Highways in Canada

[lake of the nations]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

in completely unposted news, the last of the Calgary ring road has now been funded, scheduled for completion in 2022. It features what is possibly the most absurdly large central median on the planet. It seriously looks like they are planning for the widest highway on the planet in the future, and the road is going to be built as 8 lanes initially, with room for what looks like an extra 20.

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That median strip looks like it's intended to accommodate Panamax ships...

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by lake of the nations

That median strip looks like it's intended to accommodate Panamax ships...

Or that 40 lane expressway that Calgary will need given 50 years of unimpeded exponential growth that the city expects.

[Tone]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Super !

Le prochain tronçon sarrêtera où & ouvrira quand ?

Le tronçon débute à la Route du Coteau de Érables à L'Ile Verte et se termine à la Route Drapeau à Notre-Dame-Des-Neiges (un peu à l'Ouest de la Rivière Trois-Pistoles).

L'ouverture est prévue au début novembre cet automne, s'il n'y a pas trop de contretemps..

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by lake of the nations

That median strip looks like it's intended to accommodate Panamax ships...

Now that's Dynamic! Wow Los Angeles level highway and interchanges!

[Tone]

Originally Posted by eternallyme

Is that new section going to be 4 lanes? What are traffic volumes like beyond Riviere-du-Loup, worthy of twinning?

This new section will eventually be 4 lanes for only about 2 kms on its eastern end but for now, it will be 2 lanes upon its opening in november this fall. The reason for this twinned part is the future 800m long viaduc that will span the Trois-Pistoles river valley.

Since its such a huge and tall structure, it was decided to design it 4 lanes right away. By consequence, the highway will be twinned for about 3 kms on either sides of the viaduc. Since our section ends around 1 km before this future viaduc, our last 2 kms are twinned. But only the north way will be paved and in use for the coming years. The south way (the one you see on left of the picture) will remain unpaved until the viaduc is eventually built and open for traffic.

I would say the only section that is really worth twinning trafficwise is between Rimouski and Mont-Joli but this UC section and the old ones are all designed to be twinned.

Sorry for my english, hopefully it makes any sense.

[speedog]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Or that 40 lane expressway that Calgary will need given 50 years of unimpeded exponential growth that the city expects.

Really? Who has been purported to spouting off about unimpeded exponential growth?

[eemy]

Originally Posted by speedog

Really? Who has been purported to spouting off about unimpeded exponential growth?

I don't think anyone actually expects that. I think he's just having a laugh at some of the more misguided long term projections that have been made in the statistics thread.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by jeremy_haak

I don't think anyone actually expects that. I think he's just having a laugh at some of the more misguided long term projections that have been made in the statistics thread.

Yes, my smiley face was meant to convey that I was joking. I was poking fun at those people who tend to practice Calgary boosterism. I did not intend to offend.

[eternallyme]

Regarding the Calgary SW Ring Road, I believe that will ultimately end up as TCH/Highway 1 as well once 22X/901 is upgraded. Quite a few highway numbers would change as a result.

I believe the ultimate route network in the area is greatly different than it is now:

1 would follow Stoney Trail SW and S, then 22X onto a new extension between Carseland and Strathmore, rejoining the existing route north of Gleichen.

The orphaned TCH, including the 16th Avenue section, would likely become 1A, at least from Deerfoot Trail to Strathmore, including a new SW bypass and connector. Existing 1A along 17th Avenue SE would probably be decommissioned, although a secondary number might also be warranted.

21 would likely be extended south to Carseland via the SE Strathmore bypass, then along 817 to meet 24. One plan has 24 being used on that section, but that orphans a section to the west through Cheadle, so I wouldn't change 24 personally.

22X would only exist as far as the Stoney Trail SW bend. East of there, it would be 1 (and 201 on the Stoney Trail portions), with an extension to meet the 1A connector described above near Namaka.

Most likely, 201 would run concurrent with 1 on Stoney Trail SW and S to keep things consistent for through traffic.

560 is important enough IMO that it should just take on the Highway 8 designation as a primary, and extend it to Highway 24 south of Cheadle.

567 (E-W portion) and 840 (N-S portion) are the most logical designations for the orphaned TCH between Strathmore and Gleichen. Given that traffic volumes would fall off a cliff as a result, two lanes could be graded out and the 567-840 intersection realigned so that they are local access highways and not looking like an expressway.

817 would be shortened to start in the southern edge of Strathmore at an interchange with 1A/21 as a result.

901 would likely take on a new secondary number (most logical would be 554?) as it would never be part of Highway 1 through Siksika so the temporary number would not be useful. Heck, I would just renumber it as 554 now.

A couple other things I would do, that are not planned at this time:

9 should be realigned to meet Stoney Trail NE at the bend north of Country Hills Boulevard, running on a new alignment to Kathryn/Keoma, for quicker and simpler access from the northeast (as far as Saskatoon). It probably only needs to be 2 lanes at this time, but protection for a wider corridor should be made.

797 would pick up the north-south section of 9, as it is a straight linear extension.

