The Official Moncton, NB Project Thread

[NBNYer]

Something I've been wondering: Why is there no lighting on Wheeler, or Veterans for that matter? The Saint John Throughway is lit. Has this ever been proposed, or planned for? Seems like traffic volume would justify it, or doesn't it?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by NBNYer

Something I've been wondering: Why is there no lighting on Wheeler, or Veterans for that matter? The Saint John Throughway is lit. Has this ever been proposed, or planned for? Seems like traffic volume would justify it, or doesn't it?

I don't really know the answer to your question although there is probably some Department of Transportation rule governing the matter.

If I was to guess, I would assume that Wheeler and Veterans are not considered "urban throughways" in the same way that Highway One through Saint John is. The Saint John Throughway is only really lit in the built up areas going through downtown and in the west side. Wheeler on the other hand is more of a ring road.

The distinction is rather moot as far as I'm concerned. As Moncton has grown, traffic volumes on Wheeler have increased and the city has overtaken the highway. I think improved lighting would be an important safety issue, especially on dark rainy nights. The entire length of Wheeler and the section of Veterans Highway out as far as the TCH should be lit.

[bam63]

Originally Posted by NBNYer

Something I've been wondering: Why is there no lighting on Wheeler, or Veterans for that matter? The Saint John Throughway is lit. Has this ever been proposed, or planned for? Seems like traffic volume would justify it, or doesn't it?

Most of Wheeler's lighting you see from the West Main entrance to the St.George off ramp was only just installed last year.
I'm sure when the swath of land between mapleton and the university gets developed so will the need for wheeler to be lit from mountain rd. east.
About 10-15yrs from now.

[mylesmalley]

Pretty expensive proposition!

I'm quite curious what the traffic volumes on Wheeler actually are. Actually all the provincial highways for that matter. My understanding from talking to Smevo is that our DOT doesn't release the same amount of info that Nova Scotia does. That'd be really neat to see.

I'm fairly confident the SJ Throughway claim of being the busiest in the province is true. But I've also heard that the Route 2/Route 15 cloverleaf is the busiest intersection. And that while traffic seems worst on Mountain, that in actuality Main/Champlain at the highway to the traffic circle is actually worse.

[NBNYer]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad
If I was to guess, I would assume that Wheeler and Veterans are not considered "urban throughways" in the same way that Highway One through Saint John is. The Saint John Throughway is only really lit in the built up areas going through downtown and in the west side. Wheeler on the other hand is more of a ring road.

I thought about that. However there are many examples of "non-urban" freeways with lighting, like autoroute 20 on the southshore of Quebec City and many in the Montreal suburbs which are lit and run through farmland. Of course traffic does not compare. I guess traffic as well as number and proximity of interchanges are important factors. D.O.T. "rules" may be different in Quebec as well, actually, they almost certainly are.

Originally Posted by MonctonRad
I think improved lighting would be an important safety issue, especially on dark rainy nights. The entire length of Wheeler and the section of Veterans Highway out as far as the TCH should be lit.

Agreed Visibility gets mighty poor on a rainy night in that dark section between mapleton and and the university.

Originally Posted by mylesmalley
I'm fairly confident the SJ Throughway claim of being the busiest in the province is true

That seems right. I'd be interesting to see some numbers on this, haven't seen any.

Originally Posted by mylesmalley
Pretty expensive proposition!

I don't know what the cost would be, but definitely less than what was invested to build the highway in the first place.

[Freddypop]

Originally Posted by mylesmalley

Pretty expensive proposition!

I'm quite curious what the traffic volumes on Wheeler actually are. Actually all the provincial highways for that matter. My understanding from talking to Smevo is that our DOT doesn't release the same amount of info that Nova Scotia does. That'd be really neat to see.

I'm fairly confident the SJ Throughway claim of being the busiest in the province is true. But I've also heard that the Route 2/Route 15 cloverleaf is the busiest intersection. And that while traffic seems worst on Mountain, that in actuality Main/Champlain at the highway to the traffic circle is actually worse.

I had seen some stats a few years ago that had the intersection of Prospect and Regent as the busiest in the province. That was before the realignment of the Vanier highway collector delivering vehicles onto that intersection from the TCH west bound. Not sure how that measures up now versus 2/15

[JasonL-Moncton]

Lights on Wheeler would be nice...but I'd also like to speak to the moronic engineer who thinks it's a good idea to turn the highway heading to Shediac into a one lane on the weekend.

