Highways in Canada

[Innsertnamehere]

Toronto is probably a tie with New York and Quebec, with New York maybe having a slight lead.

Beyond that it gets fuzzy.

common plates include (in no particular order):

1. Alberta
2. Michigan
3. Ohio
4. Pennsylvania
5. Massachusetts

I once saw a Northwest Terrritories plate on the 407, that was an event. Its in the shape of a friggin polar bear!

[vid]

NWT plates aren't unheard of here, it's the Nunavut ones that are really rare.

[north 42]

Common licence plates here in Windsor.

1: Michigan
2: Ohio
3: Indiana
4: Illinois
5: New York
6: Kentucky
7: Pennsylvania
8: Quebec

[Taeolas]

Here in Fredericton, in no particular order, we seem to get:

* Ontario
* Nova Scotia
* PEI
* Quebec
* Maine

With a common splash from NF&L, New Hampshire, Vermont and Alberta.

The rest of the plates tend to be rare enough to be notable.

[Metro-One]

In BC it depends where you are. Washington and Alberta plates are everywhere. In the south western portion of BC there is also a large number of Oregon and California. East of Christina Lake there becomes more Idaho and Montana plates.

Honourable mentions go to Saskatchewan, Utah, Nevada, Alaska, the Yukon, and Manitoba.

[feepa]

In this latest boom in Edmonton, I see mostly Ontario plates, followed by BC and Sask. There's an odd MB or NB plate in there too. It's fun to see plates from NWT, but its not a rare occurrence either. Also see a fair amount of washington plates.

In the previous boom of 05-08, NB/NS/BC led the way.

I recall when I was younger, walking through the Lake Louise in Banff, you could see just about every plate in Canada and USA parked in the parking lot.

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by north 42

Common licence plates here in Windsor.

1: Michigan
2: Ohio
3: Indiana
4: Illinois
5: New York
6: Kentucky
7: Pennsylvania
8: Quebec

Here in Québec city it's Ontario HANDS DOWN !

[PhilippeMtl]

Montreal

Ontario
New York
Vermont ( mostly on Friday night/Saturday)
New Brunswick

are the most common

[FrAnKs]

I'm back from N.B. & N.S.

Sorry, but I have to say it in French ....

J'ai pu constater une fois de plus à quel point l'état du réseau routier Québécois est à la traine, même par rapport à une petite province comme la Nouvelle-Écosse et une province pauvre comme le Nouveau-Brunswick.

En effet, en tant que 2ieme province au pays, le Québec devrais être un leader en conception routière, or ce n'est pas du tout le cas. Il n'y a aucune innovation ici.

Voici les principales différences.

Au Nouveau-Brunswick et en Nouvelle-Écosse :

- Asphalte ( surface de roulement ) plus régulière et douce
- Absence d'ornières, de fissures et de bosses à répétition
- Panneaux clairs, bien placés et répétitifs ( On nous avertis la sortie à l'avance plusieurs fois et pas à la dernière seconde )
- Peinture de chaussée plus visible, plus large et non effacée
- Joints de viaducs plus doux
- Viaducs plus haut ( dégagement en hauteur ) et plus massifs
- Voies d'insertions et sorties beaucoup plus longues
- Conducteurs plus disciplinés
- Excellent entretien des routes & interventions ponctuelles un peu partout.
- Le respect du piéton est une obligation et un priorité.
- Courbes plus douces & légèrement inclinés

Étant Québécois et connaisant bien nos routes, j'ai été estomaqué, alors je n'ose imaginer un touriste qui viens ici pour la premiere fois !

Le Québec semble clairement avoir choisi de concevoir les routes d'une facon différente des autres provinces, pour une raisonn que j'ignore. Toutefois, il devrais songer à s'en inspirer.

Nos routes, même lorsque neuves, semblent déjà fragiles, comme une coquille vide où l'on ne vois pas quels défauts de fabrication se cachent l'intérieur et où ce n'est que l'apparence qui compte.

Un changement de cap MAJEUR s'impose. Mais j'ai peu d'espoir.

[Innsertnamehere]

I just got from NB and NS as well! what a coincidence!

That said, There were some design discrepancies that surprised me in NB as well. Namely the two rail crossings that were not grade seperated on NB 2 outside of Moncton.

The amount of super 2s and in general highways in NB is impressive given its tiny population. Does anyone know where I can find NB AADTs for their highway network?

a lot of your complaints come with Quebec having old highways, most of NBs highways have been built in the last 25 years or so. Highways built in the 1950's and 1960's will have lower design standards than ones built in the last 25 years.

That said, Quebec should arguably be following the model Ontario uses which is to slowly upgrade their substandard highway features when possible. Ontario rebuilds several old interchanges on the highway network every year to modern standards, right now the big focus is replacing the old interchanges around London. This results in the highway network being generally quite modern, even if it is still pockmarked with old substandard features.

MTO has really focused on highway modernization in the last few years actually, It is in the process of rebuilding the 401 (ever so slowly) through Toronto and just finished a complete reconstruction of the 427 a few years ago with improved design standards.

The effect of this is that you get highways like the QEW which is quite literally the oldest highway in North America but yet is almost entirely lined by modern Parclo's and is almost indistinguishable from a new build highway that opened yesterday.

[1overcosc]

Is it really as bad as it used to be though? It used to be when driving on the A20-401 / A40-417 between Ontario & Quebec you'd immediately know where the border is simply because the pavement would suddenly get bumpier when you crossed into Quebec. Now it's hard to tell the difference, it's smooth on both sides.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

I just got from NB and NS as well! what a coincidence!

That said, There were some design discrepancies that surprised me in NB as well. Namely the two rail crossings that were not grade seperated on NB 2 outside of Moncton.

