Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

[Torontovibe]

A lot of people were predicting traffic chaos when the Pan-Am Games came to town. Then there was all the crying about the HOV lanes. You'd think the sky was falling in but somehow the city was able to cope. I'm not driver, so I'm not sure what terrible traffic looks like but to my eyes, from what I saw, it didn't look too bad. I certainly wouldn't call this a traffic nightmare.

 

[PinkLucy]

To me, it hasn't looked any worse than usual. When I have spoken to people who are irate about it, it's because they don't like the HOV lanes going faster than they can. When I point out that they would be stuck in traffic on a normal day without HOV lanes and that their commute time hasn't changed, they don't care. They simply don't like that some people are allowed to get there faster than they are.

 

[nfitz]

The only place I seem to hear that there is much impact is the QEW through Mississauga - particularly against peak. I'm not sure I've heard any comments about the DVP - which surprises me.

 

[lead82]

It's the middle of summer vacation and people are out of town on vacation. It would be interesting if they keep the HOV until end of the year with allowance of 2+ people in a vehicle to see if it encourages a permanent change of behaviour. It's easy to find a ride buddy. Finding 2 consistently is hard. Alternatively making the HOV into an HOV 3+ or HOT lane maybe useful for those who are in a hurry. I may help make better use of the lanes.

 

[wopchop]

Your question in the video asking why there are more cars going downtown is a bit bizarre. Downtown-bound traffic on QEW/Gardner is heavy all day nowadays.

The QEW through Mississauga is much worse with the HOV lanes. My travel, which is eastbound evening, through this section is taking 15-20min longer.

 

[jaybe]

The only place I seem to hear that there is much impact is the QEW through Mississauga - particularly against peak. I'm not sure I've heard any comments about the DVP - which surprises me.

I commute down the DVP from Lawrence every day. A typical morning commute is roughly 15-20 minutes from Lawrence to the Gardiner. Summer traffic usually lightens my commute time by 5-10 minutes. The HOV lanes had an effect of adding about 5 minutes to the drive, to roughly 20-25 minutes. So, the impact on my morning commute was negligible. I just didn't experience the benefit of shorter commutes in summer time.

The evening commute has been a bit heavier with daily backups extending down to Richmond Street. It has added about 5 minutes onto my commute.

I expect that commute would have been much longer for drivers getting onto the DVP from North of York Mills.

 

[James]

To me, it hasn't looked any worse than usual. When I have spoken to people who are irate about it, it's because they don't like the HOV lanes going faster than they can. When I point out that they would be stuck in traffic on a normal day without HOV lanes and that their commute time hasn't changed, they don't care. They simply don't like that some people are allowed to get their faster than they are.

This is really what it all comes down to, with or without HOV lanes. I truly believe it's the difference in lane speeds that cause a lot of traffic road rage and commuting stress. It's being stuck in one lane and seeing the lane next to you zip along. It's choosing a relatively fluid-moving lane, only to suddenly come to an unexpected stop while other lanes continue on.

If everyone is moving along at the same (slow) pace, most drivers would be ok with that, as everyone is queued up properly and everyone will get to where they need to go in an orderly fashion.

I forsee one day in the future when cars will be GPS-controlled once they get onto a major highway and are automatically queued and filed in the most efficient order based on their destination. Once you exit the highway, the individual resumes manual control of the vehicle once again.

 

[Mr_Praline]

Having driven back and forth from the eastern GTA into Toronto using the 401, both in HOV (legally) and alone, the only problems I've seen are the middle-lane-only drivers in the 401 Express who don't understand that their lane has become the passing lane between Warden and Westney, and are quite comfortable driving at 102 km/h in that stretch. Absolutely infuriating. I used to notice the same thing on the 403 in Mississauga when I was commuting to Niagara from North York, but that was a few years ago, and hopefully more drivers have figured that out since then.

 

[lead82]

If only drivers obeyed the proper lane etiquette. Keep right except to pass. That means you should be in the right most lane, not he middle or left lane unless you are passing someone. Passing means just that, pass and merge back into the right lane. It amazes me how inefficient our highways become because of selfish drivers who hog the middle or left lanes, while others are passing them in middle or right lane because they become a slow obstacle on the road.

I really wish there were severe penalties for this and that the police would enforce this. In my mind, a lot of speeding is a result of drivers trying to make up for lost time after being caught in a slow down caused by these drivers.

 

[11th]

If only drivers obeyed the proper lane etiquette. Keep right except to pass. That means you should be in the right most lane, not he middle or left lane unless you are passing someone. Passing means just that, pass and merge back into the right lane. It amazes me how inefficient our highways become because of selfish drivers who hog the middle or left lanes, while others are passing them in middle or right lane because they become a slow obstacle on the road.

I really wish there were severe penalties for this and that the police would enforce this. In my mind, a lot of speeding is a result of drivers trying to make up for lost time after being caught in a slow down caused by these drivers.

Although the amount of truck traffic, and the new "one lane over" law just further entice people to stay away from the right lane whenever possible.

 

[drum118]

Can anyone verify what the width of any plan new highway ROW is going to be?

Someone is saying they are to be 2-4 miles wide and find that hard to believe, as it would mean tearing towns and villages down to do so.

 

[BurlOak]

I think it was 80m ROW (although maybe 100m).

The math was something like 5 lanes at 3.75m, 2 sets of 3m shoulders, a median tall wall barrier, then 6m high embankment at 2:1 slope and a ditch.

When first built, the two exterior lanes are built and expansion occurs towards the median.

I may have m is remembered a few numbers, but this is the order of magnitude.

 

[Bojaxs]

If only drivers obeyed the proper lane etiquette. Keep right except to pass. That means you should be in the right most lane, not he middle or left lane unless you are passing someone. Passing means just that, pass and merge back into the right lane. It amazes me how inefficient our highways become because of selfish drivers who hog the middle or left lanes, while others are passing them in middle or right lane because they become a slow obstacle on the road.

I really wish there were severe penalties for this and that the police would enforce this. In my mind, a lot of speeding is a result of drivers trying to make up for lost time after being caught in a slow down caused by these drivers.

When I pass a left lane, middle lane hog, I always try to catch a quick glance at the driver. Thier expression is usually of the following two;

1. " I don't give a f#! $" look! I'm going the speed limit and you're all all speeding! (I'm passing them at 110 kmh.)
2. They're absolutely perplexed as to why everyone is passing them.

I'm not a fast driver by any means. I rarely in the left lane. If I'm going to be cruising at 100kmh, I always stay on the far right. When you drive at 100kmh in the middle or left lane, it just shows your inexperience as a driver.

 

[Bojaxs]

Before and after rendering of the Dixie interchange on the QEW.

Hopefully they design the interchange to have room for future HOV lanes.

 

[pstogios]

When you drive at 100kmh in the middle or left lane, it just shows your inexperience as a driver.

Really? Asking drivers at or below the speed limit to stay in the right lane is fine. But now we need the middle lane drivers to speed as well? That's asking a lot, don't you think?