Highways in Canada

[sonysnob]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

From what I gather most of the annoying/dangerous/slow sections of Highway 69 have already been twinned, and the areas that are still 2 lane are the ones that function well at 2 lanes, which gives a lot less urgency to completing the freeway.

Once the S-curve at Hwy 637 had been by-passed in 2010, the last of the worst sections of Hwy 69 had been by-passed. That said though, ideally the widening would be progressing from south to north, as that is where the busiest sections of highway are located. Probably the section most in need of a by-pass at this point is the section through Pointe au Baril. Pointe au Baril is the only real settlement area left on Hwy 69, and there are several fairly major intersections and commercial entrances that would be better located on a service road and not the main highway. One day though...

[manny_santos]

I've heard of a proposal to also twin Hwy 17 from the Manitoba border to Kenora; is there any timeline on that?

[eternallyme]

Once the "critical" sections of 17 (Kenora to Manitoba, Nipigon to Shabaqua) that have no alternate routes are twinned, the busiest remaining sections in northern Ontario are mostly between the North Bay area and Sault Ste. Marie.

[sonysnob]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

I've heard of a proposal to also twin Hwy 17 from the Manitoba border to Kenora; is there any timeline on that?

Twinning had previously been announced immediately east of the Manitoba border. Not for the entire distance between Manitoba and Kenora, mind you, but I think that too has been bogged down by negotiations with first nations.

Originally Posted by eternallyme

Once the "critical" sections of 17 (Kenora to Manitoba, Nipigon to Shabaqua) that have no alternate routes are twinned, the busiest remaining sections in northern Ontario are mostly between the North Bay area and Sault Ste. Marie.

Some of the areas both east and west of Sudbury are quite busy, and could definitely use improvements. For east of Sudbury in particular, the highway was last really upgraded in the 1940s, and would benefit from geometric improvements in addition to capacity improvements. Some realignment and widening work is planned for Hwy 17 surrounding Sudbury, but nothing has been funded in any previous five year plans, so construction is far from imminent.

[vid]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

I wasn't aware MTO had the funding to make the Thunder Bay expressway an actual expressway... Do you have a source on that?

Construction funding isn't secured, but "promised". They have already provided funding for the study, however. The project will most likely be used as a prop in the 2018 election to ensure the re-election of our Liberal MPPs.

Here is the project's website: http://www.thunderbayexpressway.ca/faq.html

[haljackey]

Progress on the 401 extension


Highway 3 eastbound E.C. Row to Grand Marais by Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway, on Flickr

Highway 401 ramps by
Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway, on Flickr


Highway 401 ramps by Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway, on Flickr


Highway 3 east of Todd/Cabana by Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway, on Flickr

More info/pics in the parent thread in the Ontario section: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=188722

[eternallyme]

Sault Ste. Marie will definitely be a challenge as well. There are several factors that need to be considered:

1) Through traffic tends to flow east to north, and vice versa. It would be ideal to have a bypass running around a northeast corner bypass (which would be a major timesaver!).

2) However, there is significant traffic heading to the US (especially trucks) as well, which requires internal upgrades. The lack of a high quality road through the city forces intercity trucks travelling to and from the US along urban arterial roads (most notably Second Line). However, there is no right of way available to build such. A bypass would do nothing for them.

3) The bypass also does nothing for local traffic, and does not function as such at all. Hence, it requires additional connections. A Second Line extension would function well as an arterial connection (along with Great Northern Road/current 17), but the location of a potential truck route may preclude an interchange there.

The bypass is the easy part. Highway 17 just south of Sixth Line (about 2.5 km north of the ACR underpass) would be the best place to start and the current sharp curve on the Garden River bypass of 17 would be the best rejoining point, passing just north of the solar farm.

That leads the question: how to connect such a bypass to the International Bridge? The Fort Creek alignment is the shortest (upgrade the road between Second Line and the bridge) but it would be too environmentally sensitive. That also has a major bearing on interchange locations.

[Innsertnamehere]

A freeway connection to I-95 could be achieved through upgrading Carmen's Way. The issue would be the location where that joins up with 17.

