Highways in Canada

[SignalHillHiker]

That's awesome, Moncton.

We only have:

St. John's to Whitbourne: 90km
Corner Brook to Pasadena: 33km

So about 125km of divided highway total. The you add in little portions where the highway is divided through specific communities, such as Grand Falls-Windsor and Port-aux-Basques. You can probably get another 10km or so that way.

So 135km out of the total length of the TCH across the island, which is just over 900km.

There's only one other major highway that's divided, the Conception Bay Bypass, which links downtown St. John's to the suburban town of Conception Bay South. It'll probably have to be widened to six lanes soon, because public transportation isn't an accepted alternative here. It's basically empty all of the time except during the morning/evening rush, when it's often a parking lot.



And there are a couple of divided inner-city highways in St. John's. But those are just pocket change in length, with lots of access points and fairly regular lights, etc.

The only exception is the Outer Ring Road, which is a proper divided highway with no lights, etc. BUT I believe it's part of the TCH. And I've included it in the TCH's total in any event.

But the rest are like this:


Prince Phillip Drive


Columbus Drive at Thorburn Road


Allandale Road at Higgins Line

[MolsonExport]

And yet, NB's population hasn't grown significantly in decades.

[Innsertnamehere]

indeed, New Brunswick's highway network is really well built. Just wish 7 between Saint John and Fredricton was a full motorway instead of a super 2.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

indeed, New Brunswick's highway network is really well built. Just wish 7 between Saint John and Fredricton was a full motorway instead of a super 2.

Indeed, this is the most glaring omission in our highway network IMHO.

The province has committed to redoing the Highway 11/15 interchange at Shediac and dividing Highway 11 north as far as Bouctouche. This is necessary as this part of the Acadian shore is very much part of the greater Moncton exurban commuter watershed (although not part of the Moncton CMA ) and averages over 20,000 vehicles per day, which is more than enough to justify twinning. This project will add about another 25 km or so to the inventory of limited access freeways in the province.

This map shows the proposed redesign for the 11/15 interchange at Shediac:

[SignalHillHiker]

It's awesome. A lesson in the importance of density at the provincial level. You could never justify such investment here.

[Franco401]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

indeed, New Brunswick's highway network is really well built. Just wish 7 between Saint John and Fredericton was a full motorway instead of a super 2.

When the Fredericton-Moncton Highway project came around back in '97, there were many people who wanted it to swing south of CFB Gagetown to be closer to Saint John, effectively eliminating most of Route 7 (In all fairness, there were about 5 or 6 different alignments proposed). This would have solved SO many problems, the twinning of Route 7 being one. Sadly, they went with the routing that seems to be as far from civilization as possible.

[Innsertnamehere]

Highway 401 in 1959 at Meadowvale Road. Today this same stretch of highway is 14 lanes wide and has an AADT of over 240,000.

• Video Link


https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.7993565,-79.1663339,198m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

[SteelTown]

Absolute nightmare on the 403 today in Hamilton, big landslide shutting down the eastbound traffic.


Courtesy of CTV Toronto
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/516156...d-lanes-set-to-re-open-between-8-9-p-m-/

I believe this is the third time the eastbound traffic on the 403 had to shut down within a year, two from massive rocks smashing on the highway and now a landslide. The province really needs to do something more than simply putting up a fence.

[VIce]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Absolute nightmare on the 403 today in Hamilton, big landslide shutting down the eastbound traffic.


Courtesy of CTV Toronto
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/516156...d-lanes-set-to-re-open-between-8-9-p-m-/

I believe this is the third time the eastbound traffic on the 403 had to shut down within a year, two from massive rocks smashing on the highway and now a landslide. The province really needs to do something more than simply putting up a fence.

What an optimistic cone.

[SignalHillHiker]

But seriously, wow. That sucks.

[Infrequent Poster]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Absolute nightmare on the 403 today in Hamilton, big landslide shutting down the eastbound traffic.


Courtesy of CTV Toronto
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/516156...d-lanes-set-to-re-open-between-8-9-p-m-/

I believe this is the third time the eastbound traffic on the 403 had to shut down within a year, two from massive rocks smashing on the highway and now a landslide. The province really needs to do something more than simply putting up a fence.

I left something in the toilet this morning that bears an uncanny resemblance to that landslide.

[sonysnob]

Some pictures of Highway 7/8 in Kitchener, ON. Construction is underway to upgrade and widen the current six lane freeway:


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_7_images/Contracts/Conestoga_Construction.htm

[MolsonExport]

Meanwhile, in London, no freeways until 2071.

[ssiguy]

2071.................did they push up the date?

When you live in BC you begin to appreciate Eastern Canada's great freeway system.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

2071.................did they push up the date?

When you live in BC you begin to appreciate Eastern Canada's great freeway system.

