Canadian Highway Fantasy Thread

[gweed123]

[Edit] The purpose of a national highway system is to connect cities, not avoid them. I'd get rid of the GB\CO routes too, but I'd replace it with a route through Toronto by via 400/401.

Better yet, why not implement a general national highway system and scrap the strictly transcontinental "Trans-Canada" Highway? That would make more sense. The TCH as-is has a lot of branches that piggyback over middle-of-nowhere roads that in themselves go nowhere, while important routes are not part of it.

I've proposed this a couple times as well. Model it after the German model, where routes 1-9 are primary "national" routes, with 11-99 being primary provincial routes, and 100-999 being spur and regional routes. Basically, you'd wind up with this:

Route 1: BC Hwy 1, AB Hwy 1, SK Hwy 1, MB Hwy 1, ON Hwy 17/417, QC Aut 40, QC Aut 30 (Montreal By-pass), QC Aut 20, QC Aut/Rte 85/185, NB Rte 2, NS Hwy 104, NS 105, NL Hwy 1
Route 2: BC Hwy 99, BC Hwy 97, YK Hwy 1 (Alaska Highway)
Route 3: ON Hwy 401, QC Aut 20, QC Aut 10 (potential future connection to a northern Maine interstate for a faster connection to southern Atlantic Canada)
Route 4: AB Hwy 4, AB Hwy 3, AB Hwy 2, AB Hwy 35, NWT Hwy 1, NWT Hwy 3
Route 5: NB Rte 1, NB Rte 2, NB Rte 15, NB Rte 16, PEI Rte 1, NS Route 106
Route 6: ON QEW, ON Hwy 427, ON Hwy 401, ON Hwy 400
Route 7: QC Aut 40, QC Rte 138 (plus gaps filled in), NL Hwy 430
Route 8: QC Aut 15, QC Rte 117, ON Hwy 11
Route 9: BC Hwy 16, AB Hwy 16, SK Hwy 16, MB Hwy 16

As for the Provincial routes, BC would get numbers 10-19, AB 19-29, SK 30-39, MB 40-49, ON 50-69, QC 70-89, and Atlantic Canada 90-99, with routes ending in 0 or 5 being main non-national routes (just like US interstates).

 

[innsertnamehere]

The liberals are apparently promising to create a dedicated annual fund for the twinning of Highway 11/17:

http://www.netnewsledger.com/2018/05/11/ontario-liberal-northern-platform-launched/

 

[BurlOak]

The Ring of Fire road will be one way in, one way out. If it's by road the most likely route will go via Pickle Lake/Nibinamik/Webequie (with side roads to Neskantaga and Kasabonika).

If its by rail it'll go north from Nakina (Eabametoong, Marten Falls and others may be serviced via gravel roads starting at points along this rail line).

But one way in/one way out. Just like how Quebec services the Hydroelectric dams.

First, the one way in/one way out highway in northern Quecbec is also a "Northern Route" National highway. Although I think Hydro (electricity) is more essential than Chromium, so maybe Ring of Fire would not qualify.

Second, to make both sets of First Nations happy, Wynne promised to build both routes - east from Pickle Lake and north from Nakina.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/new...ads-into-ring-of-fire-region/article36039989/

 

[lenaitch]

Route 3: ON Hwy 401, QC Aut 20, QC Aut 10 (potential future connection to a northern Maine interstate for a faster connection to southern Atlantic Canada)

I assume this rightly qualifies as "fantasy". A highway across N. Maine, let alone an Interstate, would serve no US social or economic purposes and they certainly aren't going to build it for our benefit.

The liberals are apparently promising to create a dedicated annual fund for the twinning of Highway 11/17:

http://www.netnewsledger.com/2018/05/11/ontario-liberal-northern-platform-launched/

Of course with no dollars attached and an expectation of federal funding. $5 would satisfy this promise.

First, the one way in/one way out highway in northern Quecbec is also a "Northern Route" National highway. Although I think Hydro (electricity) is more essential than Chromium, so maybe Ring of Fire would not qualify.

Second, to make both sets of First Nations happy, Wynne promised to build both routes - east from Pickle Lake and north from Nakina.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/new...ads-into-ring-of-fire-region/article36039989/

Only as far as Matagami. North of that it is the equivalent of a municipal road. Although they promise provincial funding, it is not clear who will 'own' any road into the RoF. While it may qualify as a "highway" by definition, my guess is that it won't look anything like an average person would think of one. My guess would be gravel or stone/tar at least for the first years, perhaps a tertiary (800-series highway). Most people have no idea what it will take to maintain a year-round roadbed in that terrain.

 

[BurlOak]

I assume this rightly qualifies as "fantasy". A highway across N. Maine, let alone an Interstate, would serve no US social or economic purposes and they certainly aren't going to build it for our benefit.



Of course with no dollars attached and an expectation of federal funding. $5 would satisfy this promise.



Only as far as Matagami. North of that it is the equivalent of a municipal road. Although they promise provincial funding, it is not clear who will 'own' any road into the RoF. While it may qualify as a "highway" by definition, my guess is that it won't look anything like an average person would think of one. My guess would be gravel or stone/tar at least for the first years, perhaps a tertiary (800-series highway). Most people have no idea what it will take to maintain a year-round roadbed in that terrain.

