Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

[Jonathan's Junction]

Preliminary design of 5.22km of HWY 11/17 widening from Stillwater Creek to First Street in Nipigon, for delivery by March 2027.

This one is interesting, it seems like it is decently developed, at least by Northern Ontario standards. I wonder if they are planning on bypassing it entirely or just converting it into a 5 lane road.

While they could do something like this, I have to imagine that there might even be pushback from those businesses who want the traffic running by them.

 

[Morriston1986]

• Unspecified design stage of 14km of HWY 401 widening from Townline Road to HWY 6 North and HWY 6 South to Wellington/Halton Boundary, for delivery by October 2027.

Interesting that they are grouping the widenings on either side of the Morriston Bypass.

Would only make sence that they widen the 401 leaving Cambridge and entering Halton along with the construction of the Hwy 6 bypass as there is new fly-overs and HOV lanes that would be in built together.

This is going to be a major project, I would like to know when this construction could be scheduled to start

 

[innsertnamehere]

I have noticed the following RFPs have recently closed for engineering services on MERX, unveiling some information:

• Preliminary design of 5.22km of HWY 11/17 widening from Stillwater Creek to First Street in Nipigon, for delivery by March 2027.
• Unspecified design stage of 14km of HWY 401 widening from Townline Road to HWY 6 North and HWY 6 South to Wellington/Halton Boundary, for delivery by October 2027.
• Detail design and total project management of 9.10km of HWY 413 and HWY 410 new construction from Countryside Drive North to Hurontario Street, for delivery by March 2032.
• Contract administration of Bradford Bypass new construction, for delivery by December 2032.

Interesting that they are grouping the widenings on either side of the Morriston Bypass. It also appears that the internal planned completion dates for HWY 413 and the Bradford Bypass are sometime in 2032.

Interesting.

2032 makes sense for the Bradford Bypass. The west portion is starting construction this spring and scheduled for 2030, with the central and east portions starting next year.. 2032 would make sense for full completion.

It is good to see 2032 as the completion date for that portion of the 413 at least - I do suspect it will open in progressive phases with the 410 to 10 section (the one out for detailed design here) done first. The rest will likely follow in phases afterwards.

Regarding the 401 contract, it's split east and west of 6 because that portion is being done through the Morriston Bypass and has a separate EA / design process.

Right now the 401 from Kitchener to Milton has four "components":
1. Townline to Hanlon - EA completed.
2. Hanlon to Hwy 6 - EA completed, part of the Morriston Bypass.
3. Hwy 6 to Halton Region Boundary - this part has the EA completed as well in the same study as 1.
4. Halton REgion Boundary to Hwy 25 - EA and preliminary design underway.

It's likely preliminary design given that preliminary design for 4. is already covered through GWP 2030-23-00. I suspect that this contract is completing it for the remainder of the corridor.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Looking through that website a few more tidbits..

RAQS Engineering Services - Abstract - 4025-Z-0028 - Tpm Detail Design For Twinning Of Hwy 17

www.raqsesp.merx.com

Detailed design for the 417 extension to Renfrew - delivery by 2034.. which gives us a suggested completion of 2034 for the extension.

 

[innsertnamehere]

This one is interesting, it seems like it is decently developed, at least by Northern Ontario standards. I wonder if they are planning on bypassing it entirely or just converting it into a 5 lane road.
View attachment 723428
While they could do something like this, I have to imagine that there might even be pushback from those businesses who want the traffic running by them.

Yes that is the plan.

This is the description of the contract:

Project Number: 6025-E-0029 - Preliminary Design Study for Hwy 11/17 from 1 km West of Stillwater Creek Easterly 5.22 km to 0.83 km East of First Street in the Township of Nipigon. The Study will include a review of the existing conditions along the existing and future Highway 11/17 corridor; and update the 1996 EA approved preliminary design plan (initial and ultimate) where necessary to address changes in conditions and current ministry standards and policies.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Detailed design and project management for Barnesdale Rd interchange on the 416 in Barrhaven - completion identified for 2029:

RAQS Engineering Services - Abstract - 4025-Z-0015 - Tpm Detail Design, New Interchange At Highway 416 & Barnsdale Road

www.raqsesp.merx.com

 

[lenaitch]

This one is interesting, it seems like it is decently developed, at least by Northern Ontario standards. I wonder if they are planning on bypassing it entirely or just converting it into a 5 lane road.
View attachment 723428
While they could do something like this, I have to imagine that there might even be pushback from those businesses who want the traffic running by them.

