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

[innsertnamehere]

I agree, would it have been that difficult to put grass in instead, maybe even with some trees? Asphalt does nothing but extend the urban heat island and create an area that is quite unsightly and is just going to be covered in weeds in a few years.

 

[rbt]

We have Billions $ available out of nowhere to deal with the corona virus,
surely we could have had Billions $ available for infrastructure projects which are really a productive investment into the future.
(I'm still waiting to use the Downtown Relief Line, whatever its current name. Build it Fast Track already!)

Credit agencies have decided long-term economic stability is essential to bond-holders receiving their principal back. That is, they believe tax-revenue growth over the next 30 years outweighs current spending to get through this black-swan event. As such, they're encouraging spending to protect the governments long-term revenue stream.

So, very large amounts of money available to government today was 1) not really the Ontario or Canadian government decision, 2) not available normally, and 3) will impede future borrowing during good economic times until our debt/GDP balance gets back down a bit.

 

[Steve X]

I agree, would it have been that difficult to put grass in instead, maybe even with some trees? Asphalt does nothing but extend the urban heat island and create an area that is quite unsightly and is just going to be covered in weeds in a few years.

Maybe they don't want a puddle to form there during a storm.

 

[Haljackey]

Some other areas of the 401 have grass in the median between collector and express. Adds a bit of greenery. Too bad they didn't do that here.

Example

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.ca

 

[Undead]

@drum118 is this widening using concrete like the 407 surface?

 

[Bojaxs]

I agree, would it have been that difficult to put grass in instead, maybe even with some trees? Asphalt does nothing but extend the urban heat island and create an area that is quite unsightly and is just going to be covered in weeds in a few years.

A tree? In the middle of the 401? Come on now....

 

[afransen]

A tree? In the middle of the 401? Come on now....

It would be the most doomed tree planting in history.

 

[drum118]

@drum118 is this widening using concrete like the 407 surface?

Right now, I am seeing a lot of asphalt in the new collector lanes in various locations. They will show up in the next batch of photos shot Sept 29 from various overpasses.

Putting trees in the middle of the 401 will be the dumbest and stupidest thing to do unless there 200-250' between lanes like you find in the US and some places in Canada. You could place grass that doesn't require cutting where the asphalt is now. So much for storm water management.

EDIT: Come to thing of it, there are a few spots seeing gravel base being lay for concrete lanes

 

[Wm Perkins Bull]

Credit agencies have decided long-term economic stability is essential to bond-holders receiving their principal back. That is, they believe tax-revenue growth over the next 30 years outweighs current spending to get through this black-swan event. As such, they're encouraging spending to protect the governments long-term revenue stream.

So, very large amounts of money available to government today was 1) not really the Ontario or Canadian government decision, 2) not available normally, and 3) will impede future borrowing during good economic times until our debt/GDP balance gets back down a bit.

The current interest rate is below inflation, as long as the government doesn't spend the money on something as daft as widening highways, building new highways, or truly horrible transit projects like the Scarborough Subway Extension, the growth will shrink the debt to GDP ratio.

 

[Kraylin]

That center section does seem like a giant waste of space. Would they plow snow into this area? Thats the only useful thing I can think of.

 

[Bojaxs]

Guarantee we're going to see people pulling over and standing on that huge middle barrier. Probably taking selfies of themselves standing in the middle of the 401.

Why didn't they add an extra express lane in each direction instead of creating that ridiculously huge middle barrier?

 

[Haljackey]

Guarantee we're going to see people pulling over and standing on that huge middle barrier. Probably taking selfies of themselves standing in the middle of the 401.

Why didn't they add an extra express lane in each direction instead of creating that ridiculously huge middle barrier?

It would be less than 1km long. Maybe it could have been a HOV passing lane? It's kind of annoying being stuck behind someone doing like 80 in it while traffic across the buffer is moving at 120+

 

[drum118]

Sept 29
On our way back from London, shot 8-20 for 100 photos from overpasses for 25, Steeles, James Snow, Winston Churchill and Mississauga Rd. Already shot from Creditview, 2nd line and McLaughlin Rd. Still need to shoot from Mavis, Hurontario and Kennedy.

Not sure if the asphalt that has been place is temporary to shift traffic from the current lanes or not, but there are places that have gravel base for concrete lanes.

They where pile driving which I haven't seen in a long time for the Halton CN overpass and have removed a fair amount of exiting concrete structure. They have removed about the same amount of existing concrete structure for the CP line.

They have widen the westbound overpass for Derry Rd and place a barrier on the short extension and not sure why when there is more bridge to be built. The section west of Derry Rd has asphalt with lanes connecting to the current road and stop short of the new off ramp for Winston Churchill. Same for Mississauga Rd westbound

Very little has been done between Winston Churchill and 407.

Lots of photos up on site now.
Mississauga Rd

Winston Churchill

Steeles

James Snow

25

 

[Transportfan]

Sept 29

It looks like that digital sign refers to Hurontario as HWY10 as an abbreviation. They should've tried HRTRIO as not everyone will recognize Hwy 10. anymore in the absence of signage as such.

 

[Haljackey]

Thanks for sharing your pics as always Drum! I appreciate the efforts* you're going through to take and post them.

Winter shutdown is coming soon- I wonder if they'll try to get a shoulder open before the flurries hit. 3 tight lanes won't allow for a lot of snow storage.


*Edit: efforts, not errors lol