Highways in Canada - Page 113

1overcosc · #**2241** Posted **Feb 9, 2014, 5:20 AM**

Awesome plan to remove Gardiner east. I really hope it sees light of day. I do think that it should be postponed until after DRL and GO improvements are finished... right now transit into the core is way too overloaded to handle any shift from autos to transit that would likely be induced by removing roadways.

eternallyme · #**2242** Posted **Feb 11, 2014, 7:49 PM**

I think the best plan is a 4-lane, below-grade (but open air) freeway easy for pedestrians and cross streets to cross over flanked by a 6 to 8 lane boulevard. The freeway section would have few off-ramps, carefully constructed to both reduce costs and disruption. Maintaining a 4-lane freeway would benefit through traffic mainly and reduce the gridlock potential.

1overcosc · #**2243** Posted **Feb 11, 2014, 8:09 PM**

Another possibility could be to go with one of the options that keeps the Gardiner, but make it HOV-only--maybe HOV-3 only. That would keep it flowing while encouraging carpooling,

middeljohn · #**2244** Posted **Feb 15, 2014, 3:30 PM**

Gents (and ladies....seriously are there any on thid forum??)

I will be in Edmonton next week for the first time and I look forward to seeing the city. I didn't know where to post this, so I'm posting it here, mainly cause I just spent an hour going through Edmonton highway videos lol.

haljackey · #**2245** Posted **Feb 15, 2014, 5:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by middeljohn

Gents (and ladies....seriously are there any on thid forum??)

I will be in Edmonton next week for the first time and I look forward to seeing the city. I didn't know where to post this, so I'm posting it here, mainly cause I just spent an hour going through Edmonton highway videos lol.

Try this one:

• Video Link

I was in Edmonton last summer. Good highway system. They will have Canada's first full ring-road soon.

feepa · #**2246** Posted **Feb 15, 2014, 5:19 PM**

Watch out - the winnipeggers of this forum will now attack you for that statement making claims of the perimeter highway which has lights and uncontrolled intersections...

Hard to believe that the Henday is only 8 years old from when the first section opened.

middeljohn · #**2247** Posted **Feb 15, 2014, 5:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by haljackey

Try this one:

• Video Link

I was in Edmonton last summer. Good highway system. They will have Canada's first full ring-road soon.

Haha yeah I saw that one already. That's you right? (I know that youtube user is someone from London)

haljackey · #**2248** Posted **Feb 15, 2014, 6:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by middeljohn

Haha yeah I saw that one already. That's you right? (I know that youtube user is someone from London)

Nope, that's by Kokkei Mizu.

These are my Timelapse Driving videos if you are interested: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3Yl0lRNSH1hES4_9Dp7gP9YwFkFqclxU

My personal favorites:

• Video Link

middeljohn · #**2249** Posted **Feb 15, 2014, 6:59 PM**

Hehe, I've driven all of those many a times. Part of the joy in doing sales is I know all the highways in Southern Ontario

My favourite highway in terms of build quality is the QEW going through Halton. But the two best parts of the 403 drive are these:

leftimage · #**2250** Posted **Feb 15, 2014, 11:13 PM**

Crossing Montreal, shot on my way home. Highways are the 40 east, 15 south & 720 east.

• Video Link

libtard · #**2251** Posted **Feb 15, 2014, 11:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by middeljohn

Hehe, I've driven all of those many a times. Part of the joy in doing sales is I know all the highways in Southern Ontario

My favourite highway in terms of build quality is the QEW going through Halton. But the two best parts of the 403 drive are these:

I'm not sure why BC refuses to use guard rails like this

Even in areas with a steep ledge next to the road where guard rails have proven to be the safest measure, BC still chooses to line up a string of cement jersey barriers (that look like they could topple over easily). Just boggles the mind

eemy · #**2252** Posted **Feb 15, 2014, 11:59 PM**

I far prefer the tall walls. I wish they would upgrade 400/11 with them.

middeljohn · #**2253** Posted **Feb 16, 2014, 12:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by libtard

I'm not sure why BC refuses to use guard rails like this

Even in areas with a steep ledge next to the road where guard rails have proven to be the safest measure, BC still chooses to line up a string of cement jersey barriers (that look like they could topple over easily). Just boggles the mind

The tall wall is safer. Instead of ramming your bumper into the car and for sure causing an accident, your tire hits the tall wall first (due to it being on an incline) and it helps steer the car back into the lane with less severe damage to the car and potentially help avood a fatal accident.