Yesterday, I had just crossed Highway 2 heading for Shediac and had to aggressively come to almost a complete stop near the train overpass...I was then in a line-up until I passed the new Scoudouc exchange at about 30km/hr stop-start. No wonder there was an accident there a few weeks ago...there were almost several more yesterday!

Insane!

JL

PS> And to the idiots that thinks its a great idea to zip up the left lane and clog the traffic at the bottleneck where it merges into one lane...stop that!

[BlackYear]

Originally Posted by JasonL-Moncton

Lights on Wheeler would be nice...but I'd also like to speak to the moronic engineer who thinks it's a good idea to turn the highway heading to Shediac into a one lane on the weekend.

Yesterday, I had just crossed Highway 2 heading for Shediac and had to aggressively come to almost a complete stop near the train overpass...I was then in a line-up until I passed the new Scoudouc exchange at about 30km/hr stop-start. No wonder there was an accident there a few weeks ago...there were almost several more yesterday!

Insane!

JL

PS> And to the idiots that thinks its a great idea to zip up the left lane and clog the traffic at the bottleneck where it merges into one lane...stop that!

Yep, I hear ya. I was also caught in this mess yesterday. Only to find out there was no construction going on. They blocked off the left lane for no reason.

I guess moving the pylons off the road during the weekend is too much work.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by JasonL-Moncton

Yesterday, I had just crossed Highway 2 heading for Shediac and had to aggressively come to almost a complete stop near the train overpass...I was then in a line-up until I passed the new Scoudouc exchange at about 30km/hr stop-start. No wonder there was an accident there a few weeks ago...there were almost several more yesterday!!

I was on call at the Moncton Hospital two weekends ago when the first accident occurred. That's exactly where the accident occurred, which is about 10 km before where the new overpass is being built. An 18 wheeler couldn't stop in time and accordioned several cars before it could stop. There were about 9 casualties (3 serious) and it took us about 4 hours to clean up the mess in the ER and Medical Imaging.

I agree, there has to be a better way!! If there is no work being done, take down the pylons! Also, why do the lane reductions extend over a length of 3-4 km. This is at least twice what is necessary! Ludicrous.......

[Sony500]

Well, when this idiot goes up the "passing lane" and passes where it is legal to do so, is going to Shediac, I am going to Shediac to do a delivery and time is money for me. If traffic would go up the left lane and merge with the traffic, then everyone would get through sooner, then when everyone gets to the other side where the contruction has ended, and not take 5 minutes to get back up to speed, then the traffic wouldn't take so long to get through. Sometimes the obvious reasons for something isn't the right reason.
Just like the number one reason for traffic tie ups isn't the traffic itself, but its the traffic lights.

[kirjtc2]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I agree, there has to be a better way!! If there is no work being done, take down the pylons! Also, why do the lane reductions extend over a length of 3-4 km. This is at least twice what is necessary! Ludicrous.......

(puts tinfoil hat on)

You know how speeding fines are now doubled in construction zones in NB? If they extend the construction zone like that, it means more money for the government coffers!

On I-95 in Maine this summer there were parts where there's no work going on for 10-15 miles, but the pylons are still in the road and fines are still doubled.

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by Sony500

Well, when this idiot goes up the "passing lane" and passes where it is legal to do so, is going to Shediac, I am going to Shediac to do a delivery and time is money for me.

Time is money for everyone.

If traffic would go up the left lane and merge with the traffic, then everyone would get through sooner, then when everyone gets to the other side where the contruction has ended, and not take 5 minutes to get back up to speed, then the traffic wouldn't take so long to get through. Sometimes the obvious reasons for something isn't the right reason.
Just like the number one reason for traffic tie ups isn't the traffic itself, but its the traffic lights.

I agree that the lane is too long, but I disagree that two lanes merging at the last minute is somehow "faster". What actually happens is the right lane has to slow down quickly to let the mergers in and then this ripples back and gets worse... to the point that pileups happen. If people merged sooner, the traffic flows at a constant rate instead of fast/slow/start/stop. If the sign says merge right, no passing, then merge right, no more passing.

[David_99]

Originally Posted by kirjtc2

(puts tinfoil hat on)

Says the guy with a flying Delorean as an avatar.

[mylesmalley]

For shame, Sir! That flying vehicle is none other than a Bricklin SV1!

As for road work... it would be nice if slower vehicles stayed back to let quicker ones through the construction zone first, but we live in a less than ideal world. It would also be nice if everyone was polite and merged efficiently, but alas, everyone thinks their reason for getting through first is most pressing. If the Three Stooges have taught us anything, it's that everyone trying to push through a narrow doorway means everyone gets stuck behind it.

