Quebec Autoroute Guy-Lafleur [Highway A50]

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Ottawa superman

First off, I have to give credit to the Charest Government to actually building the highway. After being cancelled by Levesque (whom ironically, didn't mind sending trucks through Ontario). Unfortunately, during the 60’s Quebec was more proactive than Ontario in highway widening (widened highway 40 before widened 17 now 417). Regardless, This is sorely needed for Gatineau and to get trucks of Macdonald Cartier Bridge. On the other hand, Quebec highway network is rather overbuild in some areas (for example, two bypass for Sherbrooke, a city smaller than Gatineau and four lane highway 175 to Saguenay, another smaller city than Gatineau, which by the way, is the province forth largest city).

On other subject, Quebec seems to think the city as a suburb of Ottawa, which is ironic since when talks about Gatineau considers joining Ontario, the provincial government gets all defensive. Beside, I am completly baffled that Sherbrooke got a medical school before Gatineau.

Back to highway 50, the at grade crossing for the railway is completly unacceptable. To the government credit, railway are federal regulated but still perhaps the provincial government could have reached an agreement with the railroad company?

For sure, credit to Charest. Like former Hull/Gatineau Mayor said, better half than nothing.

At the same time, it's sort of a good thing the Outaouais was ignored by Government when it comes to highways, as they could have been far more destructive than they were. (To Levesque's credit, he did give us a hospital at least).

That said, the A50 is a death trap. It was apparent as soon as it opened. After nearly 10 years of inaction, the CAQ finally installed fencing in the median over 5.4 kilometers (shockingly opposed by the Liberals, who did nothing during their tenure to improve the situation). This fencing proved to be effective in preventing frontal collisions. What did the CAQ do with that information? Nothing once again. They did the bare minimum just to say "hey, we did something" and promised a 4 lane highway within a decade. Why not spend a few million to secure the highway in the medium term?

Originally Posted by Acajack

I actually had to stop for a train at the bizarre level crossing between Lachute and Mirabel for the first time ever recently.

The railway crossing is unacceptable. Considering the huge cost of, for example, the Montebello overpass, grade separating that one rail crossing would have been pretty cheap.

[MichelKazan]

Originally Posted by Acajack

There is only 1 level crossing of a rail line on the A-50. The other one is on the A-20 near Drummondville.

.

Two crossings on the 50. One is closer to Lachute. The other one is closer to Mirabel Airport and the exit for Saint-Canut.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by MichelKazan

Two crossings on the 50. One is closer to Lachute. The other one is closer to Mirabel Airport and the exit for Saint-Canut.

Oh yeah? My brain must be fuzzy then.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

For sure, credit to Charest. Like former Hull/Gatineau Mayor said, better half than nothing.

At the same time, it's sort of a good thing the Outaouais was ignored by Government when it comes to highways, as they could have been far more destructive than they were. (To Levesque's credit, he did give us a hospital at least).

That said, the A50 is a death trap. It was apparent as soon as it opened. After nearly 10 years of inaction, the CAQ finally installed fencing in the median over 5.4 kilometers (shockingly opposed by the Liberals, who did nothing during their tenure to improve the situation). This fencing proved to be effective in preventing frontal collisions. What did the CAQ do with that information? Nothing once again. They did the bare minimum just to say "hey, we did something" and promised a 4 lane highway within a decade. Why not spend a few million to secure the highway in the medium term?

.

Agreed. Those steel cables have been effective and they are relatively cheap, so I don't see why they aren't being extended along the entire length of the super-2 A-50.

[Har13]

Are these at grade crossings legal on Ontario highways? I feel like Quebec has different highway codes then in Ontario. Could just be me but I don't think I have seen at grade crossings on any Ontario highways.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Har13

Are these at grade crossings legal on Ontario highways? I feel like Quebec has different highway codes then in Ontario. Could just be me but I don't think I have seen at grade crossings on any Ontario highways.

Ontario is proposing "new kinds of highways" that are quite similar to A50, only, with a barrier.


https://ottawa.citynews.ca/local-news/pilot-project-for-new-type-of-highway-6647454

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Har13

Are these at grade crossings legal on Ontario highways? I feel like Quebec has different highway codes then in Ontario. Could just be me but I don't think I have seen at grade crossings on any Ontario highways.

ON-406 used to be a super-2 with a rail crossing. That was done away with when MTO finished twinning it.
I don’t recall any at-grade crossings on Ontario divided highways otherwise.

