Highways in Canada - Page 245

haljackey · #**4881** Posted **Mar 31, 2016, 2:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hipster duck

It's amazing that there isn't a freeway between Guelph-KWC and Hamilton. These are two city regions of over 600,000 that are 50 km apart. In any other part of the world: the US, Europe and provinces like Quebec or Nova Scotia, there would have been a freeway built between these two ages ago. The Ontario 400-series highway system is still too hub-and-spoke with the aim of getting people in and out of Toronto.

Highway 424 is still being studied if I recall correctly. It would likely parallel Highway 24, connecting a stretch of the 401 between Cambridge and Guelph with a stretch of the 403 between Brantford and Hamilton.
-That would give you a freeway link, but it's not very direct.

No recent news about it, quick google search gave me an article from 2009
http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2009/11/04/group-files-suit-against-proposed-hwy-424

ScreamingViking · #**4882** Posted **Mar 31, 2016, 3:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hipster duck

It's amazing that there isn't a freeway between Guelph-KWC and Hamilton. These are two city regions of over 600,000 that are 50 km apart. In any other part of the world: the US, Europe and provinces like Quebec or Nova Scotia, there would have been a freeway built between these two ages ago. The Ontario 400-series highway system is still too hub-and-spoke with the aim of getting people in and out of Toronto.

I also hope that a freeway will lead to better transit service between the two cities. This sounds paradoxical, but it isn't. GO buses usually follow highway improvements, and it really allows them to keep a competitive schedule. There is a very curvy and old rail line between Guelph and Hamilton, but I think that upgrading it for service would be expensive and not terribly time-competitive in the end.

This project will also improve access between KW/G and the border at Niagara.

Once this is built, and the interchange at Clappison's Corners is built, there will only be two or three stoplights on 6 in between -- there's one at Carlisle Rd., another at 6th Concession; the one at Parkside Drive may be eliminated too depending on the Clappison's plan, and also Hamilton is planning a bypass for Waterdown that I believe overlaps with Parkside so perhaps there will be something more than an at-grade intersection. Even with the driveways and concession roads, Hwy 6 moves at a good clip along its 4-lane undivided stretch. There are still safety concerns, but MTO has probably done pretty much all it can save installing a median barrier between the concession roads to improve the safety aspect.

The next step up beyond a full freeway connection would be making Hwy 6 a right-in/right-out like parts of Hwys 11 and 35/115 are, but the province has been eliminating those over time. There are property concerns preventing a freeway for now, or at least making one an expensive proposition, but I could see it happening eventually.

swimmer_spe · #**4883** Posted **Mar 31, 2016, 3:56 AM**

I wonder if they would in the future connect it to the LINC and relabel it 406.

The future 424 would also add to the freeway access to that area.

ScreamingViking · #**4884** Posted **Mar 31, 2016, 4:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

I wonder if they would in the future connect it to the LINC and relabel it 406.

406 has been used for the freeway from St. Catharines to Welland.

A direct connection to the Lincoln Alexander Parkway is pretty much impossible given the geography of the area. The 403 is the connector between Hwy 6 North and Hwy 6 south of Hamilton's urban area (and the Linc interchange too).

They could possibly create a new corridor that veers west of Dundas and Ancaster and the Niagara Escarpment, connecting with the 403 where the former Hwy 52 does, but that would be 20-25 km of new freeway and I don't think the traffic would warrant that for a long, long time (if ever, especially if 424 ever happens).

swimmer_spe · #**4885** Posted **Mar 31, 2016, 4:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

406 has been used for the freeway from St. Catharines to Welland.

A direct connection to the Lincoln Alexander Parkway is pretty much impossible given the geography of the area. The 403 is the connector between Hwy 6 North and Hwy 6 south of Hamilton's urban area (and the Linc interchange too).

They could possibly create a new corridor that veers west of Dundas and Ancaster and the Niagara Escarpment, connecting with the 403 where the former Hwy 52 does, but that would be 20-25 km of new freeway and I don't think the traffic would warrant that for a long, long time (if ever, especially if 424 ever happens).

I know of the existing 406, but just like how the 403 is not connected, it could be done too.

If the LINC were extended north towards Dundas to connect with Highway 5, it could be done.

If this were done before the 424, this may help slow the sprawl of the GTA ever further.

ScreamingViking · #**4886** Posted **Mar 31, 2016, 4:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

I know of the existing 406, but just like how the 403 is not connected, it could be done too.

If the LINC were extended north towards Dundas to connect with Highway 5, it could be done.

If this were done before the 424, this may help slow the sprawl of the GTA ever further.

West of the Linc's terminus at 403 is residential Ancaster, with a large (and valued) conservation area west of that. Expansion north would require crossing the escarpment before dipping down into the heart of Dundas, with another escarpment crossing on the other side. There's no corridor for it.

swimmer_spe · #**4887** Posted **Mar 31, 2016, 4:37 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

West of the Linc's terminus at 403 is residential Ancaster, with a large (and valued) conservation area west of that. Expansion north would require crossing the escarpment before dipping down into the heart of Dundas, with another escarpment crossing on the other side. There's no corridor for it.

So then make the section between 6 and the LINC on the 403 a concurrency.

