Highways in Canada

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

the radio news said they will be running a special ferry Thursday that will run from Nanaimo to Victoria to get essentials and such down the island.

Duke Point-Swartz Bay & Mill Bay-Brentwood Bay Service Added due to Malahat Closure
Update as of 2:53 pm:



To support the movement of travellers and essential goods between Victoria and Nanaimo, the Coastal Celebration will perform one round trip between Swartz Bay (Victoria) and Duke Point (Nanaimo) on Thursday, November 18, due to the Highway 1 weather-related closures. The sailings will operate on the following schedule:

Thursday, November 18

Departing Swartz Bay 12:30 pm

Arriving Duke Point 3:30 pm

Departing Duke Point 4:00 pm

Arriving Swartz Bay 7:00 pm

The Coastal Celebration accommodates approximately 310 automobile equivalents (approximately 30 mixed commercial vehicles and 155 private passenger vehicles) and 1604 passengers and crew. The crossing time will be approximately three hours. This extra service is for drive-up customers on a first-come, first-serve basis only. Reservations will not be offered and Assured Loading Tickets will not be accepted. The cost will be equivalent to the fares for the Duke Point – Tsawwassen route, which you can review here: https://www.bcferries.com/routes-fares/ferry-fares

https://www.bcferries.com/travel-advisories/8798026444579

CN Rail, VIA and BC Emergency Management also ran a rescue train from Hope to Vancouver for 200 people:

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/train-evacuees-hope-vancouver

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by nname

You can see the river already undermine the foundation of the remaining lanes on the left side. So the existing highway alignment is essentially river now, and may remain this way. So they will either have to divert the river back to its original course, or realign the highway. If they realign, I suppose it will have to go through the design and EA process, which may take years?




From the album, I can count 7 different washouts and 5 bridges damages or destroyed.

Thats going to take a bit. I am thinking there are crews in there already. As for the Rail I suspect CN CP are working together to get those lines back up. could be months as well.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by GoTrans

Apparently some CN freights have been diverted via the ex BCR. I haven't heard if the slides on the road have impacted the railway. We drove from Valemount to Calgary via Jasper yesterday and there are a lot of freights parked on sidings with fresh snow sitting on them from Blue River all the way to Jasper. Only saw 3 freights, 1 eastbound and 2 westbounds probably using the line to Prince Rupert. We missed the slides in Hope by about 20 minutes and by the time we got gas in Hope all the other roads except the Hwy3 were closed. Hwy 3 was fine when we were on it but some rivers were running high. No snow in Calgary.

I suspect that line is going to get a whole lot busier. They will likely do the same thing they did with the ONR.

Originally Posted by Airboy

If that is the only bridge out there can be a temp bridge made. and then one lane through the damaged area. But yah this can't be done until the end of summer.

Another issue we have is that the girders for the Kicking horse are trucked up from Vancouver.

Those girders are going to have to wait at least till a route opens up for regular trucking.

Originally Posted by nname

You can see the river already undermine the foundation of the remaining lanes on the left side. So the existing highway alignment is essentially river now, and may remain this way. So they will either have to divert the river back to its original course, or realign the highway. If they realign, I suppose it will have to go through the design and EA process, which may take years?

From the album, I can count 7 different washouts and 5 bridges damages or destroyed.

Any different than explosives? Remember, Baily bridges were designed for Europe during the wars when bridges were obliterated. They can be built to easily support transport trucks. They can be built to be 2 lanes.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Airboy

Thats going to take a bit. I am thinking there are crews in there already. As for the Rail I suspect CN CP are working together to get those lines back up. could be months as well.

I suspect the 2 companies are working together to figure out a timeline to get both open through the Fraser Canyon. I suspect one line will be open before the other and the 2 will work to have bidirectional travel on the first line open. Either that or CN will run to Prince George till it's line is open.

[whatnext]

BC confirms it will be months before the Coquihalla re-opens:

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/coquihalla-repairs-take-months-bc-highway

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by whatnext

BC confirms it will be months before the Coquihalla re-opens:

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/coquihalla-repairs-take-months-bc-highway

Are there any communities that it serves that the other highways don't? Are those links in worse shape?

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by whatnext

BC confirms it will be months before the Coquihalla re-opens:

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/coquihalla-repairs-take-months-bc-highway

It'll take months with that attitude. You move in enough equipment and personnel and it'll get done a lot quicker than that.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

It'll take months with that attitude. You move in enough equipment and personnel and it'll get done a lot quicker than that.

Like the military?
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/canadian-a...to-help-with-flood-evacuations-1.5669967

[nname]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

Are there any communities that it serves that the other highways don't? Are those links in worse shape?

Yes. Coldwater and Brookmere south of Merritt. They should be still accessible by road that runs parallel to the highway, but not sure if that road is in any better shape compare to the highway...

