Highways in Canada

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by milomilo

If there's an economic justification, then absolutely we should build highways to those places! But just building roads to nowhere because it's nice, or 'fair', is not a good enough reason.

Everything we do in the north has to be justified. And all of those roads would Not only be "Fair and Nice" but would serve a purpose. You get outside of the Southern Population Corridor and all roads are build for a reason. If there was no justification there would be no road.

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

So Canada has nearly 10,000,000 sq km. We're the second largest country in the world, but so what? We live in about 10% of the land mass. The rest of the country is mostly a theoretical abstract. What's the point of having nominal control over the other 90% if nobody ever visits there???

I know that most of the country is virtually uninhabitable, and that large portions of the rest should be preserved for future posterity, but despite this, there is still lots left over. We should put in place the mechanisms whereby people can actually visit some of these wilder places and see what we have been blessed with. A land route to the lower north shore and on to the island of Newfoundland would help to accomplish this.

Our ownership of Canada is de jure, but still mostly nominal and theoretical. If the Russians came in tomorrow and occupied all of northern Canada would most of us really notice? More importantly, would most of us really care..............

We need to build this sense of ownership and of belonging. We need to make more of Canada accessible. The Alaska Highway has accomplished this in the northwest. Let's begin a new national project here in the east - let's build the Newfoundland Highway...........

I'd love that, obviously, but I'd never drive it myself. For truckers, it'd be about 100 km longer than the current route - and you could probably walk that 100 km faster than the current ferry-based routes so they could shave at least 6 hours off their travel time, many times several days depending on wind-related ferry delays.

But to drive it as a passenger... Jesus, no. I'm no fan of Sydney but it's a hell of a lot better of a place to get a sandwich and be on your way than Harrington Harbour. And we're not truckers. We'd need to take a hotel or two driving to Montreal. At least with the ferries you get a break.

• Video Link

[Djeffery]

At least with the ferry, the truckers get a break too.

[wave46]

Originally Posted by Airboy

Just think of all that tax revenue. May be able to pay for a new bridge across the Detroit river. Oh right that is fully funded by the GoC.

The Detroit River bridge is funded by the tolls on it - the Government of Canada is just fronting the money, which will be paid back with interest. Considering that it gets traffic off Windsor streets, I'm down for it.

Perhaps you're thinking of the New Champlain Bridge, which was supposed to be tolled, but was gifted to the people of the City of Montreal?

[Spocket]

^I read your comment as "funded by the trolls on it..." Good idea, though.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Spocket

^I read your comment as "funded by the trolls on it..." Good idea, though.

Must be the Bridge Trolls......

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by wave46

Perhaps you're thinking of the New Champlain Bridge, which was supposed to be tolled, but was gifted to the people of the City of Montreal?

The old Champlain had tolls on it for the first three decades or so of its existence, which were only removed in the 1990s. Given that it's the busiest bridge in Canada the feds collected hundreds of millions and probably billions of dollars from it over the years. I have no idea what the relationship is between toll revenue and the cost of building it (in the 1960s) and maintaining it, relatively speaking.

It's a federally-owned bridge (even if it's only in one province) because it crosses the St. Lawrence Seaway which is another piece of federal infrastructure, and because the feds have always wanted to maintain control over it. (The feds like to keep control of things, especially in Quebec! )

For decades there have been ongoing talks between the province and the feds about Quebec taking over Champlain (since it links up with provincial autoroutes at both ends) but to no avail.

[Dengler Avenue]

“ For decades there have been ongoing talks between the province and the feds about Quebec taking over Champlain (since it links up with provincial autoroutes at both ends) but to no avail.”

I asked the same question in the Champlain Bridge thread too.

[esquire]

Are all the bridges over the St. Lawrence federal?

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by esquire

Are all the bridges over the St. Lawrence federal?

No. Only a few in the Montreal area where a bridge technically crosses the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The bridges at Trois-Rivières and Quebec City are not federal.

And I believe the international bridges on the St. Lawrence between ON and NY are jointly managed by the Canadian federal government and the U.S. authorities. This region is also considered part of the seaway system.

[Dengler Avenue]

Darn it I should have read your comments before asking more questions. Interesting to know...

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by Acajack

No. Only a few in the Montreal area where a bridge technically crosses the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The bridges at Trois-Rivières and Quebec City are not federal.

And I believe the international bridges on the St. Lawrence between ON and NY are jointly managed by the Canadian federal government and the U.S. authorities. This region is also considered part of the seaway system.