ScreamingViking · #**4888** Posted **Mar 31, 2016, 4:56 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

So then make the section between 6 and the LINC on the 403 a concurrency.

That is possible (and 6 basically is concurrent now, though I don't believe it's co-signed).

Expansion of the 403 is something that likely needs to be considered too... not without its challenges though, with respect to how it can be widened down the escarpment and its tight right-of-way through Hamilton.

The Niagara-to-GTA corridor study looked at options related to all this. The area south of the 401 and west of Hamilton was identified as requiring further study, and expansion of 403 was recommended. The need for a new corridor south of the QEW between Hamilton and Welland will continue to be monitored, while improvements to the QEW may be sufficient for now. The only new route recommended for planning is 406 Welland to QEW Fort Erie.

There is a lot of report material there, including maps, that illustrate what's possible and could be in play for the future.

swimmer_spe · #**4889** Posted **Mar 31, 2016, 5:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

That is possible (and 6 basically is concurrent now, though I don't believe it's co-signed).

Expansion of the 403 is something that likely needs to be considered too... not without its challenges though, with respect to how it can be widened down the escarpment and its tight right-of-way through Hamilton.

The Niagara-to-GTA corridor study looked at options related to all this. The area south of the 401 and west of Hamilton was identified as requiring further study. The need for a new corridor south of the QEW between Hamilton and Welland will continue to be monitored, while improvements to the QEW may be sufficient for now. The only route recommended for planning is 406 Welland to QEW Fort Erie.

There is a lot of report material there, including maps, that illustrate what's possible and could be in play for the future.

The is also the plan for a "Mid Peninsula Highway"

Widening the 403 may have to be creative, and expensive. One option might be to build up. Put one direction on each level.
This would be in the billions for a short few km.

eemy · #**4890** Posted **Mar 31, 2016, 12:20 PM**

That is probably the preferred option though. There are serious environmental constraints to creating a new corridor between the 403 and 401 that pretty much preclude the possibility.

FrAnKs · #**4891** Posted **Apr 2, 2016, 4:51 AM**

Hello everyone.

My new video of Highway 401 Thru Toronto at Sundown is now online.

Enjoy !

• Video Link

Kokkei Mizu · #**4892** Posted **Apr 3, 2016, 6:11 AM**

A trip through Cathedral Grove, a pocket of old-growth forest on Vancouver Island. This is BC 4, the only highway to go through an old-growth forest like this.

• Video Link

MolsonExport · #**4893** Posted **Apr 4, 2016, 1:11 AM**

Cathedral grove and Cameron Lake. Brings back great memories of the summers in the early-late 1990s.

Fantastic videos, Kokkei and Franks!

srperrycgy · #**4894** Posted **Apr 4, 2016, 2:22 AM**

Agreed. Those are great videos, guys.

I went for a Sunday drive myself today. From Calgary to Bragg Creek on Hwy 8 and then south on Hwy 22 through Turner Valley and Black Diamond to Longview. Made my obligatory stop for beef jerky and then I continued southward through the foothills ending up at Hwy 3. Stopped again at Pincher Creek and then through Fort Macleod and back to Calgary on Hwy 2. Filmed most of the trip and I'll be making a few videos in the next little while. A beautiful Sunday for a drive.

middeljohn · #**4895** Posted **Apr 5, 2016, 5:18 AM**

This is the new interchange they're building where the Yellowhead and NorthEast Henday meet. Pretty impressive structure.

• Video Link

Corndogger · #**4896** Posted **Apr 5, 2016, 6:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by middeljohn

This is the new interchange they're building where the Yellowhead and NorthEast Henday meet. Pretty impressive structure.

• Video Link

Very impressive! Thanks for posting that video.

Horus · #**4897** Posted **Apr 5, 2016, 12:11 PM**

Any update on 412 / 407E? I'll be in a position to want to/need to use them in a couple of weeks.

sonysnob · #**4898** Posted **Apr 5, 2016, 2:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Horus

Any update on 412 / 407E? I'll be in a position to want to/need to use them in a couple of weeks.

I was out walking around the site a few weeks ago, and ran into a white-hat who works for CoCo paving. At the time, he indicated that paving was to resume during the middle of last week, and the construction consortium was under a lot of pressure (financial and otherwise) to have the highway opened by June.

Doesn't seem unreasonable, but obviously the cold weather and snow that we have been experiencing recently won't help the contractors advance construction work.

Up to date aerials have been uploaded to the 407 Phase 1 website:
http://www.407eastphase1.ca/photo-galleries/

I put together a page of photos that I have taken over the past few years as well (I don't live that far north of the project):
http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_407-409_images/407E/Hwy412_ConstructionImages.htm

MolsonExport · #**4899** Posted **Apr 5, 2016, 5:46 PM**

Person driving the wrong way on the 401

http://globalnews.ca/video/2615260/woman-filmed-driving-wrong-way-on-highway-401

Corndogger · #**4900** Posted **Apr 5, 2016, 6:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Person driving the wrong way on the 401

http://globalnews.ca/video/2615260/woman-filmed-driving-wrong-way-on-highway-401

Is there any follow-up to this story as in how she got on the wrong side of the freeway, why she was driving so fast, etc.? Given the weather conditions I'm really surprised that an accident didn't happen.