The 401

[Djeffery]

A reminder that the 401 will be closed in both directions this weekend in a couple places for overpass removals. Saturday night from Veterans Memorial Parkway to Dorchester in the London area for the removal of the Westchester overpass at exit 195. Also at Trafalgar Rd in the Milton area on Saturfun.day night, but I'm not 100% sure of which exits the highway is closed between.

Also rumour that the following weekend, the 401 will again be closed in the London area for the removal of the Dingman Dr overpass west of Wellington. This will also affect the 402 east of Wonderland as it funnels onto the 401 right where Dingman is. That one will be fun

[sonysnob]

Evening view looking easterly along the 401 from the Creditview Road overpass:


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_4...ug21_24x16.jpg

[sonysnob]

Two views looking westerly from Trafalgar Road on the 401 in between Milton and Mississauga. Traffic was recently diverted into the collector lanes west of Trafalgar Road, and these photos reflect that:


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_4...ug21_24x16.jpg


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_4...ug21_24x16.jpg

[thewave46]

Originally Posted by sonysnob

Two views looking westerly from Trafalgar Road on the 401 in between Milton and Mississauga. Traffic was recently diverted into the collector lanes west of Trafalgar Road, and these photos reflect that:

It's funny how time flies.

It wasn't that long ago that as soon as one hit Peel Region, it was 6-lanes through Mississauga until Kitchener as that where I was usually headed.

Milton used to be the place where hopes of speedy progress died in a sea of brake lights going eastbound.

They're making big progress.

[sonysnob]

It's amazing how quickly the areas around Toronto have grown. I remember first going to University in London, and at that time the 401 narrowed from six to four lanes at Highway 8. It was a big deal even when they widened the road as far as Homer Watson. It's crazy to think that now the 401 is 12 lanes wide in Kitchener. That would have seemed insane to me 20 years ago.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by sonysnob

It's amazing how quickly the areas around Toronto have grown. I remember first going to University in London, and at that time the 401 narrowed from six to four lanes at Highway 8. It was a big deal even when they widened the road as far as Homer Watson. It's crazy to think that now the 401 is 12 lanes wide in Kitchener. That would have seemed insane to me 20 years ago.

Not that I go that way very often anymore, but I still sometimes instinctively move over to the second lane from the wall as I come up the hill to 8 on the WB side. Been amazing to see the work along the London-Toronto stretch. The day I got my AZ license back in 1990 was the day they put up the orange barrels between Wellington to Highbury to start that widening project.

[sonysnob]

A view looking easterly along the 401 from east of Cobourg. The 401 narrows from six to four lanes just beyond the frame in this photo:


https://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_...ug21_24x16.jpg

[Amaterasu07]

Originally Posted by sonysnob

A view looking easterly along the 401 from east of Cobourg. The 401 narrows from six to four lanes just beyond the frame in this photo:


https://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_...ug21_24x16.jpg

I drive this section of 401 quite frequently, from Montreal all the way to Port Hope. Westbound traffic frequently gets snagged up between Trenton + Belleville up until the third lane begins just outside of Cobourg here. Way, way, WAY too many transport trucks making passes here.

Would be nice to see work started on three-laning here through to Kingston, or at least to Belleville for the time being, as well as from Kingston, up to Brockville. In my opinion, these are the sections that need widening to three lanes per direction, the most, followed by Cornwall to the Quebec border, or Cornwall to the 416... Or at least some serious resurfacing of the 401 in the area!

[MolsonExport]

^one of the few scenic spots along the 401, which is mostly either suburban sprawl or banal farmlands.

[Innsertnamehere]

The PCs promised to 6 lane the 401 between Windsor and London as well as Cobourg and Kingston in the election, for whatever reason they have only started work on one of those.

I know MTO is preparing to widen the 401 between Belleville and Trenton, I suspect that will come soonish.

[Dengler Avenue]

At the very least, that bridge replacements in Eastern Ontario have space for 5th and 6th lanes will help.

[thewave46]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

The PCs promised to 6 lane the 401 between Windsor and London as well as Cobourg and Kingston in the election, for whatever reason they have only started work on one of those.

That section of the 401 has moments were it runs smoothly and points where it runs at just about at the ragged edge of its capacity.

Driving from Oshawa to Kingston and vice-versa, I always found the 4-lane sections a crap-shoot. Sometimes they'd flow fine, but sometimes they'd seemingly be just under maximum capacity - both lanes pretty solidly packed. The poor driving habit of riding the left lane made things worse.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by thewave46

That section of the 401 has moments were it runs smoothly and points where it runs at just about at the ragged edge of its capacity.

Driving from Oshawa to Kingston and vice-versa, I always found the 4-lane sections a crap-shoot. Sometimes they'd flow fine, but sometimes they'd seemingly be just under maximum capacity - both lanes pretty solidly packed. The poor driving habit of riding the left lane made things worse.

Or sometimes, we go at 95 kph in the left thinking that there’s an accident ahead. Then we realize there’s a truck.

[thewave46]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Or sometimes, we go at 95 kph in the left thinking that there’s an accident ahead. Then we realize there’s a truck.

It mostly astounds me that the Kitchener-London section used to be 4 lanes in the not-too-distant past, given that there's times I'm thinking the Cobourg to Kingston section needed an extra lane.

One can run fewer lanes when lane discipline actually is followed well. Ontario isn't that place. A couple of obstinate drivers changes the dynamic quickly from smooth flowing to backlogged quickly.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

The PCs promised to 6 lane the 401 between Windsor and London as well as Cobourg and Kingston in the election, for whatever reason they have only started work on one of those.

I know MTO is preparing to widen the 401 between Belleville and Trenton, I suspect that will come soonish.

It is Tilbury to London that was promised, Windsor and Essex County has been 6 lanes for a decade.

[sonysnob]

A few up to date views looking both directions from the Trafalgar Road overpass over the 401:

Looking west:

http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_4...6-21_24x16.jpg

Looking east:

http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_4...6-21_24x16.jpg

Some newly erected signs

http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_4...6-21_24x16.jpg


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_4...6-21_24x16.jpg


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_4...6-21_24x16.jpg

[Dengler Avenue]

It’s wild to see E-C configuration beyond Mississauga.

[sonysnob]

A photo looking easterly along the 401 through Chatham-Kent. I've long had a soft spot for rural southwestern Ontario:


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_4...ep21_24x16.jpg

[thewave46]

Originally Posted by sonysnob

A few up to date views looking both directions from the Trafalgar Road overpass over the 401:

I know it's a temporary sign in the 3rd picture on the right-hand side (Exit 328), but Georgetow makes me chuckle.

George tow what? A trailer? My car?

Perhaps I am a simpleton.

[sonysnob]

^ y'know I never noticed that. Good Catch