[St. John's] Transport development (Highways, Airport, and Public Transit)

[jjavman]

Originally Posted by Offshore1

This from CBC.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundla...ay-extension-work-stalls-again-1.3906650
This project now has Newfie joke status.

This serves to prove that the incompetence shown by the PC government, is eclipsed 10 fold by the Liberals.

Can't even provide a completion date? What a bunch of idiots.

[Offshore1]

The recent troubles with the sinkhole on the TCH show how vulnerable our transportation network is here on the island. For a lot of the island the TCH is the only practical way of getting around - if not the ONLY way.
Would be nice if it was twinned the whole way (not that it helped in this instance), but I don't see that happening anytime in the near future.
http://vocm.com/news/sinkhole-repairs-continue/

[jjavman]

Originally Posted by Offshore1

The recent troubles with the sinkhole on the TCH show how vulnerable our transportation network is here on the island. For a lot of the island the TCH is the only practical way of getting around - if not the ONLY way.
Would be nice if it was twinned the whole way (not that it helped in this instance), but I don't see that happening anytime in the near future.
http://vocm.com/news/sinkhole-repairs-continue/

This has always been one of my pet peeves. When Brian Peckford gave up our railway for the twinning of the TCH, NL was ripped off as usual by the Feds.

New Brunswick and Nova Scotia did not give up their railways, but yet received Federal money for twinning a significant portion of their TCH sections.

How far did they get in NL? Not even to Whitbourne!!! (notwithstanding piddly amounts around Corner Brook & GF-W)

[statbass]

Originally Posted by jjavman

This has always been one of my pet peeves. When Brian Peckford gave up our railway for the twinning of the TCH, NL was ripped off as usual by the Feds.

New Brunswick and Nova Scotia did not give up their railways, but yet received Federal money for twinning a significant portion of their TCH sections.

How far did they get in NL? Not even to Whitbourne!!! (notwithstanding piddly amounts around Corner Brook & GF-W)

Yes indeed - roads for rails did not work out quite as planned. We seem to have a knack for putting ourselves into positions where the outcome doesn't work in our favor.

[NewfBC]

Originally Posted by statbass

Yes indeed - roads for rails did not work out quite as planned. We seem to have a knack for putting ourselves into positions where the outcome doesn't work in our favor.

I still find it unbelievable that NL gave up the railway. Sure it was a different type of system than the rest of the country but shipping 100 cars across the province by rail is a lot more economical than 100+ trucks on the road.

Ron.

[jjavman]

Originally Posted by NewfBC

I still find it unbelievable that NL gave up the railway. Sure it was a different type of system than the rest of the country but shipping 100 cars across the province by rail is a lot more economical than 100+ trucks on the road.

Ron.

We were sold a bill of goods Ron. I can still see Brian Peckford, with saliva flying, spouting what a great deal we were getting with the Feds providing us a modern highway.

Great deal indeed!

[J_Murphy]

Awesome News!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/st-johns-fog-numbers-1.3974077

An estimated 920 flights that would have been cancelled due to foggy conditions were able to land or take off in the first year since the installation of new landing equipment.

The St. John's International Airport Authority said in a news release Thursday that fewer than 40 flights were affected by low visibility.

The airport also said 2016 was less foggy than an average St. John's year, at a total 291 hours (12 full days) with visibility at a quarter-mile or less.

According to the airport authority, the lower number of affected flights is thanks to the Category 3 instrument landing system (ILS) equipment installed last year.

Glenn Mahon, director of operations at the airport, said the number "surpassed our expectations."

The initial estimates for the landing system predicted that 1,000 flights and 100,000 passengers affected by foggy conditions each year would be reduced to 300 and 30,000, respectively.

[rthomasd]

Surprise, surprise !!
Tender 053-16THP

Paving of the Team Gushue Highway and associated connecting roads between Kenmount Road and Topsail Road, km 0.0 to km 4.2, including associated ancillary work. The funding for this project is cost shared with the Federal Government under the Building Canada Fund.

===

Question- There's an overpass needed just North of Topsail Rd, so mention of it.

Update: CBC Radio reportssays the tender includes a concrete underpass at Topsail Rd ( not over Topsail Rd ). So, given that it's been taking about two construction seasons to get an underpass finished, when will this actually get done ? 2019?

[goodgrowth]

Tender called to pave Team Gushue from Kenmount to Topsail Roads:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/team-gushue-pavement-1.3992864

The tender involves paving the highway between Kenmount Road and Topsail Road, the Newfoundland and Labrador government said in a statement Tuesday.

The upcoming work will also involve building a concrete median and a Topsail Road underpass. A separate tender will be issued for design work on a Topsail Road overpass.

[goodgrowth]

Not really sure what is being refer'd to by "Topsail Road Underpass"...unless it's just the on/off ramps that will connect Team Gushue to Topsail Road.

Edit: Maybe underpass is specifically referring to concrete columns/concrete embankments etc...and overpass is specially referring to the concrete work for the road over?? Seems weird you'd have sperate tenders for that though??

[rthomasd]

I saw a CBC report that said there would be a separate overpass tender for Topsail Road and the underpass is the one at Scotia Square allowing access on/off from Topsail Rd. There's no roadbed beyond the Lester's farm area, so lots of work still needed there before an overpass at Topsail Rd would be needed.

Does anyone have access to the tender docs? What about the round-about at Capt Whelan, and the collector road, are these included?

[goodgrowth]

Originally Posted by rthomasd

I saw a CBC report that said there would be a separate overpass tender for Topsail Road and the underpass is the one at Scotia Square allowing access on/off from Topsail Rd. There's no roadbed beyond the Lester's farm area, so lots of work still needed there before an overpass at Topsail Rd would be needed.