That may be a requirement of the agreement between Canada and the US with respect to the Seaway. I don’t think the Welland Canal crossings are federal, though.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by Andy6

That may be a requirement of the agreement between Canada and the US with respect to the Seaway. I don’t think the Welland Canal crossings are federal, though.

They aren’t. MTO is about to begin the process of replacing the Garden City Skyway (QEW bridge over the canal), it’s supposedly something like a $1 billion project. The feds sure as hell don’t own it.

[Corndogger]

Some photos from October of the under construction SW leg of Alberta 201 in Calgary.

[Airboy]

The Federal Bridge Corporation Limited (FBCL; French: La société des ponts fédéraux Limitée) is the name of two successive Canadian federal Crown corporations.
• Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward, Ontario
• Seaway International Bridge in Cornwall, Ontario
• Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• Thousand Islands International Bridge in the Thousand Islands
Federal government is a shareholder.

JCCBI is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the following structures:
• Champlain Bridge
• Jacques Cartier Bridge
• Honoré-Mercier Bridge (federal section)
• Melocheville Tunnel
• Bonaventure Expressway (federal section)
• Highway 15 (federal section)
• Champlain Bridge Ice Control Structure
• Île-des-Soeurs Bridge
• Technoparc
Federal Government Crown corporation.

Transport Canada currently is the listed owner of the Gordie Howe Bridge. Gordie Howe Bridge Corporation.

There are no federally own bridges west of Ontario.

I figure BC should have some.

[Corndogger]

Originally Posted by Airboy

The Federal Bridge Corporation Limited (FBCL; French: La société des ponts fédéraux Limitée) is the name of two successive Canadian federal Crown corporations.
• Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward, Ontario
• Seaway International Bridge in Cornwall, Ontario
• Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• Thousand Islands International Bridge in the Thousand Islands
Federal government is a shareholder.

JCCBI is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the following structures:
• Champlain Bridge
• Jacques Cartier Bridge
• Honoré-Mercier Bridge (federal section)
• Melocheville Tunnel
• Bonaventure Expressway (federal section)
• Highway 15 (federal section)
• Champlain Bridge Ice Control Structure
• Île-des-Soeurs Bridge
• Technoparc
Federal Government Crown corporation.

Transport Canada currently is the listed owner of the Gordie Howe Bridge. Gordie Howe Bridge Corporation.

There are no federally own bridges west of Ontario.

I figure BC should have some.

Who owns the stretches of the #1 Highway that pass thru national parks? If it's the feds wouldn't they also own the bridges?

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Airboy

The Federal Bridge Corporation Limited (FBCL; French: La société des ponts fédéraux Limitée) is the name of two successive Canadian federal Crown corporations.
• Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward, Ontario
• Seaway International Bridge in Cornwall, Ontario
• Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• Thousand Islands International Bridge in the Thousand Islands
Federal government is a shareholder.

JCCBI is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the following structures:
• Champlain Bridge
• Jacques Cartier Bridge
• Honoré-Mercier Bridge (federal section)
• Melocheville Tunnel
• Bonaventure Expressway (federal section)
• Highway 15 (federal section)
• Champlain Bridge Ice Control Structure
• Île-des-Soeurs Bridge
• Technoparc
Federal Government Crown corporation.

Transport Canada currently is the listed owner of the Gordie Howe Bridge. Gordie Howe Bridge Corporation.

There are no federally own bridges west of Ontario.

I figure BC should have some.

That is likely due to no international bridges west of Ontario.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by Corndogger

Who owns the stretches of the #1 Highway that pass thru national parks? If it's the feds wouldn't they also own the bridges?

Yes, but there wouldn't be a separate authority for every culvert and bridge on the road through Yoho or Banff etc. I think they're talking about bridges that would have their own administrative authorities.

[GreaterMontréal]

The Bonaventure Expressway will become an urban boulevard farther from the river to make way for a 2 km linear park for pedestrians and cyclists. Architect firm Daoust-Lestage chosen; the one that made Promenade Samuel de Champlain in Qc.

https://twitter.com/jsebcloutier/status/1200036314357411841

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by Acajack

No. Only a few in the Montreal area where a bridge technically crosses the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The bridges at Trois-Rivières and Quebec City are not federal.

And I believe the international bridges on the St. Lawrence between ON and NY are jointly managed by the Canadian federal government and the U.S. authorities. This region is also considered part of the seaway system.

The Victoria and Mercier bridges are owned and maintained by the province as far as I can tell. Same with the Lafontaine Tunnel.