News:

Thanks to everyone for the feedback on what errors you encountered from the forum database changes made in Fall 2023. Let us know if you discover anymore.

Main Menu

Highway 401 in Ontario - busiest freeway in the world

Started by Chris, April 23, 2009, 12:02:55 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Chris

Ontario traffic volumes 2005

Busiest:

Quote401 HWY400 IC 359 -N.YORK WESTON RD IC 357 -N.YORK: AADT 426,400

Satellite picture of this section:


I wonder how long it's gonna take before some Phoenix, Houston or Atlanta freeway is gonna overtake the 401 to be the busiest in the world. The busiest freeway in the United States is the I-405 near Seal Beach, California with 397,000 vehicles per day.


un1

Yep, though the traffic is going down, it was 600,000 a few years ago.
Moderator of the Canada and Off Topic boards.


Thunder Bay Expressway - Highway 61 and 11/17 Ontario - Thunder Bay, Ontario

Chris

600,000 are you sure?

A simple traffic engineering fact says that you can multiply the number of lanes (16) by 2200 vehicles per hour by 10 - 12 hours (depending on situation), which would give a maximum capacity of about 16*2200*12 = 422,000 vehicles per day.

So 600,000 seems a bit unlikely to me. Do you have a source?

un1

I believe it was the 2002 AADT, but I will double check, if I can find it...
Moderator of the Canada and Off Topic boards.


Thunder Bay Expressway - Highway 61 and 11/17 Ontario - Thunder Bay, Ontario

haljackey

#4
Perhaps 600k was the highest recorded traffic flow in one day.

Seriously, the 401 in the summertime is madness!  Commuters, JIT inventory trucking routes, and a recreational route all in one!  I was stuck at the 400 interchange one day for over 2 hours on my way to Canada's Wonderland (a theme park in the region).  Amazingly busy road!

Doesn't help that its the only "true" east-west highway in Toronto.  (Gardiner ends at DVP, 407 outside city limits.)

Yep, the 401's a monster.  The 407 was supposed to help take some traffic off it, but with high tolls to use the 407 and exceptional growth in the region, the 401 remains the busiest highway in North America, perhaps the world.

Here's a pic of one of the busiest sections of the highway:


Crazy interchanges too!

vdeane

401 is certainly a highway of extremes - perhaps the busiest in the world in Toronto, but just 300 km to the east it's your typical rural freeway.  And the speed limit's the same!
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

haljackey

Yep its so extreme they not only rely on CCTV cameras for info, the highway even has its own traffic simulator!

Here's an example of simulating traffic patterns compared to CCTV feed:


Interesting eh?

Bryant5493

Going to have to ride on the 401 one day.


Be well,

Bryant
Check out my YouTube page (http://youtube.com/Bryant5493). I have numerous road videos of Metro Atlanta and other areas in the Southeast.

I just signed up on photobucket -- here's my page (http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/tt24/Bryant5493).

Chris


Bryant5493

^^ Touché. :-D

Let me re-phrase. One day, I hope to ride on the 401 in Toronto, Ontario.


Be well,

Bryant
Check out my YouTube page (http://youtube.com/Bryant5493). I have numerous road videos of Metro Atlanta and other areas in the Southeast.

I just signed up on photobucket -- here's my page (http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/tt24/Bryant5493).

Sykotyk

I drove on the 401, but, oddly enough, never the 'busy' stretch. I've gone in from Sarnia to the QEW and down along the SkyDome, and then back to the 401 on my way to Montreal.

Ontario's freeways are fun to drive. Once the Autoroutes in Quebec get a little more connectivity (and that gap on the A20 is removed) will make for a nice drive from Windsor or Sarnia to Quebec City.

Sykotyk

Truvelo

I've just come back from Ontario which involved using part of the 401.

These pictures were taken at around 3pm and the traffic was stationary in places. The VMS signs are amusing though, such as the ones about idling and keeping your distance.




Speed limits limit life

Hellfighter


Alps


Hellfighter

Quote from: AlpsROADS on June 13, 2009, 08:24:34 PM
Quote from: Hellfighter06 on June 13, 2009, 08:03:16 PM
Why are there both blue and green signs?
Blue = C/D road, green = main freeway

Oh, so like the blue signs are for the local lanes and the green signs are for the express lanes?

Bickendan


mightyace

Quote from: Bickendan on June 29, 2009, 07:37:46 PM
Exactly.
The 401 is one fun freeway to drive.

To each his own, I drove the 401 once in 1994 and that was enough for me.  I'll take a rural freeway with great scenery any day.
My Flickr Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mightyace

I'm out of this F***KING PLACE!

haljackey

#17
This is a rare sight:


IMG WIDTH=800.  NOT 1024.  PLEASE GET IT RIGHT! <- your friendly but incessant moderator

Full size:  http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/3581/evacuatedhighway401.jpg

agentsteel53

live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

yanksfan6129

^^Kind of reminds me of the streets of Pyongyang (and North Korea in general). There are empty streets and freeways because most people don't/aren't allowed to own cars.

Hellfighter


Bickendan

Yeah, that's just a little bit bizarre... OTOH, empty freeway, one lone SUV in the local lanes... shot for an apocalyptic movie, perhaps?

mightyace

Or maybe, one hell of an impressive Photoshop job!  :-D
My Flickr Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mightyace

I'm out of this F***KING PLACE!

yanksfan6129

I'm pretty sure that was from a time when the highway was evacuated after an accident.

Bickendan

Possibly the plane crash near the freeway a few years back?



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.