[JHikka]

The size of the median on that Calgary SW Ring Road reminded me of the Virginia I-95 south of DC which has completely separated HOV lanes inside the median. I'm not saying they'll do that, but it looks like they have enough for like 4 of them in each direction .

[Tone]

D'autres photos de l'A20 prises hier

[FrAnKs]

Même les panneaux sont posés ! C'est plus avancé que je le croyais !
Tu travailles sur le chantier ?

[Tone]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Même les panneaux sont posés ! C'est plus avancé que je le croyais !
Tu travailles sur le chantier ?

Oui, les panneaux de super sont presque tous posés!

Ça fait déjà 5 ans que j'ai la chance de travailler sur le chantier, de l'arpentage préparatoire à la dernière couche de pavage!

J'ai travaillé aussi sur la A85 à Cabano durant ces années, maudit que le temps passe vite..!

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by Tone

Oui, les panneaux de super sont presque tous posés!

Ça fait déjà 5 ans que j'ai la chance de travailler sur le chantier, de l'arpentage préparatoire à la dernière couche de pavage!

J'ai travaillé aussi sur la A85 à Cabano durant ces années, maudit que le temps passe vite..!

Génial ! Comme je t'envie, j'aimerais beaucoup assister à ce genre de travaux étant donné que le domaine des routes me passionne.

...Mais dit moi, toi qui est dans le domaine... nous savons tous que nous avons un problème de routes et/ou de conception au Québec. Peux tu affirmer ou observer directement ce que nous faisons de mal et/ou de différent au chantier comparé aux autres provinces/États qui pourrais expliquer cela ? En fin de compte, quelle est ta théorie là-dessus ?

Tu as de la chance concernant la construction d'autoroutes dans ta région en effet !... je ne veux en rien diminuer le poids ou l'importance de ta région, mais à 200 000 habitants, je crois qu'en effet vous ne pouvez pas vous plaindre ... c'est essentiellement dû au fait que votre région est située au carrefour de routes permettant de relier les maritimes. Met le même 200 000 dans le grand nord ( Exemple Abitibi ) et votre situation serait fort différente. Donc vous profitez de cela.

J'ai lu dernièrement que les travaux de la dernière phase de l'A85 commenceraient en 2017. J'espère que tu aura la chance d'y travailler

Dernière question, à ce stade-ci, est-ce que les travaux s'étendent même jusqu'à Trois-Pistoles ? ... J'imagine qu'entre Trois-Pistoles et Le Bic rien ne se passe encore ?

Merci.

Franks.

[Tone]

^Je dois me sauver pour l'après-midi mais je vais te répondre ce soir.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

J'ai lu dernièrement que les travaux de la dernière phase de l'A85 commenceraient en 2017. J'espère que tu aura la chance d'y travailler

I've been waiting my entire adult life for the national highway system (at least in the east) to be completed to full freeway standards. The A85 will be finished in 2020. I will be 63 years old........

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by Tone

^Je dois me sauver pour l'après-midi mais je vais te répondre ce soir.

Merci

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I've been waiting my entire adult life for the national highway system (at least in the east) to be completed to full freeway standards. The A85 will be finished in 2020. I will be 63 years old........

I even wonder why it wasn't completed few decades ago already... I mean, the NB side has a dual-carriageway for a while ( I think )

You get here a good example for Quebec of a province that doesn't focus on REAL priorities...I mean as a province of 8.3M, we should be at forefront in infrastructures IMO.

In 2020 I will be.... 32 if you ask

Though, A85 is already one of my favourite Autoroute in the province. Very scenic. Some views are epic aswell, such as looking down a steep grade and seeing a huge lake

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Though, A85 is already one of my favourite Autoroute in the province. Very scenic. Some views are epic aswell, such as looking down a steep grade and seeing a huge lake

Yes - Lac Temiscouata I believe. It is indeed very scenic. The whole section of the A85 from Temiscouata to the NB border, and the NB-2 from the border down to Grand Falls is wonderful to drive. This is my favourite part of the trip to/from Quebec (and also the A20 from QC to Riviere du Loup - wonderful views of the St. Lawrence and the north shore mountains).

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

I even wonder why it wasn't completed few decades ago already... I mean, the NB side has a dual-carriageway for a while ( I think )

You get here a good example for Quebec of a province that doesn't focus on REAL priorities...I mean as a province of 8.3M, we should be at forefront in infrastructures IMO.

In 2020 I will be.... 32 if you ask

Though, A85 is already one of my favourite Autoroute in the province. Very scenic. Some views are epic aswell, such as looking down a steep grade and seeing a huge lake

The highway through New Brunswick I believe was essentially complete in 2006 or so. Before the 1990s, however, it was largely a 2 lane highway that was narrow and winding - and VERY dangerous.

I believe the first section - Amherst to Moncton - was built in the early 1990s, and Moncton to Sussex around 1998 (part of that was itself bypassed). Other sections were added in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with the last section completed in 2007.

Once we get to 2020, it should be a TCH freeway from Renfrew to Antigonish, a distance of about 1,700 km.