Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

[2323]

Collingwood Bypass

Highway 26 really could use some upgrades in general. Even if it's not a freeway, a bypass of Stayner would be nice.

 

[lenaitch]

Highway 26 really could use some upgrades in general. Even if it's not a freeway, a bypass of Stayner would be nice.

I think the best you can expect in the near/mid term are capacity and flow improvements to County Rds. 7 and 96, some of which is already happening. The MTO Corridor Management map doesn't show any zoning restrictions surrounding Stayner that would suggest a planned new right of way,other that the usual corridor controls.

 

[ARG1]

Highway 26 really could use some upgrades in general. Even if it's not a freeway, a bypass of Stayner would be nice.

At the very least it needs more passing lanes.

 

[Westey]

An HOV buffer only adds 0.5 metres to a highway width. It's not really enough for an extra lane.

MTO could probably squeeze an extra lane on the QEW but it would have to accept substandard shoulder widths. A 5-lane cross section of GP lanes needs 18.75 metres of platform width excluding shoulders, the QEW is currently at around 15.5 to 16 metres in width. Getting it to 18.75 would require basically the full removal of the interior shoulder. That or accept smaller lane widths, which comes with it's own safety issues. Dropping lane widths to 3.65m (a standard more typically seen in the US with 12ft lanes) would cut half a metre off the platform width and would probably make a 10-lane cross section work with a minimal interior shoulder like what is on the 400.

I thought the buffer was 1.5m.
I have also seen the left lane on multi-lane freeways (i.e. cars only) with 3.5m lanes. Could truck be restricted to the 3 right lanes on a 5 lanes facility?

 

[Haljackey]

Is there any more information on #12?

Most congested part of my commute to work.

Seems relatively easy to do too. I think all the overpasses can accommodate an extra lane, although the flyover for 403 WB at the 407 would lose its shoulder without a rebuild.

Building the missing ramps at QEW/403 may also be part of it

 

[innsertnamehere]

Is there any more information on #12?

Most congested part of my commute to work.

MTO did the EA for this about a decade ago, it's still on Oakville's website here:

https://www.oakville.ca/getmedia/c430567f-ef34-4fbe-86d6-f43442e08091/transportation-roads-403-qew-executive-summary.pdf

It's basically extending the HOVs from Trafalgar through to Winston Churchhill, building the missing ramps for QEW>403, and widening the 403 from 2/3 lanes to 3/4 lanes. When MTO rebuilt the 403/QEW interchange a few years ago they did it to protect for the project.

Given the growth that's happening in North Oakville there, I wouldn't be surprised if it's one of the next widenings funded. I suspect MTO may defer the missing ramps though.