Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

[mind_the_gap]

Maybe I'm in the minority but I liked the effort to change the license plates, if not the execution. I liked the white characters on blue background, and I liked the Trillium logo instead of the Crown. Like, can you believe in the 21st Century, Ontario still has a crown on our license plate? Like, really?

I was just in Florida and they have their classic plates with the oranges, and at least those are more colourful than anything we have. And in addition, they can choose to have their county name instead of "Sunshine State" written on the plates. And their various special plates look substantially different from the standard plate, not just a tiny graphic like our special plates.

It pains me how boring our plates are, and how little they've changed since I was a kid.

If they want to keep the blue on white, fine, but at least update them to have the Trillium instead of the Crown.

Sorry, this rant should probably be in another thread.

Just to carry on with what @Coruscanti Cognoscente was talking about in the Ontario Line thread. Here’s a picture of a Fishbowl with blue Ontario plates:

Source

I really do appreciate Ford trying to bring back the (historic) blue plates, but I don’t appreciate him giving up on them. If my parents told me correctly, Ontario used to alternate on different years between blue on white, or white on blue. At the very least, we should now have an option between at least those two colour combinations.

Heck, even Manitoba has a better variety.

 

[innsertnamehere]

I'm appreciative that Ontario has effectively never changed their license plate design in a significant way. I'd prefer we stick to that, honestly.

Ontario did have alternating colour plates back in the day, indeed, when you purchased a new license plate every year for your registration instead of a sticker (and now, nothing). That hasn't happened since the 1960's though and I don't see the need for a blue plate.

I'm generally a big fan of plates which keep it simple and retro though. I loved Michigan's old plates and New York's yellow ones. The new "excelsior" plates for NY are terrible.

Keep it as it is.

 

[afransen]

Plates are probably also off-topic, but I am fine with utilitarian plates. The cock-up with the 3M plates is completely inexcusable.

 

[lenaitch]

I'm appreciative that Ontario has effectively never changed their license plate design in a significant way. I'd prefer we stick to that, honestly.

Ontario did have alternating colour plates back in the day, indeed, when you purchased a new license plate every year for your registration instead of a sticker (and now, nothing). That hasn't happened since the 1960's though and I don't see the need for a blue plate.

I'm generally a big fan of plates which keep it simple and retro though. I loved Michigan's old plates and New York's yellow ones. The new "excelsior" plates for NY are terrible.

Keep it as it is.

1972 actually. The current (white) plate, with a few minor tweakings, with 'valtags' started in '73. That's also when the permit (the paper part) was divided into plate and vehicle portions that accompanied their respective counterparts. If I recall they stayed with quarterly issued coloured commercial plates for a few more years.

I really can't get too excited about what a licence plate looks like one way or the other. It's utilitarian visible display of title.

 

[ShonTron]

I’m more into highway shields than license plates myself, and though I consider myself a republican, I’ve always liked Ontario’s “King’s Highway” highway markers. Except for Newfoundland, Canadian provinces do shields pretty well, especially compared to the average American highway marker (though some are standouts there too).

 

[Dan416]

I’m more into highway shields than license plates myself, and though I consider myself a republican, I’ve always liked Ontario’s “King’s Highway” highway markers. Except for Newfoundland, Canadian provinces do shields pretty well, especially compared to the average American highway marker (though some are standouts there too).

I don't foresee our highway shields changing in Ontario. But I still think the crown should be taken off the license plates. Even if we want to keep the current plates, at least replace the crown with the trillium so we get some new aspect into our aging license plate design.

 

[whydidimakethis]

Is there any other jurisdiction in NA that calls their highways anything other than the generic "highway/route/S.R/P.R/I-xx" besides Ontario's King's Highways (I'm aware Manitoba calls them Provincial Trunk Routes but that's still very generic)? I find it an odd quirk of Ontario along with the 400 series numbering.

 

[lenaitch]

Is there any other jurisdiction in NA that calls their highways anything other than the generic "highway/route/S.R/P.R/I-xx" besides Ontario's King's Highways (I'm aware Manitoba calls them Provincial Trunk Routes but that's still very generic)? I find it an odd quirk of Ontario along with the 400 series numbering.

It seems somewhat unique but other jurisdictions do name some routes. The Lincoln Highway, otherwise generically known as US Route 30 in most states. Of course, many expressways in many jurisdictions are named. But you are right in that I don't think there is an equivalent to general The King's Highway moniker in Canada. 'State Route' imparts a similar jurisdictional foundation (cue the anger over any Royal reference)..

I don't think I've ever come across a clear reason why they landed on 400 as a series number. Perhaps they envisioned more highways being build and simply wanted to give themselves lots of space, even though 'primary highways haven't graduated beyond 148.

