TCH east of Nipigon (La route transcanadienne à l'est de Nipigon)

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by sonysnob

Some views of the twinning work underway between Nipigon and Red Rock, northeasterly of Thunder Bay, Ontario. These photos were taken by me just over two weeks ago:




http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_11_images/11_cl_1341_west_Jun18_24x16.jpg

Will that be an interchange, or a left turn?

[Dengler Avenue]

From google map, it looks like a mere left turn.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

From google map, it looks like a mere left turn.

I mean once it is twinned.

[sonysnob]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

I mean once it is twinned.

It will be a left turn.

[Dengler Avenue]

Yea it remains a left turn even after twinning.

Here’s a curious question: If Ontario’s serious about converting TCH to freeway, and twins 11 between Nipigon and N Bay, will it also pressure Québec to twin QC Route 117 while also twinning ON 66 (despite extremely low AADT)?

[sonysnob]

I've driven Hwy 117 in Quebec. It seems pretty unlikely that it will ever be twinned. And I don't think I'd say that Ontario is serious about twinning the entire TCH for that matter either.

[Dengler Avenue]

While AADT doesn’t warrant twinning 117, are there other factors that might warrant it?

(Better question: Since 117 is the only direct route from Southern Québéc to Abitibi-Témiscamingue, just like how 175 is the only direct route from Québec City to Saguenay, will A-T be important enough to Québec politics (or what not) that will make their provincial government widen 253 km of highway in the wilderness (La Vérendrye)? They did that for 175 through 274 km of basically nothing (Des Laurentides).)

[sonysnob]

The Saguenay region is both closer to the Saint Lawrence and much more populated than anything in northwestern Quebec.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

While AADT doesn’t warrant twinning 117, are there other factors that might warrant it?

(Better question: Since 117 is the only direct route from Southern Québéc to Abitibi-Témiscamingue, just like how 175 is the only direct route from Québec City to Saguenay, will A-T be important enough to Québec politics (or what not) that will make their provincial government widen 253 km of highway in the wilderness (La Vérendrye)? They did that for 175 through 274 km of basically nothing (Des Laurentides).)

I drive that route a lot. Twinning has taken place North of Mont-Tremblant and 4-lane divided bypasses has been built around at least a couple of towns within the last few years. (Labelle and Rivière-Rouge) It made sense to do those places as going right through them really slowed traffic and now makes the towns much safer. Plus there is often quite a bit of traffic both local and long distance in that section. I can see the highway being 4-laned up to Mont-Laurier.

But once you get into the remote section of that highway, there are many passing lanes and paved shoulders for the entire length so I don't see widening happening in my lifetime.

[F. Lionel]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Thanks for the picture.

I still hope the speed limit will be increased to 100 kph though.

Government is on record to say that the speed limit will remain at 90 kph even after the twinning is complete.

And there are no further interchanges planned for the foreseeable future along the entirety of 11/17. Although there is land reserved in a few places for future interchanges... But given the current political climate those are probably far off.

There has been no movement at all this year along the stretches that were supposed to begin in 2018. There has been some tree clearing in places but i think that is more related to Hydro than highway work. The construction/contractor trucks that seemed to be all over the highway earlier this spring seem to have also disappeared.

The last suspension cable went up on the Nipigon River Bridge this week as well.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by F. Lionel

Government is on record to say that the speed limit will remain at 90 kph even after the twinning is complete.

And there are no further interchanges planned for the foreseeable future along the entirety of 11/17. Although there is land reserved in a few places for future interchanges... But given the current political climate those are probably far off.

There has been no movement at all this year along the stretches that were supposed to begin in 2018. There has been some tree clearing in places but i think that is more related to Hydro than highway work. The construction/contractor trucks that seemed to be all over the highway earlier this spring seem to have also disappeared.

The last suspension cable went up on the Nipigon River Bridge this week as well.

I truly hope when it reaches the split, that they make that fully grade separated interchange.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by F. Lionel

Government is on record to say that the speed limit will remain at 90 kph even after the twinning is complete.

And there are no further interchanges planned for the foreseeable future along the entirety of 11/17. Although there is land reserved in a few places for future interchanges... But given the current political climate those are probably far off.

There has been no movement at all this year along the stretches that were supposed to begin in 2018. There has been some tree clearing in places but i think that is more related to Hydro than highway work. The construction/contractor trucks that seemed to be all over the highway earlier this spring seem to have also disappeared.

The last suspension cable went up on the Nipigon River Bridge this week as well.

Oh crap...

[F. Lionel]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Oh crap...

My sentiments exactly.

