Ontario Highways

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

This is good news for the airport. It should make it slightly more appealing to use as it will be a little easier. I wonder if they will leave it signed as 6, or will it get a 400 series number.

This coupled with the upgrades to 403 through Hamilton will make the airport more appealing.
As for numbering, it's probably gonna stay as 6. In fact, I think it will stay as 6 even if the 5 lanes between Clappison Corners (Hamilton) and Freelton become a freeway.

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Sometimes the "numbering" makes sense. Sometimes not. I don't think it matters a whit now.

E.g., since the 401 connects so many communities that Highway 2 did (and still does, even if much of the old routes are regional roads) perhaps it should be the 402?

406 in St. Catharines and mid-Niagara? WTF?

404 in York Region? Egad!!!

And I don't know what the hell made them designate the 400 as it was numbered such... we had no Highway 0!

The first bunch were just in chronicle order, i.e. 400 was built first, 401 2nd, etc.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by acottawa

The first bunch were just in chronicle order, i.e. 400 was built first, 401 2nd, etc.

Yes. But to me it doesn't matter a lot any more.

Also had:
427 (parallel to Hwy 27, and replaced it in the southern section)
420 (the Niagara end of Hwy 20, which is less than 1 km south)
416 (built later than many others, but replaced the original Hwy 16 connection between Prescott/Johnstown and Ottawa)
417 (not fully built yet, but runs along Hwy 17's general route and replaces it in sections)

And now we're into debate about the 413...

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Yes. But to me it doesn't matter a lot any more.

Also had:
427 (parallel to Hwy 27, and replaced it in the southern section)
420 (the Niagara end of Hwy 20, which is less than 1 km south)
416 (built later than many others, but replaced the original Hwy 16 connection between Prescott/Johnstown and Ottawa)
417 (not fully built yet, but runs along Hwy 17's general route and replaces it in sections)

And now we're into debate about the 413...

The 412 follows Hwy 12
410 follows the old Hwy 10
407 follows Hwy 7
After the first few, it seems they started to number things right. Maybe they could start renumbering things.
404 could become 448.
400 could become 411 to Barrie than 469 north of Barrie.

401 is about the only one I'd leave alone as there is no Hwy 1 in ON.

[Djeffery]

Or we can just pull out an old Wintario machine and draw a new random number for each highway. I do think that this Hamilton Airport stretch of 6 should get a new number though considering how disjointed it is from the 6 that runs north from the 403. I have no idea what they should call it and I'm not about to start looking for an empty number to use for it.

[Dengler Avenue]

On another note, I’m curious how wide the median (as measured between the left edges of the left lanes in each roadway) will be: 15 m? 22.5 m? 30 m?
I highly doubt 30 m because land’s expensive in GTHA, but I can’t decide between 15 m and 22.5 m.
7.5 m is out of the question given what we know about MTO. (This one is literally 3.35 m left shoulder x 2 + 0.80 m median concrete barrier.)

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Or we can just pull out an old Wintario machine and draw a new random number for each highway. I do think that this Hamilton Airport stretch of 6 should get a new number though considering how disjointed it is from the 6 that runs north from the 403. I have no idea what they should call it and I'm not about to start looking for an empty number to use for it.

I think the next unused number would be 408......

[Dengler Avenue]

While exceptions abound, I’ve always felt that a divided freeway needs to achieve substantial length before it should be given a 400-series number, and that the beginning of that divided freeway shouldn’t be too far from the beginning of its predecessor.

For example, in the case of Highway 6, IMO, it will at least need to have divided 4 lanes and meet a realigned Highway 3 (with divided 4 lanes at the junction at the very least) around Jarvis in order to receive a 400-series designation.
It’ll be a bit like the 69/17 situation.

Another example: If divided 4 lanes of Highway 7 eventually gets to London* to join up the 401 or 402, the whole freeway from there to Guelph may receive a 400-designation.
* We may ignore Old Highway 7 west of Highway 4.

I know, both examples are very pie-in-the-sky, or at the very least, highly ambitious.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

While exceptions abound, I’ve always felt that a divided freeway needs to achieve substantial length before it should be given a 400-series number, and that the beginning of that divided freeway shouldn’t be too far from the beginning of its predecessor.

409 and 420 would like a word with you.....

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

409 and 420 would like a word with you.....

Hence the qualifier at the beginning, “while exceptions abound”
I added 2 examples to that comment, by the way.

[Dengler Avenue]

https://www.cp24.com/mobile/news/por...pill-1.6429946
Meanwhile, part of QEW through Lincoln is closed due to spill of flammable liquid. The service roads are closed too, so people seem to be detouring via Old Highway 8 (Niagara Road 81).
Hands down, this is the worst time to have this kind of accident (with the weather).

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

I think the next unused number would be 408......

Which I would guess people are assuming would be used on the freeway section of highway 8 in Kitchener.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Which I would guess people are assuming would be used on the freeway section of highway 8 in Kitchener.

Now, now, common sense is not allowed in government. You should know better.

[ericmacm]

I was south of Sarnia for work today and drove along HWY 40. There appeared to be some geotechnical and/or environmental drilling happening on the existing roadway.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by ericmacm

I was south of Sarnia for work today and drove along HWY 40. There appeared to be some geotechnical and/or environmental drilling happening on the existing roadway.

A divided highway between Sarnia and Windsor makes sense.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

A divided highway between Sarnia and Windsor makes sense.

Maybe between Sarnia and Chatham

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Maybe between Sarnia and Chatham

Or that.
A new highway 440?

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

Or that.
A new highway 440?

Sarnia Bypass does account for future interchanges, so that’s technically in the cards.

[ericmacm]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Sarnia Bypass does account for future interchanges, so that’s technically in the cards.

Highway 440 has definitely been planned for in the long-term (with space for interchanges being accounted for along the existing four-lane sections of the highway in Sarnia and St. Clair Township, as well as provisions for a dedicated bypass at Wallaceburg) but there is no reason for it to be built yet.

Only two sections of HWY 40 are busy and have decent traffic volumes at this point in time - the Sarnia bypass section including the St. Clair Township portion, and the section between Chatham and Wallaceburg. The segment between Wallaceburg and St. Clair Township is virtually deserted. Sarnia and Chatham are two of SW Ontario’s slowest growing cities, and while there is traffic between the two (as well as from/to Windsor), there isn’t enough to justify a full highway at this point in time.

[Dengler Avenue]

I wonder if MTO’s ever reserved a freeway corridor from Wallaceburg onward to 401. If not, it’ll be ironic given today’s traffic volume.
Ps: I’ve heard that the Permit Control Zone Map with MTO isn’t that great for this kind of things.