Highways in Canada

[Mister F]

Originally Posted by Klazu

You are mainly correct. There are some sections of Autobahn with 8 lanes, but mainly it is either 4 or 6 lanes. It's pretty amazing how so few lanes will allow so much traffic to travel at very high speeds (150km/h is almost the standard speed on Autobahn). That and the excellent road conditions are something I miss here in BC.

I've never driven in Germany but from my experience in other European countries the lane discipline is much better there. Little to no lane hogging, and people drive on the right unless they're passing. Here people gravitate to the centre lane even if the right lane is empty. We use highway space less efficiently.

[ColDayMan]

Originally Posted by middeljohn

I really enjoyed that, thanks franks!

I cannot overstate how much those short on ramps on US interstates piss me off. Can't imagine that there haven't been loads of accidents caused by not having enough time to merge.

Just an FYI, US Interstate standards vary by the state. For example, Michigan generally has shorter off/on-ramps than Ohio or Georgia. It depends on the individual DOT's rules and regulations. Carry on!

[Innsertnamehere]

The US seems to like its diamond interchanges a lot as well. In canada they are always parclos.

[haljackey]

In general, the US and German highway systems are older and thus are built to more lineament safety regulations. Short merge lanes, weaving from cloverleafs, narrower lanes, etc.

Diamond interchanges are a good choice in urban areas when space is limited but they can slow down traffic on the crossing streets. Some are being upgraded to diverging diamonds or single-point diamonds to increase efficiency. I don't know if the Germans have any full diamonds left, relics of the original Autobahns with left exits and entrances.

Canada has a few single point diamonds, but I don't think we have any diverging diamonds.

[Innsertnamehere]

Its not like Ontario's highways aren't old, the QEW is the oldest highway in North America. we have just upgraded them.

Admittingly our "oldest" (as in longest to go without a rebuild) highway, the 400, is built to pretty crappy standards

[libtard]

I wish we had more stack interchanges and flyovers like they do in the US

[sonysnob]

Originally Posted by libtard

I wish we had more stack interchanges and flyovers like they do in the US

The 400/401 interchange in Toronto would operate much better if it had a more modern design. I think one day (maybe in my lifetime if I am lucky), it will be redesigned to something resembling what gets built in the US.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by libtard

I wish we had more stack interchanges and flyovers like they do in the US

Thing is, those interchanges, aside from the obvious factor of having a higher construction cost, have a much higher life cycle cost as well. Bridges require regular maintenance & the occasional rehab to keep them in shape otherwise they collapse. The more flyovers you have, the more bridge span to maintain.

In Ontario bridge length is minimized by having two levels, and maximizing the use of raised earth instead of bridges for its upper levels. This may not be as cool or sexy but it protects from the collapsing bridge syndrome you see in Quebec and the US.

[GlassCity]

I don't really like stack interchanges at all. They're the first thing I see in my head when somebody brings up American planning failure.

[Innsertnamehere]

Isn't the 407/400 interchange a stack?

[sa230e]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Isn't the 407/400 interchange a stack?

It is.

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by libtard

I wish we had more stack interchanges and flyovers like they do in the US

• Video Link

[middeljohn]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

I don't really like stack interchanges at all. They're the first thing I see in my head when somebody brings up American planning failure.

They're ugly yet beautiful at the same time. An engineering marvel you have to admit.

[GreaterMontréal]

I was made to move the army, like in Germany.

[niwell]

The stack interchanges in Texas just seem absurd in their size/scope. They seem to elevate as much of the interchange as possible - to a ridiculous extent.

http://goo.gl/maps/Ptifi I mean I guess it's for the service roads, but is that really necessary? This would not do well over multiple Ontario winters and road salt.

[middeljohn]

Originally Posted by niwell

The stack interchanges in Texas just seem absurd in their size/scope. They seem to elevate as much of the interchange as possible - to a ridiculous extent.

http://goo.gl/maps/Ptifi I mean I guess it's for the service roads, but is that really necessary? This would not do well over multiple Ontario winters and road salt.

Streetview screen capture for that location:

[Xelebes]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Thing is, those interchanges, aside from the obvious factor of having a higher construction cost, have a much higher life cycle cost as well. Bridges require regular maintenance & the occasional rehab to keep them in shape otherwise they collapse. The more flyovers you have, the more bridge span to maintain.

In Ontario bridge length is minimized by having two levels, and maximizing the use of raised earth instead of bridges for its upper levels. This may not be as cool or sexy but it protects from the collapsing bridge syndrome you see in Quebec and the US.

In Alberta, we use trestles and mounds for our three-stacks. Well, at least in Edmonton.

[leftimage]

As far big, jumbled stack interchanges go in Canada, I believe Montreal is the winner...







Officials have mentioned the new Turcot interchange will correct the mistakes of the past by being much shorter - I believe the ''moat'' system has been proven to work better in climates such as ours.

Here's a ''moat'' as it was being built on Decarie highway:



And I agree with what others have mentioned above, they're beautiful behemoths. Anyone ever play GTA5 ? Los Santos has beautiful stacks as well.

[libtard]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Thing is, those interchanges, aside from the obvious factor of having a higher construction cost, have a much higher life cycle cost as well. Bridges require regular maintenance & the occasional rehab to keep them in shape otherwise they collapse. The more flyovers you have, the more bridge span to maintain.

In Ontario bridge length is minimized by having two levels, and maximizing the use of raised earth instead of bridges for its upper levels. This may not be as cool or sexy but it protects from the collapsing bridge syndrome you see in Quebec and the US.

I haven't heard of any fly over bridges collapsing in the US enough to warrant it a "syndrome"

Yes stacks and flyovers have a higher construction and maintenance cost, because they are a better structure then the simpler designs like the clover leaf. They move vehicles more efficiently.

Those pictures of the flyovers in the Montreal are absolutely deplorable. Makes Canada look like a third world country. Can't even compare them to beauties like this

[haljackey]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

In Ontario bridge length is minimized by having two levels, and maximizing the use of raised earth instead of bridges for its upper levels. This may not be as cool or sexy but it protects from the collapsing bridge syndrome you see in Quebec and the US.

You can still make a stack interchange using a lot of earth. It would require some pretty steep embankments though.

The best example I can think of is the quazi-stack interchange between the 427 and 407ETR north of Toronto:


Location: http://goo.gl/maps/9a6oI

The 400/407ETR stack uses a lot of earth as well by making two of the 4 fly-overs 'fly-unders' as the run below the grade:


Location: http://goo.gl/maps/pHTDK

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Although north of the 407ETR there's a lot of spaghetti:


Photo of Hwy 407 & Hwy 400 by drum118, on Flickr


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A big plus is that construction and maintenance costs are lower and they are less of an eyesore because they don't rise as high in the air.

Texas uses a lot of frontage roads so that's why their interchanges are towering. Frontage roads add an extra level, so a 4-level stack would be a 5-level stack there. An expensive, complex, yet awesome piece of engineering.