Highways in Canada

[Dengler Avenue]

@Tone That’s the job of South Fraser Perimeter Road.

[Tone]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

@Tone That’s the job of South Fraser Perimeter Road.

I meant a more direct link from Peace Arch passing east of Langley but yes I can see it.

[FrAnKs]

The Freeway system of Central Canada. Two provinces, 22.9 Million people. Which one is most extensive? Québec or Ontario ?

[MolsonExport]

Quebec's, in terms of total kilometres..

Ontario: 1,971.8 km[1] (1,225.2 mi)
Quebec: 2,381.9 km[1][2] (1,480.0 mi)

Elsewhere I have found contradictory evidence: The total length of dual-carriageways with controlled access in Canada is 6,350 kilometres (3,950 mi), of which 564 kilometres (350 mi) are in British Columbia, 642 kilometres (399 mi) in Alberta, 59 kilometres (37 mi) in Saskatchewan, 2,135 kilometres (1,327 mi) in Ontario, 1,941 kilometres (1,206 mi) in Quebec, and 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) in the Maritimes.

[Dengler Avenue]

I wonder which province takes the lead if we count all the divided highways with a maximum speed limit of at least 80 kph though.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

The Freeway system of Central Canada. Two provinces, 22.9 Million people. Which one is most extensive? Québec or Ontario ?

I'd say if ON-11 all the way to North Bay counts as a freeway, then QC-175 to Saguenay should count as one as well.

OTOH a super-2 like most of A-50 east of Gatineau is, might not count as a freeway.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I'd say if ON-11 all the way to North Bay counts as a freeway, then QC-175 to Saguenay should count as one as well.

OTOH a super-2 like most of A-50 east of Gatineau is, might not count as a freeway.

That’s my thought, too. QC-117 up to Labelle and QC-175 through Laurentian Wildlife Reserve (Réserve Faunique Laurentienne) should definitely be included. A-50, A-55 and A-20 past Rivière-du-Loup should be excluded until/unless twinned.

Here’s the thing though: Québec’s freeway network is largely completed but I can’t say the same with Ontario’s. That said, the latter definitely has more room for expansion/extension.

(Funny enough, I’m the OP for both highway threads.)

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

That’s my thought, too. QC-117 up to Labelle and QC-175 through Laurentian Wildlife Reserve (Réserve Faunique Laurentienne) should definitely be included. A-50, A-55 and A-20 past Rivière-du-Loup should be excluded until/unless twinned.

Here’s the thing though: Québec’s freeway network is largely completed but I can’t say the same with Ontario’s. That said, the latter definitely has more room for expansion/extension.

Yes, Quebec's appears to be much more complete though it has come at the price of having a number of super-2 segments.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Yes, Quebec's appears to be much more complete though it has come at the price of having a number of super-2 segments.

Then, if you think about it, that sort of acts as a transition from Ontario to New Brunswick.

Ontario: few super-2’s (notable ones being Kenora Bypass and Sudbury Bypass), many freeways or rural 2-lane highways;
Quebec: quite a few super-2’s, many freeways or rural 2-lane highways;
N. B.: many super-2’s, few freeways and many rural 2-lane highways.

[Innsertnamehere]

NB has a ridiculous amount of freeways for its population.

[Dengler Avenue]

That’s why the current right-wing coalition in N.B. cancelled the project to further widen NB-11, which actually pissed the federal minister of transport off.

[sonysnob]

The Chretien Liberals were very good to the province of New Brunswick when it came to highways.

[wave46]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Quebec's, in terms of total kilometres..

Ontario: 1,971.8 km[1] (1,225.2 mi)
Quebec: 2,381.9 km[1][2] (1,480.0 mi)

Elsewhere I have found contradictory evidence: The total length of dual-carriageways with controlled access in Canada is 6,350 kilometres (3,950 mi), of which 564 kilometres (350 mi) are in British Columbia, 642 kilometres (399 mi) in Alberta, 59 kilometres (37 mi) in Saskatchewan, 2,135 kilometres (1,327 mi) in Ontario, 1,941 kilometres (1,206 mi) in Quebec, and 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) in the Maritimes.

True, Ontario has fewer kilometres of freeway, but my observation is that Ontario's freeways tend to be a larger scale.

I can drive from London to Cobourg on a 6+ lane freeway, or through Toronto on up to 18+ lanes. Outside of Montreal, there's not many freeways with greater than 2 lanes in each direction.

The difference seems to be that the MTQ prefers to build more, but smaller cross-section freeways (look at Montreal vs. Toronto regions) where the MTO tends to build super-freeways with big cross-sections (the 401 through Toronto, the 427, etc.).

[sonysnob]

^ It's not going to be far in the future where the 401 has a rural ten lane cross-section between KWC and Mississauga. The previous government had planned to start the next phase of widening through Cambridge between Hwy 24 and Townline this year. Though who knows if that will still be the case...

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by sonysnob

The Chretien Liberals were very good to the province of New Brunswick when it came to highways.

Also Nova Scotia, I would say. The feds also chipped in to build the tolled* TCH Cobequid Pass. In fact, it probably meant a lot for N.S. because the province was destitute at that time. For the record, I pulled it from here: http://www.highway104.ns.ca. Construction began in 1995 and Chrétien became PM in 1993 so I deduced his government chipped in.

* Is that toll coming off or nah? There were news about it earlier on but nothing came out of the talk, apparently.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by wave46

True, Ontario has fewer kilometres of freeway, but my observation is that Ontario's freeways tend to be a larger scale.

I can drive from London to Cobourg on a 6+ lane freeway, or through Toronto on up to 18+ lanes. Outside of Montreal, there's not many freeways with greater than 2 lanes in each direction.

The difference seems to be that the MTQ prefers to build more, but smaller cross-section freeways (look at Montreal vs. Toronto regions) where the MTO tends to build super-freeways with big cross-sections (the 401 through Toronto, the 427, etc.).

Agreed, based on my own travels in both provinces. No doubt that when they are big, they are huge in Ontario (GTA).

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

NB has a ridiculous amount of freeways for its population.

Yes and the previous government wanted to build more into ridings with declining populations they routinely win because politics.

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

That’s why the current right-wing coalition in N.B. cancelled the project to further widen NB-11, which actually pissed the federal minister of transport off.

It would have been an exorbitant waste of money expanding the 11 any further north than Bouctouche. They were wise to cancel it.

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

* Is that toll coming off or nah? There were news about it earlier on but nothing came out of the talk, apparently.

The McNeil government seems committed to keeping the Cobequid tolls in place despite them reaching their agreement for being paid off (or something like that). I never minded paying a toll to effectively enter Nova Scotia.

[Tone]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

A-20 past Rivière-du-Loup should be excluded until/unless twinned.

Our overpasses are twinned can it count? Please I want to stay on the map.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Tone

Our overpasses are twinned can it count? Please I want to stay on the map.

Which exit though? I should have been clear: A20 has 4 lanes until right before Exit 520. From google satellite image, one can see how A20 used to go from 4 to 2 lanes and immediately join Rte 132.

[MonctonRad]

NB has roughly 800 km of fully grade separated and limited access freeway for a population of only 757,000 people.

That's 1 km of freeway for every 950 people!

Beat that ratio Ontario! I dare you..........