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Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

gweed123 said:
As far as rural highway projects go, here's my priority list:

1) Complete widening of Hwy 400 to Barrie.

2) Extension of Hwy 417 to at least Renfrew (though ideally Petawawa).

3) 400-series connection between K-W-C-G and Hamilton (via either Hwy 6, 8, or 24 corridors).

4) Extension of Hwy 404 to Hwy 48, widening of Hwys 48, 12, and 169 to act as a more attractive route around the east side of Lake Simcoe (I don't think full 400-series is necessary, but more than a two-lane road is needed).

5) 400-series extension of Hwy 7 from Carleton Place to Perth.
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I have some suggestions:
1. Twinning of Hwy 7 with ramps and overpasses between Hwy 115 and Hwy 15 in Carleton Place.

2. Extension of Hwy 115 north up to Parkhill Road in Peterborough.

3. Widening of the 410 between Queen and Mayfield with HOV Lanes and a possible extension of the 410 between Mayfield to Highway 26 in Collingwood.

4. Widening of Hwy 85 between Lancaster and Regional Road 15 in Waterloo Region.

5. Widening of 7/8 between Fischer Hallman and Trussler Road in Kitchener.

6. Extension of Hwy 412 up to Hwy 48 near Beaverton.

7. Extension of Hwy 418 up to Hwy 169 near Orillia.

8. Extension of the 427 from Major Mack (2021) to Barrie.

9. Widening of the 401 in the east between Cobourg and west of Gardiners Road in Kingston and from east of Hwy 15 to Quebec border.

10. Widening of the 401 in the west between Highway 402 and Tilbury.

11. Widening of the QEW between the Garden City Skyway and Gilmore Road in Fort Erie.

12. Twinning of Hwy 6 N between Dundas/Highway 5 and 401.

13. Widening of 401 between Hwy 25 and Hwy 6 S and from Hwy 6 N to Townline Road in Cambridge.

14. Widening of the 403 from QEW/407 interchange to Hwy 6 S in Hamilton and from Hwy 6 S to Rest Acres Road in Brantford.

15. Widening of Hwy 115 from Hwy 7/CR-28 to the terminus.

16. A new interchange at Hwy 400 and Sheppard.

17. A new interchange at Hwy 401 and Tremaine Road in Milton.

18. Possible extension of Kipling Avenue with an overpass connection over Highway 407 in Vaughan. (Kipling Ave extension from Steeles to South of Highway 7)

19. Possible extension of Hwy 417 to North Bay and Sudbury.

20. An interchange on the 401 at Trussler Road.
 
matthewd said:
I have some suggestions:
...
18. Possible extension of Kipling Avenue with an overpass connection over Highway 407 in Vaughan. (Kipling Ave extension from Steeles to South of Highway 7)
...
Click to expand...

The only reason I've ever found for this to have never been done is that the area sits on a former land fill dump. Also NIMBY's would probably throw a fit since Kipling south of 7 is a "quite residential neighbourhood". As an alternative a pair of partial interchanges could be built at Martin Grove and Islington, Westbound off/Eastbound on at Martin Grove and Eastbound off/Westbound On at Islington.
 
.. hwy 417 should go south of Sault Ste Marie with a new bridge to I-75. It is interesting to note that Highway 17 is slated to be four laned to 400 series standard from South of Markstay to where the current four lane is in Lively once Hwy 400 reaches Sudbury.
 
innsertnamehere said:
169 is very low traffic, it doesn't need a 4 laning.

400 widening, 404 to Sutton/48, and 4 laning of 48/12 to Highway 169 should be fine. A bypass of Brechin is also badly needed. I believe they are building a roundabout at 169/12 this summer, though I haven't drive through there this year to see.
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I figured if the 404 extension and 48/12 widenings happen then 169 could see a big bump in traffic. If you're coming from anywhere north of Washago and want to avoid the 400, that would be the optimal route.

innsertnamehere said:
I think 6 will be fine for the connection from Hamilton to K/W / Guelph with the Highway 5 interchange and Morriston Bypass. The most being necessary would be a RIRO.
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That 5-lane section is already carrying a huge volume of traffic. I'm not arguing that the Morriston Bypass and 5/6 interchange won't help (they will, a huge amount), I'm just saying that I think given the population growth in both of those areas that a 400-series link will be required sooner rather than later.
 
