Highways in Canada - Page 178

Acajack · #**3541** Posted **Jan 6, 2015, 2:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by craner

^ There for me now - post 3533.

I can see it too now.

sonysnob · #**3542** Posted **Jan 7, 2015, 11:50 PM**

Work is progressing to widen the 401 through Kitchener:

Quote:

9. Description of Project:
This assignment is for Construction Administration Services, including Quality Assurance Field Testing, for Contract 2014-3014. The work on the project includes replacement of the Speed River Bridges, rehabilitation and expansion of two (2) railway overpasses and two (2) bridge rehabilitations, retaining wall construiction, ATMS and expansion of Highway 401 to a ten (10) lane cross-section. The work also includes grading, drainage, hot mix paving, granular base and electrical.
Specialty Plans for Electrical, Environmental, Foundations and Structural (general, structural steel, coatings, precast and concrete girder manufacturing) will be included in this assignment.

10. Assignment approximate start and completion dates:
Pre-contract engineering phase: N/A
Construction administration phase: (tentative timing) April 2015 to March 2019

sa230e · #**3543** Posted **Jan 8, 2015, 12:18 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonysnob

Work is progressing to widen the 401 through Kitchener:

Any news on the Highway 8 interchange improvements?

sonysnob · #**3544** Posted **Jan 8, 2015, 12:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sa230e

Any news on the Highway 8 interchange improvements?

I haven't seen anything posted online about actually constructing the additional ramps for the Hwy 8 interchange, but I am not in the loop enough to know if there is something that is forthcoming coming down the pipe at that location.

Innsertnamehere · #**3545** Posted **Jan 8, 2015, 1:29 AM**

The lack of a southern highways document this year really restricts our ability to know what is coming, but the 2015 document will give us a lot of new projects as it will provide 2 years worth of spending plus the additional cash that came from the last budget.

I expect to see the 417 extended to Renfrew, the Highway 6 upgrade around Morrison, and HOVs on the 400 from Major Mackenzie to King Road. I've heard / read hints that those are going to be some of the next projects that MTO tackles.

Probably a lot more than that included as well.

rousseau · #**3546** Posted **Jan 8, 2015, 1:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonysnob

Work is progressing to widen the 401 through Kitchener:

Work is progressing to widen the 401 through Kitchener:

Quote:
9. Description of Project:
This assignment is for Construction Administration Services, including Quality Assurance Field Testing, for Contract 2014-3014. The work on the project includes replacement of the Speed River Bridges, rehabilitation and expansion of two (2) railway overpasses and two (2) bridge rehabilitations, retaining wall construiction, ATMS and expansion of Highway 401 to a ten (10) lane cross-section. The work also includes grading, drainage, hot mix paving, granular base and electrical.
Specialty Plans for Electrical, Environmental, Foundations and Structural (general, structural steel, coatings, precast and concrete girder manufacturing) will be included in this assignment.

10. Assignment approximate start and completion dates:
Pre-contract engineering phase: N/A
Construction administration phase: (tentative timing) April 2015 to March 2019

I look forward to four more years of enjoyable motoring to Toronto and back. The 401 never fails to disappoint!

haljackey · #**3547** Posted **Jan 8, 2015, 2:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sa230e

Any news on the Highway 8 interchange improvements?

The latest plan I saw was from several years ago:

http://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=808.50

...Not a peep since. It sucks entering Kitchener from the west, building this missing link would do wonders.

Innsertnamehere · #**3548** Posted **Jan 8, 2015, 3:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rousseau

I look forward to four more years of enjoyable motoring to Toronto and back. The 401 never fails to disappoint!

The 401 in that stretch isn't going to be "done" for at least a decade. The Collectors-Express system is going to start construction to bring it to the Credit river soon.. and MTO has funding to bring it all the way out to Milton. Then there is the construction for the new Highway 6 connection, and the eventual widening between Cambridge and Milton..

FrAnKs · #**3549** Posted **Jan 8, 2015, 3:18 AM**

A new section of the A85 South (Trans-Canada Highway ) filmed last summer :

• Video Link

sa230e · #**3550** Posted **Jan 8, 2015, 4:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by haljackey

The latest plan I saw was from several years ago:

http://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=808.50

...Not a peep since. It sucks entering Kitchener from the west, building this missing link would do wonders.

If they're going to widen the road to ten lanes they might as well do the interchange while they're at it, no? Otherwise K/W commuters have to endure construction backups twice.

MonctonRad · #**3551** Posted **Jan 8, 2015, 4:03 AM**

Can't wait for the entire A85 to be opened.....

The Maritimes are already connected to the continental freeway system via NB-95 and I-95, but it's high time that a trans Canadian connection from Windsor (NS) to Windsor (ON) was opened.

What do you think Franks, another 2-3 years???

