Highways in Canada

[thewave46]

Originally Posted by davee930

Why can't Canada do tunnels?

I can't say about Kicking Horse Pass specifically, but tunnels are expensive.

A quick look at the worst section probably would require several kilometres of tunnelling.

It would easily cost several billion dollars.

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Hmm, I wonder why it is so expensive to build highways in BC…

Pictures like these should answer the Albertan's questions but it won't.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by thewave46

I can't say about Kicking Horse Pass specifically, but tunnels are expensive.

A quick look at the worst section probably would require several kilometres of tunnelling.

It would easily cost several billion dollars.

Then, in general, the mountainous area in Canada is remote, so it’s hard to justify sending a giant boring machine to those area. On top of that, we have very strict rules regarding tunnels, such as ventilation and emergency exits. All things considered, it may be simply much cheaper to just blast through the mountains or build tall bridges to correct them curves.

[craner]

They did seriously consider a tunnel for the most difficult portion of the KHC project … and yes, it was too expensive.

Originally Posted by Denscity

Pictures like these should answer the Albertan's questions but it won't.

That’s a mean-spirited comment .
I for one have always said the Feds should fund at least 80% of TC Highways (what I wish was a national network).

[sonysnob]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Then, in general, the mountainous area in Canada is remote, so it’s hard to justify sending a giant boring machine to those area. On top of that, we have very strict rules regarding tunnels, such as ventilation and emergency exits. All things considered, it may be simply much cheaper to just blast through the mountains or build tall bridges to correct them curves.

I've never looked into what ventilation rules there are for a national tunnel system in Canada, (and I doubt that you have either), and I'd guess there probably isn't a national standard for highway ventilation. I would bet any standard, like most other highway standards, would defer to provincial legislation.

That said, I very much doubt that any standard that exists either nationally or provincially in Canada would be wildly different than what exists in either Europe, any former UK Commonwealth Nation or the good ole' US of A.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by sonysnob

I've never looked into what ventilation rules there are for a national tunnel system in Canada, (and I doubt that you have either), and I'd guess there probably isn't a national standard for highway ventilation. I would bet any standard, like most other highway standards, would defer to provincial legislation.

That said, I very much doubt that any standard that exists either nationally or provincially in Canada would be wildly different than what exists in either Europe, any former UK Commonwealth Nation or the good ole' US of A.

Yea, excuse my lazy language. I really just mean the standard in the corresponding jurisdiction.
I don’t think the standards on tunnel differ wildly from one jurisdiction to another either.

[JustForTheHalibut]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Hmm, I wonder why it is so expensive to build highways in BC…

Exactly, an example is the new bridge planned at Sicamous on highway #1 ,quite ambitious, to cut wedge out of side of mountain there. Most provinces don't have to do this sort of thing to build highways.



https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/trans...ighway1-kamloops-alberta/rw-bruhn-bridge

I wish Canada did like Switzerland when it comes to tunneling, helps preserve the ecology too when the tunneling slag is accounted for and used as part of the above ground highways.

[davee930]

I agree, the federal goverment should be building the one highway that crosses the country

[craner]

^Right ?

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by davee930

I agree, the federal goverment should be building the one highway that crosses the country

You'd probably have every province (and territory) telling them "Just give us the money... we want to build the highway the way we build them"

[nname]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

I heard too. Why sheep bridge (the name) lol?

Maybe just the name of that area?

From the plan, here are all the names for the construction area:

Sheep bridge / wall / stabilization
Bighorn bridge / viaduct
Pronghorn cut
Lynx viaduct
Frenchman's bridge / wall
Grizzly viaduct / wall
Blackwall bridge
Hedgehog viaduct
Bison wall
Marmot viaduct
Caribou wall / rockfill

[davee930]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

You'd probably have every province (and territory) telling them "Just give us the money... we want to build the highway the way we build them"

Didn't the States accomplish this somehow with 50 different opinions in the 30s? The feds paid for it but the states got ownership. Sounds like a great deal to me.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by davee930

Didn't the States accomplish this somehow with 50 different opinions in the 30s? The feds paid for it but the states got ownership. Sounds like a great deal to me.

Different regime. States don't have the same jurisdictions/powers relative to the federal government compared to the Canadian system, despite each state having its own DOT. And the development of the Interstate system was a rather unique thing, I think, at least for the West.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by nname

Maybe just the name of that area?

From the plan, here are all the names for the construction area:

Sheep bridge / wall / stabilization
Bighorn bridge / viaduct
Pronghorn cut
Lynx viaduct
Frenchman's bridge / wall
Grizzly viaduct / wall
Blackwall bridge
Hedgehog viaduct
Bison wall
Marmot viaduct
Caribou wall / rockfill

Aww cute names

[davee930]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Different regime. States don't have the same jurisdictions/powers relative to the federal government compared to the Canadian system, despite each state having its own DOT. And the development of the Interstate system was a rather unique thing, I think, at least for the West.

Different regime almost 100 years ago and we aren't forward thinking enough to do anything that comes close. Let alone 10X worse, as it should be.

[thewave46]

Originally Posted by davee930

Didn't the States accomplish this somehow with 50 different opinions in the 30s? The feds paid for it but the states got ownership. Sounds like a great deal to me.

The US Highway system - the predecessor to the Interstate highway system - was built and paid for by the states, along with the majority of their highway networks.

The Interstate Highway system was split 90% federal and 10% state funding.

Here we got the Trans-Canada Highway program which provided for cost-sharing. It was less ambitious than the Interstate Highway program. However, many provinces had their highway expansion focus on areas away from where the Trans-Canada ran, so an Interstate-style system would have probably been too ambitious.

[MonctonRad]

A new divided segment of NB Highway 11 from just south of the Little Bouctouche River to just north of the Cocagne River has recently opened to traffic. This section measures about 13 km in length.

Another new 9 km divided section of NB-11 heading south from Cocagne to the existing freeway terminus at Shediac Bridge will open next year. This will complete the twinning of Highway 11 from Bouctouche to Moncton (except for one bridge) - a distance of 47 km.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

A new divided segment of NB Highway 11 from just south of the Little Bouctouche River to just north of the Cocagne River has recently opened to traffic. This section measures about 13 km in length.

Another new 9 km divided section of NB-11 heading south from Cocagne to the existing freeway terminus at Shediac Bridge will open next year. This will complete the twinning of Highway 11 from Bouctouche to Moncton (except for one bridge) - a distance of 47 km.

Lol, that came out of nowhere. I looked up news every so often and found nothing.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Lol, that came out of nowhere. I looked up news every so often and found nothing.

It's been planned and under construction for the last five+ years.

[Nashe]

NB has a large amount of divided 4-lane for it's population. We excel at getting people THROUGH our province as fast as possible.