1 shovel ready project that was projected to start in 2018 and nothing seems to be happening.

3 shovel ready projects for next year... I worry they will go back into development hell for another 2 decades.

But I have hope that they will go forward as planned.

[Dengler Avenue]

Well...

1. I hope what vid said holds true: Suspending twinning projects, especially ones on the only through road from Western to Eastern Canada, just because it's Michael Gravelle, will shut PC out of the north for good.

2. I hope PC does realize point 1.

Here's the thing though: If PC's cabinet represents K-W and Hamilton area poorly, where the combined population is 2.5M, will they really care if they will never win a seat in the north? Or will a total alienation of the north look so bad politically that it will finally trigger a change in Canadian constitution, allowing for another province? Or am I simply thinking too far? At this point, I just find it hard to justify carving more electoral districts out of the north (such as straight up turning each municipality into one).

3. Just because a project is said to be shovel-ready by 2018, apparently it doesn't necessarily mean what it says... Take NS as an example: They are supposed to start twinning 104 (TCH) between Sutherlands River and Antigonish, but heck nothing's happening yet, other than 2 serious accidents (1 of which was unfortunately fatal).

[Dengler Avenue]

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.7255404,-...TR0DGyyrl-2Dg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e4

This is JCT 17 & 71. As much as I'd like to see 17 twinned in NWO, this actually looks nice.

The first (and only) time I drove by Lake of the Woods, I was like, "Don't twin the highway here; we need to keep the view."

Did I not know what a treacherous stretch it was.

[F. Lionel]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

3. Just because a project is said to be shovel-ready by 2018, apparently it doesn't necessarily mean what it says... Take NS as an example: They are supposed to start twinning 104 (TCH) between Sutherlands River and Antigonish, but heck nothing's happening yet, other than 2 serious accidents (1 of which was unfortunately fatal).

I know that all of this is true but these four projects are the ones that were already funding approved between the Feds and Province. This is next level disappointing if they are outright cancelled.

At least the NS example hasn't been cancelled. It's just been delayed, sadly at the cost of human lives. Foot dragging on the twinning of 11/17 has also cost lives and will cost more. After watching the drivers this Canada Day weekend I was personally surprised that it hasn't cost more already.

Here in Ontario Rickford has gone on record stating that the twinning between TB and Nipigon was all political and should be stopped... and the twinning in his constituency should be pushed ahead regardless of the state of negotiations and politics that have held it up for a decade.

[F. Lionel]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.7255404,-...TR0DGyyrl-2Dg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e4

This is JCT 17 & 71. As much as I'd like to see 17 twinned in NWO, this actually looks nice.

The first (and only) time I drove by Lake of the Woods, I was like, "Don't twin the highway here; we need to keep the view."

Did I not know what a treacherous stretch it was.

This intersection was cleaned majorly cleaned up about 20 years ago. Before the approaches were straightened from the east and the Canadian Shield was blasted back a couple hundred feet this was a scary intersection. Of course... there was a lot more rigs on the road then too for the different saw mills and paper mills. That traffic is much reduced these days but it can be a difficult intersection in the spring and fall with the hordes of hunters, anglers, and vacationers. I've been held up at this intersection while heading east from Winnipeg a number of times due to guys hauling boats behind their trailers and failing to properly negotiate the corner heading down 71.

[Dengler Avenue]

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/mobile/three-h...#_gus&_gucid=&_gup=Facebook&_gsc=mpT9ecf

Pressure’s definitely on Yakabuski now.

Update: I just realized that’s technically out of Renfrew.

[Loco101]

If the PC government does the typical thing of focusing on PC held ridings then in Northern Ontario we may see the following projects:

-new North Bay freeway bypass that was planned over a decade ago be sped up

-4 lane project from Manitoba border to Kenora actually happen.

-something in Sault Ste Marie: bypass work?!? Making Carmen's Way a provincial highway?

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Loco101

If the PC government does the typical thing of focusing on PC held ridings then in Northern Ontario we may see the following projects:

-new North Bay freeway bypass that was planned over a decade ago be sped up

-4 lane project from Manitoba border to Kenora actually happen.

-something in Sault Ste Marie: bypass work?!? Making Carmen's Way a provincial highway?

Heck 17 might even be widened as far west as Sturgeon Falls (but not Warren-Markstay) and as far east as... oh wait, 417. (I was gonna say Mattawa but the work could theoretically go all the way down. Then again as someone said in the earlier page, this will be a lot of work.

And as for NWO, why not as far east as Dinorwic (turnoff to 72, east of Dryden)?