Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

[jamincan]

Lack in confidence is definitely an issue. I am one of the few people who keep right except to pass. A lot of people needlessly move to the middle lane to make room for merging traffic - sometimes this is warranted and considerate when a lot of traffic is merging at the same time, but it's mostly not. A lot of people also are too hesitant when merging. Instead of accelerating to traffic speeds, they slow down when any other car is in their vicinity, which just makes it harder to merge.

 

[matthewd]

Throwback to a snowy New Year's Eve 2019. They installed an overhead sign on Black Creek Drive at Jane Street. This is the tri-chord style cantilever sign structure you would see on the 401, 407, 418 and the 35/115 in Durham Region and the 401 in London, 417 in Ottawa, Hwy 11 in Gravenhurst and most recently, the QEW and 427.

 

[ShonTron]

Throwback to a snowy New Year's Eve 2019. They installed an overhead sign on Black Creek Drive at Jane Street. This is the tri-chord style cantilever sign structure you would see on the 401, 407, 418 and the 35/115 in Durham Region and the 401 in London, 417 in Ottawa, Hwy 11 in Gravenhurst and most recently, the QEW and 427.View attachment 250111

The MTO built Black Creek Drive in 1980, and then immediately transferred it to Metro Toronto (the Black Creek Drive alignment was to be a provincial freeway to somewhere around Weston Road/Eglinton, where it would connect to Metro's Crosstown and Richview Freeways).

But the MTO retained the section from just southeast of the Jane Street interchange right up to the signed section of Highway 400 at the 401. Note the sign is to MTO specs, including the bilingual NORTH/NORD.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Yup technically the 400 ends at Jane Street I believe, not the 401.

I still think it’s a shame that Black Creek wasn’t built as a freeway. It’s such a large road already it essentially has the same negative pedestrian impact, may as well go all the way and save the traffic issues the highway has.

 

[44 North]

Probably one of the nicest drives in the city. Go along there 2am in summer. Up there with Rosedale Valley rd.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Yup technically the 400 ends at Jane Street I believe, not the 401.

I still think it’s a shame that Black Creek wasn’t built as a freeway. It’s such a large road already it essentially has the same negative pedestrian impact, may as well go all the way and save the traffic issues the highway has.

They should add bus only lanes on the 400/Black Creek Drive from Finch Avenue West (Norfinch Oakdale/Signet Arrow stops) to Eglinton Avenue West (Mt. Dennis Station).

 

[matthewd]

Yup technically the 400 ends at Jane Street I believe, not the 401.

I still think it’s a shame that Black Creek wasn’t built as a freeway. It’s such a large road already it essentially has the same negative pedestrian impact, may as well go all the way and save the traffic issues the highway has.

They should upgrade Black Creek Drive to a highway or extend the 400 further south. A southern extension of the 400 would have been great from Maple Leaf Drive to Eglinton with a full interchange at Lawrence and Trethewey, RIRO at Todd Baylis and keep the intersection at Eglinton. Could be a rare intersection between Hwy 400/Black Creek and Eglinton Avenue. Hopefully that happens.

 

[W. K. Lis]

They should upgrade Black Creek Drive to a highway or extend the 400 further south. A southern extension of the 400 would have been great from Maple Leaf Drive to Eglinton with a full interchange at Lawrence and Trethewey, RIRO at Todd Baylis and keep the intersection at Eglinton. Could be a rare intersection between Hwy 400/Black Creek and Eglinton Avenue. Hopefully that happens.

They can improve Black Creek Drive but do NOT make it into a 400 highway extension. Missing is a segregated bicycle path and pedestrian trail. They can add double left turn lanes from southbound Black Creek Drive to eastbound Lawrence Avenue West, to reduce the advanced left turn time; allowing for more time for both northbound and southbound traffic.

 

[matthewd]

What should be beneficial for the 400 is a ramp to Sheppard. All this time, there should be a direct ramp from Sheppard to the 400. Northbound 400 would have a direct entrance and exit to and from Sheppard. This is what I envision and Torbarrie Road which parallels the 400 would be shifted eastward and intersect directly with Sheppard and continue straight onto Oakdale Road. Southbound would have a ramp to Bartor Road which will direct to Sheppard.

 

[Haydenpoon]

They should add bus only lanes on the 400/Black Creek Drive from Finch Avenue West (Norfinch Oakdale/Signet Arrow stops) to Eglinton Avenue West (Mt. Dennis Station).

The only problem is how to connect them to Hwy 401. Ideally Hwy 401 should also have HOV/bus lanes.

 

[timio]

Have all the MTO electronic signs gone, for the most part, travel time information only since Dumpster Fire took office? The one on 7/8 in Kitchener used to be primarily public safety messages (arrive alive, wear a seatbelt, etc), but since late 2018/early 2019, it's been travel times only, with the exception of Amber alerts or COVID warnings.

 

[matthewd]

Have all the MTO electronic signs gone, for the most part, travel time information only since Dumpster Fire took office? The one on 7/8 in Kitchener used to be primarily public safety messages (arrive alive, wear a seatbelt, etc), but since late 2018/early 2019, it's been travel times only, with the exception of Amber alerts or COVID warnings.

All of them are using travel times during rush hour. Except for the 404 & DVP before York Mills, 401 east between Avenue Road and Brock and the 412 to Courtice. 401 west at Holt Road and between the 412 and 404. Hwy 407 at Hwy 12. QEW between the 406 and 420 in Niagara Region.

 

[W. K. Lis]

From link.

 

[salsa]

Some photos from last weekend of the Hwy 427 extension.


Zenway Blvd

The new overpass for Zenway is taking shape next to the existing road.

Looking south. You can see the light poles for the highway are already going up.

Langstaff Rd

The road is currently one lane in each direction as work takes place on the south side of the new overpass. Meanwhile the north side is mostly complete.

South side:

North side:

McGillivray Rd

Here, the highway passes over McGillivray Rd and the CP rail tracks.

Major Mackenzie

This will be the northbound off ramp.

Road widening work.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Nice! This highway is going to be a huge boost to north-south vehicle capacity in Vaughan and Brampton, I'm hopeful it will relieve a lot of pressure off the 400 and 410.