It’s a bummer that Outaouais’ even ignored in terms of freeways though. A50 should have gone to Pontiac to the west.
That 148 bypass of Aylmer is a joke with all the traffic lights that seem intentionally out of sync.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Ontario is proposing "new kinds of highways" that are quite similar to A50, only, with a barrier.

Yes. Ontario is really all or nothing right now. The 7 for example could benefit from this. While for sure not as good as a 4 lane road and especially in heavy traffic these alternating for the cost are a good compromise. Put another way 100 km of this is better than 2 lane 40 km and 60 km of new divided highway.

The barriers are a huge increase to safety over the 50 model though in my experience in Europe if it gets busy with a few trucks it becomes unusable as you don't get much passing done. This is especially true when most of the traffic is in one direction so passing would be possible.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Yes. Ontario is really all or nothing right now. The 7 for example could benefit from this. While for sure not as good as a 4 lane road and especially in heavy traffic these alternating for the cost are a good compromise. Put another way 100 km of this is better than 2 lane 40 km and 60 km of new divided highway.

The barriers are a huge increase to safety over the 50 model though in my experience in Europe if it gets busy with a few trucks it becomes unusable as you don't get much passing done. This is especially true when most of the traffic is in one direction so passing would be possible.

I've always thought that something like this would be a good solution for improving the TCH across Northern Ontario (picking either the 11 or the 17 routing).

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

For sure, credit to Charest. Like former Hull/Gatineau Mayor said, better half than nothing.

At the same time, it's sort of a good thing the Outaouais was ignored by Government when it comes to highways, as they could have been far more destructive than they were. (To Levesque's credit, he did give us a hospital at least).

.

I tend to agree with this, at least in terms of the urban area.

To Dengler's point, yeah I hate driving the Allumettières pseudo-freeway through Aylmer.

Though I really like the stretch of the Allumettières where the roundabouts are through Hull. I find that's a very handsome urban boulevard.

But still mystified when I think about how that road was supposed to be the east-west heavy truck route. I hardly see any heavy trucks there, so I wonder where they are? (Which is good of course. But still makes me scratch my head.)

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I tend to agree with this, at least in terms of the urban area.

To Dengler's point, yeah I hate driving the Allumettières pseudo-freeway through Aylmer.

Though I really like the stretch of the Allumettières where the roundabouts are through Hull. I find that's a very handsome urban boulevard.

But still mystified when I think about how that road was supposed to be the east-west heavy truck route. I hardly see any heavy trucks there, so I wonder where they are? (Which is good of course. But still makes me scratch my head.)

I hypothesize Boulevard Saint Raymond. From there, going onto A5 is a right turn instead of a backed up left turn from 148 onto A50. Can someone check?
Then again, I don’t see that many trucks on A5 or A50 in general.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by MichelKazan

Two crossings on the 50. One is closer to Lachute. The other one is closer to Mirabel Airport and the exit for Saint-Canut.

I just drove there recently for the 100th time. Finally noticed there are two level crossings!

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I just drove there recently for the 100th time. Finally noticed there are two level crossings!

You take the 50 to Montreal or somewhere north of there?

I take the 50 a few times a year to a cottage north of Mirabel and note that it takes me as long to get to the 15 junction as it does to get all the Island of Montreal via 417 and 40. 1h45 from 5/50 junction either way. It's a much shorter distance so looking forward to a full twinning.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

You take the 50 to Montreal or somewhere north of there?

I take the 50 a few times a year to a cottage north of Mirabel and note that it takes me as long to get to the 15 junction as it does to get all the Island of Montreal via 417 and 40. 1h45 from 5/50 junction either way. It's a much shorter distance so looking forward to a full twinning.

Yes. To get to the central part of the island near Outremont and the Université de Montréal where one of my kids lives.

I get on the 50 at Montée Paiement so it's a bit of a detour to go through Hull and then the maze of streets in Ottawa to the 417. Plus the traffic is often a nightmare in those areas.

I never take the 417 unless it's late at night or early on weekend mornings when there is no traffic and I can shoot through downtown Ottawa on Nicholas or King Edward.

[J.OT13]

L’autoroute 50 sera renommée l’autoroute Guy-Lafleur

Ani-Rose Deschatelets, Le Droit
28 avril 2023

C’est officiel, l’autoroute 50 sera renommée l’autoroute Guy-Lafleur, afin de rendre hommage au démon blond.

«Je suis restée surprise quand j’ai reçu l’appel. Je me suis dit oh, mon doux, déjà?», a lancé la mère de Guy Lafleur, Pierrette Lafleur, au bout du fil avec Le Droit. «Je ne pensais pas voir ça de mon vivant, j’ai quand même 91 ans [rires]! C’est un honneur! C’est beau pour la famille, c’est beau pour tout le monde qui aime Guy.»

