Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

[innsertnamehere]

I noticed they have completed the parking lot reconfiguration for the Longos plaza on the north side, and it looks like there has been grading for the approach to the new Dixie Rd bridge. Generally a lot of work to go still, but that's understandable as we are only a few months into what I believe is supposed to be a 4-year project.

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

Yup. People often say the QEW was the first modern freeway in NA when it opened in the 1930's.. the reality is that it was full of intersections and rail crossings, lift bridges, etc. The QEW wasn't a full freeway all the way to Buffalo until the late 70's or early 80's.

Ontario's first "true" freeway was the 401 from Scarborough to Oshawa, but even that was a gravel road for the first few years of it's existence due to wartime shortages.

427 was signalized at Morningstar until the early 90's

 

[innsertnamehere]

427 was signalized at Morningstar until the early 90's

Huh - didn't know about that one. Here it is in 1989:

Looks like it was signalized only in the southbound direction. At the time, the 427 ended at Indian Line still, but 1992 imagery has the 427 extended north to Highway 7, with the signal still there. Pretty crazy to see a signal on a 6-lane freeway! I imagine the Morningstar overpass was constructed in conjunction with the 407, but Toronto has a gap of online air images from 1992 to 2005 so it's hard to tell.

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

Huh - didn't know about that one. Here it is in 1989:

View attachment 422383

Looks like it was signalized only in the southbound direction. At the time, the 427 ended at Indian Line still, but 1992 imagery has the 427 extended north to Highway 7, with the signal still there. Pretty crazy to see a signal on a 6-lane freeway! I imagine the Morningstar overpass was constructed in conjunction with the 407, but Toronto has a gap of online air images from 1992 to 2005 so it's hard to tell.

Thekingshighway.ca states that the SB 427 lights at Morningstar were removed in 1996. And I distinctly remember that intersection from my teenage years.

 

[macro]

Is there anyone in Burlington with a drone that can take some shots of the QEW construction at north shore? I think they just poured a big slab for the overpass

 

[DirectionNorth]

Thekingshighway.ca states that the SB 427 lights at Morningstar were removed in 1996. And I distinctly remember that intersection from my teenage years.

Wikipedia claims (source is an MTO map that is who-knows-where) 1994.

By 1994, the final at-grade intersections—the first being the signalized left turn from the southbound lanes with eastbound Highway 409 which was replaced by a flyover ramp, and the second being at Morning Star Drive, where an overpass was constructed to extend the street across the freeway to Humberwood Boulevard—were removed, making Highway 427 a fully controlled-access freeway for its entire length.[38]

 

[nfitz]

Looks like it was signalized only in the southbound direction.

As far as I remember, it was signalized northbound in 1994 - I was working near there. I can't remember if overpass construction had started then or not - it wasn't long afterwards they'd started.

 

[johntauren]

Morning Star was a left exit northbound. The left exit was signalized at the southbound lanes.
Northbound had no lights because the lanes just continued on.

Traffic from Morning Star could only go southbound.

 

[nfitz]

Morning Star was a left exit northbound. The left exit was signalized at the southbound lanes.
Northbound had no lights because the lanes just continued on.

Traffic from Morning Star could only go southbound.

That must have been it. Poking around in the Toronto Star archives, there's a notice from the MTO on December 11, 1996 (page C2) that the intersection was closed on June 15, 1995 - looks like they were still debating when the overpass would be constructed. Originally it was supposed to open December 15, 1996.

 

[innsertnamehere]

excellent diggin!

Spring 2002 satellite imagery shows the overpass and judging by the colour of the concrete and asphalt, it was brand new at the time. My guess is MTO completed it in Fall 2001, just in time for their deadline.

The old Morningstar connection appears to never have remained in place, abandoned, until 2018 when it was overfilled with a new swale as a part of the 427 widening. This is streetview from 2017:

This is similar to the old Indian Line offramp from the 427, which has been abandoned for over 30 years now, but remains standing. It is technically still in use as an access drive to the dam to the south of it, but is largely in disuse. The 4-lane CN overpass remains in place:

 

[JasonParis]

427 had a traffic light south of Morning Star too. Southbound traffic had to cross the northbound lanes, making a signalized left turn to access the 409. I believe that went prior to the Morning Star upgrade though.

 

[Coruscanti Cognoscente]

I didn’t get a good look but from what I saw the southbound 410 exit to Courtneypark finally opened. At least the traffic lights have been activated, the lane markings are painted, and I didn’t noticed any barriers preventing exiting. The Derry Rd exit signs haven’t been updated yet though.

 

[Transportfan]

Here's a video I shot of driving the 427 south in 1992. Stopping at the traffic light at Morningstar and passing under the brand new 409 overpass:

 

[TransitBart]

Here's a video I shot of driving the 427 south in 1992. Stopping at the traffic light at Morningstar and passing under the brand new 409 overpass:

Holy crap. Reading the dates. I think of 407 as new. This is 30 years old.

 

[Transportfan]

Holy crap. Reading the dates. I think of 407 as new. This is 30 years old.

That was just the ramps that were built.