Trans Canada Highway Twinning: Segments U/C

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I prefer to think of it as "Windsor to Windsor", since the 101 highway in NS is divided to the northern edge of the Annapolis Valley at Windsor.

Even better! You're right. So about 100 km more.

[q12]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Now, in terms of an Interstate-style route, Windsor, Ontario to Halifax, Nova Scotia will be completely done in a year or two, when the final 20 km of A-85 are done.

That's 2150 km.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge opening around the same time will connect this directly into Interstate 75.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by q12

The Gordie Howe International Bridge opening around the same time will connect this directly into Interstate 75.

The eastern Canadian freeway system is fully integrated to the US interstate system in several locations including near Houlton ME and Woodstock NB (NB-95 & I-95).

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

The eastern Canadian freeway system is fully integrated to the US interstate system in several locations including near Houlton ME and Woodstock NB (NB-95 & I-95).

Yes, there are arguably three more linkages in Ontario: two with I-90 (spurs) in Niagara, and one with I-81 at the Thousand Islands.

There are also two in southeastern Quebec: to I-87 south of Montreal (from A-15), and I-91 south of Sherbrooke (from A-55). Also arguably I-89 south of St-Jean from A-35 going into Vermont, though there is a missing autoroute segment there currently under construction.

[q12]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I prefer to think of it as "Windsor to Windsor", since the 101 highway in NS is divided to the northern edge of the Annapolis Valley at Windsor.

Technically it's now divided all the way through Windsor to Wolfville. It's 2-lane divided (Jersey Barrier) over the Windsor causeway (about 1.5 km) as it waits on a decision on how to finish the causeway.

Highway 101 Windsor causeway



A few weeks ago the new 22-kilometre, four-lane divided section of Highway 103 between Exit 5 at Upper Tantallon and Exit 6 at Hubbards opened.
So you could also call it the Windsor, ON to Hubbards, NS freeway. This will be extended past Chester, NS to Exit 9 (Trunk 12) next.

Highway 103


Highway 103 Exit 6

[hipster duck]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Yes, there are arguably three more linkages in Ontario: two with I-90 (spurs) in Niagara, and one with I-81 at the Thousand Islands.

There are also two in southeastern Quebec: to I-87 south of Montreal (from A-15), and I-91 south of Sherbrooke (from A-55). Also arguably I-89 south of St-Jean from A-35 going into Vermont, though there is a missing autoroute segment there currently under construction.

New Hampshire and Vermont have a ridiculous amount of freeways for their populations. I'm not sure why Quebec prioritized the A-55 connection to I-91 over the A-35 to I-93, which would not only connect Montreal to Burlington, VT, but be a more direct route to Boston. I haven't driven on the American side, but I drove from Stanstead to Magog on A-55 and it was the emptiest freeway I've ever seen. I think I might have passed one car over almost 30 km, and this was during the middle of the day in October.

[Ozabald]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

The eastern Canadian freeway system is fully integrated to the US interstate system in several locations including near Houlton ME and Woodstock NB (NB-95 & I-95).

Not quite as A-35 does not yet connect with I-89 in Vermont. The final gap is under construction.

There is also an example of a Canadian freeway meeting a downgraded highway at the US border; NB-1 in St. Stephen, NB meets a two-lane US-1 in Calais, ME. Typically it's the opposite when a US Interstate meets a downgraded Canadian highway; I-15 becoming AB-4; I-29 becoming MB-75; and for now, I-89 becoming QC-133.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by hipster duck

New Hampshire and Vermont have a ridiculous amount of freeways for their populations. I'm not sure why Quebec prioritized the A-55 connection to I-91 over the A-35 to I-93, which would not only connect Montreal to Burlington, VT, but be a more direct route to Boston. I haven't driven on the American side, but I drove from Stanstead to Magog on A-55 and it was the emptiest freeway I've ever seen. I think I might have passed one car over almost 30 km, and this was during the middle of the day in October.

I think the reason that Quebec built A-55 to the border first is because I-91 was built before I-89 (linked with A-35).

Plus, the route via A-55 and I-91 to Boston from Montreal is only slightly longer. It's also more convenient to get to for a larger segment of the Quebec population, including everywhere east of Montreal.

[Franco401]

Does anyone know if the final extension of A-35 to I-91 will be a full freeway the whole distance? The last couple km of Route 133 are already four lanes and divided but with at-grade crossings. Would those be removed?

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Franco401

Does anyone know if the final extension of A-35 to I-91 will be a full freeway the whole distance? The last couple km of Route 133 are already four lanes and divided but with at-grade crossings. Would those be removed?

Yes, that is Phase IV of the project. Currently only in the "planning" stages.

Though once what they're working on right now is done, given the traffic volumes it'll be almost as good as a freeway all the way to the border for drivers.

This fact might actually put it lower on the overall priority list eventually.

[harls]

Originally Posted by Franco401

Does anyone know if the final extension of A-35 to I-91 will be a full freeway the whole distance? The last couple km of Route 133 are already four lanes and divided but with at-grade crossings. Would those be removed?

You mean I-89.

[Dengler Avenue]

Meanwhile, does anyone have any information on N.L.'s plan to twin its TCH in Avalon Peninsula?

[craner]

Originally Posted by Ozabald

Not quite as A-35 does not yet connect with I-89 in Vermont. The final gap is under construction.

There is also an example of a Canadian freeway meeting a downgraded highway at the US border; NB-1 in St. Stephen, NB meets a two-lane US-1 in Calais, ME. Typically it's the opposite when a US Interstate meets a downgraded Canadian highway; I-15 becoming AB-4; I-29 becoming MB-75; and for now, I-89 becoming QC-133.

