Trans Canada Highway Twinning: Segments U/C

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

Not a good idea, unless you want a tunnel over 200m deep.

They're building floating tunnels in Norway.

• Video Link

[milomilo]

Is the depth of a tunnel actually important? As long as the grade and length is reasonable, then surely how deep it goes is completely irrelevant.

The Gotthard Base Tunnel is 2450m deep. The Channel Tunnel (and others) goes far further under water.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by milomilo

Is the depth of a tunnel actually important? As long as the grade and length is reasonable, then surely how deep it goes is completely irrelevant.

The Gotthard Base Tunnel is 2450m deep. The Channel Tunnel (and others) goes far further under water.

The Gotthard Base Tunnel is flat, but under 2450m of mountain.

The Channel Tunnel is 75m deep.

Grades matter when it comes to truck traffic. Too steep and it becomes dangerous.

[srperrycgy]

From the Calgary Herald:

Major detours over years loom on Trans-Canada Highway through Rockies

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...hrough-rockies

[craner]

^ Thanks for posting.
Looks like this might actually be finally getting underway.

[Glacier]

Originally Posted by srperrycgy

From the Calgary Herald:

Major detours over years loom on Trans-Canada Highway through Rockies

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...hrough-rockies

Not so fast. The NDP loves costs overruns. They changed the rules to make their union donors happy, and it's costing an extra 100 million... https://www.aldergrovestar.com/news/...dders-invited/

[craner]

^ What an idiotic move by the NDP.
They could use that $150M elsewhere on the TCH.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by craner

^ What an idiotic move by the NDP.
They could use that $150M elsewhere on the TCH.

Nah, they would have used it on Vancouver DTES instead.

[Calgarian]

I feel bad for people in Radium, that will be the connection between Lake Louise and Golden when the TCH is closed for weeks at a time. Radium has a 4 way stop where highway 93 joins highway 95, and it can't handle the weekend traffic it sees right now. I forecast an absolute shit show at that intersection for the entire time the #1 is closed. This project needs to happen, but they also need to ensure that the detour can actually handle the traffic increase. Poor planning at it's finest!

[The Chemist]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

I feel bad for people in Radium, that will be the connection between Lake Louise and Golden when the TCH is closed for weeks at a time. Radium has a 4 way stop where highway 93 joins highway 95, and it can't handle the weekend traffic it sees right now. I forecast an absolute shit show at that intersection for the entire time the #1 is closed. This project needs to happen, but they also need to ensure that the detour can actually handle the traffic increase. Poor planning at it's finest!

The article does say they're pushing to have a roundabout built at the intersection of 93 and 95 to handle the increased traffic.

[dmuzika]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

I feel bad for people in Radium, that will be the connection between Lake Louise and Golden when the TCH is closed for weeks at a time. Radium has a 4 way stop where highway 93 joins highway 95, and it can't handle the weekend traffic it sees right now. I forecast an absolute shit show at that intersection for the entire time the #1 is closed. This project needs to happen, but they also need to ensure that the detour can actually handle the traffic increase. Poor planning at it's finest!

At the very least the detours are not supposed to occur between May 15-Sept 15 (summer) and Nov 30-Apr 1 (winter/ski season). Personally, I don't usually travel into BC outside the summer. What's Radium traffic like during the fall and spring when it's not a long weekend?

[Loco101]

That section of highway East of Golden was so fun to drive. The maximum is only 50 km/h and the advisory signs suggest 40 on a couple curves! It's hard to believe that the main highway across Canada has a section like that and the improvements are badly needed. I don't find that the cost is unreasonable for what it involves. We definitely want the best people building and designing it. The detour isn't the end of the world either.

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by dmuzika

At the very least the detours are not supposed to occur between May 15-Sept 15 (summer) and Nov 30-Apr 1 (winter/ski season). Personally, I don't usually travel into BC outside the summer. What's Radium traffic like during the fall and spring when it's not a long weekend?

I imagine traffic is much better in the shoulder seasons, only ever go to radium in the summer or to go snowboarding in Panorama (which is rare).

Originally Posted by Loco101

That section of highway East of Golden was so fun to drive. The maximum is only 50 km/h and the advisory signs suggest 40 on a couple curves! It's hard to believe that the main highway across Canada has a section like that and the improvements are badly needed. I don't find that the cost is unreasonable for what it involves. We definitely want the best people building and designing it. The detour isn't the end of the world either.

It sucked any time the highway was busy though, especially if there was any rockfall recently. One thing I always liked about that stretch was seeing big horn sheep and mountain goats, probably saw something 50% of the times I drove through there...

[milomilo]

This is going to force a lot of truck traffic to go the 93 way, normally there is very little on that road. Combine that with the steep grades in the west, there is large potential for accidents. Although I guess the section of HWY1 they are upgrading is as bad or worse, so maybe it's a moot point.

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by Loco101

That section of highway East of Golden was so fun to drive. The maximum is only 50 km/h and the advisory signs suggest 40 on a couple curves! It's hard to believe that the main highway across Canada has a section like that and the improvements are badly needed. I don't find that the cost is unreasonable for what it involves. We definitely want the best people building and designing it. The detour isn't the end of the world either.

To help folks understand what's being described, here's a photo from the Calgary Herald:

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...hrough-rockies

Without question, that's the sketchiest stretch of highway I've ever driven. It's the only place I've seen where even the idiots slow right down. I drove it once in a snow storm, too, and swear my steering wheel still has indentations from how hard I was white-knuckling it.

Google Maps

[Dengler Avenue]

At first you see a mountain by a river.

Then you see a road hugging that mountain.

Then, lo and behold, that’s the national highway.

[wave46]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

To help folks understand what's being described, here's a photo from the Calgary Herald:

Without question, that's the sketchiest stretch of highway I've ever driven. It's the only place I've seen where even the idiots slow right down. I drove it once in a snow storm, too, and swear my steering wheel still has indentations from how hard I was white-knuckling it.

Your choice is you go off: the rock cut or down the embankment.

At least you get what may be a Jersey barrier to slow you down if you choose the embankment.

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by wave46

Your choice is you go off: the rock cut or down the embankment.

At least you get what may be a Jersey barrier to slow you down if you choose the embankment.

There were a lot of years there was no railing along large sections of that route.

As for 93, there are a lot of passing lanes now, and all the steep grades have climbing lanes. Its one of the better set up roads in the Mountains.

[Calgarian]

This area used to be far worse before they did the giant bridge over the river. The highway used to wind down to the river then wind back up, now the bridge spans it and you stay higher up.

Originally Posted by milomilo

This is going to force a lot of truck traffic to go the 93 way, normally there is very little on that road. Combine that with the steep grades in the west, there is large potential for accidents. Although I guess the section of HWY1 they are upgrading is as bad or worse, so maybe it's a moot point.

This is why I'm a bit concerned that Radium will be screwed when the #1 is closed. Too many trucks, and one accident will fubar that highway for many hours.

[Loco101]

My wife took some photos of that section when I was driving. I'm trying to figure out how to get the photos on here.