Ontario Highways

[sonysnob]

I drive between Toronto and Windsor fairly frequently myself. By far the most painful stretch of the drive is between Milton and Kitchener. Typically there are two right lanes that are just full of trucks and the left lane is full of passenger cars that are barely passing the truck traffic.

Plus, who cares if people "feel" unsafe driving to Tilbury, if statistically they aren't unsafe? That's a lame argument.

[Dengler Avenue]

Any harm in allowing trucks to pass at 110 km/h instead of 105 km/h on freeways with a posted speed limit of 100 km/h?

Also don’t forget: Jeff Yurek’s from there.

Speaking of that, 417 extension to Renfrew seems to be on the backburner now.

[sonysnob]

I think Hwy 17 west of Arnprior is likely going to start next year.

[Innsertnamehere]

Construction? That seems fast considering it wasn’t really funded until this year..

Any idea if we are ever going to see a new set of Highways program’s? I’ve given up on the 2018 edition at this point.

[sonysnob]

There was a consultant assignment for foundations work for the new highway over the past few months (I can't remember exactly when, but it's probably in the archives of this thread). I'm basing my timeline on the proposed schedule for the consultant assignment. But... that's speculation and could change.

[sonysnob]

Video of the DVP and the Gardiner:

• Video Link

[Djeffery]

Wellington Rd in London to Highway 25 in Milton is 134km. Work started in 1990 (the week I got my AZ license in 1990 was when the orange barrels went up in London lol) on widening this stretch, and work happened in multiple sections at once. it was finally finished around 2010. I don't see any reason to think 128km the other way is going to go any faster. I think the highway needs to be 6 lanes minimum and concrete barriers the entire length of it, but this isn't going to be a quick process.

[Dengler Avenue]

I just saw on Google Maps that Port Severn's dam has been closed to traffic. GG for everyone that has to cross the Trent - Severn Waterway (since now they need to use the shoulder of Highway 400 to do that)?

[Dengler Avenue]

I just learned that ONPC’s intending to increase the speed limit on certain 400-series freeways and speeding fines.

It’d be nice to see some of them raised to 110 km/h and to allow trucks to pass at 120 km/h on them.

Perhaps it’s time to even set the speed limit to 100 km/h for some of the 2-lane rural highways too.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

I just learned that ONPC’s intending to increase the speed limit on certain 400-series freeways and speeding fines.

It’d be nice to see some of them raised to 110 km/h and to allow trucks to pass at 120 km/h on them.

Perhaps it’s time to even set the speed limit to 100 km/h for some of the 2-lane rural highways too.

The PC government under Mike Harris in either the late 1990s or early 2000s did the exact same thing by reviewing speed limits on provincial highways the same way the Ford government is now. They came very close to raising limits but in end didn't change anything because of lobbying certain groups which I believe included the OPPA (represents OPP officers) and MADD.

[Dengler Avenue]

In that case, (if it’s true) I can see why Dofo wanna make sure the OPP commissioner is his man~

[acottawa]

Cars are massively safer than when speed limits were set in the 70s. They are also much more capable of accelerating when entering the highway to get up to speed. I understand why the OPP is upset because they will have to work harder for their ticket quota. I don’t see why MADD would have any views either way.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Cars are massively safer than when speed limits were set in the 70s. They are also much more capable of accelerating when entering the highway to get up to speed. I understand why the OPP is upset because they will have to work harder for their ticket quota. I don’t see why MADD would have any views either way.

That means OPP needs to start ticketing other infractions like hogging left lane, passing on the right, improper merging, merging without signalling, not moving over for emergency vehicles at work. The fines will be higher for a lot of these jazz, anyway.

I suggest that they learn from Sûreté du Québec.

[sonysnob]

I find lane discipline gets worse when the number of expressway lanes increases.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by acottawa

Cars are massively safer than when speed limits were set in the 70s. They are also much more capable of accelerating when entering the highway to get up to speed. I understand why the OPP is upset because they will have to work harder for their ticket quota. I don’t see why MADD would have any views either way.

Trust me, they don't have any trouble finding a vehicle that is speeding where there's traffic.

[Loco101]

Highway speed limits:

Many highways that have a maximum of 80km/h in Northern Ontario need it to be raised to 90. Also, a number of sections of highways that are currently 90 should be 100 but only in remote areas. With that, the police should maybe ticket for 15 over instead of 20.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Loco101

Highway speed limits:

Many highways that have a maximum of 80km/h in Northern Ontario need it to be raised to 90. Also, a number of sections of highways that are currently 90 should be 100 but only in remote areas. With that, the police should maybe ticket for 15 over instead of 20.

Slowly conforming to Praire's standard?

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Slowly conforming to Praire's standard?

I'm thinking of how it is in Quebec for most highways. Although the only 2 lane ones there with a maximum speed of 100 are the Super-2 Autoroutes and the James Bay highway. I haven't been to the prairies in a long time but hope to be there this Summer to see what the highways are like.

[vid]

Highways in Southern Ontario are very pleasant to drive! No one has been speeding (so far, in my limited experience) and when you signal an intention to merge, they let you.

I'm honestly surprised at the whole thing. The drive from Young/Eglington to Guelph took little more than an hour on Sunday.

I tried to drive to Cambridge today but took a wrong turn (or rather, simply didn't turn) in a roundabout and accidentally drove back to Guelph. I had to pull over after I realized what I did because I found it so hilarious.

I'll try to get the photo thread up by the end of the month.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Loco101

I'm thinking of how it is in Quebec for most highways. Although the only 2 lane ones there with a maximum speed of 100 are the Super-2 Autoroutes and the James Bay highway. I haven't been to the prairies in a long time but hope to be there this Summer to see what the highways are like.

I for one would like to see the speed limit on Kenora Bypass (17A) raised to 100 km/h except at the light-controlled intersection with 658 where the speed limit should be dropped to 80 km/h. Lol, this is a very Prairie thing to do.

For T Bay Expressway, would it be a good idea to drop the speed from 90 to 80 km/h unless and until it becomes a freeway?

For Sudbury Bypass, where there are 4 lanes, the speed limit should be 110 km/h and where it’s a super-2, 100 km/h.