footing 90% of the bill for upgrading these highways.

I think the best I can hope for before I leave this life is for a TCH in BC that is continuously 4-laned from the west to Salmon Arm, and from the east to the Glacier Park east boundary. That would leave from Salmon Arm to the east Glacier Park boundary to 4-lane. I think an alternate route will need to be found for the 3-Valley Gap section.

Anyway - this has all been discussed before, just had to vent - thanks all. :cheers:


Just a few tidbits for your observations:

100% agree on the lack of median barriers, but I have heard that they are / will be added to most (all?) of the twinned portions.

Aso agree on the need for more interchanges to be built as part of twinning projects (protected Ts are okay at the more rural / barely used local access points).

I would also like to see at least the flat west of Golden section done a single large project.

The TCH in the Valley from 216th street to Whatcom Road in Abbotsford will be expanded to 6 lanes (but they will be HOV lanes). This will also include rebuilding older overpasses and the 232nd and 264th interchanges (and likely the Sumas interchange as well). I believe phase one of this project starts this year or next. It will be two phases.

Not much I can say about the #1 on the Island. Though I would rather see the 17 upgraded to freeway standards first.

The Field traffic light is 100% the doing of the federal government.

And yes, Canada’s lack of a true federal Highway program / system is head scratching to say the least.

s211 Jul 19, 2021 2:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craner (Post 9343486)
- The TCH east of Vancouver needs to be expanded from the current 2 lanes each direction as it's been like that since at least the 1970s. 3 lanes each direction out to HOPE would be nice.

Fixed that for ya. Having three westbound highways (1, 3 & 5) empty down to two lanes is sheer lunacy and results in some pretty aggressive driving as people get impatient with the volume.

milomilo Jul 19, 2021 3:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craner (Post 9343486)
Drove out to Vancouver Island from Calgary & back - here are some of my observations & comments regarding the TCH in BC:

- Seems the most recent 4-laned sections do not include median barriers, this is concerning. One section had upright reflectors in the median (but no barrier) - WTF ?
- The main intersection in Revelstoke is a joke and an accident waiting to happen. Looks like a traffic circle was built to try and improve things rather than doing it properly with an interchange.
- BC highway standards appear to have deteriorated over time. Older twinned sections include a grass median where possible and concrete barriers where a median is not possible (the Coquihalla for example). Later twinned sections eliminated grass medians but have concrete barriers. And as mentioned, some of the most recent sections have no barrier.
- Also, newer twinned sections do not include a 3rd lane for trucks to use as a climbing lane on steep grades.
- The TCH east of Vancouver needs to be expanded from the current 2 lanes each direction as it's been like that since at least the 1970s. 3 lanes each direction out to Chilliwack would be nice.
- It seems 4-laning west of Golden for about 45kms would be pretty simple and inexpensive (by BC standards). Wish they would tackle this low hanging fruit and get a decent chunk done at once.
- I can confirm a traffic signal has been added to the TCH at Field. Unfortunate that we're still adding lights to the TCH. :(

On the Island:
- Was surprised the TCH entering Victoria from the north reduces from 4 lanes to 3 (or 2) lanes. I thought the highway would get wider (not narrower) entering the largest city on the island.
- The rest of the TCH between Victoria & Nanaimo (as far as I went) was 4 lanes but was littered with traffic lights (a very BCey thing to do).

My intent is not to pick on BC. I really wish national highways were a much higher priority for the Federal Government. IMO the Feds should be developing minimum standards for a system of TC Highways and dictating those standards as well as footing 90% of the bill for upgrading these highways.

I think the best I can hope for before I leave this life is for a TCH in BC that is continuously 4-laned from the west to Salmon Arm, and from the east to the Glacier Park east boundary. That would leave from Salmon Arm to the east Glacier Park boundary to 4-lane. I think an alternate route will need to be found for the 3-Valley Gap section.

Anyway - this has all been discussed before, just had to vent - thanks all. :cheers:

I wonder - has the BC highway's budget gone down? I bet it hasn't. As far as I have observed, what BC builds is generally of good construction, they just have a huge amount of very expensive roads. It's easy to throw shade at them for Highway 1 being so crap as soon as you cross the border, but budgets are inherently limited. If they make every road a full freeway, it just will mean less gets built every year. Eventually getting a fully four laned TCH in 20 years is preferable to a quarter being full freeway and the rest un-upgraded shit.

craner Jul 20, 2021 9:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milomilo (Post 9343869)
I wonder - has the BC highway's budget gone down? I bet it hasn't. As far as I have observed, what BC builds is generally of good construction, they just have a huge amount of very expensive roads. It's easy to throw shade at them for Highway 1 being so crap as soon as you cross the border, but budgets are inherently limited. If they make every road a full freeway, it just will mean less gets built every year. Eventually getting a fully four laned TCH in 20 years is preferable to a quarter being full freeway and the rest un-upgraded shit.

I agree. I’m not suggesting the TCH needs to be full freeway standard, just 4 lanes with climbing lanes where grades are steep, a center median or barrier, and the elimination of traffic lights.
Even upgrading to this minimum standard is going to take a lot longer than 20 years given the lack of attention to the TCH by governments.

Dengler Avenue Jul 21, 2021 2:05 PM

https://www.bclocalnews.com/news/aug...ast-of-golden/
Key part: No closure during August long weekend :D

DoubleK Jul 21, 2021 2:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craner (Post 9345294)
I agree. I’m not suggesting the TCH needs to be full freeway standard, just 4 lanes with climbing lanes where grades are steep, a center median or barrier, and the elimination of traffic lights.
Even upgrading to this minimum standard is going to take a lot longer than 20 years given the lack of attention to the TCH by governments.

I disagree with the bolded part. They chip away at this every single year.

My last trip through I noticed that they have been working on the Chase bypass, a new chain up area between Revy and Rogers pass including 4 lanes, started clearing for 4 laning at Quartz Creek, in addition to starting on phase 4 at Kicking Horse.

That's a lot of money they are spending.

Granted the traffic signal at Field is a step backwards, but I've yet to stop there in four trips though so far. (I blame the feds for this)

craner Jul 21, 2021 7:55 PM

Hey DoubleK,
You might find this site interesting:
http://https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation-projects/highway1-kamloops-alberta

Daguy Jul 23, 2021 4:30 AM

In fact on the subject of TCH four laning they just announced another 4.3km today: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021TRAN0112-001414


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