Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

[andrewpmk]

401 eastbound at both the Leslie and Kennedy exits have the same issue in the rightmost lane. Why they never merge and simply transform into DVP/404 and Kennedy Street exits simply don't make sense. As mentioned above, coming in from eastbound express, you have barely any time to skip over 3-4 lanes to exit, especially in rush hour. You can always be assured there will be a backup at those locations.

Another bad exit is Avenue Road westbound, where there is very little room to cross several lanes of traffic when exiting from the express to Avenue Road. The obvious solution is to change the signage to direct drivers to move to the collectors at the previous transfer. Ideally it might make sense to move the express to collector transfer, slightly to the east at Kennedy Road in Scarborough and slightly to the west at Avenue Road, so that idiot drivers cannot attempt to make the exit.

The problem of the right lane becoming an exit should be eliminated by widening the road one lane. There is a sign (typically a straight-and-right arrow and a right arrow) to indicate that there is a two lane exit with the right lane exiting and the left lane splitting, and dashed lines with shorter dashes that indicates that the right lane becomes an exit, but most drivers don't seem to understand what this sign means, and drivers aren't given very much notice of this anyway.

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

Another bad exit is Avenue Road westbound, where there is very little room to cross several lanes of traffic when exiting from the express to Avenue Road. The obvious solution is to change the signage to direct drivers to move to the collectors at the previous transfer. Ideally it might make sense to move the express to collector transfer, slightly to the east at Kennedy Road in Scarborough and slightly to the west at Avenue Road, so that idiot drivers cannot attempt to make the exit.

The problem of the right lane becoming an exit should be eliminated by widening the road one lane. There is a sign (typically a straight-and-right arrow and a right arrow) to indicate that there is a two lane exit with the right lane exiting and the left lane splitting, and dashed lines with shorter dashes that indicates that the right lane becomes an exit, but most drivers don't seem to understand what this sign means, and drivers aren't given very much notice of this anyway.

Victoria Park is like this as well. A unified approach should be to NOT indicate the next off ramp right after a transfer from an express to collector lanes. For example, Victoria Park should be signed as one transfer from the express lane rather than the transfer immediately before it.

 

[LRGM]

I would assume it would be, because the Western part of the 407 East extension is supposed to be open before 2020, is it not? I would assume that means the Durham West Connector would be part of that, so it would make sense to do the widening work on the 401 while the new interchange is being built, no?

The first phase of the 407E is to be completed by 2015. (Up to Harmony Rd.)

The next part will be completed to the East Durham Link by 2017.

Phase 2 will be completed by 2020. (All the way to the 115)

 

[James]

On another note, I've always found it ridiculous that the Yonge Street exit from the 401 westbound is one lane!

I think if they moved that express-to-collectors transfer right around Yonge Street further west, they could easily widen the collectors so that they maintain 3 driving lanes instead of choking down to 2 driving lanes + 1 exit lane as it stands currently.

 

[dunkalunk]

I would think that Yonge would be the last place you would want to facilitate people exiting the 401. Yes, it is a major commercial street, but there is also a heavy rail rapid transit line running beneath it and sees heavy traffic at all times of day.

 

[gweed123]

The first phase of the 407E is to be completed by 2015. (Up to Harmony Rd.)

The next part will be completed to the East Durham Link by 2017.

Phase 2 will be completed by 2020. (All the way to the 115)

Thanks for that. I knew the timeline was relatively quick, but that's definitely pretty quick. Is the West Durham Link included in that 2015 timeframe too? I'm assuming it'll probably be a 6 lane highway, right?

On a different note, they have officially begun work on Phase 2 of the 417 widening from Eagleson Rd to Highway 7 just west of Ottawa. I was at the Sens game tonight, and they have started work on either widening or replacing the Carp River bridges, which were only built to accommodate 2 lanes.

If I remember the plan correctly, they're building 3 lanes + an HOV lane out to Palladium drive, and then 3 lanes out to Highway 7. They're also building a Transitway on-ramp from the SBP parking lot onto the 417 Eastbound, so that buses can enter onto the 417 without doing the entire loop.

 

[LRGM]

Thanks for that. I knew the timeline was relatively quick, but that's definitely pretty quick. Is the West Durham Link included in that 2015 timeframe too? I'm assuming it'll probably be a 6 lane highway, right?

Here is some of the project facts: http://www.highway407east.com/fastFactsDesign.html

It appears that the WDL and EDL are only going to be 4 lane highways.

"Design

Highway 407 East will be built in two phases.

