Ontario Highways - Page 88

Innsertnamehere · #**1741** Posted **Apr 23, 2025, 3:25 PM**

The City of Hamilton is planning on building a new ramp from Mohawk Rd EB to 403 WB:

https://www.hamilton.ca/environmental-assessments/mohawk-road-ramp

As a part of this work, the 3rd climbing lane on the 403 is going to be extended to Highway 6. This should significantly relieve congestion in the WB direction on the highway.

Ideally they would make the merge lane continuous from 6 to the Linc as well for EB, but that is not planned as far as I know.

Fixing the EB direction will need a widening on the downbound escarpment access, which should be achievable via filling in the centre median. The problem is getting 6 lanes through downtown Hamilton where there are a bunch of obstructed bridges.

Other than the Mohawk Rd ramp and climbing lane extension, MTO has no real plans for this stretch at this time from my understanding. The climbing lane extension is expected to be built in 2026-2027 though, so it's coming fairly soon.

ScreamingViking · #**1742** Posted **Apr 24, 2025, 4:38 AM**

The Mohawk to WB 403 exit was one of former city counsellor/unofficial "mayor" of Ancaster Lloyd Ferguson's pet projects. He must be in a tizzy that it's being planned.

The 403 up the side of the escarpment really deserves to be 4+4 lanes wide... but the issue through the lower city is a big one.

EDIT: I've never had much problem with traffic congestion on the 403 escarpment portion, but I tend not to use that highway during peak periods!

sonysnob · #**1743** Posted **Apr 24, 2025, 3:35 PM**

I wasn't aware of this project (I knew the city had been lobbying for it, but I wasn't aware they were conducting an EA for it).

It looks to me that what they are proposing is extending the third lane from where it currently ends now to the start of the speed change lane for Hwy 6 South. It just looks like they are going to accommodate this widening by adding a lane in the median of the 403.

Am I not looking at the drawing correctly?

Innsertnamehere · #**1744** Posted **Apr 25, 2025, 12:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonysnob

I wasn't aware of this project (I knew the city had been lobbying for it, but I wasn't aware they were conducting an EA for it).

It looks to me that what they are proposing is extending the third lane from where it currently ends now to the start of the speed change lane for Hwy 6 South. It just looks like they are going to accommodate this widening by adding a lane in the median of the 403.

Am I not looking at the drawing correctly?

That's correct. The Truck Climbing Lane will instead of ending will become the Highway 6 exit, done through a widening in the median, as described. It's only about 800 metres of new lane.

sonysnob · #**1745** Posted **Apr 25, 2025, 2:13 PM**

Does it not seem kind of excessive to have three PICs for a project that is replacing a ramp that used to exist, and adding a few hundred meters of new lane within a pre-existing highway right of way?

That seems a bit excessive for what is otherwise a pretty minor project.

SteelTown · #**1746** Posted **Apr 30, 2025, 1:10 PM**

Ontario gets ball rolling on Highway 401 tunnel feasibility study

https://www.chch.com/chch-news/ontario-g...udy/?mc_cid=cd41589368&mc_eid=30335158ea

TORONTO — Ontario is taking a concrete step toward an idea Premier Doug Ford has championed to build a tunnel under Highway 401.

Ford has spoken often of the need to address gridlock and railed against lost productivity as a result of it. He first raised the idea last fall of building a tunnel under Highway 401.

In response to concerns about a project of that size potentially costing tens of billions of dollars he has said the province would do a feasibility study, however, he has pledged to get the tunnel built regardless.

“The reason we’re having a feasibility study is it’s going to determine the length. If they’re telling me, 30 kilometres is X, 40 kilometres is Y, and 70 kilometres or 60 kilometres is another cost, let’s take a look at it,” he said when he announced his plan in September.

“But we’re going to get the job done, mark my words.”

The province has now issued a request for proposals for a study to determine the feasibility of a tunnel and several other options including an elevated highway, adding more lanes and truck-only lanes.

It does contemplate the possibility of a tunnel or elevated highway not being possible.

....

The study itself is expected to be completed in February 2027.

