Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

[ShonTron]

Traffic on Highway 69 is now directed on the new southbound carriageway and bridges over the Pickerel and French Rivers. The old Highway 69 alignment that provides access to the French River Park and visitors centre, the Hungry Bear restaurant, the marina at the Pickerel River, etc. is now named "Settlers Road."

Work is still underway on the northbound carriageway and the two new interchanges to connect to Old Highway 69/Settlers Road and Highway 607.

Up in Sudbury again this weekend.

The diversion to the new southbound carriageway by Grundy Lake.

Near Pickerel River, traffic shifts to the northbound carriageway.

You can see the old truss bridge over the French River to the left/west. That’s being retained for the service road.

 

[Isotack]

Being Ontario, the right lanes will slowly merge to the left. Which is why drivers will not stay in the right lanes, because those are the lanes that disappear, in Ontario.

And every other jurisdiction in ...um...the world. Except in Japan, Australia and the UK where they drive on the opposite side.

 

[terag51]

As can be seen at 2;15 in the above video, what is with the pavement curving out at the beginning of each on ramp?

That is for bike lanes on the road as seen in this example image (Hwy 6 & Laird Rd in Guelph)

It allows bikes to turn and be perpendicular to the roadway so that the biker doesn't have to shoulder check when giving way to the cars entering the freeway. (Im assuming that im correct)

 

[ShonTron]

That is for bike lanes on the road as seen in this example image (Hwy 6 & Laird Rd in Guelph)

It allows bikes to turn and be perpendicular to the roadway so that the biker doesn't have to shoulder check when giving way to the cars entering the freeway. (Im assuming that im correct)

View attachment 280299

It’s a bit better than the norm, sure, but there’s still the expectation that cyclists stop, perhaps even dismount, and wait for a gap in motor traffic.

 

[innsertnamehere]

I don't think there are any expectations for dismounting in this location, but yes, they have to wait for a "gap in traffic" and have 0 right of way, which is dangerous. They are essentially jaywalking across a freeway on ramp. And it's like that for pedestrians and cyclists at nearly every MTO interchange in the province.

 

[Haljackey]

That's kind of weird.

I use this interchange in London often and to use the ramp to the Highbury Ave freeway section in London, you need to yield to the bike lane

Google Maps

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

www.google.ca

Odd how it isn't structured the same on provincial interchanges

 

[afransen]

Am i the only one that thinks making 6 lanes of traffic merge to 3 at the credit river is probably the worst decision making for the 401. Even though it would be widened more in the future, its still terrible for now. When i was driving east, the collectors on the WB were backed up from hurontario all the way to the river while the express lanes were free flowing. This needs to honestly be fixed

The whole widening in that area was a monumental failure to plan and execute on infrastructure expansion.

 

[W. K. Lis]

It’s a bit better than the norm, sure, but there’s still the expectation that cyclists stop, perhaps even dismount, and wait for a gap in motor traffic.

Used to be signs along the Eglinton West bikeway, telling cyclists to dismount and walk across all the roadways. No cyclist (almost) ever did.

Must have been created by a non-cyclist. Sometimes you can tell when a non-cyclist designed a bikeway, bike lane, or bike path.

 

[abovetoronto]

Preferred Proponent Selected for the QEW/ Credit River Improvement Project
November 02, 2020
TORONTO –Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) have selected EllisDon and Coco Paving (EDCO) as the preferred proponent to design, build and finance the QEW / Credit River Improvement project.
EDCO team includes:

• Developer: EllisDon Capital Inc. and Coco Paving Inc.
• Constructors: EllisDon Capital Inc. and Coco Paving Inc.
• Designers: AECOM Canada Ltd.
• Financial: EllisDon Capital Inc

The selection of EDCO is the result of an open, fair and competitive procurement process overseen by a third-party fairness advisor.
IO and MTO expect to reach financial close end of 2020.
Visit here to learn more about the project.

 

[innsertnamehere]

I drove up the 427 to the 407 this weekend. They have started doing the final painting for the highway widening in advance of the opening of the extension, I expect the extension will open in the next 1-2 months, if not sooner.

The 2 lane bottleneck under the finch underpass going northbound has finally been fixed as a part of this work, it's now 3 lanes and will soon have an HOV as well.

 

[W. K. Lis]

I drove up the 427 to the 407 this weekend. They have started doing the final painting for the highway widening in advance of the opening of the extension, I expect the extension will open in the next 1-2 months, if not sooner.

The 2 lane bottleneck under the finch underpass going northbound has finally been fixed as a part of this work, it's now 3 lanes and will soon have an HOV as well.

They said "2021", which is less than two months from today. The weather has been on their side.

 

[Deadpool X]

I drove up the 427 to the 407 this weekend. They have started doing the final painting for the highway widening in advance of the opening of the extension, I expect the extension will open in the next 1-2 months, if not sooner.

The 2 lane bottleneck under the finch underpass going northbound has finally been fixed as a part of this work, it's now 3 lanes and will soon have an HOV as well.

Is the highway opening in phases or is it ready to open entirely. Some parts seemed far from completion last month as can be seen in this video at 2:35

Drone footage of the 427 extension

Fun fact- this is the very first new highway build in Ontario to feature HOV lanes. All other HOVs were retrofitted to existing highways.

 

[Haljackey]

The 427 extension is to open all at once. Perhaps it could open by the end of the year.

I'd assume it will be extended a little further if the GTA West highway is built.

 

[Steve X]

Seems like there's still some work to do. Looks like there were some exit numbers posted at one of the exit ramps.

 

[marcus_a_j]

The Highway 404 expansion between Major Mac and Stouffville Rd. appeared to be substantially complete when I drove through a few weeks ago. The expected completion is 2021, so I would say they are on target. The section between Major Mac and Hwy 407 still requires quite a bit of work. This section was a separate contract that includes the rehabilitation/replacement of the Rouge River, Beaver Creek and 16th Ave. overpasses and is not expected to be completed until 2022.