News   Mar 28, 2024
 1.1K     2 
News   Mar 28, 2024
 577     2 
News   Mar 28, 2024
 880     0 

Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

Hey, at least Windsor and K/W have freeways. As a Londoner, very jealous of the major cities around us that got them while London got screwed (although this was mostly London's fault). Same goes for Kitchener's LRT... we shot ourselves in the foot for a similar project.

London pays for the infrastructure of other cities because we don't want it ourselves :p

-----

And yes, I lothe getting to/from Kitchener from London. No direct ramps from Highway 401 to 8 makes me travel through big-box-barf congestion on King St.

Totally agree about London. I'm actually impressed how big London has gotten without having some sort of expressway going through the city. It certainly makes it very difficult to enter/leave London, it can take forever to get from the 401 to the core.

I have heard about London's plans to upgrade Veteran's Memorial Parkway to a full expressway all the way over to the airport, although who knows how long that will take to conplete.
 
From link.

On April 1, 1997, and January 1, 1998, the Ontario government under the leadership of Mike Harris transferred, or downloaded, several thousand kilometres of provincially maintained highways to the various municipalities in which they are located. These transfers were performed under the reasoning that they served a mostly local function, as a cost-saving measure and as part of a broader exchange of responsibilities between the province and its municipalities. The transfers continue to cause confusion to motorists due to gaps in the middle of several highways and unremoved reassurance markers in municipalities with former Connecting Link agreements, including Toronto, Ottawa and London.​
1,767.6 kilometres (1,098.3 mi) of highway was removed from the King's Highway system on April 1, 1997. This was followed by 3,211.1 kilometres (1,995.3 mi) on January 1, 1998, for a total of 4,978.7 kilometres (3,093.6 mi).
 
I have heard about London's plans to upgrade Veteran's Memorial Parkway to a full expressway all the way over to the airport, although who knows how long that will take to conplete.

Hwy 100 was built like the Hanlon with the abilty to covert it to a full freeway in the future.
In the 90's it was downloaded and I think there was a regional number assigned to it (and locally called Airport Road)
Stopped being a connector road at some point
The city then widened it to 4 lanes...still with the ability to make it a freeway at some point.
Then they renamed it Veteran's Memorial Parkway .

There are still thoughts that this highway can loop just south of Arva side road and then meet the 402. But a pipe dream and I don't think they have even started an EA or land purchases.
 
Is there any chance of it being a toll road?

Edit: Actually there is:
She was asked about the potential cost of the bypass and talk that it could be built as a toll road.

“Those conversations are premature,” Mulroney said, adding: “It’s important we do have those conversations.”
 
Last edited:
Land has been protected for the highway since the 2002 EA, you can actually see the shape of the interchange at Yonge street in the northernmost subdivision in Bradford.

I imagine the alignment will more or less stay the same, perhaps with some modifications to interchanges to bring down costs and match modern design codes. One example is that I beleive the original EA at the 404 had a direct high flow ramp for bypass>northbound 404 traffic, with a loop ramp for bypass>southbound 404 traffic. Given that the extension of the 404 north of Keswick is more or less off the table at this point, it wouldn't surprise me if the two are flipped, with a full flow ramp for bypass>southbound 404 traffic and a loop for bypass>northbound 404 traffic.
 
Last edited:
It should be six lanes from the get-go for futureproofing with two of those lanes HOV
 
There will be a long-term closure of the 407 from Endfield Road to Taunton/418 to convert the Taunton and 418 interchange to northbound exit and southbound entrance starting September 9: http://www.407eastphase2.ca/
I was wondering how they were going to accomplish this conversion of the Taunton Rd interchange. I was thinking possibly (judging from state of completion of the 407 and the 418) that they may open the 407 completely to 35/115, then close the 418 to complete the construction of it along with the reconfiguration of the Taunton road interchange. Hopefully this means final completion of both highways are imminent.
 
so frustrating how MTO issued those contracts in two parts for the 404 widening. The north part (Stouffville Road to Major Mack) is essentially complete while the south portion is just starting construction.
 
so frustrating how MTO issued those contracts in two parts for the 404 widening. The north part (Stouffville Road to Major Mack) is essentially complete while the south portion is just starting construction.
Are you saying it didn't make sense to or that you're frustrated that they won't completed at the same time?
 
Are you saying it didn't make sense to or that you're frustrated that they won't completed at the same time?
doesn't make sense, especially since the south contract is going to take 3 years and the north contract is only taking 2.

This should have been a 3 year construction project, not a 5 year project.
 
doesn't make sense, especially since the south contract is going to take 3 years and the north contract is only taking 2.

This should have been a 3 year construction project, not a 5 year project.

Yes, I drive the 404 daily, and it's ridiculous that the widening is 100% complete - fully paved, lights installed, and everything - between Major Mack and Elgin Mills, but they're keeping the HOV lane barricaded off. Then it's on track for completion easily by Summer 2020 between Elgin Mills and Stouffville. But the section between the existing HOV lane up to 407, up to the completed expansion starting at Major Mack, is only just STARTING construction now. They've been doing the Major Mack-Elgin Mills section for at least a year now...they should have started the 407-Mack stretch at the same time, if not earlier.
 

Back
Top