Highway 417 Widening

[hwy418]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

I'm 99.9% sure this apology was RTG's initiative, not the City's or MTO's. RTG is a little obsessed with PR.

Why - what does RTG have to gain by apologizing? They are doing it because it's in the Project Agreement and the City is making them do it.

Trust me when things get dicey on Highway 417 or any part remotely related to the LRT there are two rooms staffed full of people that get nervous and start pulling triggers. When things don't go as planned (e.g 417 traffic, Scott Street Detour, sink hole, etc.) the City is very quick at hiding behind the P.A. and passing the buck to RTG. When things go right - photo op time and take the credit!

I have no problem if traffic get messed-up every once in a while if things get done. Save the apology.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

I'm 99.9% sure this apology was RTG's initiative, not the City's or MTO's. RTG is a little obsessed with PR.

I was under the impression that it was written into the contract that RTG was not to speak to the press or do communications, and that all of that was handled by the City of Ottawa.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by Catenary

I was under the impression that it was written into the contract that RTG was not to speak to the press or do communications, and that all of that was handled by the City of Ottawa.

In that case, they've already violated that clause a billion times (not literally). Lots of RTG press releases come out. The weekly reports are written by RTG, for example. Perhaps the city approves them?

[hwy418]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

"... they've already violated that clause a billion times"

You know this city has never seen a project of this magnitude and it shows - why is the Mayor winning on TV about a single lane closure opening late? It's not as if the highway was closed in the fall when traffic is at its peak. Sure, it's a violation in P.A. so go ahead, evoke the lane closure penalty clause, move on. Highway 417 Expansion East, a $220M project that would normally take 3-4 years, will be completed by next summer after just over 2 years of construction.

It is unheard of on projects like this for it to be carried out without a hitch. I'm going to bat for RTG here because too often they get beat down by the Mayor or the Rail Office while the City's own projects are often late, underfunded, and/or severely over budget.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

In that case, they've already violated that clause a billion times (not literally). Lots of RTG press releases come out. The weekly reports are written by RTG, for example. Perhaps the city approves them?

I thought the weekly reports came from the Rail Implementation Office, along with the rest of the website. Obviously the content and pictures comes from RTG, but my impression was the city did the public facing stuff.

I'm trying to find the quote that mentions this, but I'm struggling right now.

[daud]

Originally Posted by hwy418

...move on. Highway 417 Expansion East, a $220M project that would normally take 3-4 years, will be completed by next summer after just over 2 years of construction.

It is unheard of on projects like this for it to be carried out without a hitch. I'm going to bat for RTG here because too often they get beat down by the Mayor or the Rail Office while the City's own projects are often late, underfunded, and/or severely over budget.

I agree. Huge project and I've never seen construction move quite this fast in Ottawa.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by hwy418

You know this city has never seen a project of this magnitude and it shows - why is the Mayor winning on TV about a single lane closure opening late? It's not as if the highway was closed in the fall when traffic is at its peak. Sure, it's a violation in P.A. so go ahead, evoke the lane closure penalty clause, move on. Highway 417 Expansion East, a $220M project that would normally take 3-4 years, will be completed by next summer after just over 2 years of construction.

It is unheard of on projects like this for it to be carried out without a hitch. I'm going to bat for RTG here because too often they get beat down by the Mayor or the Rail Office while the City's own projects are often late, underfunded, and/or severely over budget.

We're in perfect agreement. RTG has done very well and I think everyone agrees--except Peter Hume of course but nutjobs don't count lol.

Originally Posted by daud

I've never seen construction move quite this fast in Ottawa.

It amazes me how fast the highway work is being done. Just look at how slow the pace of work is on the Kanata widenings or the Hunt Club overpass. Hunt Club, a single interchange, takes more time than the entire Nicholas-174 widening, a project that involves replacing several interchanges

[rocketphish]

Parkdale ramp work could start this fall

Carys Mills, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: July 18, 2014, Last Updated: July 18, 2014 6:37 PM EDT

Work to improve the westbound Hwy. 417 off-ramp at Parkdale Avenue could begin this fall.

Fences have recently gone up around property that was expropriated more than a decade ago for the project. The fences are to stop illegal parking or dumping, a Ministry of Transportation spokeswoman said Friday.

She said the ministry is finalizing the design for the “ramp improvement project,” which will be tendered in the fall. Construction could start later in the fall, if weather permits, and work should mostly be finished by spring or summer next year.

