Highways in Canada

[Innsertnamehere]

Can be old and run down compared to Ontario and NB / NS highways. Nature of them being an older network, and not being constantly upgraded like Ontario. Ontario has some older sections as well (400, 11, 35, etc.), but not on the same level of Quebec.

A-30 is very nice though, new Autoroutes are as good as anywhere else. Autoroute network is also much more extensive than the 400 series network in Ontario.

Mind you Ontario is generally considered to have the best built highways on the continent, so comparing other provinces and states networks to ours is a bit futile in terms of design quality.

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Mind you Ontario is generally considered to have the best built highways on the continent.

Why is that ? Better built / quality ?

Our new Autoroutes are good, but I'm never satisfied. I don't find them 'Innovative'' at all. I mean, I have the impression that we are a poor province doing as less as possible on our roads ( At least to me...)
Also, they doesn't seem to stay in good shape as long as others and maintenance is terrific.
I try hard to be proud of our Autoroutes system, but I can't : Sharp curves, too short merge lanes & exist, not as much lanes, wavy surface, unvisible paint someplaces etc...
There is just one thing : it is big and well developped ( quality less )

[GreaterMontréal]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Why is that ? Better built / quality ?

Our new Autoroutes are good, but I'm never satisfied. I don't find them 'Innovative'' at all. I mean, I have the impression that we are a poor province doing as less as possible on our roads ( At least to me...)
Also, they doesn't seem to stay in good shape as long as others and maintenance is terrific.
I try hard to be proud of our Autoroutes system, but I can't.
There is just one thing : it is big and well developped ( quality less )

the Montréal highway system is a lot better than 10 years ago.

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by GreaterMontréal

the Montréal highway system is a lot better than 10 years ago.

Vrai...

Mais je met un gros bémol là-dessus.

Il reste beaucoup, beaucoup de travail à faire encore. Surtout lorsqu'on vois que la qualité n'est pas au rendez-vous.

Trouve-tu ça normal d'apercevoir des fissures dans une autoroute fraîchement asphalté il y a quelque années ? C'est qu'il y a un problème à la base.

Je vous le dit, y en a pour des milliards de retard en investissements et je n'ai aucun espoir, parce que les normes CHEAP vont le rester tant qu'on bottera pas les fesses au MTQ.

[1overcosc]

Ontario's freeway network is considered really good because:
1) Use of parclo interchanges instead of cloverleafs or diamonds--efficient traffic flow and much less potential for weaving accidents
2) Long merge ramps that give those getting on plenty of time to merge
3) Use of concrete walls separating the two carriageways--prevents deadly head-on collisions caused by crossing the median
4) Efficient design that minimizes cost of keeping roads in good shape (for example, designing interchanges to have the lowest possible amount of flyovers).
5) Budget planning that prioritizes maintenance & rehabilitation needs over expansions & extensions

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Ontario's freeway network is considered really good because:
1) Use of parclo interchanges instead of cloverleafs or diamonds--efficient traffic flow and much less potential for weaving accidents
2) Long merge ramps that give those getting on plenty of time to merge
3) Use of concrete walls separating the two carriageways--prevents deadly head-on collisions caused by crossing the median
4) Efficient design that minimizes cost of keeping roads in good shape (for example, designing interchanges to have the lowest possible amount of flyovers).
5) Budget planning that prioritizes maintenance & rehabilitation needs over expansions & extensions

Your ingeneers are just intelligent. That's it.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Why is that ? Better built / quality ?

Our new Autoroutes are good, but I'm never satisfied. I don't find them 'Innovative'' at all. I mean, I have the impression that we are a poor province doing as less as possible on our roads ( At least to me...)
Also, they doesn't seem to stay in good shape as long as others and maintenance is terrific.
I try hard to be proud of our Autoroutes system, but I can't : Sharp curves, too short merge lanes & exist, not as much lanes, wavy surface, unvisible paint someplaces etc...
There is just one thing : it is big and well developped ( quality less )

Build quality. Almost all interchanges are expensive, but very safe Parclos (an Ontario innovation in itself), large medians, large curve radii, large shoulders, etc. Take a look at highway 7 outside of Ottawa, and you will see what I mean. The design standards are very high. Older highways undergo constant upgrades as well to replace old, substandard interchanges. London right now is getting all its interchanges on the 401 completely rebuilt to modern standards, old bridges replaced, etc. This has resulted in there being very few old, unsafe interchanges remaining on the network, the provincial road network now only has a single cloverleaf remaining (401 in Belleville), for example.