Marcus CLS · #**1747** Posted **May 16, 2025, 3:49 PM**

Deeply disappointed nothing in the Ontario budget for continued expansion of highway 17 between Arnprior and Renfrew.

MolsonExport · #**1748** Posted **May 16, 2025, 4:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Ontario gets ball rolling on Highway 401 tunnel feasibility study

https://www.chch.com/chch-news/ontario-g...udy/?mc_cid=cd41589368&mc_eid=30335158ea

TORONTO — Ontario is taking a concrete step toward an idea Premier Doug Ford has championed to build a tunnel under Highway 401.

Ford has spoken often of the need to address gridlock and railed against lost productivity as a result of it. He first raised the idea last fall of building a tunnel under Highway 401.

In response to concerns about a project of that size potentially costing tens of billions of dollars he has said the province would do a feasibility study, however, he has pledged to get the tunnel built regardless.

“The reason we’re having a feasibility study is it’s going to determine the length. If they’re telling me, 30 kilometres is X, 40 kilometres is Y, and 70 kilometres or 60 kilometres is another cost, let’s take a look at it,” he said when he announced his plan in September.

“But we’re going to get the job done, mark my words.”

The province has now issued a request for proposals for a study to determine the feasibility of a tunnel and several other options including an elevated highway, adding more lanes and truck-only lanes.

It does contemplate the possibility of a tunnel or elevated highway not being possible.

....

The study itself is expected to be completed in February 2027.

The tunnel is one thing. The changes made to accommodate a higher volume of traffic to streets coming off the expanded highway is another thing.

Why isn't buying back Highway 407 and removing tolls on the table instead?

Loco101 · #**1749** Posted **May 19, 2025, 10:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

The tunnel is one thing. The changes made to accommodate a higher volume of traffic to streets coming off the expanded highway is another thing.

Why isn't buying back Highway 407 and removing tolls on the table instead?

I read that the province buying back the 407 ETR would cost around 30 billion. The 99 year lease was sold for 3 billion in 1999. Ford got away with cancelling the green energy projects that cost the province a lot. But I'm guessing it wouldn't be as easy to cancel the 407 ETR lease as shareholders include the CPP Investment Board and Cintra who both would go for maximum compensation and penalties. A company like Samsung who had a huge green energy contract has more of a reputation to uphold as they have a wide variety of products and items that people buy directly.

MolsonExport · #**1750** Posted **May 20, 2025, 12:03 AM**

Selling that highway was without a doubt one of the stupidest things ever done by an Ontario government. We got sold twice: first the highway, then the outrageous tolls.

sonysnob · #**1751** Posted **May 20, 2025, 2:25 AM**

View looking north along Highway 404 from Norman Bethune Drive, just north of Highway 7 and the 407. The old site of Buttonville Airport was located just to the east of the highway. When the 404 was widened, the went to the trouble of installing highway lighting that wouldn't interfere with runway operations at the airport -- but the airport closed before the widening was actually complete, so the highway's lighting is already obsolete.

The roughed in mounts for high mast -- they new the airport was eventually going to close -- but they went to a lot of trouble installing special lighting that pretty much immediately proved to be irrelevant.

https://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_404-406_images/404_cl_28_north_NB_May25_42x28.jpg

haljackey · #**1752** Posted **Jun 3, 2025, 12:34 AM**

Highway 3 freeway causes land expropriation

https://www.ctvnews.ca/resizer/v2/INYZSJ...2016c3c6df5f35d45044b413543dbd4cbbf1d17b

sonysnob · #**1753** Posted **Jun 30, 2025, 4:24 PM**

View looking north along Highway 410 from the Countryside Drive overpass in Brampton. Later this summer, the existing concrete driving surface north of Bovaird will be overlain with a new asphalt riding surface:

https://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_410-427_images/410_cl_17_north_NB_Jun25_42x28.jpg

sonysnob · #**1754** Posted **Jul 19, 2025, 1:16 PM**

Work is underway to stripe the HOV lanes on the 400 from King Road to Hwy 9. From the looks of how the paint is being applied, it looks like the MTO is prepared to open the new lanes before the 400 is fully surfaced between King Road and Hwy 9:

https://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_400_images/400_cl_52_south_NB_Jul25_42x28.jpg

https://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_400_images/400_cl_52_north_SB_Jul25_42x28.jpg

Horus · #**1755** Posted **Jul 23, 2025, 5:35 PM**

Saw this about a proposal plan for highway improvements in Northern Ontario.

