Highways in Canada

[Innsertnamehere]

The 417 extension is slowly moving through the motions, There is certainly a lot of chatter about getting the next stretch going to Renfrew done soon. Same with the Morriston bypass for highway 6, those seem to be the next big projects that MTO is going to do other than the 401 widening out to Milton.

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Widening to 6 lanes there, like they just did in Kingston? Or perhaps interchange reconfigurations.

Slow but steady progress to a 6-lane 401 from Toronto to Kingston what with the 6-laning through Cobourg starting soon and the 6-laning of the Cataraqui River overpass wrapping up.

I think both are required there. The cloverleaf at Highway 62 is great for nostalgia sake, but functions very poorly. Even still, there are several closely spaced interchanges in Belleville (including two less than 500 m apart due to the Moira River, and since both are major arterial roads, they cannot be rectified through relocation).

One option is to have C/D roads through the 62 and 37 interchanges. However, that would require a 10-lane cross-section (to maintain 3 through lanes on each side, and 2 lanes for local movements).

Another option is to move the 62 and 37 ramps to maximize distance (convert the 62 interchange to a Parclo-AB with all ramps on the west side) and have an 8-lane cross-section over the Moira River between the interchanges to minimize weaving.

I think once those are done, the next priorities for 6 lanes would be from Cobourg to Grafton, through Trenton and Odessa to Kingston.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

I think both are required there. The cloverleaf at Highway 62 is great for nostalgia sake, but functions very poorly. Even still, there are several closely spaced interchanges in Belleville (including two less than 500 m apart due to the Moira River, and since both are major arterial roads, they cannot be rectified through relocation).

One option is to have C/D roads through the 62 and 37 interchanges. However, that would require a 10-lane cross-section (to maintain 3 through lanes on each side, and 2 lanes for local movements).

Another option is to move the 62 and 37 ramps to maximize distance (convert the 62 interchange to a Parclo-AB with all ramps on the west side) and have an 8-lane cross-section over the Moira River between the interchanges to minimize weaving.

I think once those are done, the next priorities for 6 lanes would be from Cobourg to Grafton, through Trenton and Odessa to Kingston.

I wouldn't be opposed to Highway 37 being relocated further east, running along the city's east side and meeting Highway 2. Cannifton Road itself would remain but the interchange closed; that road is easily accessible from Highway 62 via Bell Blvd or any number of roads north of the 401.

[waterloowarrior]

Belleville just updated their Transporation Master Plan. There has been a plan on the books for a while for a new interchange east of 37 that connects north to 37. There is also a by-pass planned on the east side of the city.
http://www.belleville.ca/residents/page/transportation-master-plan

[Franco401]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

The 417 extension is slowly moving through the motions, There is certainly a lot of chatter about getting the next stretch going to Renfrew done soon. Same with the Morriston bypass for highway 6, those seem to be the next big projects that MTO is going to do other than the 401 widening out to Milton.

That looks like a big project. Assuming it's all just twinning and interchanges, you're looking at $70mil+.

[Innsertnamehere]

Which one? In terms of cost this is probably roughly what the three projects are at:

417 extension to Renfrew: $150 million for 18km of 4 lane highway

Highway 6 bypass: $300 Million for 4km of new highway, two new freeway to freeway interchanges, and roughly 4km of reconstructing the 401

401 widening: Probably around $700 million for 20km of 12 lane highway and 1km of 10 lane highway.

The 400 extension to sudbury is still by far the largest project in the province in terms of cost, they are going to have spent almost $2 billion by the time its done to extend the highway by roughly 250km.

[Franco401]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Which one? In terms of cost this is probably roughly what the three projects are at:

417 extension to Renfrew: $150 million for 18km of 4 lane highway

Highway 6 bypass: $300 Million for 4km of new highway, two new freeway to freeway interchanges, and roughly 4km of reconstructing the 401

401 widening: Probably around $700 million for 20km of 12 lane highway and 1km of 10 lane highway.

The 400 extension to sudbury is still by far the largest project in the province in terms of cost, they are going to have spent almost $2 billion by the time its done to extend the highway by roughly 250km.

I was referring to 417 to Renfrew, as indicated by the quote in my post. sorry for any confusion.

[TownGuy]

Driving down the 401 yesterday I was annoyed as fuck by slow people sitting in the middle lane again. I remembered the debate we had here a little while back about whether or not it's ok to do such. Lo and behold they do have signs telling people to keep right on highway over 4 lanes. i.e. No you can't just sit your ass in the middle lane and go whatever speed you would like. You're going slow = keep right.