Phase 1 will include the following:

Mainline (approximately 22 km):

6 lane east-west freeway from Brock Road to West Durham Link,
4 lane east-west freeway from West Durham Link to Harmony Road, and
Interchanges at Brock Road, Lake Ridge Road, Baldwin Street (Hwy 7/12), Thickson Road, Simcoe Street and Harmony Road.
West Durham Link (approximately 10 km):
4 lane north-south freeway connecting Highway 407 and Highway 401, and
Interchanges at Highway 407, Highway 7, Taunton Road, Dundas Street, Lakeridge Road and Highway 401.
Phase 1 will be completed by late 2015.


Phase 2 will include the following:

Mainline (approximately 23 km):

4 lane east-west freeway from Harmony Road to Highway 35/115.
East Durham Link (approximately 10 km):
4 lane north-south freeway connecting Highway 407 and Highway 401.
For Phase 2, the highway will be opened from Harmony Road in Oshawa to Taunton Road at the East Durham Link in Clarington by 2017. By 2020 the entire facility will be built, including the remainder of the Mainline from the East Durham Link to Highway 35/115 and the East Durham Link to Highway 401.

Highway 407 East has provision for a dedicated transitway and High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane. Truck inspection facilities, commuter parking lots and other amenities are also included."

On a different note, they have officially begun work on Phase 2 of the 417 widening from Eagleson Rd to Highway 7 just west of Ottawa. I was at the Sens game tonight, and they have started work on either widening or replacing the Carp River bridges, which were only built to accommodate 2 lanes.

If I remember the plan correctly, they're building 3 lanes + an HOV lane out to Palladium drive, and then 3 lanes out to Highway 7. They're also building a Transitway on-ramp from the SBP parking lot onto the 417 Eastbound, so that buses can enter onto the 417 without doing the entire loop.

It's nice to see the work is starting on the widening on the 417. It will be helpful when it is completed.

 

[LRGM]

Does anyone know if the 403 will be widening between 407 and QEW any time soon? or maybe they are just waiting until they complete that ramps for 403/QEW? MAP

 

[andrewpmk]

I would think that Yonge would be the last place you would want to facilitate people exiting the 401. Yes, it is a major commercial street, but there is also a heavy rail rapid transit line running beneath it and sees heavy traffic at all times of day.

If you want to facilitate commuter access to North York Centre then extend the Sheppard subway to Scarborough Centre. There is no room for any more cars to exit 401 at Yonge Street, this interchange as well as Yonge Street are heavily congested all the time. Widening the Yonge St. WB exit to 2 lanes will not help very much. The big problem with the North York Centre area is that there is no effective transit in the east-west direction. Since the subway ends at Don Mills requiring a transfer to buses most people coming from the east drive instead, and it is even worse for people coming from the west.

Also there is inadequate GO bus service to North York Centre, especially from the west (mostly rush hour only buses from Mississauga/Oakville/Milton which get stuck in traffic, or alternatively 196B to York U then a much more frequent bus from there). There need to be direct and more frequent "via 407" buses from North York Centre to Mississauga.

 

[James]

I think the 407 east extension will be beneficial to many people in Durham, I think transforming Highway 7 to an actual highway would be even more beneficial to the huge volume of people living in Vaughan, Richmond Hill and Markham. Granted, I know this will not happen, not with the 407 already in place and plans to metamorphasize Highway 7 into "Avenue 7."

 

[Haljackey]

Recorded a timelapse winter drive on Highway 401 yesterday, from the 403 to the 402.

[video=youtube;Uw3Nq6R0raE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uw3Nq6R0raE&hd=1[/video]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uw3Nq6R0raE&hd=1

Even though we're well into January, Southwest Ontario has very little snow, and what we do have is expected to melt over the next few days. It's the most pathetic winter I've ever experienced in all my life.

 

[nfitz]

It's the most pathetic winter I've ever experienced in all my life.

Funnily enough, I thought it was the best winter I've ever experienced in Ontario!

Thank god we got out of Kyoto, so we can continue and make it even warmer!

 

[Transportfan]

I read somewhere that that section of the 401 is the busiest stretch of rural freeway in the world.

 

[Dan416]

Are any of these multiple claims about the 401s busy-ness substantiated?

 

[LRGM]

I'm not sure if it could ever happen, but I think it would be cool if there was an on ramp from Lower Baseline East to Highway 403 EB/WB. Some times when I go to Square One from EB 401 in Milton, I'll take Trafalgar and then the 403. It would make it easier to get to the 403 instead of having to go Lower Baseline/Eglinton to Winston Churchill and get on the 403 there. Doubt it would ever happen, but it would be handy!