Regina Bypass Thread

[Drofmab]

Originally Posted by StealthGirl

We went out to Costco today by heading out Arcola and north onto the Bypass. Highways was painting lines and lane markers out there near the overpass (where you turn north to go past the Gantry cranes/Pacer park) and where it's blocked off to go south.

Was it actually Highways painting the Bypass, or just Hwy33 at the Bypass? I understand the Bypass partners didn't pay the company that did the lines on the first section (Lafrentz). They settled out of court. They were apparently slated to paint the entire Bypass, but won't be doing it after this situation.

[Stormer]

Does anyone know how the new exit numbering will work? 247?

[headhorse]

gotta say, as someone who was just visiting Regina, this project seems like it should have been very low on a list of infrastructure projects there...

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Does anyone know how the new exit numbering will work? 247?

Woah SK’s numbering its highway exits too now.

[jigglysquishy]

Do we have an opening date yet?

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by jigglysquishy

Do we have an opening date yet?

"end of October"

[Draftsman]

Maybe it means the exit is open 24 hours a day (Ha!)

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Does anyone know how the new exit numbering will work? 247?

247 is the KM to the MB border. Duh!

I assume the exits north of TCH will have Highway 11 exit numbers, although it still uses letters between Regina and Lumsden.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Stormer

247 is the KM to the MB border. Duh!

I assume the exits north of TCH will have Highway 11 exit numbers, although it still uses letters between Regina and Lumsden.

Is the exit to White City 234? If yes, then 247 is the KM to SK/MB boundary. In that case, I find it odd that the km numbers increase from east to west, not the other way around like they do in AB and in MB*.

* The highest exit number on Winnipeg Perimeter Highway is 318 and the exit number off TCH to Highway 12 (Ste Anne) is 375.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Is the exit to White City 234? If yes, then 247 is the KM to SK/MB boundary. In that case, I find it odd that the km numbers increase from east to west, not the other way around like they do in AB and in MB*.

* The highest exit number on Winnipeg Perimeter Highway is 318 and the exit number off TCH to Highway 12 (Ste Anne) is 375.

White City is 223. I've never noticed before. This is the distance to Fleming SK near the boundary.

I agree it is odd. I was thinking the AB boundary is much farther and 147 made no sense.

[djforsberg]

Originally Posted by headhorse

gotta say, as someone who was just visiting Regina, this project seems like it should have been very low on a list of infrastructure projects there...

Yup

[PhotoJim]

Originally Posted by headhorse

gotta say, as someone who was just visiting Regina, this project seems like it should have been very low on a list of infrastructure projects there...

You haven't driven on Victoria Avenue East at rush hour, then.

[headhorse]

Originally Posted by PhotoJim

You haven't driven on Victoria Avenue East at rush hour, then.

I did.. it was fine... no buses or bike infrastructure was much more noticeable.

[StealthGirl]

I don't know what the count is now, but at one point semis were going through six sets of lights to get from the east end of the city to the southbound Ring Road.

Bike infrastructure in Regina? Good luck with that. The pathways system is good but outside of that, limited as hell.

[Festivus]

I think there's going to be a lot of disappointed people when the bypass opens and...nothing really changes about Vic East.

[jigglysquishy]

Originally Posted by Festivus

I think there's going to be a lot of disappointed people when the bypass opens and...nothing really changes about Vic East.

100%.

The bypass is a great example of induced demand. It being developed enabled further subdivision in Pilot Butte, Balgonie, and White City. It also incentived Costco moving east and the development of the Towns.

It might pull 2500 semis off the road. But it pushed 7500 cars onto Victoria.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Festivus

I think there's going to be a lot of disappointed people when the bypass opens and...nothing really changes about Vic East.

I think you are underestimating the negative impact that semis have on congestion in stop and go traffic. One semi equals 20 cars in my book. This will also take most of the semis and other through traffic off Arcola East and Lewvan. Some days in rush hour there are a half dozen semis on Arcola East. They really slow things down.

Vic East, Lewvan and Arcola East are some of our worst traffic issues. I think the Bypass will help a lot. It should also help 9th Ave N. and Pasqua.

[UPP]

Our traffic woes are so small and insignificant. It's actually laughable that we would spend 2 billion on a bypass for such a small city with such minor commuter issues.

Think about it, for 2 billion, we could have replaced the entire General Hospital and half the Pasqua, or, since this is a drawn out pay period, added enough MRI's to not have a wait list for the next 30 years plus removed the at grade crossing of rail at the Ring Road.

I could think of dozens of ways to better spend 2 billion.

[jigglysquishy]

Calgary is building the Green Line LRT at roughly $100,000,000/km.

We could have built an LRT from the new Costco, down Victoria, underground downtown, up Albert to Northgate. All for the same cost.

The Bypass is the single most wasteful infrastructure investment in the province's history

[Stormer]

I do not disagree that the Bypass is far too ambitious and expensive for Regina. I am just saying it will offer a lot of benefits. $2 Billion worth? No.