Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

[drum118]

April 11
I have work on site for road and bridges construction as well watch them and the first time I have seen EPS geofoam use in place of backfill for a ramp or road.

Assuming forming will be use to pour a concrete ramp with a sub base being pour first.

 

[christiesplits]

COVID-19 takes a big bite out of Highway 407 traffic, revenues and profits

TORONTO - An increase in COVID-19 infections and restrictions in the Toronto area have resulted in a dramatic reduction in traffic on the Highway 407 ...

www.thestar.com

The company that operates the freeway, 407 International Inc., says a 44 per cent drop in traffic volumes in the first quarter of the year had a severe impact on its net profits.

Total trips over the three months ended March 31 decreased to 13.08 million from 23.5 million, while total vehicle kilometres were 256.1 million, down 48 per cent from 490.8 million a year earlier.

 

[Haljackey]

COVID-19 takes a big bite out of Highway 407 traffic, revenues and profits

TORONTO - An increase in COVID-19 infections and restrictions in the Toronto area have resulted in a dramatic reduction in traffic on the Highway 407 ...

www.thestar.com

Makes sense to me. Why pay $ when the free routes aren't congested?

There are no widening projects scheduled on the ETR this year for the first time in a while. The entire median from the 401 to the 404 has been filled in with lanes. I can't really see short or mid-term needs for expansion in other sections... maybe the 403 to 401 section could see another lane if GTA West is built.

Still with traffic levels down on the thing, it would be good timing to finally start work on converting the 410, 427 and 404 interchanges to full stacks. The tiny loops at the 427 look rather annoying in particular and will get more use once the 427 extension opens. Flyover connections would be a huge improvement here.

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

 

[W. K. Lis]

New Hwy. 427 extension closed until drainage and 'safety' issues addressed​

From link.

A major new GTA highway extension remains off limits to motorists because there are “safety concerns” around how it was built, Infrastructure Ontario (IO) says.

Drone shots posted online of the Hwy. 427 extension — between Hwy. 7 and Major Mackenzie Dr. — show what appears to be a completed empty highway in full view of motorists on nearby, often congested routes.

“Highway 427’s expansion is not complete,” IO spokesperson Ian McConachie said in an email to the Toronto Sun last week when asked about the opening. “Specifically, the roadway was not built to the specifications in the contract. This results in highway surface drainage and related safety concerns.”

Jim Faught, spokesperson for LINK427, the winning bidder to design, build and maintain the highway extension, said IO and the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) have not issued a Substantial Completion Certificate for the project — a requirement for opening.

“Discussions around achievement of Substantial Completion, and the province’s safety concerns of the constructed highway, are currently being addressed through the allowed processes in the context of our contract and we are unable to discuss specifics at this stage,” Faught said in an email. “LINK427 cannot comment (on) any other commercial matters related to the highway opening.”

The government’s plan is to open the extension this summer, McConachie said.

One section, the portion that involved widening the section of Hwy. 427 south of Hwy. 7, is already being used by motorists, he said.

“The province has worked with the contractor to facilitate the opening of that section by placing conditions such as reduced speed and additional salting in below-zero conditions that would allow that portion of the road to open,” McConachie said. “However, there are different considerations that must be taken into account for this section (extension). We hope the contractor will take advantage of the decreased traffic volumes to complete this repair.”

The IO website describes the project — valued at $616 million — as a needed extension to ensure the efficient movement of people and goods through a region usually plagued by gridlock.

The project included a 6.6 kilometre extension of Hwy. 427 from Hwy. 7 to Major Mackenzie Dr., and the original plan called for new High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.

The first request for qualifications went out on July 13, 2015. The winning bidder was chosen on Jan. 25, 2017 to design, build, finance and maintain the highway expansion.

LINK427 is a consortium of developer, construction, design and maintenance companies.

The contract was awarded through a competitive Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) model, but ownership of the completed project is to remain in public hands.

The Ontario government frequently uses public-private partnerships to construct roads, hospitals and other infrastructure, saying the projects tend to come in on time and on budget with less financial risk to the taxpayer.

 

[Student99]

^ Good God. How much longer???

I'm feeling doubtful about a summer opening now.
I hate that there's no firm commitment. UGH

 

[Undead]

https://www.reddit.com/r/IdiotsInCars/comments/mxtoe6

Make the requisite Toronto puns

 

[afransen]

That is F*ink terrifying.

Obviously they didn't use the usual approach of over-signing and explaining how to use them. I have never seen anyone misuse a roundabout like that in my day-to-day driving. The worst is someone on a roundabout stopping/yielding to me and trying to wave me onto it rather than just going.

 

[rbt]

That is F*ink terrifying.

Obviously they didn't use the usual approach of over-signing and explaining how to use them. I have never seen anyone misuse a roundabout like that in my day-to-day driving. The worst is someone on a roundabout stopping/yielding to me and trying to wave me onto it rather than just going.

The one in Governors Road regularly has people go around it in a clockwise direction; particularly if they're making a left onto Nesbitt. It's been around for decades.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Do not expect to see this in Ontario at any time soon. Maybe by the 22nd century...

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

The one in Governors Road regularly has people go around it in a clockwise direction; particularly if they're making a left onto Nesbitt. It's been around for decades.

I'm not familiar with that intersection, but I think there is a difference between using a roundabout incorrectly out of ignorance vs wilfully flaunting the roundabout because it wastes the drivers "time". The Kentucky intersection looks like drivers were genuinely confused as to how to handle the round about, where as I have seen drivers in Ontario take the "short way" left turn through a roundabout

 

[ShonTron]

The one in Governors Road regularly has people go around it in a clockwise direction; particularly if they're making a left onto Nesbitt. It's been around for decades.

That’s not a roundabout, though. It’s also controlled by an all-way stop.

 

[W. K. Lis]

I'm not familiar with that intersection, but I think there is a difference between using a roundabout incorrectly out of ignorance vs wilfully flaunting the roundabout because it wastes the drivers "time". The Kentucky intersection looks like drivers were genuinely confused as to how to handle the round about, where as I have seen drivers in Ontario take the "short way" left turn through a roundabout

Wonder how many people take a "short cut" through a gasoline station, to make a right turn?

 

[lenaitch]

We're getting one up here -construction starting next month, and there are three between Wasaga Beach and Collingwood. I have to say that drivers are a whole better now than in the beginning - admittedly a pretty low bar - but I'm still super cautious, especially on the motorcycle.

 

[Student99]

Do not expect to see this in Ontario at any time soon. Maybe by the 22nd century...

Neat!
I've always wondered why ramp entry signals exist on the eastbound QEW in Mississauga (ex. Erin Mills Pkwy, Mississauga Rd, Hurontario St, Cawthra Rd) but not other places that could really utilize them. 410 southbound comes to mind. What goes into the decision making as to whether one of these gets used or not?

 

[north-of-anything]

Got a Notice of Public Information Centre in the mail today for the 400-404 Link project. The notice says the MTO and AECOM "will review and assess environmental commitments made during the previous 2002 approved Route Planning EA Study, as well as assess any new impacts and prescribe new mitigation measures to be carried forward for the subsequent Detail Design phase for the Bradford Bypass." The notice also provides a link to the consultation page... I know what I'm doing today.