Highways in Canada

[srperrycgy]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Driving from Kamloops through Whistler is a spectacular drive back to Vancouver even in the worst of weather. Photos from Highway 99 between north of Lillooet and Pemberton. Part of our Family Day trip to Sun Peaks.

Beautiful shots! I'm planning on taking Highway 99 when I go from Calgary to the coast in the summer. I've watched a few drivecam videos of the Duffey Lake Road section of Hwy 99 on Youtube and it looks like a challenging drive.

[sonysnob]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Very nice pictures. When is the Highway 400 supposed to be totally twinned to Sudbury ?
I really liked that wildlife overpass btw !

I plan to make a road video this spring between MacTier and Parry Sound and another one of Route 6 between Little Current and Espanola.

I'd say by the early 2020s it'll be twinned. Maybe something like 2023 or so.

Hwy 6 is a really pretty drive between Espanola and Little Current. The highway runs through the LaCloche Mountains, and is fairly rugged.

[FrAnKs]

Ah ! It looks even more better than it is on street view, thanks !

May I ask if by any chance, you know other roads of that kind in Ontario with very impressive landscapes ?
... I mean where it's really, really Worth going, considering that Toronto per example is already a 8hrs drive from Q-city ! )

[Innsertnamehere]

35 is always nice, at least the northern part is.

The really nice roads are way up north though, nothing really drivable from Quebec. 17 is great along the north shores of Lake Superior, the Highway 11 causeway outside of International Falls, etc.

There are other neat things scattered around the province too, a personal favourite has always been this:

https://www.google.ca/maps/@44.5648318,-78.9514926,735m/data=!3m1!1e3

It doesn't have streetview unfortunately, but its essentially a road through a lake. It often floods in the spring and has to be closed, it is so close to lake level. Just off of the now downloaded Highway 48 too, so its not too remote.

I always liked the Big Chute boat railway too: (there are actually 2 right beside each other, the one pictured is the new one used today but there is an older, smaller one a couple hundred feet over)



https://www.google.ca/maps/@44.8844434,-79.6739623,626m/data=!3m1!1e3

[eemy]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

There are other neat things scattered around the province too, a personal favourite has always been this:

https://www.google.ca/maps/@44.5648318,-78.9514926,735m/data=!3m1!1e3

It doesn't have streetview unfortunately, but its essentially a road through a lake. It often floods in the spring and has to be closed, it is so close to lake level. Just off of the now downloaded Highway 48 too, so its not too remote.

Also Centennial Park Rd. west of Kirkfield is very similar. In the same area, I quite like the drive north on Cty Rd. 6, as it runs through an alvar plain, which is fairly unusual.

[sonysnob]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Ah ! It looks even more better than it is on street view, thanks !

May I ask if by any chance, you know other roads of that kind in Ontario with very impressive landscapes ?
... I mean where it's really, really Worth going, considering that Toronto per example is already a 8hrs drive from Q-city ! )

There aren't too, too many highways in Ontario with really impressive landscapes. Certainly nothing to the level of Hwy 99 north of Vancouver on the last page.

Some interesting roads have already been mentioned, but I'll mention Hwy 41 through Renfrew County, as well as Hwy 132 and Hwy 28. Hwy 41 is probably the best, as it is a really well built high-speed road that goes through the high hills of the Opeongo "Mountains". Hwy 41 also has a nice section that runs adjacent to Mazinaw Lake. If your travel aspirations are to film, I'm not sure that these roads are great for that, (41 and 132 might not be bad, but I don't think 28 would work that well).

I'd also add that the 1000's Islands Parkway is a nice drive as well. Again, I'm not sure if it would look super impressive on film, but its scenic enough to drive.

I'm partial to both Hwy 35 and Hwy 7A through Kawartha Lakes as well. Airport Road north of Hwy 9 up to Stayner has a lot of big hills that are nice, as are a few county roads up on Gray County.

If you haven't driven A-50 in Quebec yet, I'd definitely make a point of doing so en route to Ontario as well.

