Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

[Tim MacDonald]

I thought there was a dedicated thread to the QEW/Dixie road interchange improvements but I couldn't find it or maybe I was just confused with the QEW/Credit River bridge one.
Anyway, photos and video from October 16th:

 

[Transportfan]

I thought there was a dedicated thread to the QEW/Dixie road interchange improvements but I couldn't find it or maybe I was just confused with the QEW/Credit River bridge one.
Anyway, photos and video from October 16th:
View attachment 433695View attachment 433696

I'm assuming that's a shoofly road.

I also amazed at how much semi-rural housing and developments there are in extreme southeast Mississauga; in an area you'd least expect to see that.

 

[just east of the creek]

I'm assuming that's a shoofly road.

I also amazed at how much semi-rural housing and developments there are in extreme southeast Mississauga; in an area you'd least expect to see that.

Until after the war, this area was very rural. Somewhere I have some topographical maps of the area, and moving west, and it was all very rural, with some mixed housing along the lakeshore and Dundas. A lot of that housing still exists, although in recent years, the pressure to build the 4,000 sq ft stucco box has made an impact.

 

[innsertnamehere]

the area in 1956:

 

[kamira51]

the area in 1956:

View attachment 434325

This is epic, do you have the source for this?

 

[innsertnamehere]

Aerial Photographs

For best performance, it is recommended to view these maps on a laptop or desktop computer. Aerial photographs document Toronto’s changing landscape from 1947 to 1992. Taken from aircraft, these photographs show rivers, forests, parks, buildings, roads and other features of the urban...

www.toronto.ca

 

[Steve X]

Aerial Photographs

For best performance, it is recommended to view these maps on a laptop or desktop computer. Aerial photographs document Toronto’s changing landscape from 1947 to 1992. Taken from aircraft, these photographs show rivers, forests, parks, buildings, roads and other features of the urban...

www.toronto.ca

Great place to see how the 401 got built and expanded

 

[turbanplanner]

Does anyone know why the center divider is being replaced on a lot of sections of highway? I've seen it on highway 400 around the ikea, and the 401 around dixon along with some other spots.

 

[lenaitch]

Does anyone know why the center divider is being replaced on a lot of sections of highway? I've seen it on highway 400 around the ikea, and the 401 around dixon along with some other spots.

I'm not sure exactly where you are talking about but perhaps the MTO is replacing standard height Jersey Barrier with the 'Ontario Tall Wall' which is about 25cm taller.

 

[turbanplanner]

I'm not sure exactly where you are talking about but perhaps the MTO is replacing standard height Jersey Barrier with the 'Ontario Tall Wall' which is about 25cm taller.

Yeah this is what I meant.

 

[ericmacm]

Was down in Windsor for work today and got to see more of the 401 widening between Tilbury and near Merlin Line. The widened section between Merlin Line and Queen's Line is now open, and lanes have been realigned so the farthest right lane disappears instead of the left lane. From Queen's Line to Tilbury, the lanes are complete and the median is constructed/filled in, but things are still down to one lane through this section, as they are still finishing up on the median, as well as doing some work on the shoulders, mainly for drain bridges and for sound barriers along the developed section in Tilbury. Overhead signs are not up yet, but some of the posts are.

I am excited to see work start soon on the next section near Colonel Talbot in London.

 

[innsertnamehere]

I wonder if they will progressively increase the speed limit to 110 on the 6-lane parts they complete.

 

[Haljackey]

I wonder if they will progressively increase the speed limit to 110 on the 6-lane parts they complete.

Now that the 110 trials are permanent, and we have other 110 areas, I wonder if Ontario may ever try out 120 on a few stretches. Maybe a 2026 election ploy by Douggie? Perhaps this newly widened 401 stretch will be a good candiate, or one of the original 110 trials. The 402 could easily be 120 between Sarina city limits and London, for example.

 

[Steve X]

Now that the 110 trials are permanent, and we have other 110 areas, I wonder if Ontario may ever try out 120 on a few stretches. Maybe a 2026 election ploy by Douggie? Perhaps this newly widened 401 stretch will be a good candiate, or one of the original 110 trials. The 402 could easily be 120 between Sarina city limits and London, for example.

When electric vehicles become more common, maybe they can go 130 and not get an uproar from all the environmentalist.

 

[CF1]

Was down in Windsor for work today and got to see more of the 401 widening between Tilbury and near Merlin Line. The widened section between Merlin Line and Queen's Line is now open, and lanes have been realigned so the farthest right lane disappears instead of the left lane. From Queen's Line to Tilbury, the lanes are complete and the median is constructed/filled in, but things are still down to one lane through this section, as they are still finishing up on the median, as well as doing some work on the shoulders, mainly for drain bridges and for sound barriers along the developed section in Tilbury. Overhead signs are not up yet, but some of the posts are.

I am excited to see work start soon on the next section near Colonel Talbot in London.

I saw the latest Google Streetview imagery the other day from September, and it aligns with what you said. Should hopefully be completed in December.

As for the next widening phase, MTO Southern highways program lists 2 contracts to begin in 2024-25 in the Hwy 4 area. I saw the tender for the hwy 4 and glanworth interchange replacement - it may start next year but it's unclear. That's necessary before the widening can happen in that area.