Expensive projects are often carried out for upgrades as well, such as the Stevenson Road interchange in Oshawa, which is essentially built over another road to avoid the construction of a diamond interchange. MTO doesn't cheap out to save a bit of money. Ontario has also pioneered many modern highway features standard around NA today, such as the Parclo and Concrete tall wall in the median.

[GreaterMontréal]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Vrai...

Mais je met un gros bémol là-dessus.

Il reste beaucoup, beaucoup de travail à faire encore. Surtout lorsqu'on vois que la qualité n'est pas au rendez-vous.

Trouve-tu ça normal d'apercevoir des fissures dans une autoroute fraîchement asphalté il y a quelque années ? C'est qu'il y a un problème à la base.

Je vous le dit, y en a pour des milliards de retard en investissements et je n'ai aucun espoir, parce que les normes CHEAP vont le rester tant qu'on bottera pas les fesses au MTQ.

Je dirais que dans les années 90, il y a eu un très gros manque d'entretien, et aussi que le réseau est très développé par rapport à notre population.
Je roule à Montréal depuis 6 ans et le seul défaut c'est la largeur de 3 voies qui est souvent insuffisante. À part ça, le réseau est très bien développer, tu peux te rendre où tu veux en moins de 45min peu importe où tu te trouves. (hors des heures de pointe), mais pour les heures de pointe c'est la même chose pour toutes les villes en Amérique du Nord.

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Build quality. Almost all interchanges are expensive, but very safe Parclos (an Ontario innovation in itself), large medians, large curve radii, large shoulders, etc. Take a look at highway 7 outside of Ottawa, and you will see what I mean. The design standards are very high. Older highways undergo constant upgrades as well to replace old, substandard interchanges. London right now is getting all its interchanges on the 401 completely rebuilt to modern standards, old bridges replaced, etc. This has resulted in there being very few old, unsafe interchanges remaining on the network, the provincial road network now only has a single cloverleaf remaining (401 in Belleville), for example.

Expensive projects are often carried out for upgrades as well, such as the Stevenson Road interchange in Oshawa, which is essentially built over another road to avoid the construction of a diamond interchange. MTO doesn't cheap out to save a bit of money. Ontario has also pioneered many modern highway features standard around NA today, such as the Parclo and Concrete tall wall in the median.

I like it ! Large and safe ! -> https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Ottawa,...!1s0x4cce05b25f5113af:0x8a6a51e131dd15ed

That is A50 in Québec : https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Ottawa,...!1s0x4cce05b25f5113af:0x8a6a51e131dd15ed

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by GreaterMontréal

Je dirais que dans les années 90, il y a eu un très gros manque d'entretien, et aussi que le réseau est très développé par rapport à notre population.
Je roule à Montréal depuis 6 ans et le seul défaut c'est la largeur de 3 voies qui est souvent insuffisante. À part ça, le réseau est très bien développer, tu peux te rendre où tu veux en moins de 45min peu importe où tu te trouves. (hors des heures de pointe), mais pour les heures de pointe c'est la même chose pour toutes les villes en Amérique du Nord.

Peut-être que tu n'est pas aussi pointilleux que moi
J'ai voyagé en Ontario, Nouveau-Brunwick, Nouvelle-Écosse, Vermont et même en France. Et le constat est frappant lorsqu'on reviens au Québec... disons que ça nous ouvre les yeux.