Innsertnamehere · #**3552** Posted **Jan 8, 2015, 7:24 AM**

depends when Quebec decides to start construction on the part between St. Louis Du Ha! Ha! and the old stretch of the A-85 near the A-20. Right now the only parts under construction are from Saint Louis Du Ha! Ha! (god I can't take that name seriously) and the New Brunswick border.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sa230e

If they're going to widen the road to ten lanes they might as well do the interchange while they're at it, no? Otherwise K/W commuters have to endure construction backups twice.

I guess not, because MTO hasn't given the money to construct it despite the widening starting very soon. Honestly its probably longer range given the complexity of it.

sonysnob · #**3553** Posted **Jan 8, 2015, 12:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sa230e

If they're going to widen the road to ten lanes they might as well do the interchange while they're at it, no? Otherwise K/W commuters have to endure construction backups twice.

MTO has a tendency to break projects down into component parts before tendering them for construction. This is done for a couple of reasons:

1) It allows MTO to defer construction costs over a number of years instead of paying for everything at once

2) It allows smaller construction firms to bid on construction jobs. There are only a few firms that can built roads in one shot like the HG Parkway in Windsor or the 407E in Durham. There are probably a dozen or so firms that normally operate in Southern Ontario that could probably complete the work that is proposed for the 401, however.

I may have mentioned this before, but when the Hwy 8 interchange was last looked at 5 years ago or so there was a subdivision being proposed off of Limerick Road south of the 401 adjacent to the land required for the interchange. I don't know for certain, but I think that this subdivision proposal may have been a triggering factor for the MTO to study the Hwy 8 interchange, as I think the initial proposal for the subdivision encroached on some of the lands that will be required to build the flyover ramp from the eastbound 401 to Highway 8 westbound. So, with that in mind, I'm not sure that construction to complete the Hwy 8 interchange is imminent, the study was simply required to ensure that the land would be available when the project was funded.

Again, I don't know for certain, and this is all just conjecture, but looking at the proposed interchange improvements at the Hwy 8 interchange, I would assume that construction of the new ramps will be tied into infrastructure renewal work for the existing Grand River Bridge. While the Grand River Bridge has been extensively rehabilitated, it is still a 50 year old structure that should be reaching the end of its life-cycle probably within the next decade or two. In order to replace/rehabilitate the existing bridge, existing Hwy 401 traffic will need to be shifted onto the structural widening that is required for the ramp lanes on the westbound structure. Only once that work has taken place, to me, does it make sense that the new ramps to Hwy 8 be finally constructed.

sonysnob · #**3554** Posted **Jan 8, 2015, 12:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

A new section of the A85 South (Trans-Canada Highway ) filmed last summer :

• Video Link

Thanks for the video Franks.

Here are some photos of the highway taken last fall from another forum that I follow:
http://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=8268.msg2016864#msg2016864

eternallyme · #**3555** Posted **Jan 8, 2015, 4:09 PM**

I hope (4)17 to Renfrew is next...that is one dangerous and congested stretch of highway...

1overcosc · #**3556** Posted **Jan 8, 2015, 4:21 PM**

If I were the MTO though I'd try to hold out for federal funding help for Arnprior-Renfrew, it is part of the TCH after all.

Acajack · #**3557** Posted **Jan 8, 2015, 4:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Can't wait for the entire A85 to be opened.....

The Maritimes are already connected to the continental freeway system via NB-95 and I-95, but it's high time that a trans Canadian connection from Windsor (NS) to Windsor (ON) was opened.

What do you think Franks, another 2-3 years???

I've heard 2018 for the full completion of A-85.

By what I can see, once the sections currently underway are done, there will be about 28 km left to do.

FrAnKs · #**3558** Posted **Jan 9, 2015, 12:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Can't wait for the entire A85 to be opened.....

The Maritimes are already connected to the continental freeway system via NB-95 and I-95, but it's high time that a trans Canadian connection from Windsor (NS) to Windsor (ON) was opened.

What do you think Franks, another 2-3 years???

You will have to wait for a while yet my friend !

I don't see the missing link between Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac and the end of the A85 near Rivière-Du-Loup being completed before 2020-2022 at least.
Construction hasn't started and may take 1-2 years to make the usual preparations & drafts/plans. It's a 40km missing. My estimations are a good 4-5 years for this entire section to get totally done.

The Missing section in Blue :

I can't wait for this to be completed aswell ! I think it's pretty normal in 2015 to have a full expressway between The Maritimes & Central Canada !

Good news, both PQ & Liberals said when they were on power that this link is a priority, Now it's only a matter of time.

FrAnKs · #**3559** Posted **Jan 9, 2015, 2:59 AM**

This is the end of the A85 near Rivière-Du-Loup

• Video Link

manny_santos · #**3560** Posted **Jan 10, 2015, 4:52 AM**

Haven't seen this posted officially anywhere, but a couple of Wikipedia articles now claim the West Durham Link will be called Highway 412.