 

[ShonTron]

It seems somewhat unique but other jurisdictions do name some routes. The Lincoln Highway, otherwise generically known as US Route 30 in most states. Of course, many expressways in many jurisdictions are named. But you are right in that I don't think there is an equivalent to general The King's Highway moniker in Canada. 'State Route' imparts a similar jurisdictional foundation (cue the anger over any Royal reference)..

I don't think I've ever come across a clear reason why they landed on 400 as a series number. Perhaps they envisioned more highways being build and simply wanted to give themselves lots of space, even though 'primary highways haven't graduated beyond 148.

It was because 4xx indicated a highway that was at least four lanes and controlled access. There was never an intent for 200 and 300 series numbers.

The highest-numbered King’s Highway in the 1-199 series was Highway 169, but that was a renumbering of Highway 69’s old route through Muskoka.

 

[Haljackey]

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2023/03/28/401-north-america-busiest-highway/


Data shows in 2019 the 401 had 450k vehicles using a stretch near the Toronto airport. Stats from other busy highways on the continent pale in comparison to the 401's traffic numbers.

 

[innsertnamehere]

lol. "the country's second busiest highway is Autoroute 40, with 167,000 daily vehicles".

No it's not. There are a half-dozen highways in the GTA alone, excluding the 401, with AADTs exceeding that.

400: 249,000
403: 236,000
404: 239,000
410: 232,000
427: 418,000
QEW: 234,000


Perhaps it's the busiest in Canada outside of Ontario..

My understanding is that the order of NA highways is generally 401>427>Katy (Houston)>405(LA).

I-45/69 around downtown Houston will likely take the title in a few years once the North Houston Highway Improvement project is completed though, which redirects I-45 to the south side of Downtown Houston and demolishes part of the city's downtown freeway loop. It'll create a 20-30 lane highway depending on where you measure which will likely have AADTs exceeding the 401.

 

[lenaitch]

It was because 4xx indicated a highway that was at least four lanes and controlled access. There was never an intent for 200 and 300 series numbers.

The highest-numbered King’s Highway in the 1-199 series was Highway 169, but that was a renumbering of Highway 69’s old route through Muskoka.

That makes sense. Dang - I forgot about 169, and I used to live there.

 

[ericmacm]

The RFP for Phase II of the Highway 3 twinning in Essex County has closed. Two teams have been shortlisted - GIP Paving Inc. (formerly Coco Paving Inc. and also the current contractor for Phase I) and Erie Shores Infrastructure Partners. The winning bidder will be announced in spring 2023.

Just following up on this, GIP Paving Inc. was announced as the preferred proponent for Phase II of Highway 3 twinning in Essex County. This is no surprise as they are the contractor working on Phase I.

After this phase, I do not suspect that any widening will occur in the remaining section towards Highway 77 for a while. I believe that the small section of Highway 40 in Sarnia will be prioritized after as the next major twinning project for SW Ontario.

In the future I would also like to see some work put into the older section between Highway 401 and Maidstone, such as closing off access in some sections and building service roads for the houses and businesses that are currently located alongside the highway.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Just following up on this, GIP Paving Inc. was announced as the preferred proponent for Phase II of Highway 3 twinning in Essex County. This is no surprise as they are the contractor working on Phase I.

After this phase, I do not suspect that any widening will occur in the remaining section towards Highway 77 for a while. I believe that the small section of Highway 40 in Sarnia will be prioritized after as the next major twinning project for SW Ontario.

In the future I would also like to see some work put into the older section between Highway 401 and Maidstone, such as closing off access in some sections and building service roads for the houses and businesses that are currently located alongside the highway.

The Ontario Highways program has the Highway 40 widening identified as "Upcoming expansion" In it's map, so you would be correct.

I'm interested to see when the Highways program gets updated for the 2023 budget. Last year it was updated with a slew of new projects with relatively little fanfare or announcements, a bunch of expansion projects just appeared on it one day.

Ontario’s highway programs

Learn about the 2023 Ontario highways program. Find highway expansion and rehabilitation projects that are planned or underway.

www.ontario.ca

 

[timio]

The Ontario Highways program has the Highway 40 widening identified as "Upcoming expansion" In it's map, so you would be correct.

I'm interested to see when the Highways program gets updated for the 2023 budget. Last year it was updated with a slew of new projects with relatively little fanfare or announcements, a bunch of expansion projects just appeared on it one day.

Ontario’s highway programs

Learn about the 2023 Ontario highways program. Find highway expansion and rehabilitation projects that are planned or underway.

www.ontario.ca

Highway 40 has been promised expansion for decades... as someone who grew up in the area, I'll believe it when I see it.