Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

[Tim MacDonald]

Just great. Like we need more distractions for drivers on an already busy stretch of roadway.

 

[darth_freeman]

Those signs are so stupid.

Info taken from this City of Toronto article.

article here

That is a long article, but I can't tell if it's the City, or MTO, or another group entirely that is backing these signs and who benefits.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Metrolinx is building them for secondary revenue sources.

 

[gweed123]

Except by removing the 115 designation, it makes it more difficult to navigate. You'll see 35 on the map and 407 connecting to it. You'll tell them to stay on the 35 so it becomes the 407 eastbound. With the 115 designation, you simply tell anyone to follow 115 from the 401 to Peterborough.

35 and what would be 407 would only overlap for about a 3km stretch. 35 continues straight north to Lindsay. Hwy 6 and Hwy 401 share a similar short concurrency south of Guelph, and it isn't confusing for people.

If this does happen, they'll have to make the 407 free for that portion or else there will be some intense outrage. Maybe even make their owned section of the highway through Durham also free as well which I don't see happening.

Yes, 407 west of Hwy 35 would be tolled, and once it hits Hwy 35 it would become free. It would just be a way to more directly connect Hwy 7 with Hwy 407, and would also give Peterborough a 400-series highway connection (even though the physical design of the road into Peterborough didn't change).

 

[ShonTron]

Metrolinx is building them for secondary revenue sources.

The corridor is owned by CP, so I don’t know how this should have anything to do with Metrolinx.

 

[innsertnamehere]

The corridor is owned by CP, so I don’t know how this should have anything to do with Metrolinx.

I’m just quoting the staff report which says Metrolinx. Not sure of their arrangement with CPKC.

 

[NW87]

Super Billboard frame nearing completion.

 

[Metroscapes]

Super Billboard frame nearing completion.

View attachment 527905

If this was being built under 1970 / 80 technology requirements (and resulting weight), I could see it, but that thing looks way overengineered.

 

[2323]

The picture may not do the width of the span justice, it is 4 tracks after all. If you look at the gantries that hold up highway signs, they aren't too different. Although it appears even this has thicker supports.

 

[Morriston1986]

Pretty neat to see the new bridge on HWY 6 and the length of the high speed on and off ramps

EDIT: Not sure my inserted images are popping up sorry

Highway 6 / Hanlon Expressway Midblock Interchange » Construction Photos

highway6midblock.ca

 

[innsertnamehere]

Ontario’s highway programs

Learn about the 2024 Ontario highways program. Find highway expansion and rehabilitation projects that are planned or underway.

www.ontario.ca

MTO updated the Ontario Highways program list today.

Nothing too notable - no new expansion projects listed.

- The 400/88 Interchange replacement has been recoded as an "expansion" project. Anecdotally I drove by last weekend and tree clearing was underway, so it appears to be getting started.
- The Bradford Bypass has now been split into two sections - from Yonge St to the 400 and Yonge St to the 404. We already knew this was coming from IO market updates. The Yonge-400 section is listed as starting construction in "2025-2026".
- The 413 has finally been added to the map, as it was not previously there. It's oddly coded under it's own category and coloured yellow, for some reason.
- Garden City Skyway twinning "phase 1" is listed as 2025-2026
- Frederick St Underpass, Kitchener has now been delayed (again) to "2025-2026" - the same year the Highway 7 new bridge over the Grand River is listed
- The Caledonia Grand River Bridge continues to be pushed back.. also listed as "2025-2026" now. MTO does have an "intersection improvement" listed for Green Rd and Hwy 6 on the Caledonia Bypass listed now as well.
-

 

[Allandale25]

From the transcript of the YouTube video of the speech:

"If we don't build more roads and highways, average travel speeds will be 60 percent slower. That's not a good thing. And compared to 2016. This adds gridlock across our economy of billions of dollars. That's unacceptable in my opinion.

That's where government is investing $28 billion over the next 10 years to renew, build and expand roads and highways. That's as we speak now with 28 billion. We have a few other ideas up her sleeves. We are thinking of one of the largest projects in the world. Stay tuned for that one."

That includes 3.2 billion this fiscal year hundreds of projects."

 

[Bojaxs]

View attachment 538340

From the transcript of the YouTube video of the speech:

"We are thinking of one of the largest projects in the world. Stay tuned for that one"

Does it involve a Ferris wheel?

 

[innsertnamehere]

View attachment 538340

From the transcript of the YouTube video of the speech:

I believe this may be a rumoured tunneled widening of the 401 through Central Toronto. The PCs had some telephone polling on it a while ago, apparently in partnership with Transurban, an Australian company which has built many of the tunneled highways in Australia. Transurban already operates a toll bridge in Montreal, so they do have a presence here.

I imagine it would be tolled to finance it as it would be ridiculously expensive.

I also wouldn't put too much stock into it actually happening as it would be insanely expensive and likely not supported by other parties, which would be basically required to get it to construction, unless the PCs have an illustriously long term in government.

With regards to funding levels for roads - Ford is actually spending about the same as Wynne did on the provincial highway network ($2.8 billion annually). He just likes to advertise it a lot more.

 

[Northern Light]

I believe this may be a rumoured tunneled widening of the 401 through Central Toronto. The PCs had some telephone polling on it a while ago, apparently in partnership with Transurban, an Australian company which has built many of the tunneled highways in Australia. Transurban already operates a toll bridge in Montreal, so they do have a presence here.

I imagine it would be tolled to finance it as it would be ridiculously expensive.

I also wouldn't put too much stock into it actually happening as it would be insanely expensive and likely not supported by other parties, which would be basically required to get it to construction, unless the PCs have an illustriously long term in government.

With regards to funding levels for roads - Ford is actually spending about the same as Wynne did on the provincial highway network ($2.8 billion annually). He just likes to advertise it a lot more.

I was waiting for your thoughts on this.............

Any talk of largest projects in the world as it pertains to highways in Ontario I'm likely to oppose. Not so much out of knee-jerk opposition as the feeling that such money would simply be better spent on any range of other projects from mass transit, to inter-city transit, to hospitals and schools.