[ssiguy]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

Like the military?
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/canadian-a...to-help-with-flood-evacuations-1.5669967

This was the exact scenario that people and the province were worried about when the Forces decided to close CFB Chilliwack. It has led to the closest Forces base being 1100 km away from Vancouver and left the Lower Mainland and BC Coast completely cut off if the roads thru the mountains/Fraser Canyon were closed. The only operating military services out here are the Coast Guard and RCAF base which are not able to handle such situations.

This lack of military bases in a province that is prone to landslides, forest fires, flooding, and earthquakes in inexcusable. The chances of getting Chilliwack back up and running are now very remote as it was built on Native land and, I believe, the land was given back to the Natives when the Forces left.

[ssiguy]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

It'll take months with that attitude. You move in enough equipment and personnel and it'll get done a lot quicker than that.

You are forgetting that this could not have happened at a worse time of the year. The Coquihalla is often closed in the winter due to getting massive amounts of snowfall due to it's very high elevation. The highway does not run thru a river valley corridor.

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

You are forgetting that this could not have happened at a worse time of the year. The Coquihalla is often closed in the winter due to getting massive amounts of snowfall due to it's very high elevation. The highway does not run thru a river valley corridor.

There's an entire reality show dedicated to the Coquihalla Highway in winter: "Highway Through Hell" on Discovery Channel.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

This was the exact scenario that people and the province were worried about when the Forces decided to close CFB Chilliwack. It has led to the closest Forces base being 1100 km away from Vancouver and left the Lower Mainland and BC Coast completely cut off if the roads thru the mountains/Fraser Canyon were closed. The only operating military services out here are the Coast Guard and RCAF base which are not able to handle such situations.

This lack of military bases in a province that is prone to landslides, forest fires, flooding, and earthquakes in inexcusable. The chances of getting Chilliwack back up and running are now very remote as it was built on Native land and, I believe, the land was given back to the Natives when the Forces left.

You forgot CFB Esquimalt.

Wouldn't CFB Chilliwack be under water right now?

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

This was the exact scenario that people and the province were worried about when the Forces decided to close CFB Chilliwack. It has led to the closest Forces base being 1100 km away from Vancouver and left the Lower Mainland and BC Coast completely cut off if the roads thru the mountains/Fraser Canyon were closed. The only operating military services out here are the Coast Guard and RCAF base which are not able to handle such situations.

This lack of military bases in a province that is prone to landslides, forest fires, flooding, and earthquakes in inexcusable. The chances of getting Chilliwack back up and running are now very remote as it was built on Native land and, I believe, the land was given back to the Natives when the Forces left.

The CAF didn't want to close that base, it was the Chretien led LPC who nailed the bases in ridings that didn't vote Liberal in the early 90's (Chilliwack, Calgary, Summerside). When it comes to Canadian Defence policy it's always about the pork and never about capability. The only two bases that are pretty safe to always remain in place are Esquimalt and Halifax.

[davee930]

Are there any decent freeway systems in this country outside of Toronto and Montreal? Nope. Pretty, pretty, pretty bad.

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by davee930

Are there any decent freeway systems in this country outside of Toronto and Montreal? Nope. Pretty, pretty, pretty bad.

Cal or Ed? It takes lots of flat land in Canada foe a good system it seems.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by davee930

Are there any decent freeway systems in this country outside of Toronto and Montreal? Nope. Pretty, pretty, pretty bad.

Only BC has a bad freeway network, and probably Manitoba. Alberta and Saskatchewan as well as the Maritimes have excellent road networks by almost any standard.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Only BC has a bad freeway network, and probably Manitoba. Alberta and Saskatchewan as well as the Maritimes have excellent road networks by almost any standard.

I give Saskatchewan low marks for their highways. Even Highway 1 has busy at-grade intersections where there should clearly be proper interchanges.
But there really aren't freeways in Manitoba or Saskatachewan. Just some short sections in each of those provinces.

Alberta is surprisingly low standards in some parts. At grade intersections along Hwy 1 on the outskirts of Calgary in Chestermere and Strathmore. Really?!? And even some at grade ones along Hwy 2 between Edmonton and Calgary!!

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by davee930

Are there any decent freeway systems in this country outside of Toronto and Montreal? Nope. Pretty, pretty, pretty bad.

It depends on what you mean by freeway system.
Quebec City has an expansive one given its size too.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by davee930

Are there any decent freeway systems in this country outside of Toronto and Montreal? Nope. Pretty, pretty, pretty bad.

It depends. Are you referring to urban freeways, or an interprovincial freeway network?

While Vancouver has no real urban freeway system, Toronto and Montreal certainly do, and both Edmonton and Calgary have freeway ring-roads.

If you are talking about interconnected freeway networks, there is a pretty expansive freeway system in ON, QC, NB & NS, not too far off what you would find in the USA.