I remember the later 1970's and early 1980's when several MTO tertiary highways were gravel. Even Highway 129 - A Kings Hwy, was only finally paved in the 1980's and there were still single lane bridges when I was there a decade ago.

 

[lenaitch]

I remember the later 1970's and early 1980's when several MTO tertiary highways were gravel. Even Highway 129 - A Kings Hwy, was only finally paved in the 1980's and there were still single lane bridges when I was there a decade ago.

And it's a fantastic bike route!

The MTO dropped has dropped a few secondary and tertiary route designations. It seems odd, since they are through disorganized areas they are maintained by provincial funding anyway. I can only assume that relieves them from maintaining them to class standards.

 

[Kitsune]

The liberals are apparently promising to create a dedicated annual fund for the twinning of Highway 11/17:

http://www.netnewsledger.com/2018/05/11/ontario-liberal-northern-platform-launched/

Wow ... its more then that... its to four lane the trans canada highway from Manitoba to Quebec.

https://www.sudbury.com/local-news/...liberal-plan-to-build-northern-ontario-921837

• Commit to permanent annual funding to four-lane the TransCanada highway from the Manitoba border to the Quebec border until the project is fully completed and call on the federal government to match the investment;

 

[innsertnamehere]

From what I recall they made the same promise last election..

 

[Steve X]

Lies! They couldn't even complete 100km of freeway from Parry Sound to Sudbury within a decade. How does anyone expect they 4 lane 1000 km+ of highway in our lifetime? They way they they conduct business by contracting only 10km sections every year or two, it'll take them 15 to 20 years just to twin from the Manitoba border to TB not including all the negotiations with the First Nations.

Within the last decade they only managed a small extension on the 417, about 20km of 4 laning east of Sault Ste. Marie and 50km between TB and Nipigon. That's not even 100km. At this rate, we'll expect a full 4 lane highway to be completed around year 2250. Remember to remind our great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren that the McWynnety government started it!

 

[Haljackey]

Made a few fantasy maps in the past

How bout:

Extended

Or even

-----

-----

And craziest of all

Lastly speed limits one day

 

[innsertnamehere]

The freeways I think the province needs:

- 404 to Highway 48 in Sutton

- A new Highway 26 that runs via Angus to Collingwood

- highway 7 twinned to Perth on the south side of Mississippi Lake

- 417 extended to Petawawa

- 11 through North Bay

- highway 6 from Burlington to Guelph

- 410 extended to just past Orangeville

- 11 upgraded to highway 411 to North Bay

- Caledonia Bypass connected to 6n and 6n should be four laned

- 413 around Brampton

 

[gweed123]

The freeways I think the province needs:

- 404 to Highway 48 in Sutton

- A new Highway 26 that runs via Angus to Collingwood

- highway 7 twinned to Perth on the south side of Mississippi Lake

- 417 extended to Petawawa

- 11 through North Bay

- highway 6 from Burlington to Guelph

- 410 extended to just past Orangeville

- 11 upgraded to highway 411 to North Bay

- Caledonia Bypass connected to 6n and 6n should be four laned

- 413 around Brampton

What I'd actually like to see is Highway 404 extended around the east side of Lake Simcoe to connect up with the 400-series section of Highway 11. Basically, this would bring Highway 404 to North Bay. The RIRO section of 11 would just act as a connector between the 400 and the 404 north of Lake Simcoe.

Everything else on your list I agree with completely, though I wonder if building a Highway 408 (roughly parallel to Highway 8) would be better than making Highway 6 a 400-series highway. If the demand is between K-W and Burlington, then it would be faster to drive 1 side of the triangle instead of two. Basically, it would connect to the 401 just east of Townline Rd, and connect to Highway 6 in Waterdown.

 

[innsertnamehere]

6 would capture both KW and Guelph traffic, while 8 would only grab KW.

404 around Lake Simcoe is rather unnecessary - traffic levels are too low. The connection to 48 probably doesn't even need to be 4 lanes, though it may as well be. The only reason I am proposing that is because the 48-404 connection is utter crap right now and needs to be improved.

12 does need to get widened to 4 lanes from 48 to 169 though, but that doesn't really need to be a freeway. And I say that as a regular user, I drove it just on Saturday.

Also, 11 is getting quite busy, especially south of Orillia. It's going to need a 6 lane freeway upgrade south of Orillia in the next few years anyway, no point bypassing it on the other side of the lake.

 

[Leo_Chan]

Is this thread kind of getting mixed up with this thread? Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

 

[gweed123]

I assume this rightly qualifies as "fantasy". A highway across N. Maine, let alone an Interstate, would serve no US social or economic purposes and they certainly aren't going to build it for our benefit.

I may have misspoken slightly. I just meant an E-W interstate across Maine, similar in many respects to the Interstate 92 proposal (also sometimes called I-98). The eastern section in particular, paralleling Route 9 and connecting I-95 to NB Rte 1 in Calais would warrant more than the rest. It would be about 100km shorter than going up and over via A-20/A-85/NB-2.