Klazu · #**2254** Posted **Feb 16, 2014, 1:02 AM**

Trans-Canada Highway 1 between Langley and Abbotsford. This section would benefit greatly from widening to 3+3 lanes.

Mount Baker visible before Abbotsford.

Farm land between Abbotsford and Chilliwack.

Between Chilliwack and Hope.

libtard · #**2255** Posted **Feb 16, 2014, 2:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by middeljohn

The tall wall is safer. Instead of ramming your bumper into the car and for sure causing an accident, your tire hits the tall wall first (due to it being on an incline) and it helps steer the car back into the lane with less severe damage to the car and potentially help avood a fatal accident.

They're not tall walls though lol

And they're nowhere near as aesthetically pleasing as te tall walls in Ontario

Innsertnamehere · #**2256** Posted **Feb 16, 2014, 3:03 AM**

even temporary tall walls (the ones you seem to be describing) are often better than guard rails, as they usually have steel wires running through them so they don't separate. Continuous pour tall walls are obviously preferred, but the sectioned ones are still more effective than a guard rail.

The worst kind of barrier is this one, employed on the 400 and highway 11 in Ontario. Every time I drive on the two roads I honestly feel unsafe, it feels like there is almost no seperation between the two directions of traffic. MTO has been mulling over rebuilding and widening the 400, and I can't wait until they do to get rid of this, as well as the only at grade intersection on a 400 series highway. (11 is also planned to be rebuilt and to be upgraded to full freeway standards for its entire length)

ssiguy · #**2257** Posted **Feb 16, 2014, 3:52 AM**

I'd rather have those than those horrid white walls. They cut off the scenery and I always feel like I'm going thru a 200km tunnel.

Innsertnamehere · #**2258** Posted **Feb 16, 2014, 3:57 AM**

further south on the 400 there is the tall wall, and it looks like this:

hardly a "tunnel"

middeljohn · #**2259** Posted **Feb 16, 2014, 6:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by libtard

They're not tall walls though lol

And they're nowhere near as aesthetically pleasing as te tall walls in Ontario

It's a highway, it's not supposed to be aesthetically pleasing. The US has an annual road accident death rate of 10/100k, Canada is 6/100k. One huge difference is our barriers are a lot better (in addition to our longer on ramps, wider lanes). Point being even a regular jersey barrier is safer than a guard rail. A tall wall is just a modified jersey barrier (Ontario innovation, along with the parclo interchange)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

even temporary tall walls (the ones you seem to be describing) are often better than guard rails, as they usually have steel wires running through them so they don't separate. Continuous pour tall walls are obviously preferred, but the sectioned ones are still more effective than a guard rail.

The worst kind of barrier is this one, employed on the 400 and highway 11 in Ontario. Every time I drive on the two roads I honestly feel unsafe, it feels like there is almost no seperation between the two directions of traffic. MTO has been mulling over rebuilding and widening the 400, and I can't wait until they do to get rid of this, as well as the only at grade intersection on a 400 series highway. (11 is also planned to be rebuilt and to be upgraded to full freeway standards for its entire length)

That looks so... primitive.

sonysnob · #**2260** Posted **Feb 16, 2014, 3:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

I really like box beam barrier. When I am cruising in the left lane of the 400, it gives a huge sensation of speed to be able to see traffic speeding in the other direction of the highway. I understand though how it could freak other drivers out. I travel to the US Southwest fairly frequently in order to challenge some mountain roads out there, which tend not to have much in the way of safety features, so it takes a lot to freak me out behind the wheel.

There is a contract ongoing that will see the box-beam barrier replaced along the 400 with concrete tallwall between the Holland Marsh and Innisfil Beach Road south of Barrie. I for one will certainly miss it.

http://www.raqs.merx.com/public/bulletin/contractView.jsf?id=18865801