Selon nos informations, le premier ministre du Québec, François Legault, se rendra à Thurso jeudi prochain, le 4 mai, pour l’annonce qui sera faite à l’hôtel de ville de la municipalité, où se trouve une statue de bronze à l’effigie du démon blond. Il sera accompagné du ministre responsable de l’Outaouais Mathieu Lacombe.


Selon la Commission de toponymie du Québec, une personne doit être décédée depuis plus d’un an pour se voir attribuer un nom de lieu. Guy Lafleur a perdu son combat contre un cancer du poumon le 22 avril 2022.

«Je ne m’y attendais pas. Les gens en parlaient, mais je ne me faisais pas d’idée tout de suite», a ajouté Mme Lafleur.

«Perpétuer son héritage»

Le premier ministre Legault et le ministre Lacombe avaient d’ailleurs à moult reprises fait allusion au changement de nom de l’autoroute 50. «L’image que je me fais de Guy Lafleur, c’est celle d’un monument québécois qui a réussi à marquer l’histoire du Québec, non seulement par ses exploits sur la glace, mais aussi par qui il était tout simplement, par sa gentillesse et son accessibilité. Et ça, il y a peu de gens qui sont capables de le faire», avait lancé Mathieu Lacombe lors de la cérémonie en l’honneur de la vedette de hockey, en avril 2022, à Thurso. «Une des façons d’arriver à perpétuer son héritage et à faire en sorte que sa mémoire soit honorée c’est en renommant l’autoroute 50 en son nom.»


Pierrette Lafleur dit d’ailleurs avoir particulièrement hâte de serrer la main de M. Legault, lors de l’annonce. «Quand il y a eu la cérémonie d’enterrement de Guy l’an passé, à Montréal, je voulais aller saluer M. Legault moi-même, mais il y avait trop de monde. Mais là je vais me rattraper, je vais lui parler.»

https://www.ledroit.com/actualites/2023/...-guy-lafleur-SUKTMZRCBVDARPBYHDOG6N527U/

[harls]

Enfin. Vive le gars de Thurso avec sa ville super puant.

[harls]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

You take the 50 to Montreal or somewhere north of there?

I take the 50 a few times a year to a cottage north of Mirabel and note that it takes me as long to get to the 15 junction as it does to get all the Island of Montreal via 417 and 40. 1h45 from 5/50 junction either way. It's a much shorter distance so looking forward to a full twinning.

I live in Aylmer and if I want to get to Montreal in a hurry, it's almost always faster to take the 50 (to A15) unless I am leaving in the middle of the night. Even if it is two lanes for most of the way. It's just going to get better IMO once they actually twin it all.

Going to Quebec City it's a no brainer. I take the 50-15-640-40 route and avoid that Met Madness.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by harls

I live in Aylmer and if I want to get to Montreal in a hurry, it's almost always faster to take the 50 (to A15) unless I am leaving in the middle of the night. Even if it is two lanes for most of the way. It's just going to get better IMO once they actually twin it all.

Going to Quebec City it's a no brainer. I take the 50-15-640-40 route and avoid that Met Madness.

All of the connections in Ottawa between the river bridges and the 417 are a huge p.i.t.a.

Except at night as you say, or very early morning on a weekend.

[YOWetal]

Originally Posted by Acajack

All of the connections in Ottawa between the river bridges and the 417 are a huge p.i.t.a.

Except at night as you say, or very early morning on a weekend.

I don't find that at all other than the QC direction Rush hour and some weekend afternoons. Leaving QC Friday after work in Gatineau traffic is worse trying to get onto the 50. It's always faster for me to head back to the 417. I'm passing the split before I'd be in Buckingham. Also maybe I drive faster so the speed differential saves me more time? Getting behind a truck means you're averaging 90 most days on the 50 wheras a steady 130 is usually possible on 417 from Hunt Club to the border.

Once the 50 (soon to be Autoroute Guy Lafleur) is twinned I guess it will eventually be the route of choice for almost everyone north of the 417.

[thewave46]

While the connections between the bridges and 417 might be a pain, the longer haul issues of being on a 2-lane highway for large stretches seems worth the trade. As soon as one gets hung up behind someone driving slowly, that's it.

But as harls points out, where your destination is likely a bigger influence.

South Shore? 417 - 40 - 30.
Downtown Montreal? 417 - 40 - pick your misery.
Laval? 50 - 15.
Points beyond? It depends.