The work, part of the ministry’s Queensway expansion project from Hwy. 416 easterly to Anderson Road., includes the westbound off-ramp at Parkdale Avenue being realigned and the eastbound off-ramp being widened for left-turn and right-turn lanes.

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/parkdale-ramp-work-could-start-this-fall

[BenTheGreat97]

Drove on the the 417 eastbound in the West End today.

From highway 7-Palladium, traffic is shifted to the leftmost and center lanes, with the right hand lane blocked off, I don't know what they're doing there. From Palladium-Eagleson, you're again on the new innermost 2 lanes, but you get shifted over sooner now.

Lots of cones and the tall-mast lighting is still going up. I don't recall seeing crews working on the Carp River bridges, but the concrete has not been poured yet.

[1overcosc]

^ Still going on the Carp River bridge? Wow.

Last time I was driving out that way, about a month ago, the new lanes look very finished in most places. I guess its just the finishing touches at this point, and that Carp bridge.

Out east, the latest release from RTG is that traffic shift on the westbound lanes will start in early August. Shifting of eastbound lanes is still ongoing, but it looks like the Hurdman bridge shift will happen any day now, probably this weekend.

[rocketphish]

The 417 eastbound lanes have been shifted to the newly completed section on the outside of the Hurdman bridge:

[rocketphish]

For the last couple of days a cluster of 16 green pixels has been lit up on the new Loretta Ave. MTO sign:





July 24, 2014. Photo by me.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

The 417 eastbound lanes have been shifted to the newly completed section on the outside of the Hurdman bridge:

Was just about to post that!

Our earlier suspicions are confirmed, Hurdman Bridge was indeed built to a 12 lane cross section. All 3 lanes are perfectly on the new section of the bridge, albeit without any shoulder at all on either side. The lack of a shoulder throughout the entire construction zone is actually a bit terrifying--I actually refuse to drive on the right lane now as having the tall wall mere inches from my passenger window is not exactly comforting.

Fun fact: at this point in time, Hurdman Bridge is now the widest stretch of asphalt roadway in the entire city of Ottawa.

[Mr.Flintstone]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

For the last couple of days a cluster of 16 green pixels has been lit up on the new Loretta Ave. MTO sign:





July 24, 2014. Photo by me.

Should I ask how you took these pictures?

[rocketphish]

Originally Posted by Mr.Flintstone

Should I ask how you took these pictures?

No, I was not standing out in traffic. It's a single well-timed shot through the windshield of a moving car. The second picture is just a zoomed-in section of the first.

[J.OT13]

Is this it? We're going to have electronic signs from now on?

[Philott]

Does anyone know if there will be more of these overhead electronic signs?
Strange that there are no EB signs. Will some be installed in Kanata and more heading downtown?

Also does anyone know when the existing ones will actually be operational?

Another thing that I find strange are those roadside signs (on posts) at both ends of the 174 and two just east of Jeanne D'Arc, that are never on.

[MaxHeadroom]

The regular updates from RTG state "electrical works for the overhead signs are ongoing" for a while now, so it could be next week - or next year. There are also new MTO cameras at Walkley and Innes that aren't on a public website yet.

No idea about any overhead signs coming in from the west. Or why a sign was installed near Parkdale since it's going away from the project site...

[MountainView]

Signage:
Final construction works continue on the overhead variable message signs to provide motorists with updated traffic messaging at Parkdale Ave. and Walkley Rd. on Highway 417 , and at Blair Rd. on Highway 174. Signs have been installed and are anticipated to be operational by end of summer 2014.

from: http://www.sarsfield.org/eng/Construction%20Update%20-%20Hwy%20417.pdf updated on July 4th, 2014

[hwy418]

Originally Posted by Philott

Does anyone know if there will be more of these overhead electronic signs?
Strange that there are no EB signs. Will some be installed in Kanata and more heading downtown?

Also does anyone know when the existing ones will actually be operational?

Another thing that I find strange are those roadside signs (on posts) at both ends of the 174 and two just east of Jeanne D'Arc, that are never on.

In addition to the three signs already in place there will be one wb near Belfast and one eb near the Vanier Parkway. One cms is planned for 417 eb west of Moodie Drive.

As for the pole mounted cms on OR174. Seems the city are opting to activate them only when necessary (i.e. During construction or incident). Personally I find these to be installed on unusually high poles compared to the ones you see on the 401.