[MolsonExport]

The Trans Canada Highway hugging Lake Superior is quite spectacular in places.

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by srperrycgy

Beautiful shots! I'm planning on taking Highway 99 when I go from Calgary to the coast in the summer. I've watched a few drivecam videos of the Duffey Lake Road section of Hwy 99 on Youtube and it looks like a challenging drive.

Thanks! Nah, it's not a hard drive unless you do it during a blizzard or in a torrential rain. It can also be a different experience if you are driving a huge truck, but for a normal car there is no problem. Most of the road is brand new surface and very enjoyable.

In summer weather it is just simply a spectular ride in so many places. Some summer photos in here. I hope you enjoy!

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by sonysnob

Some interesting roads have already been mentioned, but I'll mention Hwy 41 through Renfrew County, as well as Hwy 132 and Hwy 28. Hwy 41 is probably the best, as it is a really well built high-speed road that goes through the high hills of the Opeongo "Mountains". Hwy 41 also has a nice section that runs adjacent to Mazinaw Lake. If your travel aspirations are to film, I'm not sure that these roads are great for that, (41 and 132 might not be bad, but I don't think 28 would work that well).

I love that part of the province. It's very sparsely populated, having a very rugged wilderness feel, much more so than anywhere else in Southern Ontario, despite being a short drive away from the cities. It's also one of the best spots for stargazing. Cloyne, Ontario, a small town along the 41 by Mazinaw Lake, has a pure black sky--not a single star is faded due to light pollution. It's the closest pure-black-sky point to tens of millions of people in North America and as such has great potential as an astrotourism destination, the local township has been marketing this for quite some time and has even passed bylaws strictly regulating lighting in the area to protect against localized light pollution.

[lrt's friend]

A couple of roads I like is the old Opeongo Line which is an old colonization road. It runs from Renfrew (hwy 132) to Barry's Bay but the most scenic part is west of Hwy 41 as it runs through the Opeongo highlands. There is a spot just east of Foymount that overlooks a number of lakes in the Ottawa valley. Incidentally, Foymount is an old dew line radar station and is the highest elevation populated location in Ontario. The traffic is light making for enjoyable driving and the area tastes of history. Close by is a location believed to have been a hide out for Al Capone during Prohibition.

The other road is the one that takes you to Killarney on the northeast corner of Georgian Bay. It takes you through really rocky country with white stone making a great contrast with the dominant pine trees. Some of the Group of Seven paintings were done in Killarney Provincial Park. As you travel north on Hwy 69 to the Killarney cut off there is also some amazing desolate rocky country, not so much mountains but undulating bedrock with very sparse vegetation. Nobody could have farmed this land.

[vid]

Everyone needs to drive east on Highway 102 during a misty, late spring sunrise. Probably the most beautiful specific time and place to drive in the province.


This is from fall, but in spring the leaves are a brighter green.

[sonysnob]

Work on the Nipigon end of Hwy 11/17 in Ontario is scheduled to commence this year:

6. Project Length/Location:
Highway 11/17, Four-laning from 5.0 km west of Highway 587 easterly for 6.6 km.


7. Project Type (Category):

Construction Administration


8. Specialties Required:

Construction Administration - Medium Complexity


9. Description of Project:
Contract 2014-6018 is a design build construction project. It will provide a new 6.6 kilometre; four-lane divided Highway 11/17 and associated side road connections. Generally, the four-lane work will consist of constructing two new lanes for eastbound traffic and utilizing the existing two lanes for westbound traffic. Primary construction elements include but are not limited to: Earth and rock works, environmental protection, erosion/ sediment control, paving, granular base/ sub- base, drainage, traffic staging and intersection illumination.


10. Assignment approximate start and completion dates:
Pre-contract engineering phase: N/A
Construction administration phase: (tentative timing) May 2015 to November 2017

[Loco101]

I must say that I love the photos of Hwy 6 going through the LaCloche Mountains. The white quartzite rock and White Pines make such a great landscape.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by FrAnKs

Ah ! It looks even more better than it is on street view, thanks !