Et c'est vrai qu'il y a eu un gros manque d'entretiens ( À cause du PQ et ses référendums ) ... et il est également vraiment que nous avons un gros réseau Autoroutier à entretenir... une façon de le rentabiliser serais d'y ajouter des Péages et d'augmenter la population ( plus de payeurs par km )

[GreaterMontréal]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Peut-être que tu n'est pas aussi pointilleux que moi
J'ai voyagé en Ontario, Nouveau-Brunwick, Nouvelle-Écosse, Vermont et même en France. Et le constat est frappant lorsqu'on reviens au Québec... disons que ça nous ouvre les yeux.

Et c'est vrai qu'il y a eu un gros manque d'entretiens ( À cause du PQ et ses référendums ) ... et il est également vraiment que nous avons un gros réseau Autoroutier à entretenir... une façon de le rentabiliser serais d'y ajouter des Péages et d'augmenter la population ( plus de payeurs par km )

J'ai voyagé au Texas et partout aux states et je ne vois pas de différence majeure avec les nouvelles autoroutes faites en béton à Montréal et ses banlieues. La métropolitaine (partie surélevée) cause problème mais on s'en fout, au moins elle existe

• Video Link

[FrAnKs]

Originally Posted by GreaterMontréal

J'ai voyagé au Texas et partout aux states et je ne vois pas de différence majeure avec les nouvelles autoroutes faites en béton à Montréal et ses banlieues. La métropolitaine (partie surélevée) cause problème mais on s'en fout, au moins elle existe

• Video Link

Thank you, I like this video. It's indeed a nice section.

Texas ? Lucky man you are. Have a look on this ( from 3:30 to the end )

• Video Link

[GreaterMontréal]

Houston is a sprawling city. Urban Montréal is as large as the city of Houston, but has 1.4M more people.

[Innsertnamehere]

awesome aerial I found of the 407 in Markham:


http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1261671&page=8&highlight=waterloo

[sonysnob]

I've driven most of Quebec's autoroute network, and my opinions are fairly positive. Gone are the days when you had to worry about your car's suspension when driving around the province as most of the network is actually in reasonably good condition these days.

Quebec's network is very extensive, which I quite like. Most major population centres are now connected to one another directly by an autoroute. For all of the positives of Ontario's network, it isn't as extensive as Quebec's.

Quebec's freeways themselves are a bit more haphazard than what is typically found in Ontario. Freeway to freeway interchanges can be complicated and confusing, and the ramps are often excessively tight. The posted 70km/h speed limit on some of Quebec's urban routes is a bit ridiculous as well.

One of the things that I like about Ontario's network is the extensive use of parclo A-4 interchanges. In urban and suburban settings the ramps to the freeway almost always depart the arterial street from the right side, which makes it easy to plan what lane to be in when approaching an unfamiliar interchange. In other jurisdictions, it can be more random of how to get onto the freeway, which can be more stressful when driving.

[waterloowarrior]

No Southern Highways Program update for Ontario this year? They usually come out with a new plan annually in the late summer or fall.
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/pubs/highway-construction/index.shtml

[GreaterMontréal]

The posted 70km/h speed limit on some of Quebec's urban routes is a bit ridiculous as well.

In Montréal, 70km/h = 100-110
rarely you will see a cop on the Metropolitan or on A-25 or on Decarie, you don't have to worry.

[caltrane74]

The concrete tall wall is actually better known as the Ontario Tall Wall.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

No Southern Highways Program update for Ontario this year? They usually come out with a new plan annually in the late summer or fall.
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/pubs/highway-construction/index.shtml

The election probably delayed it by about two months but it still should be out by now...

[sonysnob]

Originally Posted by GreaterMontréal

In Montréal, 70km/h = 100-110
rarely you will see a cop on the Metropolitan or on A-25 or on Decarie, you don't have to worry.

It's not so much that I am worried about a getting a ticket, instead I think the artificially low speed limit creates a wider range of driving speeds along the road.

Invariably, some drivers think that they should stick close to the posted speed limit, while others drivers drive at a speed that is typical of, you know, a freeway. This creates a wide gulf between the slowest and fastest drivers on the road. which isn't really necessary, particularly on the Décarie, which isn't actually that bad an urban road.