Deadpool X said:
It is like this - https://www.google.ca/maps/@50.8342...4!1s78O4VTtKFiO6tu_Q1nugsg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Click to expand...
Ontario has one like that on Highway 3 from Windsor to Essex for a short stretch. They are planning it for Highway 7/8 from Kitchener to Stratford as well.

One major difference between Ontario and the Prairies is that the rural areas are much more densely populated here. This means most rural roads carry much higher traffic levels than most roads in the Prairies, making many more at grade intersections require signalization than out west. You can see this on Highway 3, of the five intersections along the stretch, two are signalized.

It kind of kills the benefits of a dual carriageway like seen in the Prairies, which generally has very few signalized intersections, allowing for a general free-flow traffic without much cost.

The dual carriageway aspect is certianly desirable however, and if you ask me, should allow the province to increase the speed limit.

MTO is doing this strategy effectively in Northern Ontario though, where local roads are very low traffic, much like the Prairies. 11/17 east of Thunder Bay is getting widened this way right now.
 
Kitsune said:
.. hwy 417 should go south of Sault Ste Marie with a new bridge to I-75.
Click to expand...

What, like due west from the Desbarats area? Such a move would be entirely dependent on the US playing ball. I'm not convinced the traffic volumes warrant. Actually, I'm not convinced traffic volumes support a number of the proposals in some above post regarding central and northern Ontario. Dividing and grade separating may make for a more stress-free drive, but at a huge cost.
 
I know I've mentioned this before but how about tunneling the 409 under Pearson and connecting with Eastgate Parkway in Mississauga. Eastgate Parkway would be upgraded to full 400 series standards and then entire length 403+409 can be signed as either 403 or 409, and the small section of 403 south of 401 resigned as 410.
 
Woodbridge_Heights said:
I know I've mentioned this before but how about tunneling the 409 under Pearson and connecting with Eastgate Parkway in Mississauga. Eastgate Parkway would be upgraded to full 400 series standards and then entire length 403+409 can be signed as either 403 or 409, and the small section of 403 south of 401 resigned as 410.
Click to expand...
I do not think this would be feasible or necessary... the freeway network is adequate in the area in my opinion.

That would be redundant and VERY VERY VERY costly. This proposal of yours is very overblown in my opinion.

Think of this:

1. All the pre-existing infrastructure underground that would be affected by a tunnel, particularly under Pearson Airport.

2. Highway 409 west of the 427 would need to be extensively remodelled to accommodate new highway. (In fact, Highway 409 west of the 427 isn’t even owned by the province, rather the Greater Toronto Airports Authority)

3. Several businesses would need to demolished to make room for this freeway. LARGE SCALE expropriation of developed land for a new freeway does not usually happen any more in the developed world. If your solution to that problem is to build it beside the Etobicoke Creek, that is difficult to due to the strict EA process any freeway project must go through.

4. The Eastgate Parkway corridor was recently rebuilt, with the addition of a busway. If their was any talk or reasonable chance that a freeway could be built there, the corridor wouldn’t have been reconstructed as that would have been a waste of money.

What I think the main issues of traffic are in the area is the 401 Bottleneck in between Highways 427 and 409, and the ramp from EB 401 to NB 400 (401 EB express lanes approaching the 400). I think the existing infrastructure that is needed already exists, all that needs to happens is for it to be improved.
 
^401 Express EB to 400 NB always feels so unsafe, especially at night. That route from the collectors is much less stressful in my experience.
 
Considering how heavily travelled Highway 404 04 are from the 401 the ramps that connect the two highways are very underdeveloped in capacity.
 
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