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ON: Hwy 407, ten laning

Started by AsphaltPlanet, December 03, 2012, 12:17:43 PM

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AsphaltPlanet

Highway 407 was widened from eight to ten lanes between Hwys 404 and 400 north of Toronto this summer.

I have compiled a photo log of how hwy 407 has been widened over the years.

Some samples:







For more, and larger resolutions:
http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_407-409_images/Hwy407_p3_images.htm#10L
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.


aridawn

There has been some talk, and a plan in place to continue ten lane widening west to ON-427.

AsphaltPlanet

#2
Judging from the "light toll zone" between the 410 and 427 interchanges in the 2013 tolling schedule, construction is set to start this year to widen that stretch of the tollway to ten lanes.  Light toll zones typically coincide with major construction projects along the freeway.

http://www.407etr.com/tolls/rate-chart-2013.html

I would expect that by the end of next summer, the 407 will be ten lanes between the 410 and 404, with brief 8 lane sections through the 427 and 400 interchanges.  The 407 is already ten lanes between the 427 and 400 despite not being built out to final configuration.

AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

Chris

Is there any decent traffic data of the 407? MTO doesn't have it because they don't own the road and the only statistic I could find was that 380,000 vehicles use it on an average workday, but that figure is for the entire length of the road. Such statistics are useful for toll revenue studies, but not useful to compare it to other roads that are usually expressed on a segment-by-segment basis.

I assume that the intensity/capacity ratio on the 407 is lower than most non-tolled freeways, so also I assume the traffic volumes are not as high as the lane count suggests. Given the fact that it is a steeply priced toll road, I assume volumes are generally not over 150,000 vehicles per day on a typical segment.

AsphaltPlanet

The 407 doesn't release its traffic volumes.  They have to release peak hour volumes to MTO to ensure compliance with the highways contract but to my knowledge, don't have to publish anything else.
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cpzilliacus

#5
Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on April 16, 2013, 07:14:19 PM
The 407 doesn't release its traffic volumes.  They have to release peak hour volumes to MTO to ensure compliance with the highways contract but to my knowledge, don't have to publish anything else.

This is curious. 

In the United States, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) does publish link-by-link traffic volumes for roads covered by private-sector toll concessions, including Va. 267 (Dulles Greenway) and Va. 895 (Pocahontas Parkway).

Similarly, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) also has at least some traffic volume data for the Indiana East-West Toll Road, even though it is operated and maintained by a private firm on a long-term lease.

It would seem to me that the owners of the Highway 407 toll concession should be required to provide link-by-link AADTs in the interest of providing complete highway statistics for Ontario's highway  network, though if that was not in the original contract between the provincial government and the private 407 ETR concession group, it might be tough to compel them to come up with those data.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

aridawn

I have a question about the new 407East Extension currently under construction by MTO.  Will the new toll route be all electronic, and will the new system be integrated with one another ie similar tech, and computer systems, and use a inter operable transponder?  As for above, I do believe the Province is a little gun shy about taking the concession back to court.  Back in early 2000's the Province had lost all court battles with concession over toll hikes. 

AsphaltPlanet

The eastern extension of Highway 407 will be fully electronic, use the same transponder, and reportedly will have integrated billing with the current highway.  The extension will be operated by Cintra, the same company that operates the current highway.

Requests for Proposals for Phase II of the eastern extension were released in March, I am curious to see if Cintra gets that contract as well.  I suspect they will.
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

AsphaltPlanet

Quote from: aridawn on March 12, 2013, 12:41:09 PM
There has been some talk, and a plan in place to continue ten lane widening west to ON-427.

I was on the 407 earlier today.  You are correct, work is underway to widen the tollway from ten to twelve lanes between the 427 and the 400.  There is no work ongoing west of the 427.  This will see the removal of several old signs that still show their old highway designations.
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Chris

There aren't too many 12-lane toll roads in the world, excluding bridges. Only the NJ Turnpike comes to mind.

NE2

Florida's Turnpike is 8 lanes through the Orlando area, with a short piece of 12 lanes between SR 429 and SR 408 (where it essentially serves as a western extension of SR 408).
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=28.545926,-81.542029&spn=0.034381,0.066047&gl=us&t=m&z=15&layer=c&cbll=28.546038,-81.542051&panoid=BrfWhkslXyme8xsmRNvziw&cbp=12,127.25,,0,-0.96
pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

Alps

Quote from: Chris on May 07, 2013, 12:43:50 PM
There aren't too many 12-lane toll roads in the world, excluding bridges. Only the NJ Turnpike comes to mind.
Garden State Parkway is as wide as 15 lanes across the Driscoll Bridge, and 14 through the Raritan toll plaza.

xcellntbuy

In compliment to NE2's comment on the Florida's Turnpike, the toll road is 8 lanes between Exit 54 (Interstate 595/US 441/FL 84) and Exit 66 (FL 814/Atlantic Blvd.).  More widenings to four lanes are planned, both north and south of the section I have mentioned.



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