The highway is four-lane divided both west of there and approaching the Nipigon River bridge. That stretch currently has a number of highway-related and heavy truck businesses on it. If they tried to divide the same alignment it would create a lot of turning conflicts and require a lot of expropriation disruption. Better to turn it into a service road with access and both ends.

 

[innsertnamehere]

MTO is undertaking preliminary design of twinning Highway 11/17 west of Thunder Bay to Kakabeka Falls:

Highway 11/17 Widening to Four Lanes

hwy11-17-kakabekafalls-east.ca

MTO is planning to 4-lane Highway 35 north of Lindsay for a few kilometres and fixing the "jog" of 35 connecting to 7 on Kent St:

RAQS Engineering Services - Abstract - 4023-Z-0041 - Preliminary Design/ea, Hwy 35 Structures, Intersection Improv & Widening

www.raqsesp.merx.com

Project Overview

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) has retained the services of Egis to carry out the Preliminary and Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) Study for the replacement of structures,...

www.highway35widening.com

One of several potential options:

 

[lenaitch]

MTO is undertaking preliminary design of twinning Highway 11/17 west of Thunder Bay to Kakabeka Falls:

Highway 11/17 Widening to Four Lanes

hwy11-17-kakabekafalls-east.ca

They will have to bypass the village to the east. I don't know why they don't rip the bandage off and twin Hwy 102, redesignate it as 11/17 and downgrade the bypassed parts.

 

[Jonathan's Junction]

MTO is undertaking preliminary design of twinning Highway 11/17 west of Thunder Bay to Kakabeka Falls:

It would be nice to see some sort of interchange with the expressway as part of this.

They will have to bypass the village to the east. I don't know why they don't rip the bandage off and twin Hwy 102, redesignate it as 11/17 and downgrade the bypassed parts.

The 102 is at least 10 minutes faster if you aren't stopping in TB. I do wonder how much traffic completely skips over it, versus originating and ending in TB. The one thing about the 102 is that it does meander more than the 11/17.

 

[innsertnamehere]

They will have to bypass the village to the east. I don't know why they don't rip the bandage off and twin Hwy 102, redesignate it as 11/17 and downgrade the bypassed parts.

The plan is to eventually bypass Kakabeka Falls - but this phase does not seem to include that.

If MTO ever gets 11/17 fully twinned and all signalized intersections removed between the two ends of 102, 11/17 will be a faster route at about ~23 minutes of travel vs. 26 on 102. Also, it will be entirely freeway at that point instead of winding rural road.

MTO previously did the Environmental Assessment for the required interchanges on the Thunder Bay Expressway in 2018. I suspect they are preparing to start spending on this and those interchanges after the twinning of 11/17 to Nipigon is done, which is getting close..

 

[lenaitch]

The 102 is at least 10 minutes faster if you aren't stopping in TB. I do wonder how much traffic completely skips over it, versus originating and ending in TB. The one thing about the 102 is that it does meander more than the 11/17.

You obviously can't eliminate traffic that has to go into the city, and the closer in you get you get into more local traffic, but the fewer trucks mingled in with local traffic the better.

It's been quite a while, but I recall 102 not being a great alignment for trucks or any heavy traffic, and I don't think it was intended as such since it was originally just an alternate (11A/17A) and before that, Dawson Trail.

Interestingly, it 2025, a Thunder Bay bylaw designated Hwy 102 as a 'no truck route' forcing traffic only 11/17, Harbour Expressway, etc. I must be missing something since a municipal bylaw should not have jurisdiction over a provincial highway, unless part of it is classed as a municipal road, connecting link or something similar.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/ota-truck-route-1.7583547