Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

[nfitz]

The Sun article is incorrect. The two new ramps are part of the EA for the 401 Widening from 410/403 to Credit River as shown here: http://www.401expansion-mississauga.ca/Downloads/403-410-IC-RollPlanDisplay2-Model.pdf

That website is for the EA, not the construction. The EA approval for the ramps is being done with the 401-widening. The contract to build them though has already been awarded as part of the 410 widening. This was also reported by many other media outlets - and by the Ministry of Transportation - http://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2014/09/improvements-begin-on-highway-410.html

The Ministry said that the contract includes "Constructing two new ramps at the highway 401/403/410 interchange". Given the construction will take 4 years, and the EA should be completed in 2015, there's lots of time to build the ramps as part of the current construction contract.

 

[TOareaFan]

That website is for the EA, not the construction. The EA approval for the ramps is being done with the 401-widening. The contract to build them though has already been awarded as part of the 410 widening. This was also reported by many other media outlets - and by the Ministry of Transportation - http://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2014/09/improvements-begin-on-highway-410.html

The Ministry said that the contract includes "Constructing two new ramps at the highway 401/403/410 interchange". Given the construction will take 4 years, and the EA should be completed in 2015, there's lots of time to build the ramps as part of the current construction contract.

Kinda, sorta, makes a mockery of the whole EA process though....go ahead and award contracts while the EA is still underway?

 

[arcum]

That website is for the EA, not the construction. The EA approval for the ramps is being done with the 401-widening. The contract to build them though has already been awarded as part of the 410 widening. This was also reported by many other media outlets - and by the Ministry of Transportation - http://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2014/09/improvements-begin-on-highway-410.html

The Ministry said that the contract includes "Constructing two new ramps at the highway 401/403/410 interchange". Given the construction will take 4 years, and the EA should be completed in 2015, there's lots of time to build the ramps as part of the current construction contract.

Ah, so that explains it then. The ramps are not yet designed, but will be tacked on to the main 410 construction contract by 2018.

That or they may still have to technically tender the two ramps as a separate construction contract, instead of adding to the Aecon assignment.

 

[nfitz]

Kinda, sorta, makes a mockery of the whole EA process though....go ahead and award contracts while the EA is still underway?

It does indeed.

Given the ramps have been roughed in for years, require no structures, and can't possibly have any environmental impact other than car emissions, it's hard not to mock the EA requirement - thankfully it was packaged along with something else.

Though perhaps there's already a previous EA that covers these? I'm surprised it wasn't included as part of an earlier 401 stage, or the 410 EA. Oops?

Ah, so that explains it then. The ramps are not yet designed, but will be tacked on to the main 410 construction contract by 2018.

I'd think the detailed design is already completed, and was in the tender. And that in the unlikely event any changes come out of the EA, they'll just issue a change order.

 

[waterloowarrior]

It does indeed.

Given the ramps have been roughed in for years, require no structures, and can't possibly have any environmental impact other than car emissions, it's hard not to mock the EA requirement - thankfully it was packaged along with something else.

Though perhaps there's already a previous EA that covers these? I'm surprised it wasn't included as part of an earlier 401 stage, or the 410 EA. Oops?

I'd think the detailed design is already completed, and was in the tender. And that in the unlikely event any changes come out of the EA, they'll just issue a change order.

There was a 2005 study for the whole project... but for the detailed design they split the Mavis Rd bridge and 401/403 ramps from the main contract in order to expedite construction. Here is a link to the Jan 2014 Design and Construction Report for the bridge and ramps.

http://www.401expansion-mississauga.ca/updates/RPT-2014-01-29 DCR 60213979.pdf

The main 401 widening will be under a separate Design and Construction Report.

 

[Haljackey]

The new 401/Westminster Drive overpass. Twice as wide as the old one!

I doubt we'll see 8 lanes west of the 402, but this bridge will be able to span it!

Old bridge for comparison:

 

[BurlOak]

I was driving 403 through Hurontario and noticed that some improvements are needed here. Every time I go here it is always a bottleneck.

The first is that there should be a longer transfer from Collector to Express. Currently, all traffic coming SB on 410, coming from 401 WB Collectors (including all traffic coming from 427 who have no opportunity to make it to the Express), and coming (eventually) from EB 401 are funnelled into the 403 WB Collectors. These 4 lanes of Collectors (2 lanes at Eglinton) have to merge with the Express. If this occurred a bit farther north, and over a longer distance, the merge would be smoother.

