Highway 417 Widening

[AuxTown]

Originally Posted by hwy418

All lighting on wood poles is temporary. The lights are required prior to construction shifting to the median in summer 2019. Median work will include new storm sewers, new concrete barriers, overhead sign supports, and highway illumination.

I didn't realize how long this project was going to last! It's gonna be a gong show next Summer!

[mxg308]

Does anyone here know why the MTO have 4 electronic MTO variable signs going westbound on the 417 (including one on the 174) but only 1 going east? Is the MTO going to install more going eastbound at some point? I've noticed this for years and thought someone would have noticed this by now.

[hwy418]

Originally Posted by mxg308

Does anyone here know why the MTO have 4 electronic MTO variable signs going westbound on the 417 (including one on the 174) but only 1 going east? Is the MTO going to install more going eastbound at some point? I've noticed this for years and thought someone would have noticed this by now.

I know of one CMS sign planned for EB direction between Eagleson and Moodie (on the Moodie Hill). It was designed along with the ones already installed, but it was not implemented at the time.

I vaguely remember the NCC objected to the original location of the sign, so it needed to be moved further east to not obstruct the views of the city from the top of the hill. IIRC, there was also a procurement issue (i.e. so many were available for the whole province), so it may have been postponed.

[OTownandDown]

Originally Posted by O-Town Hockey

I didn't realize how long this project was going to last! It's gonna be a gong show next Summer!

It's going to be SO bad. So basically 3 or 4 phases of pain still to go. The highway will be rerouted tight to either side in phases, in order to do concrete repairs on the overpass at Merivale/Clyde. That little jog will slow traffic so much that we're going to have insane jams at all times of day... for like 2 or 3 more years.

[AuxTown]

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

It's going to be SO bad. So basically 3 or 4 phases of pain still to go. The highway will be rerouted tight to either side in phases, in order to do concrete repairs on the overpass at Merivale/Clyde. That little jog will slow traffic so much that we're going to have insane jams at all times of day... for like 2 or 3 more years.

[waterloowarrior]

More work on the east end too... Nicholas Street Underpass replacement contract and Highway 417 from 400 m West of Nicholas Street to Ottawa Road 174 is also out for tender.

https://www.raqs.merx.com/public/bulletin/contractView.jsf?id=108840401

Grading, Drainage, Granular Base, Hot Mix Paving, Electrical and Structural. Length 5.7 km.

Details on the bridge replacement
https://queenswayexpansioneast.com/417-nicholas-underpass/reports-presentations/

Nicholas to 174 widening plans (four lanes in each direction)
https://queenswayexpansioneast.com/project-overview/reports-presentations/

[kmcamp]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

More work on the east end too... Nicholas Street Underpass replacement contract and Highway 417 from 400 m West of Nicholas Street to Ottawa Road 174 is also out for tender.

https://www.raqs.merx.com/public/bulletin/contractView.jsf?id=108840401

Grading, Drainage, Granular Base, Hot Mix Paving, Electrical and Structural. Length 5.7 km.

Details on the bridge replacement
https://queenswayexpansioneast.com/417-nicholas-underpass/reports-presentations/

Nicholas to 174 widening plans (four lanes in each direction)
https://queenswayexpansioneast.com/project-overview/reports-presentations/

I imagine the work from Nicholas to the 174 is just the minor work required to convert the bus lanes to through lanes

Replacing the underpass though sounds substantial

[Marshsparrow]

The new Parkdale sign heading eastbound looks like a weird size compared to all the other signs - large green and smaller text - I'm not certain?

[OTownandDown]

Originally Posted by kmcamp

I imagine the work from Nicholas to the 174 is just the minor work required to convert the bus lanes to through lanes

Replacing the underpass though sounds substantial

I noticed a nice little reference to the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor in their assessment Can't wait!

Also, what's with the decorative pilasters covering the bridge piers in this area? (The curved precast).

The seals/grout at the Lees overpass have already failed. It's just a maintenance item anyways, why tack these on to the side of the overpass?

https://goo.gl/maps/h7fT1ZhJFs22

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by O-Town Hockey

If you don't want a wider highway I'd be happy to take the money for new cycling and transit infrastructure.

[Luker]

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

I noticed a nice little reference to the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor in their assessment Can't wait!

Also, what's with the decorative pilasters covering the bridge piers in this area? (The curved precast).

