Roads: Highway 401 Widening - Highway 8 to Highway 410 (MTO, U/C, Planned)

[Steve X]

Eastbound 401 to 400 is a major bottleneck. They’ll have to fix that along with extending collector express from the 427 to 409 to make it work.

 

[ShonTron]

The 401 suddenly doesn't clear up eastbound once it goes back to collector and express at Islington Avenue. The issue isn't so much Highway 401 going from collector/express to just a 8-10 lane dual carriageway, it's all the traffic merging on and off the route between the 403/410, the 427, the 409, and the 400. Adding the fourth lane through the 427 interchange did help, as that was a bottleneck, but traffic slows down not there, but once the 427 traffic merges on and through the Dixon Road interchange and onwards towards the 400, even past the collector/express split.

Saying that we need to extend the express lanes through here, or even building the 413, is not going to work.

 

[mtomo]

The 401 suddenly doesn't clear up eastbound once it goes back to collector and express at Islington Avenue. The issue isn't so much Highway 401 going from collector/express to just a 8-10 lane dual carriageway, it's all the traffic merging on and off the route between the 403/410, the 427, the 409, and the 400. Adding the fourth lane through the 427 interchange did help, as that was a bottleneck, but traffic slows down not there, but once the 427 traffic merges on and through the Dixon Road interchange and onwards towards the 400, even past the collector/express split.

Saying that we need to extend the express lanes through here, or even building the 413, is not going to work.

To add to that, I never understood why the 409 dumps onto BOTH express and collectors instead of collectors only. That would help the express lanes a lot.

 

[Deadpool X]

To add to that, I never understood why the 409 dumps onto BOTH express and collectors instead of collectors only. That would help the express lanes a lot.

That helps manage the traffic better. If collector is backed up, most of the drivers can choose to enter express and vice versa.

 

[Steve X]

The problem is the 401 in this section predates modern highway designs. A whole slew of badly designed interchanges for a not so busy 401 was used while thsi part of Etobicoke became a major industrial site cause of the proximity of the airport and the 401. This led to major trucking traffic in the area.

The 401 to 400 ramps are low traffic flow slow speed ramps with single lanes. The weaving problem on the collectors from Weston to the 400 is a major issue too. This section being the most busiest highway in North America doesn't help things either.

Now that construction season has started, the 401 express between Keele and Allen is down to two lanes leading to another disaster summer for all traffic from the 427 to the Allen.

 

[JasonParis]

High level plans do exist that accomplish continuing the express/collector from 427 to 409. At the 427 interchange it involved replacing virtually every bridge and adding many more.

Highway 413 will result in improved capacity of that area as well by giving everyone going 401 to 400 an alternative.

I believe the capacity wasn't built here as much of the traffic was expected to have used the never-built Richview Expressway. Having said that, if Dougie is intent on doing one massive highway building scheme, I'd prefer fixing this part of the 401to match the rest of the express/collector system, over the ridiculous 413.

 

[11th]

You can avoid some of that backup by detouring onto Highway 409 and Highway 427 and back onto 401.

South of the airport, ETA to 400 20+min, use 427 and 409.
If it's less than 20min., just stick with 401.
Under most circumstances during rush hours, do NOT exit onto Eglinton. No matter how tempting the exit from the 401 looks.

 

[KevinT]

Highway 413 will result in improved capacity of that area as well by giving everyone going 401 to 400 an alternative.

I have an alternate, it's called the 407. I just can't use it because the government sold it off to private interests who priced it out of range, and I don't see how that's not going to happen all over again with the 413.

 

[darth_freeman]

The 401 suddenly doesn't clear up eastbound once it goes back to collector and express at Islington Avenue. The issue isn't so much Highway 401 going from collector/express to just a 8-10 lane dual carriageway, it's all the traffic merging on and off the route between the 403/410, the 427, the 409, and the 400. Adding the fourth lane through the 427 interchange did help, as that was a bottleneck, but traffic slows down not there, but once the 427 traffic merges on and through the Dixon Road interchange and onwards towards the 400, even past the collector/express split.

Saying that we need to extend the express lanes through here, or even building the 413, is not going to work.

Look again and it's clear you haven't driven it often. Virtually all of the congestion is due to the 400 interchange. Drivers will be incentivized to take 413 just to avoid 401/400.

 

[darth_freeman]

I believe the capacity wasn't built here as much of the traffic was expected to have used the never-built Richview Expressway. Having said that, if Dougie is intent on doing one massive highway building scheme, I'd prefer fixing this part of the 401be widened to match the rest of the express/collector system, over building the ridiculous 413.

Of course from a Toronto perspective most would want 401 improved. But the government representatives from Brampton, Caledon, Vaughan all support the 413 (until they stopped supporting it, and then changed their minds again...or something).

 

[drum118]

Need to go 130% full out to have this extension open by year end.

Going westbound yesterday, we were supposed to get on at Mavis, but did Mississauga Rd as it was an parking lot for all the lanes.

Shooting from the Creditview bridge show an accident at the Credit River bridge causing the parking lot.

The foundation is in place for the express lanes bridges that is now waiting for the steel for it. The barrier wall and road tore up on the east side of the river in piles.

Grading underway for the lanes up to the Orangeville RR bridge. Foundation walls for the bridge was being pour.

Sixteen Mile bridge still not finish.

Shoring taking place for the CN bridge and way behind here.

Looks like a good chunk of the eastbound lanes is pave. Fair amount of centre barrier pour west from Winston Churchill as well the collectors.

Lots of work to be done.

 

[vebski]

Will the concrete section of this expansion end at the previous phase? It seems it will be only asphalt from there on (West) as the collector lanes have only been paved, no asphalt.

 

[drum118]

Will the concrete section of this expansion end at the previous phase? It seems it will be only asphalt from there on (West) as the collector lanes have only been paved, no asphalt.

I don't expect the concrete will be remove as it stop where the current phase was to start and it was east of the river. Time will tell if any concrete is remove once the bridge is completed and the expansion connect to it

Kitchener
Noticed grading is taking place east of the current expansion for hwy 24 area to expand the westbound lanes.

Still working on the centre barrier with most of it completed.

Old hwy 24 overpass gone now as they were in the process the last time I saw it getting ready to tear it down.

The new bridge and lanes over the Grand River completed from what I saw and ready to be use.

 

[drum118]

May 30
You can see all the express lanes east of the Credit River to Where the last phase stop has been torn up. None of the other phase is supposed to be not touch at all for this phase. Nice parking lot westbound

Grand River Bridge

 

[ARG1]

I believe the capacity wasn't built here as much of the traffic was expected to have used the never-built Richview Expressway. Having said that, if Dougie is intent on doing one massive highway building scheme, I'd prefer fixing this part of the 401to match the rest of the express/collector system, over the ridiculous 413.

Fundamentally disagree. The impact of each and every additional lane on a highway is fairly minimal due to factors like weaving, and the amount of capacity you gain will quickly be minimized. It's far more impactful to create new routes that lessons the necessity of the core trunk route.