Indeed. I lived in BC for years. Vancouver has made some great strides forward, but the whole access to the core from Richmond, the North Shore, and points East is laughable. Fucking Massey Tunnel, Grandview Highway/Twelfth Street, Lougheed Highway, Granville/Oak Streets, etc.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by sonysnob

Some pictures of Highway 7/8 in Kitchener, ON. Construction is underway to upgrade and widen the current six lane freeway:


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_7_images/Contracts/Conestoga_Construction.htm

I don't know whether it has been mentioned already, but expropriation is now underway for the new Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph. Construction will take place over five seasons, beginning in 2015. The interchange planned for the Kitchener end, at the Conestoga Parkway (Highway 7/8/85) is a beast!

[Metro-One]

And due to Vancouver proper's massive hatred towards limited access roadways and their "no new lanes into Vancouver" policy, it will never change...for Vancouver proper.

Metro Vancouver on the other hand has had massive improvements and honestly, the #1 from the Second Narrows bridge to 200th street in Langley is as good as anything in Eastern Canada IMO (some will say it isn't, but I feel those forum members are people where no matter what BC builds they will always rag on it).

Also the new Pitt River bridge and interchange has been a great improvement.

The entire Golden Ears Bridge and GEW is amazing IMO (very Asian feel).

Despite some of its set backs, the SFPR is a great addition, and I have a feeling that those intersections will be upgraded to interchanges soon, there are already rumblings happening about that within the new proposed 10 year plan.

As for the Massey Tunnel, word is an 8 lane bridge will replace it along with much of the 99 being upgraded.

Also I believe the 72nd traffic light on the 91 will be upgraded to an interchange very soon, the city and the province have come to an understanding.

Also a 150 million dollar upgrade to the #1 on the north side of the Second Narrows is also getting underway next year with its first phase.

There have been many other small projects including new overpasses (such as the Coast Meridian) and interchanges (new 16th Ave interchange on the 99 in White Rock), etc...

Also don't forget the Patullo is going to be replaced soon as well (and when it does the section of the SFPR that it will interact with will be fully completed).

Also many large overpasses (mostly in Langley) were built as part of the Robert Banks rail project.

And then Lower Road in North Van has been completely changed / rebuilt.

Metro Vancouver's roads and highways have had a massive upgrade in the last 10 years, and it looks as if it will continue (well, everywhere except Vancouver proper).

And then there are all the major twinning projects happening throughout the province.

Without a Federal Highway system it is difficult to build a great highway network in the most mountainous province in Canada (not too mention massive rivers, canyons, inlets, and having 700 000 off the mainland).

[dmuzika]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

And due to Vancouver proper's massive hatred towards limited access roadways and their "no new lanes into Vancouver" policy, it will never change...for Vancouver proper.

How is TCH 1 handled through its short section through Vancouver proper? It it under provincial jurisdiction and therefore can expanded without the "no new lanes" restriction?

As for the Massey Tunnel, word is an 8 lane bridge will replace it along with much of the 99 being upgraded.

With the new 8 lane bridge on Hwy 99, how is Hwy 99 going to be handled? The Oak Street bridge isn't too far away and it's only 4 lanes (2 each way) so it would be a major bottle neck to have 4 lanes reduce to 2. Does part of the Hwy 99 improvements involve a sort of Y interchange where northbound traffic can take either Oak St or Knight St? If there was ever a 3rd crossing to the north shore, I'd love to see it tie into Clark Dr/Knight St that creates a north-south corridor through Vancouver and Hwy 99 could bypass downtown.

[GreaterMontréal]

Maybe building a couple of tunnels would be a good idea in Vancouver.

[Procrastinational]

Originally Posted by dmuzika

If there was ever a 3rd crossing to the north shore, I'd love to see it tie into Clark Dr/Knight St that creates a north-south corridor through Vancouver and Hwy 99 could bypass downtown.

What I'd like to see eventually is some sort of Big-Dig style underground connection between either 91 or 99 and the Trans-Canada through Vancouver. If it's underground and they can't see it, maybe Vancouver won't mind. Although if it were to go through Burnaby they'd have no choice anyway.

I think the reason the city of Vancouver is opposed to more lanes (and especially anything to do with freeways) is that they probably figure that any sort of freeway in the vicinity would lead to everyone in Richmond and Surrey commuting in by car into downtown.
I definitely don't think we should be encouraging people to drive into the central part of Vancouver, but I see a freeway connection more in terms of inter region connectivity. If for instance, you are coming from the border or ferry in Tsawassen, getting to the Sea to Sky is quite time consuming.

The biggest issue in road network in the Lower Mainland is the glaring missing link in the system between Highway 1, and 91/99. But until Vancouver realizes that it is possible to build transit networks, and roads, it likely won't be fixed (the SFPR is IMO a temporary band-aid).

I don't see a third north-shore crossing anytime soon, but any sort of connection between why 1 and 99 would require more capacity. The Lions Gate is too historic to replace, so the Second Narrows crossing could be replaced. It's starting to get older, and as far as I know, it's not designed to last like the Lions Gate and Burrard crossings are.