The amount of super 2s and in general highways in NB is impressive given its tiny population. Does anyone know where I can find NB AADTs for their highway network?

a lot of your complaints come with Quebec having old highways, most of NBs highways have been built in the last 25 years or so. Highways built in the 1950's and 1960's will have lower design standards than ones built in the last 25 years.

That said, Quebec should arguably be following the model Ontario uses which is to slowly upgrade their substandard highway features when possible. Ontario rebuilds several old interchanges on the highway network every year to modern standards, right now the big focus is replacing the old interchanges around London. This results in the highway network being generally quite modern, even if it is still pockmarked with old substandard features.

MTO has really focused on highway modernization in the last few years actually, It is in the process of rebuilding the 401 (ever so slowly) through Toronto and just finished a complete reconstruction of the 427 a few years ago with improved design standards.

The effect of this is that you get highways like the QEW which is quite literally the oldest highway in North America but yet is almost entirely lined by modern Parclo's and is almost indistinguishable from a new build highway that opened yesterday.

Highway 417 east of Ottawa is also undergoing a significant rebuild. Large segments are being repaved, the overpasses are being repaired (six bridges are being redecked as we speak), and paved shoulders with rumble strips are being added as each segment is being repaired.

The 417 east of Ottawa was built to fairly shoddy standards to begin with, until all the rebuilds started it was easily one of the most substandard of the entire 400 series. This is because its construction was rushed in order to be complete in time for the 1976 Olympics.

The MTO resurfaces its highways fairly frequently--a little too much so IMO. Highway 416 was resurfaced only 15 years after it was built, and there really wasn't anything wrong with the surface when they decided to repave, it was still fine.

[vanatox]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Is it really as bad as it used to be though? It used to be when driving on the A20-401 / A40-417 between Ontario & Quebec you'd immediately know where the border is simply because the pavement would suddenly get bumpier when you crossed into Quebec. Now it's hard to tell the difference, it's smooth on both sides.

It has improved a lot. Since about 2007 (after de la Concorde viaduct collapse in 2006) and even more since 2009-2010, a lot of work has been done on the road infrastructures of the province. Just driving around Montreal where all of the major interchanges are redone as we speak, it quite clear that a lot of work is being done to replace the old stuff and meet the current standards. It will take many years to fix everyting but we are moving in the right direction. One of the worst stretch of highway in the province which is highway 15 between Champlain bridge and Turcot interchange is being completely redone and expanded. Just a few years ago, that place was a disaster.

I'm no longer ashamed of the state of our roads anymore since it has improved a lot in the last few years. During my vacations, I went on a road trip in New England and the highways and road were not in better shape and sometime even worst.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by vanatox

It has improved a lot. Since about 2007 (after de la Concorde viaduct collapse in 2006) and even more since 2009-2010, a lot of work has been done on the road infrastructures of the province. Just driving around Montreal where all of the major interchanges are redone as we speak, it quite clear that a lot of work is being done to replace the old stuff and meet the current standards. It will take many years to fix everyting but we are moving in the right direction. One of the worst stretch of highway in the province which is highway 15 between Champlain bridge and Turcot interchange is being completely redone and expanded. Just a few years ago, that place was a disaster.

I'm no longer ashamed of the state of our roads anymore since it has improved a lot in the last few years. During my vacations, I went on a road trip in New England and the highways and road were not in better shape and sometime even worst.

I generally agree with this. Things have improved in recent years and the difference is not so striking between Quebec and its neighbours any more.

As for NB, well it is true that its section of the TCH is impressive but let's not forget that this is the newest expressway of significant length maybe anywhere in Canada (at least anywhere in central-eastern Canada).

It was built with a huge amount of money from the feds who identified it as a priority as it was likely the worst section of the TCH when you combined overall performance with respect to traffic and congestion, and is an important link to four of the ten provinces.

The feds are also providing significant funding to the missing link in the TCH in Quebec, the A-85.

But the feds don't automatically fund any TCH twinning project. The provinces still have to pitch it and there has to be an agreement.

And I don't believe the feds fund maintenance or upgrades to existing portions of the TCH that were twinned long ago. (Which is the case of most of the TCH in Quebec. It was one of the first provinces that twinned its most of its main TCH route. I remember it as a child 30 or 35 years ago.)

[Vertigo3000]

I see New York (daily) and Michigan plates far more than I see any other plates, I also see Alberta plates far more so than Quebec plates here in Collingwood

[Acajack]

Gatineau licence plate spotting...

Ontario by far, obviously. Sometimes 1 out of every 4 cars around me when I am driving in Gatineau, will have Ontario plates. Especially in places that have federal offices nearby, the casino, and recreational areas like ski centres.

Also many Gatineau apartment buildings seem to have lots of "regular visitors" with Ontario plates. Actually these are generally a reflection of a tax fraud scheme: pay lower rent in Quebec but pay lower Ontario income taxes by pretending you still live there. Though this seems less common now: I believe Quebec has cracked down.

After Ontario plates, the most common are New Brunswick.

Then New York.

And then a toss-up between Vermont, New Hampshire and Alberta.

[vid]

I saw a plate from Alabama today.

[softee]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Toronto is probably a tie with New York and Quebec, with New York maybe having a slight lead.

Beyond that it gets fuzzy.

common plates include (in no particular order):

1. Alberta
2. Michigan
3. Ohio
4. Pennsylvania
5. Massachusetts

I once saw a Northwest Terrritories plate on the 407, that was an event. Its in the shape of a friggin polar bear!

After New York, I seem to notice more New Jersey plates than any of those other states.

[MolsonExport]

Pitcairn Island plate today.

[Tone]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

I just got from NB and NS as well! what a coincidence!

The new 30 is pretty cool, isn't it?