Highways in Canada

[sonysnob]

Originally Posted by sa230e

How long is phase 2 and how many more phases are there? How far is the collector/express system going to go eventually?

Phase 2 is from the Credit River to McLaughlin.

Phase 3 runs from Trafalgar Road easterly to the Credit River.

The complex freeway is set to run to just east of the Winston Churchill Boulevard interchange. There will also be a short set of collector lanes from just west of the 407 interchange to just west of Trafalgar Road. The rest of the road will have an 8+2 configuration.

The MTO is considering an interim widening west of the Highway 407 interchange before the remainder of the highway is widened beyond McLaughlin Road.

[Wharn]

Originally Posted by haljackey

That space has been left for a HOV lane, which won't open until other phases of the collector-express widening project in Mississauga is done. This is phase 1 and it's only about 2km long so it would be little silly to enter and exit a HOV lane for such a short distance.

Phase 2 won't start until the 'beyond 2016' timeframe so expect just 2 express lanes for about a decade until the HOV lanes open.

The government at work. How asinine.

Wouldn't it be better just to open the lane as a standard express lane now and then convert it over to HOV later on, as required? It's basically going to sit as wasted space for at least 3 years. Of course, this is coming from the same people who left Highway 26 graded and unpaved for 9 years, so no surprise.

[haljackey]

Originally Posted by Wharn

The government at work. How asinine.

Wouldn't it be better just to open the lane as a standard express lane now and then convert it over to HOV later on, as required? It's basically going to sit as wasted space for at least 3 years. Of course, this is coming from the same people who left Highway 26 graded and unpaved for 9 years, so no surprise.

They could, but it would probably be more inefficient that way. Having a 3rd lane start for 2km then end... People entering and merging that quickly is worse for traffic flow.

[sonysnob]

Originally Posted by Wharn

The government at work. How asinine.

Wouldn't it be better just to open the lane as a standard express lane now and then convert it over to HOV later on, as required? It's basically going to sit as wasted space for at least 3 years. Of course, this is coming from the same people who left Highway 26 graded and unpaved for 9 years, so no surprise.

I think they are leaving the lane closed as they don't want to open the lane as a general purpose lane and have people scream once it gets converted to an HOV lane in the next few years. (The proposed location to end the HOV lane is dumb in my opinion, but that's for another discussion).

[sonysnob]

A couple of new photos:









I have put together a webpage that chrnoicles the construction project. It probably goes into more detail than the average person is interested in seeing (and I have only uploaded about half the photos that I have taken), but here is the link for anyone interested:
http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_401_images/Hwy401_HurontarioCons_images.htm
(New photos are at the bottom).

[vid]

The Trans-Canada was closed near Red Rock today for much of the afternoon. There was no detour; there are no roads running parallel to it there.

[eternallyme]

Originally Posted by vid

The Trans-Canada was closed near Red Rock today for much of the afternoon. There was no detour; there are no roads running parallel to it there.

That's part of the reason why they need to accelerate the construction process. The Nipigon-Shabaqua section is one of Canada's weakest links, and the busiest highway in Northwestern Ontario.

Ideally, any new 4-lane highway (or even initial 2-lane realignment) would be mostly on new alignment where no alternate route exists, with the possible exceptions of difficult sections like across the Nipigon River.

Also once open, the speed limit from just east of Balsam Street to Birch Beach Road should be increased to 100 km/h as well I believe.

[Wharn]

Originally Posted by haljackey

They could, but it would probably be more inefficient that way. Having a 3rd lane start for 2km then end... People entering and merging that quickly is worse for traffic flow.

Isn't this supposed to be a part of a city-wide, three-lanes-in-each-direction express system?

Originally Posted by sonysnob

I think they are leaving the lane closed as they don't want to open the lane as a general purpose lane and have people scream once it gets converted to an HOV lane in the next few years. (The proposed location to end the HOV lane is dumb in my opinion, but that's for another discussion).

I think this is actually what is going on.

