Highway 417 Widening

[DarkArconio]

An looking at the TMP, the city doesn't plan on building the alta vista parkway till after 2050 if I'm not mistaken, right? Seems likely no additional lanes are coming until it's time to fully reconstruct the bridge.

[Luker]

We need the 8 lane infrastructure on the 417 through our Downton ASAP. Hoepfully this gets addressed with the liberals promise to fund infrastructure.

Not only is it costly on citizens, i.e., time, cost, distance, pollution, gas, health but also to businesses.

The Alta Vista Parkway would address the Ottawa's biggest deficit in infrastructure, a southern corridor for traffic to alleviate traditional main streets such as Bank, Bronson, Main St., Fisher Ave, and to a lesser extent and not traditional main streets, but Prince of Wales, Woodroofe, Greenbank (far west but still)...

Moreover, for an example, as someone who lives in Sandy Hill, I can only tell you how irritating it is driving 9km east then south up St. Laurent or 13KM East and then south to Walkley Rd. to end up exactly where the Alta Vista Parkway would end up after 5km, near Conroy and Walkley serving the large St. Laurent Office Park as well as Southern Communities.

[waterloowarrior]

Originally Posted by DarkArconio

An looking at the TMP, the city doesn't plan on building the alta vista parkway till after 2050 if I'm not mistaken, right? Seems likely no additional lanes are coming until it's time to fully reconstruct the bridge.

Just posted info on the hospital link part of the AVP in the Roads thread
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...&postcount=971

I recall something about using the Nicholas-AVP connection to help with detours for the LRT but maybe that was early speculation. It's in the 2031 network concept plan, but not the "Affordable" plan (i.e. no money for it right now)

[waterloowarrior]

Originally Posted by Luker

We need the 8 lane infrastructure on the 417 through our Downton ASAP. Hoepfully this gets addressed with the liberals promise to fund infrastructure.
.

Won't be happening anytime soon. This was evaluated as part of the Queensway widening EA and was not carried forward because of major impacts on the surrounding area
http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/eng...rnatives.shtml

Alternative Road Solutions - Improve Existing Highway -- Major Widening and Interchange Improvements
Widening of the Queensway by one or more lanes in each direction for the length of the study area would satisfy existing and future travel demand except under certain peak hour conditions. Widening from 6 and 8 lanes to 8 and 10 lanes would effectively address existing and future corridor capacity requirements by improving mobility and easing congestion.

Major widening and interchange improvements would achieve some of the goals and objectives for this project but the associated environmental and property impacts would be significant. Impacts to the natural environment would include the disturbance of fisheries habitat at watercourse crossings and the removal of existing vegetation adjacent to the Queensway corridor. Social impacts would include the removal of homes, social amenities and businesses (greater than 300) adjacent to the Queensway corridor. Property acquisition would be required on both sides of the Queensway throughout the project limits. The acquisition of additional right-of-way to allow for the major widening and interchange improvements would impact on all properties along the corridor with significant consequences for neighbourhoods and the community. The construction cost of this alternative would also be extremely high relative to other alternatives.

While this alternative solves the identified transportation problems for the Queensway corridor, it was not carried forward due to the significant environmental and property impacts.

[eternallyme]

It's pretty much impossible to widen Highway 417 through the central core anyway. Most of it is already 8 lanes, except around Carling/Maitland.

That is one of the big arguments for a ring road, but does that do much? It doesn't help with local traffic.

[1overcosc]

The 417 from the split to Palladium will be 8 lanes in the very near future, except for that Kent-Nicholas segment that will be 6 lanes for a very, very, very long time, perhaps forever. That short stretch would cost a fortune due to the corridor requirements and given that downtown traffic generally gets off at Nicholas (for those in the east) or Kent (for those in the west) the gap between the two might not be that necessary.

Catherine & Chamberlain also help by acting as 417 collector lanes in the core area.

[BenTheGreat97]

I heard at some point the 417 will be 8 lanes throughout the entire city section, so Palladium drive-the split.

[1overcosc]

That's the plan, but the short stretch between Nicholas and Kent, which is currently at 6 lanes, will be incredibly difficult to widen.

[BenTheGreat97]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

That's the plan, but the short stretch between Nicholas and Kent, which is currently at 6 lanes, will be incredibly difficult to widen.

I don't see how it would be too difficult. Yes, there are lots of overpasses and adjacent streets, but the only area that seems to have space constraints would be the Kent-O'Connor segment. The space constraint would be greatly reduced by moving the Eastbound off-ramp and Westbound on-ramp a bit further East so they connect to Metcalfe street instead. They could also do a slight realignment towards the south between the Kent exit (right where it splits off from the highway) to Bank street. I'll make you all a picture tomorrow (later today) of what I mean.