[sonysnob]

Some widening work is planned along Hwy 400 through the Hwy 9 interchange starting next year:

9. Description of Project:
• The staged widening and grading of Highway 400 from a 6-lane cross-section, to accommodate a future 10-lane cross-section that will include a median HOV lane in each direction. An 8-lane cross section including future HOV lanes will be paved but only a 6-lane section with 3 general purpose lanes in each direction will be opened to traffic at completion.

• Reconstruction of the Highway 400 / 9 interchange, including new underpass structure at Highway 9.

• Replacement of the South Canal Road Overpass Structures.

• Expansion of existing commuter parking lot at Highway 9 interchange (173 additional parking spaces).

• Installation of partial, full and parking lot illumination.

• Construction of new drainage facilities, including two new storm water management ponds to accommodate the proposed improvements.

• Realignment of Davis Rd and South Canal Bank Rd in the vicinity of South Canal/Hwy 400.

• Realignment of South Canal under South Canal Bridges within MTO’s ROW; and

• Relocation of affected utilities.

• Environmental protection and mitigation for SARS, Avian and asbestos.

• Engineering fill and pre-loading for highway widening and road re-alignment.


10. Assignment approximate start and completion dates:
Pre-contract engineering phase: N/A
Construction administration phase: (tentative timing) April 2015 to November 2018

[Innsertnamehere]

MTO is slowly getting ready to widen the 400..

[sonysnob]

Inspired by a post in another group that I follow, here are some older photos of Southern Ontario's highways taken from about ~10 years ago:

[Metro-One]

Sweet Pics.

And thanks for the 401 update!

Best highway project in the country currently.

[ssiguy]

I miss the days of driving on real highways.

[middeljohn]

Originally Posted by sonysnob

Inspired by a post in another group that I follow, here are some older photos of Southern Ontario's highways taken from about ~10 years ago:

I didn't realize the QEW through Halton didn't have high-mast lighting as little as ten years ago! Standard cobra heads were probably deemed adequate for a 6-lane freeway.

[sonysnob]

Originally Posted by middeljohn

I didn't realize the QEW through Halton didn't have high-mast lighting as little as ten years ago! Standard cobra heads were probably deemed adequate for a 6-lane freeway.

Most of the QEW through Halton wasn't lit at all ten years ago. Even as a six lane highway, it was only over top of the Bronte Creek Bridge, and between Dorval and Royal Windsor in Oakville that the highway had any lighting at all.

[go_leafs_go02]

Originally Posted by ssiguy

I miss the days of driving on real highways.

Amazing eh? Just returned to BC after a week in the homeland, and man, how advanced Ontario's freeways are to BC's.

Plus the drivers are miles better. No left lane hogs, and traffic moves at a reasonable 120 km/h everywhere. Shocked that Ontario MTO is so stuck on the 100 km/h speed limit.

[libtard]

Originally Posted by go_leafs_go02

Amazing eh? Just returned to BC after a week in the homeland, and man, how advanced Ontario's freeways are to BC's.

Plus the drivers are miles better. No left lane hogs, and traffic moves at a reasonable 120 km/h everywhere. Shocked that Ontario MTO is so stuck on the 100 km/h speed limit.

Yes drivers in Ontario for the most part are great. Crossing the border from NY was a huge contrast. All the cars on the Ontario side keep a nice pace on the highway

[GreaterMontréal]

A-55 Pont Laviolette


Pont Laviolette de Trois-Rivières (Québec, Canada) by Linda Allard - www.linda-allard.com, on Flickr

Pont Laviolette by mastershots.pl, on Flickr

Coucher de soleil sur le pont Laviolette.....Sunrise on the Laviolette bridge.... by letannant069...(Alain), on Flickr

A-73 Pont Pierre-Laporte


Pont Laporte en Smog by S_Gendron, on Flickr

Embâcle by Reloopstudio, on Flickr

[manny_santos]

Nice pic of the old McDonald's near Barrie, I miss those service centres. Though the old one southbound at Hwy 89 was legendary for poor service and food quality in my family.

[SteelTown]

Originally Posted by sonysnob

Inspired by a post in another group that I follow, here are some older photos of Southern Ontario's highways taken from about ~10 years ago:

Meh! Miss those green rails, now there all being replaced with bland cement barriers.