Remembered the spot of the sign.

[haljackey]

If you're going faster than the posted speed limit I don't really have beef with people in the middle lane of 6+ lane highways.

Still, the middle lane is considered a passing lane and you should stay to the right when not passing someone.

Drivers here are not taught this. Driver education elsewhere is more strict elsewhere, with a good example being Germany. There, on 6+ lane autobahns, nearly everyone stays to the right unless they want to pass or let in merging vehicles from onramps. They will use the middle lane to pass, and those who want to pass people that are passing use the left lane.
-Then again the speed limits are much higher there than here, with some of them without a maximum limit.

Originally Posted by TownGuy

Remembered the spot of the sign.

Where is this? Google Maps link?

[TownGuy]

http://goo.gl/maps/2B10K

[isaidso]

Ontario is the only place on the planet I've driven where people will pass on the right, the left, where ever they want. It's also the only place where you often need to change lanes to stay on the same highway. That's just bad design any way you cut it.

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by haljackey

If you're going faster than the posted speed limit I don't really have beef with people in the middle lane of 6+ lane highways.

Still, the middle lane is considered a passing lane and you should stay to the right when not passing someone.

Drivers here are not taught this. Driver education elsewhere is more strict elsewhere, with a good example being Germany. There, on 6+ lane autobahns, nearly everyone stays to the right unless they want to pass or let in merging vehicles from onramps. They will use the middle lane to pass, and those who want to pass people that are passing use the left lane.
-Then again the speed limits are much higher there than here, with some of them without a maximum limit.


Where is this? Google Maps link?

• Video Link

[middeljohn]

Gonna be nice when the Henday/Yellowhead interchange is fully built.



Source
http://www.northeastanthonyhenday.com/project-maps.php#segment1

[middeljohn]

Sorry, no idea how to make that pic smaller....

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Ontario is the only place on the planet I've driven where people will pass on the right, the left, where ever they want. It's also the only place where you often need to change lanes to stay on the same highway. That's just bad design any way you cut it.

Both of which are extremely common in the US. Honestly, have you gone anywhere in North America other than Toronto? if so, you have been somewhere with both no lane discipline and roads that require you to exit to stay on them. The Interstate network is full of such junctions. Hell, their largest and most important freeway literally ends, and you have to use a series of other highways to reach the next portion (I-95 outside of Philadelphia).

[sonysnob]

... or Quebec.

How many times does A-20 exit itself to follow the freeway. A-20 in particular follows both single lane loop roads and requires access to service roads that might not be controlled access.

The same is true for: A-10, A-15, A-40, A-55, A-73 etc.

[Horus]

Originally Posted by haljackey

If you're going faster than the posted speed limit I don't really have beef with people in the middle lane of 6+ lane highways.

Still, the middle lane is considered a passing lane and you should stay to the right when not passing someone.

It's about relative speed, not absolute speed. You can be doing 120km/h and still be the slowest vehicle on that section of highway.

Drivers who are traveling at a slower relative speed than others should be in the right lane, as the signs indicate (despite their poor wording). A vehicle in the middle lane, moving at the relatively slowest speed, is an unnecessary hazard.

This has happened to me often, particularly in the Cobourg-Oshawa stretch of the 401.

I maintain that the signs posted are too ambiguous and do not clearly state what the rules of the road are. Someone driving 105 km/h in the middle lane may see the sign as presently worded and think "I'm not slow, I'm doing 5 over the limit", even though all other vehicles are zipping around him left and right at 120. Having the signs say "Keep right except to pass" would be more clear, IMO.

[GreaterMontréal]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Ontario is the only place on the planet I've driven where people will pass on the right, the left, where ever they want. It's also the only place where you often need to change lanes to stay on the same highway. That's just bad design any way you cut it.

In Montréal people will pass wherever they want, even on the Metropolitan or Décarie.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

• Video Link

The biggest difference I can see in this video v. Canadian highways is the complete lack of transport traffic and heavy loads on those highways. A part of me feels like people sit in the middle lane of major highways in Canada because the far right lane is the de facto transport truck lane.

[Innsertnamehere]

trucking is actually much bigger in europe than here, their freight rail isn't anywhere nears as big of an industry as it is here. That road must just be one with low freight use.