From CTV

Quote:

Northern Ontario leaders push for safer 2+1 highways

By Lydia Chubak

Published: July 23, 2025 at 6:00AM EDT

The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is calling on federal and provincial governments to invest in critical upgrades to Highways 11 and 17, aiming to improve both trade efficiency and road safety in the region.

FONOM has outlined a two-phase expansion plan to convert stretches of the highways into a “2+1” model – a design featuring two lanes in one direction and one in the other, separated by a crash-rated median barrier. The configuration alternates every 2 to 5 kilometres, allowing safe passing opportunities for drivers in both directions.

Phase 1 expansion targets key corridors

The first phase of proposed upgrades includes:

Highway 11: North Bay to Cochrane
Highway 17: Renfrew to Sudbury

Phase 2 expands to northwestern Ontario

The second phase would extend improvements to:

Highway 11: Cochrane to Nipigon
Highways 11/17: Thunder Bay to Kenora
Highway 17: Sault Ste. Marie to Sudbury

FONOM President Danny Whalen emphasized the national economic importance of these roadways as trade routes and transportation corridors.
....

https://www.ctvnews.ca/northern-ontario/...ario-leaders-push-for-safer-21-highways/

Dengler Avenue · #**1756** Posted **Jul 23, 2025, 5:46 PM**

The Renfrew-Petawawa stretch will be tricky. Given the number of traffic lights on that staged freeway, a 2+1 configuration will require building Highway 17 like A-50 in Quebec (bypassing Cobden). At that point, it may be better off extending 417 to Petawawa instead.

From Renfrew-Nipissing Boundary to North Bay, then from Markstay to Sudbury, MTO has technically designated the future ROW of a divided freeway, so there’s a question of whether the 2+1 configuration should use current alignment or the freeway ROW.

From Sudbury to SSM, the key will be how to manage property access if the current roadway is to take on the 2+1 configuration.

Innsertnamehere · #**1757** Posted **Jul 23, 2025, 5:57 PM**

MTO's plans for 17 between Sault Ste Marie and Renfrew are for an upgraded freeway extension, not a 2+1. The part south of Petawawa especially should really be a freeway and not 2+1.

Innsertnamehere · #**1758** Posted **Jul 23, 2025, 6:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonysnob

Work is underway to stripe the HOV lanes on the 400 from King Road to Hwy 9. From the looks of how the paint is being applied, it looks like the MTO is prepared to open the new lanes before the 400 is fully surfaced between King Road and Hwy 9:

https://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_400_images/400_cl_52_south_NB_Jul25_42x28.jpg

https://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_400_images/400_cl_52_north_SB_Jul25_42x28.jpg

Interesting that they aren't striping the 4th GP lane yet. I wonder if MTO / the ministry is pushing to get the HOV open while cottage season is still in peak, then the whole thing can be done following final paving in the fall some time with the 4th GP lane opening then.

With the 400 widening wrapping up, that leaves only one capacity expansion under construction in all of Southern Ontario - the highway 3 widening to Leamington. Ford doesn't appear to be building many highways considering how much he talks about it..

sonysnob · #**1759** Posted **Jul 23, 2025, 7:55 PM**

^ They haven't striped the fourth GPL through the Lloydtown-Aurora interchange yet because the fourth lane interferes with the current configuration of the ramps.

They have striped it as four lanes, plus the HOV lane in other sections without ramps.

That's always the trouble with striping. It has to make sense in both the interim and ultimate configuration.

sonysnob · #**1760** Posted **Jul 31, 2025, 1:56 AM**

View looking both south and north along Highway 400 from the Highway 9 overpass:

https://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_400_images/400_cl_55_south_SB_Jul25_42x28.jpg

https://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_400_images/400_cl_55_north_c_Jul25_42x28.jpg