[haljackey]

Looks like the Bluewater Bridge approach on Highway 402 in Sarnia is finally done:


Highway 402 approaching Blue Water Bridge by Sean_Marshall, on Flickr


End of Highway 402, approaching Blue Water Bridge by Sean_Marshall, on Flickr

[libtard]

Originally Posted by haljackey

Looks like the Bluewater Bridge approach on Highway 402 in Sarnia is finally done:


Highway 402 approaching Blue Water Bridge by Sean_Marshall, on Flickr


End of Highway 402, approaching Blue Water Bridge by Sean_Marshall, on Flickr

There was major construction on the Michigan side where I-69 meets I-94 aswell

Access to the bluewater bridge has been quietly expanding lately

[haljackey]

If you use Google Maps for directions it will always tell you to take the 402 to get to the USA instead of the 401 since it's a direct freeway connection. It may be a longer route depending on where you are going, but it can be faster than the direct route through Windsor.

This may change however once the 401 extension and the new boarder crossing in Detroit is done. I wonder if Detroit's bankruptcy will affect the project... if it does I hope it helps speed it up because it will add jobs and money to that city.

[Symz]

Originally Posted by haljackey

I wonder if Detroit's bankruptcy will affect the project... if it does I hope it helps speed it up because it will add jobs and money to that city.

It should have no bearing on the project.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by haljackey

If you use Google Maps for directions it will always tell you to take the 402 to get to the USA instead of the 401 since it's a direct freeway connection. It may be a longer route depending on where you are going, but it can be faster than the direct route through Windsor.

This may change however once the 401 extension and the new boarder crossing in Detroit is done. I wonder if Detroit's bankruptcy will affect the project... if it does I hope it helps speed it up because it will add jobs and money to that city.

with the exception of the US border building and the highway connection, the construction will be based out of Canada. ( Canada is paying for it after all)

[sonysnob]

Originally Posted by haljackey

Looks like the Bluewater Bridge approach on Highway 402 in Sarnia is finally done:


Highway 402 approaching Blue Water Bridge by Sean_Marshall, on Flickr


End of Highway 402, approaching Blue Water Bridge by Sean_Marshall, on Flickr

It's funny that you posted those today. I was in Sarnia yesterday to have a look at the 402 construction and took a bunch of photos. They did a really nice job with the widening:

[go_leafs_go02]

Has the speed limit signs on 402 to get rid of the 70 km/h until just before the bridge been changed too?

[sonysnob]

Originally Posted by go_leafs_go02

Has the speed limit signs on 402 to get rid of the 70 km/h until just before the bridge been changed too?

Yeah, the speed limit drops to 70 at Colborne Street, which feels pretty reasonable now. The cops were still out on the 402 yesterday though.

[sa230e]

I noticed they put exit tabs on the exit signage. Is that a new MTO policy or just for this project?

[sonysnob]

^ I don't know. I didn't notice it until now (I was too busy admiring the other awesomeness). I haven't noticed it elsewhere on new signs so I am guessing it was just done on this project. The initial signage plan for this project showed the signs for the local lane being white on blue, I was a little bit disappointed they ended up signing it in green.

[sonysnob]

Some new photos of the Laird Road interchange being constructed in Guelph taken by me last week:

[FrAnKs]

Some Quebec's improvements in the last years.

A10 in Brossard : Concrete + HOV lanes



A15 in Mirabel : windening + concrete


Jump to the 4:00 mark :
• Video Link

A20 East of Rivière-du-Loup : Extension with a Super-2



A25 Between Laval & Montréal : Tolled Extension + New bridge over Rivière des Prairies


• Video Link

A30 South of Montréal : Tolled extension + First full southern Montreal's bypass



• Video Link

A50 Between Gatineau & Mirabel : Extension with a Super-2 (Except for few Km)



A73 to St-Georges : New extension



A85 Between Riviere-du-loup & NB border : Widening & Expressway standards



A410 in Sherbrooke : Extention of the Southern ring.



R117 in Rivière-Rouge : New bypass



R175 between Québec city & Saguenay : Widening + Expressway standards



• Video Link
• Video Link