The seals/grout at the Lees overpass have already failed. It's just a maintenance item anyways, why tack these on to the side of the overpass?

https://goo.gl/maps/h7fT1ZhJFs22

OTownandDown, which assessment did you find the tidbit on the Vista Transportation Corridor within? Thanks

[daud]

Originally Posted by Luker

OTownandDown, which assessment did you find the tidbit on the Vista Transportation Corridor within? Thanks

Here it was:

Alta Vista Transportation Corridor – City of Ottawa
• The Alta Vista Transportation Corridor (AVTC) is a planned municipal arterial road
that received Municipal Class EA approval in 2005.
• It is proposed to extend from Walkley Rd / Conroy Rd in the south to the Nicholas
St / Hwy 417 interchange in the north.
• MTO has committed to working with the City of Ottawa to ensure that the
replacement of the Nicholas Street Underpass does not preclude implementation
of the AVTC at a future date by the City

https://queenswayexpansioneast.com/wp-co...icholas-Street-Underpass-Replacement.pdf

[Ottawaresident]

The highway needs expansion. Here's how I would allocate the dollars:

HIGHWAY 417
Hunt Club - 174/Aviation Parkway : 6 Lanes
174/Aviation Parkway - Riverside/Vanier : 8 Lanes HOV
Riverside/Vanier - Parkdale : 10 Lanes Collector-Express System (3-2-2-3)
Parkdale - Palladium : 8 Lanes HOV
Palladium - 7 : 6 Lanes

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=171628 may be related.

[CityTech]

Originally Posted by Ottawaresident

The highway needs expansion. Here's how I would allocate the dollars:

HIGHWAY 417
Hunt Club - 174/Aviation Parkway : 6 Lanes
174/Aviation Parkway - Riverside/Vanier : 8 Lanes HOV
Riverside/Vanier - Parkdale : 10 Lanes Collector-Express System (3-2-2-3)
Parkdale - Palladium : 8 Lanes HOV
Palladium - 7 : 6 Lanes

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=171628 may be related.

That one is impossible. The ROW through Centretown is not wide enough. Between Metcalfe and Kent it can't even fit 8 lanes (hence why the currently planned ultimate built out is 8 lanes through the whole city except there).

[OTownandDown]

Originally Posted by CityTech

That one is impossible. The ROW through Centretown is not wide enough. Between Metcalfe and Kent it can't even fit 8 lanes (hence why the currently planned ultimate built out is 8 lanes through the whole city except there).

Agreed. Also most people don't pass through downtown, their destination is downtown. Most days the traffic backups are caused by:

1. Morning: EB - Bronson off-ramp, Kent off-ramp backed up. WB - Lees off-ramp, Metcalfe off-ramp, Bronson off-ramp backed up.

2. Evening: EB - Metcalfe on-ramp (crazy weave lane) causing slow-downs.
WB - Bronson off-ramp backed up (AGAIN).

I don't see the purpose of a collector/express style system through downtown for such a short stretch. Usually, if you're travelling through the core from one end to the other, the difference in traffic volume is extreme (either empty highway-to-jam, or jam-to-empty). I agree with the MTO's current plans.

[silvergate]

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

Agreed. Also most people don't pass through downtown, their destination is downtown. Most days the traffic backups are caused by:

1. Morning: EB - Bronson off-ramp, Kent off-ramp backed up. WB - Lees off-ramp, Metcalfe off-ramp, Bronson off-ramp backed up.

2. Evening: EB - Metcalfe on-ramp (crazy weave lane) causing slow-downs.
WB - Bronson off-ramp backed up (AGAIN).

I don't see the purpose of a collector/express style system through downtown for such a short stretch. Usually, if you're travelling through the core from one end to the other, the difference in traffic volume is extreme (either empty highway-to-jam, or jam-to-empty). I agree with the MTO's current plans.

People have discussed in another recent thread the value of congestion tolls. I think if the city were to use rush-hour tolls at on and off-ramps in the core, they might be able to spread traffic out a bit more evenly.

[eltodesukane]

Going down Preston to take highway 417 eastward, I realized the hard way that
there are no eastward entrance to the 417 between Parkdale and Metcalfe.

[IntoTheCore]

Originally Posted by eltodesukane

Going down Preston to take highway 417 eastward, I realized the hard way that
there are no eastward entrance to the 417 between Parkdale and Metcalfe.

I live just west of Preston and Google Maps will often recommend getting on the 417W at Rochester, then turning around at Parkdale to go east.

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by IntoTheCore

I live just west of Preston and Google Maps will often recommend getting on the 417W at Rochester, then turning around at Parkdale to go east.

I have done this more than once with Waze.

[Ottawaresident]

Where are the brains in the planners? Let's hear it for tranportation planning incompetence!