A system is only as fast as it's slowest constraint, which in this case is the Scoudouc bottleneck. Give it time, be patient, and look forward to when the highway is back to its former deeply-rutted glory!

[Sony500]

Originally Posted by Vorkuta

Time is money for everyone.

I agree that the lane is too long, but I disagree that two lanes merging at the last minute is somehow "faster". What actually happens is the right lane has to slow down quickly to let the mergers in and then this ripples back and gets worse... to the point that pileups happen. If people merged sooner, the traffic flows at a constant rate instead of fast/slow/start/stop. If the sign says merge right, no passing, then merge right, no more passing.

What determines how fast the traffic gets through the construction zone is how fast the cars are going through where there is only one lane.

Time is not money for everyone. If I am not working and I go somewhere, then it doesn't matter how fast I go, I am not going to make money because I am not working at the time. But, when I have a delivery in my car, and I am going to Shediac to deliver it, I am going to go there and back as fast as I can without breaking any laws so I can make as much per hour as possible, and get back to Moncton so I can make more money.When the sign says no passing, I make my way into the right lane. I do not break any laws doing this.

[MonctonRad]

You know, on especially busy highways (with paved shoulders), I have noticed that they occasionally will deviate both travel lanes to the right in order to maintain traffic volume through the construction zone. Of course, the lanes will have been narrowed a bit and therefore speeds through the construction zone still have to be reduced but this might have still been an option at the Scoudouc interchange construction site.

[Dmajackson]

I haven't seen any construction photos lately ... how are things in Moncton doing lately?

[mylesmalley]

There's nothing terribly significant to report at the moment. With the exception of the new courthouse, the bulk of construction in the city has been industrial and residential development, roadwork and infrastructure improvement.

- new apartment building (56 units) on Lewisville Rd
- new apartment building on Weldon (?) 24 units or so
- new apartment building on Gordon (?) 16 units or so
- new school on Ryan Rd
- new courthouse
- lots of infill apartment buildings downtown
- demolition of some older buildings to make way for new retail developments.
- plenty fo new industrial developments
- a new strip mall at the corner of Harrisville and Shediac
- the completion (and now temporary expansion) of the new stadium at UdeM
- at least one new academic building at UdeM

Plus a lot of infrastructure:
- 130 acre expansion to the Moncton Industrial Development
- Complete realignment of Horseman Rd and upgrading of Ryan Rd
- Widening of Millennium Blvd
- widening of Mapleton Road
- Expansion of Dieppe Industrial Park

and the list goes on...

Nothing marquee, but it's been an excellent year for construction in the city.

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by Sony500

What determines how fast the traffic gets through the construction zone is how fast the cars are going through where there is only one lane.

If you're capable of merging without backing up the right lane any, then hats off to you. My problem isn't with people who do it when it's not busy, but when everyone in the right lane has to hit the brakes to let them in.

Time is not money for everyone. If I am not working and I go somewhere, then it doesn't matter how fast I go, I am not going to make money because I am not working at the time. But, when I have a delivery in my car, and I am going to Shediac to deliver it, I am going to go there and back as fast as I can without breaking any laws so I can make as much per hour as possible, and get back to Moncton so I can make more money.

I guess we'll have to disagree here but IMO, unless you are delivering viable organs for transplant, I don't see how your time is any more valuable than mine.

When the sign says no passing, I make my way into the right lane. I do not break any laws doing this.

...and it says "no passing" soon after that blinking sign on R15. (Edit: Just drove it. OK, not right away, but the sign does say merge right. )

Sorry, it's a pet peeve of mine. Like littering.

[benvui]

Speed fines may be double in the construction zone, but I have yet to see an RCMP pull anyone over near the construction zone. They do need to put signs further out. Right now the first sign is almost 5 km before the "construction" zone begins, however on weekends, the traffic can be backed up further than that. This weekend should be bad coming into Moncton with everyone returning home from vacation. If you aren't in a real hurry then I suggest you cut over to the Shediac road, the speed limit is lower, but there is no traffic. One thing I have noticed since the accident a couple of weeks ago is that people are being a little more patient and not blocking each other like before and traffic does seem to move a little better (at least during the times I travel in the morning and at night).
In other news, the work on Paul st. is starting to progress, they have the road bed completed on one side and they are working towards Canadian tire on the other side this morning. Shouldn't be long before they are putting in the curbs and sidewalks and start paving. Can't wait for them to be done as I work on Paul st and the construction zone makes it hard to keep the car clean!