Second, there is a big slow down due to the area between Eastgate and Hurontario. Traffic from Eastgate is merging left onto the highway, while 403 traffic is merging right to exit at Hurontario. This leads to inevitable slowdowns.

A solution would be to move the Hurontario exit to be before Eastgate (an force Express lanes to switch to Collectors at Matheson if they want to exit at Hurontario). This would eliminate the merging/weaving problem. There is just enough room under the Cawthra bridge to add a lane, a Deceleration lane for the Hurontario exit. Lane 3 (right lane) would split for a second exit lane just after this point. At Eastgate bridge, only 3 through lanes and the HOV lane would continue - with the Hurontario exit going on the north side of the Eastgate ramp. Now the Eastage 2 lane on-ramp would have 1 lane continue, and 403 would be 4 lanes + HOV beyond this.

 

[arcum]

That's actually really great idea. It would solve so many problems on the 403. Instead of having the 2-lane Eastgate/Cawthra on-ramp drop down to one lane, it can have one lane merge with 403 WB and one lane exit to Hurontario. It may need another bridge over Central Parkway but I think it's worth it.

How can we make this happen?

 

[BurlOak]

That's actually really great idea. It would solve so many problems on the 403. Instead of having the 2-lane Eastgate/Cawthra on-ramp drop down to one lane, it can have one lane merge with 403 WB and one lane exit to Hurontario. It may need another bridge over Central Parkway but I think it's worth it.

Yep, that what that short red ramp is supposed to show. A new bridge would definitely be needed over Central Parkway - say 3 lanes wide (13.5m) by 22m span = 300 m2 = $1.5M.

 

[Translude15]

As a commuter on the 403-410, this is a solid idea BurlOak. Improvements are also needed on the northbound 403-410 transfer as well.

The current 403-401 EB express ramp should really be reconfigured alongside the current 403-401 EB collector ramp, which would allow for the NB 410 to have a simpler routing from the 403. With the current configuration, EB 403 traffic headed for the 410 has to merge to the right which tends to cause a backup with traffic getting off at Eastgate. The 2 lane transfer doesn't help matters either. HOV lane users sometimes have a hell of a time getting over to the right to get to the 410 as well.

With a simpler, more direct 403-410 transfer, the current 403 HOV lanes would also be continuous with the upcoming 410 HOV lanes.

 

[arcum]

As a commuter on the 403-410, this is a solid idea BurlOak. Improvements are also needed on the northbound 403-410 transfer as well.

The current 403-401 EB express ramp should really be reconfigured alongside the current 403-401 EB collector ramp, which would allow for the NB 410 to have a simpler routing from the 403. With the current configuration, EB 403 traffic headed for the 410 has to merge to the right which tends to cause a backup with traffic getting off at Eastgate. The 2 lane transfer doesn't help matters either. HOV lane users sometimes have a hell of a time getting over to the right to get to the 410 as well.

With a simpler, more direct 403-410 transfer, the current 403 HOV lanes would also be continuous with the upcoming 410 HOV lanes.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like any NB improvements you describe could be implemented as the 410NB widening contract starting up now is sticking with the current configuration (but adding an HOV lane starting just after the 403 transfer to 410). It seems MTO has no intention of connecting the 403 HOV to 410 HOV...the 403 HOV just go to 401 EB express.

 

[doady]

Eventually as MCC grows and develops, the best thing to do would together rid of the 403 altogether, for obvious reasons.

 

[gweed123]

I was driving 403 through Hurontario and noticed that some improvements are needed here. Every time I go here it is always a bottleneck....

I think this is a great idea. I wonder if this could be designed in enough time to have the construction period overlap with the 410 widening, since there will already be traffic issues associated with that construction (might as well have the headaches all at the same time).

 

[Bojaxs]

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like any NB improvements you describe could be implemented as the 410NB widening contract starting up now is sticking with the current configuration (but adding an HOV lane starting just after the 403 transfer to 410). It seems MTO has no intention of connecting the 403 HOV to 410 HOV...the 403 HOV just go to 401 EB express.

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

I'm pissed to hear the HOV lanes on the 403 won't be seamless with the upcoming 410 HOV lanes. Makes no sense not to do this.

I thought the MTO was full of really smart engineers who think of these things.

 

[innsertnamehere]

I think this is a great idea. I wonder if this could be designed in enough time to have the construction period overlap with the 410 widening, since there will already be traffic issues associated with that construction (might as well have the headaches all at the same time).

bit late for that considering that the 410 widening is already underway.

there are also a lot bigger bottlenecks in the provincial network than the 403 right now..