Also I-5 becoming BC-99.
At least the Canadian sides are 4 lanes.

[Ozabald]

Originally Posted by craner

Also I-5 becoming BC-99.
At least the Canadian sides are 4 lanes.

Notwithstanding BC-99 not built to the same standard as a US Interstate, nonetheless, it is a fully controlled access freeway from Canadian customs to the Oak Street Bridge.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Yes, there are arguably three more linkages in Ontario: two with I-90 (spurs) in Niagara, and one with I-81 at the Thousand Islands.

There are also two in southeastern Quebec: to I-87 south of Montreal (from A-15), and I-91 south of Sherbrooke (from A-55). Also arguably I-89 south of St-Jean from A-35 going into Vermont, though there is a missing autoroute segment there currently under construction.

The Ontario network also connects the 402 to I-69 in Michigan, and will soon connect the 401 to I-75 with the Gordie Howe Bridge. The I-81 connection is not technically freeway-freeway as there is a short 2-lane rural highway stretch in Ontario immediately before the border. I-81 also has a small 2-lane bridge south of the border.

The Maritimes only have one direct freeway connection to the US at I-95. I actually drove across that crossing for the first time a few weeks ago.. it's the smallest freeway-freeway crossing I've seen. I-95 north of Bangor is almost hilariously empty. I still don't really understand why Maine routed I-95 up to Houlton instead of over to Calais to connect to Canada via Saint John. The route they built is a lot less direct and only really makes sense if you are going to Fredericton or Edmunston.. not exactly major population centres. I only took it as I've driven ME-9 between Calais and Bangor a few too many times.

NB-1 south of Saint John is also hilariously empty as a highway.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Yes, there are arguably three more linkages in Ontario: two with I-90 (spurs) in Niagara, and one with I-81 at the Thousand Islands.

There are also two in southeastern Quebec: to I-87 south of Montreal (from A-15), and I-91 south of Sherbrooke (from A-55). Also arguably I-89 south of St-Jean from A-35 going into Vermont, though there is a missing autoroute segment there currently under construction.

The link from I-81 to Highway 401 isn't freeway standard - Part of Highway 137 is two-lanes undivided with at-grade intersections.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

NB-1 south of Saint John is also hilariously empty as a highway.

Irving's Highway to Prosperity.

They conned the province and the feds into building it to stimulate cross border trade from Saint John to the US eastern seaboard, with the expectation that the US government would reciprocate and extend I-495 in Bangor all the way to the border.

The Americans however were disinclined to cooperate.

Too bad, NB-! from Saint John to St. Stephen is the most overengineered highway I have ever seen (probably with the lowest AADT in the federation).

Meanwhile, the province refuses to finish dividing NB -11 north from Shediac to Bouctouche, and NB-15 east from Shediac to Cap Pele where exurban Moncton commuter traffic and summer tourism traffic are actually high enough that it would make some sense.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Irving's Highway to Prosperity.

They conned the province and the feds into building it to stimulate cross border trade from Saint John to the US eastern seaboard, with the expectation that the US government would reciprocate and extend I-495 in Bangor all the way to the border.

The Americans however were disinclined to cooperate.

Too bad, NB-! from Saint John to St. Stephen is the most overengineered highway I have ever seen (probably with the lowest AADT in the federation).

I mean I don't mind as it makes my drive to Saint John significantly faster - but yea, shockingly empty.

I once drove it southbound early morning boxing day (so yea, not a busy time) and saw a single northbound vehicle for the entire 1-hour, 110km drive south.

[Ozabald]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

I mean I don't mind as it makes my drive to Saint John significantly faster - but yea, shockingly empty.

I once drove it southbound early morning boxing day (so yea, not a busy time) and saw a single northbound vehicle for the entire 1-hour, 110km drive south.

To be fair, there is tourist traffic in the summer for St Andrews. There must be some political pull on both sides of the border that St. Stephen/Calais have three border crossings.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

The Ontario network also connects the 402 to I-69 in Michigan, and will soon connect the 401 to I-75 with the Gordie Howe Bridge. The I-81 connection is not technically freeway-freeway as there is a short 2-lane rural highway stretch in Ontario immediately before the border. I-81 also has a small 2-lane bridge south of the border.

The Maritimes only have one direct freeway connection to the US at I-95. I actually drove across that crossing for the first time a few weeks ago.. it's the smallest freeway-freeway crossing I've seen. I-95 north of Bangor is almost hilariously empty. I still don't really understand why Maine routed I-95 up to Houlton instead of over to Calais to connect to Canada via Saint John. The route they built is a lot less direct and only really makes sense if you are going to Fredericton or Edmunston.. not exactly major population centres. I only took it as I've driven ME-9 between Calais and Bangor a few too many times.

NB-1 south of Saint John is also hilariously empty as a highway.

That's a good question. I've always wondered that as well. At the moment it has a good linkage with the TCH but back when it was built it was far from certain as to when the TCH in NB would be twinned. It was a very long way off.

Maybe economic development or political pressures?

Note that right now there are pressures from parts of Maine north of there (Caribou, Madawaska) to get I-95 extended northwards. Houlton is in the same county as these cities but there is more population to the north where I-95 does not go. Even so, we're talking about not much population. The entire county has 65,000 people.

If they were to do that (they're Americans - one never knows) then I suppose the branch of I-95 that goes due east from Houlton to the border would be re-numbered to I-(single number)95 or something.