Does anyone have access to the tender docs? What about the round-about at Capt Whelan, and the collector road, are these included?

After thinking about it the separate tenders probably has to due more with the fact that the overpass portion won't be needed for a while but the underpass portion will have to be completed for the access on/off from Topsail Road.

I'm guessing they want to have Kenmount -> Topsail Rd done...but are in no hurry to complete the rest of it.

[Offshore1]

Originally Posted by rthomasd

I saw a CBC report that said there would be a separate overpass tender for Topsail Road and the underpass is the one at Scotia Square allowing access on/off from Topsail Rd. There's no roadbed beyond the Lester's farm area, so lots of work still needed there before an overpass at Topsail Rd would be needed.

Does anyone have access to the tender docs? What about the round-about at Capt Whelan, and the collector road, are these included?

Sorry, I don't have any answers to your questions, but one of your comments leads me to a question or two of my own. I've looked the map of the TGH Extension often enough, but am unclear how it would actually be implemented. Does it merge with Brookfield Road? Cut it off? Is it ( the extension) reduced to 2 lanes at Brookfield Road?
Also the planners ( I use that term dubiously) should look at how traffic flows from Pitts Memorial to the Goulds Bypass/Commonwealth Ave. That'll be a traffic snarl for sure - whenever the TGH Extension gets there.

At this point I'm just glad there's finally some movement on this project (don't anyone get their hopes up too much ). If, by some miracle, the public can drive on this stretch of road before snow flies next fall I'd be surprised.

[goodgrowth]

Originally Posted by Offshore1

At this point I'm just glad there's finally some movement on this project (don't anyone get their hopes up too much ). If, by some miracle, the public can drive on this stretch of road before snow flies next fall I'd be surprised.

That would be huge if they could get it done this year.

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by Offshore1

Does it merge with Brookfield Road? Cut it off? Is it ( the extension) reduced to 2 lanes at Brookfield Road?

I have always wondered the same thing, and I'm pretty sure this portion of the highway has been put off for now. Probably has to do with delays with land expropriation as there is a lot of land that will need to be acquired (and budget cuts). I am aware of a house on Heavy Tree Road who have already sold their land to the province.

My understanding is that it will run parallel with Brookfield Road until it reaches Tobins Road. It will then turn southwest and basically take over Heavy Tree Road via an overpass/underpass across Brookfield until it merges somehow with the existing Route 3 (Robert E Howlett). I suspect Commonwealth Avenue will then become an exit from the new highway.

At this point I'm just glad there's finally some movement on this project (don't anyone get their hopes up too much ). If, by some miracle, the public can drive on this stretch of road before snow flies next fall I'd be surprised.

I totally agree. However, I hope to see the collector with Pennywell and the connection with Blackmarsh Road done soon as well.

[jjavman]

Originally Posted by rthomasd

Surprise, surprise !!
Tender 053-16THP

Paving of the Team Gushue Highway and associated connecting roads between Kenmount Road and Topsail Road, km 0.0 to km 4.2, including associated ancillary work. The funding for this project is cost shared with the Federal Government under the Building Canada Fund.

===

Question- There's an overpass needed just North of Topsail Rd, so mention of it.

Update: CBC Radio reportssays the tender includes a concrete underpass at Topsail Rd ( not over Topsail Rd ). So, given that it's been taking about two construction seasons to get an underpass finished, when will this actually get done ? 2019?

Here is the actual government press release.

http://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/2017/exec/0221n03.aspx

[rthomasd]

Given the scope of the work, there's NO WAY this could get done by the FALL. Tenders won't get opened till mid-March, awarded MAY perhap, leaving about 6 months this season. As I've already said, it's been taking two full construction seasons to do a simple underpass and they haven't even commissioned the ones at Old Pennywell, Redmonds, and Blackmarch (ie the diversions are still in place ) so there's still work needed there.

It's a good sign that the work is about to start but I wouldn't hold my breath to any real progress this year.

[goodgrowth]

Well according to Councillor Sandy Hickman the hope is for it to be completed by this fall:

http://vocm.com/news/high-hopes-for-gushue-extension-after-major-tender-called/

A St. John's city councillor hopes that an early tender for paving of the Gushue Highway Extension to the west end will lead to completion by fall.

He says there will be a roundabout at the Blackmarsh Road entry which he hopes will be finished this year.

Never heard about a roundabout at the Blackmarsh Road entry...is this something new/different?...where exactly would that be?

[J_Murphy]

Originally Posted by goodgrowth

Never heard about a roundabout at the Blackmarsh Road entry...is this something new/different?...where exactly would that be?

No, this isn't new. I thought there was a drawing for it, I've seen it before but can't find anything now. There was a call for design proposals put out years ago, not sure where it went from there.

If you look at an aerial, there will be a roundabout in the undeveloped clearing behind the houses on Wabush Place. It will service Blackmarsh Road, Empire Ave and the connection with the new access to the highway.

[jjavman]

Originally Posted by goodgrowth

Well according to Councillor Sandy Hickman the hope is for it to be completed by this fall:

http://vocm.com/news/high-hopes-for-gushue-extension-after-major-tender-called/



Never heard about a roundabout at the Blackmarsh Road entry...is this something new/different?...where exactly would that be?

Read back through this thread, and you will see the roundabout mentioned.
Hickman is referring only to the roundabout, when he says he hopes to see it finished this year. That would be a city project, and has been on the books for a while. It includes a re-routing of Blackmarsh Road.

Not to be a pessimist, but I wouldn't hold my breath on that either, if last years work on Blackmarsh Road is any indication.