May I ask if by any chance, you know other roads of that kind in Ontario with very impressive landscapes ?
... I mean where it's really, really Worth going, considering that Toronto per example is already a 8hrs drive from Q-city ! )

I have been on most highways in Ontario. I live in Northern Ontario and here are my thoughts:

Hwy 17 between Sault-Ste-Marie to Thunder Bay is the most scenic in my opinion. No other highway even comes close. It feels as if you are on a scenic ocean drive in many places. Nice hills, rock, trees and even great beaches in some places. I like Katherine Cove, Old Woman Bay and along the water near Rossport. The lake is especially great to look at on bright sunny days. Sometimes fog gives it really awesome effects.

Other drives I enjoyed: (in no particular order)

Hwy 129 along the Mississagi River: scenic river and hills in an isolated area. Very little traffic.

Hwy 11 between Nipigon and Beardmore: cool rock cliffs and formations and nice lakes. You only see a bit of Lake Nipigon but access to it is not far from the highway.

Hwy 11 between Marten River and Temagami: lots of scenic lakes and tall White Pines

Hwy 71 (entire route): Goes along and through Lake of the Woods where you drive on many islands and peninsulas. The section through Sioux Narrows is my favourite.

All of the highways on Manitoulin Island are nice. The island is quite unique and non-commercialized. Almost entirely independent businesses. Our province doesn't promote the island very well even though it is a great tourist destination.

[sonysnob]

Originally Posted by Loco101

All of the highways on Manitoulin Island are nice. The island is quite unique and non-commercialized. Almost entirely independent businesses. Our province doesn't promote the island very well even though it is a great tourist destination.

This might be for another tread, but the one thing Manitoulin Island sorely needs is a provincial park with organized camping. I have visited the Island a couple of times over the years, and the closest place to camp is Chutes Park in Massey. Seems like a missed opportunity to me.

[haljackey]

British Colombia to increase penalties for left lane hogs

With this and their recent speed limit increases, I gotta say good for them! Hopefully they can enforce this, or maybe put up more keep 'right except to pass' signs.
-I'd also like to see 'don't hog the middle lane' signs/enforcement on 6+ lane highways one day.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-co...ansportation-minister-promises-1.2979684

[Franco401]

Originally Posted by sonysnob

Work on the Nipigon end of Hwy 11/17 in Ontario is scheduled to commence this year:

Good to see progress there. I would still prefer freeway however, it just seems silly to me to not make it controlled-access when built. This would be a ludicrous idea anywhere in the US or along the major corridors of the southeast.

[sonysnob]

Information on the next project for Hwy 69 south of Sudbury:

6. Project Length/Location:
Hwy 69 Four Laning from 2.9 km North of Hwy 522 to 4.6 km North of Hwy 607, project length 14.9 km


7. Project Type (Category):

Construction Administration


8. Specialties Required:

Construction Administration - High Complexity


9. Description of Project:
Construction Contract Administration Services for Contract 2015-5119, Highway 69 Four Laning, from 2.9 km North of Hwy 522 to 4.6 km North of Hwy 607 – project length 14.9 km.
PLEASE NOTE THE MINISTRY REQUIRES THAT FOR A SERVICE PROVIDER TO BE CONSIDERED AS A PRIME CONSULTANT, THE CONSULTANT MUST BE REGISTERED IN THE PRIME SPECIALTY IDENTIFIED IN THIS ASSIGNMENT.
The Prime Specialty for this assignment is Construction Administration – High Complexity.
It is anticipated that this assignment will include, but is not limited to, the following specialty work plans:
- Environmental
- Structural
- Foundation


10. Assignment approximate start and completion dates:
Pre-contract engineering phase: N/A
Construction administration phase: (tentative timing) September 2015 to September 2020

[Innsertnamehere]

Not done till 2020? And the liberals are still claiming completion in 2017..

[Franco401]

This section will be twinned. I admit I would rather see twinning done continuously, as this new construction will leave a 15km gap between freeway sections.