[BenTheGreat97]

Originally Posted by BenTheGreat97

I don't see how it would be too difficult. Yes, there are lots of overpasses and adjacent streets, but the only area that seems to have space constraints would be the Kent-O'Connor segment. The space constraint would be greatly reduced by moving the Eastbound off-ramp and Westbound on-ramp a bit further East so they connect to Metcalfe street instead. They could also do a slight realignment towards the south between the Kent exit (right where it splits off from the highway) to Bank street. I'll make you all a picture tomorrow (later today) of what I mean.

here you all go.

http://i.imgur.com/iS8qf5Y.jpg

image is over 3000 pixels wide so I'm not putting it directly.

[rocketphish]

Lees Avenue closes for the rest of the summer

Charlene Ruberry, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: June 16, 2014, Last Updated: June 16, 2014 1:32 PM EDT

From Chapel Crescent to the Transitway, Lees Avenue will be closed for approximately the next 13 weeks.

Vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists will be detoured while construction to replace the highway overpass takes place.

Vehicles will be rerouted to Main Street and Greenfield Avenue. Pedestrians and cyclists will be diverted along the Rideau River multi-use pathway via Robinson Avenue.

And the existing Lees Avenue bridge structure over the highway will be removed on Saturday and Sunday. During the construction period this summer, a one-lane reduction on Robinson Avenue will go into effect for roughly two weeks.

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-...-of-the-summer

Brace for Queensway chaos June 21-23 during Lees Ave. bridge removal

Blair Crawford, Ottawa Citizen
Published on: June 11, 2014, Last Updated: June 12, 2014 1:12 PM EDT

Sentimental types will have their last chance to cross the Lees Avenue overpass this weekend. The bridge will be closed Monday for the next 13 weeks as crews work to replace the structure. Traffic will be diverted to Main Street and Greenfield Avenue, while cyclists and pedestrians will travel along the Rideau River pathway.

The full effect of the closure won’t be felt until the following weekend — June 21-23 — when Highway 417 will be closed in both directions east of downtown overnight Saturday and reduced to a single lane each way on Sunday. The shutdown is necessary to allow crews to remove the old overpass.

Beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 21, the eastbound lanes will be completely closed between Metcalfe Street and the Vanier Parkway and the westbound lanes closed from the Vanier Parkway to Nicholas Street.

Traffic will resume at 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 22, but will be restricted to a single lane in each direction. The highway will be fully opened by 5 a.m. Monday, June 23.

During the shutdown, eastbound traffic will be diverted to Main Street and Riverside Drive where drivers can enter Highway 417 again. Westbound traffic will be diverted on to Riverside Drive to Bronson Avenue, where drivers can re-enter the westbound 417.

During the shutdown, there will be no access to the eastbound 417 from Nicholas Street or Isabella/Metcalfe streets and no access to the westbound 417 from the Vanier Parkway.

Westbound vehicles travelling to Quebec via the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge will follow the marked detour along Vanier Parkway and St. Patrick Street to the interprovincial bridges. Eastbound vehicles heading to Quebec will follow the marked detour via the Nicholas Street exit.

It will be the second consecutive weekend of traffic disruption with World Cup festivities and Westfest on June 13-15.

“With all of the construction-related activities underway, residents are encouraged to be flexible with commuting times, stagger work hours or use alternative means for travel,” the City of Ottawa said in a news release announcing the closure. “The public is asked to consider options such as transit, walking, cycling or carpooling.”

More information as well as up-to-date traffic reports and Ministry of Transportation traffic camera links are available at www.ottawa.ca.

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-...bridge-removal

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[1overcosc]

The Lees overpass is being demolished!



(And before anyone complains, I was the front passenger in this car).

[BenTheGreat97]

Great to see things moving forward in the East. The expansion out West is taking forever.

[rocketphish]

[rocketphish]

June 21, 2014







https://twitter.com/Sylvain_Maheu

[DarkArconio]

I didn't understand why they couldn't do a replacement like all the previous projects, but now I see they're changing the pillar placement to the median from the sides of the highway, allowing for lane expansions. Makes much more sense!

[rocketphish]

Lees Ave. live camera (MTO):



http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/tra..._cameras.shtml

[BenTheGreat97]

As of 11:25 the bridge was moving down the highway, thanks for the link Rocketphish!

[BenTheGreat97]

Originally Posted by DarkArconio

I didn't understand why they couldn't do a replacement like all the previous projects, but now I see they're changing the pillar placement to the median from the sides of the highway, allowing for lane expansions. Makes much more sense!

And I really have no idea why some bridges were designed with no expansion room at all. What were they thinking? Reminds me a bit of the old bridges along the 401 where they barely fit 4 lanes under them.

[waterloowarrior]

Rideau was jammed up but otherwise traffic wasn't bad last night despite everything going on. A lot different from when the Gardiner is closed in Toronto.