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[AsphaltPlanet]

View looking towards Toronto overtop of the recently twinned QEW bridges that carry the highway overtop of the Credit River.  Both directions of traffic have been shifted onto the new span to allow the old bridge to be fully rehabilitated:


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/QEW_images/QEW_DJI_0540_24x18.jpg

[SSR_317]

Last weekend, I noticed that many regional routes are signed with blue shields, which others are signed with white ones.  Why are some blue and others white?

I would say that in Ontario white is the norm for county/regional routes.

The only jurisdictions that do not conform to that standard (that I know of) are: Niagara Region (blue), Hamilton (blue), Peel Region (black and yellow), and Halton Region (green and yellow).

As to why that particular Niagara Region shield is white, I don't know. Perhaps it's the older standard? No idea.

You'd THINK that Hamilton would use black & yellow as an homage to their CFL team's colours (Go Ti-Cats!). I know they're having a rough season, but still.

[AsphaltPlanet]

Night view looking southerly along the 404 from Van Horne Avenue in North York taken last month:


https://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_404-406_images/404_cl_21_south_SB_Sep23_24x16.jpg

[AsphaltPlanet]

Photo looking easterly from Hespeler Road (Hwy 24) in Cambridge showing the progress to widen the 401.  Photo taken last weekend:


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_401_images/401_cl_282_east_EB-t_Oct22-23_24x16.png

[Chris]

What is the typical light pole height on these wide sections of freeway around Toronto? 40 or 50 meters? Or even more?

[cbeach40]

What is the typical light pole height on these wide sections of freeway around Toronto? 40 or 50 meters? Or even more?

That basic design can be 25, 30, 35, 40, or 45 metres in height.

Checked the contract drawings, these particular ones are the 40 m variant.

[AsphaltPlanet]

Easterly view of the 401 and the 412 interchange from Lake Ridge Road in Whitby.  I've shot this interchange a bunch of time.  Despite the fact that the ramps aren't curvilinear (as they should be), it's still quite a photogenic interchange.


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_401_images/401_cl_406_east_EB-ramp_Oct23_24x16.jpg

[dmuzika]

Interesting development today; as part of a larger new funding deal between the Province of Ontario and City of Toronto, the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway will be uploaded to the province, https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/here-are-the-highlights-of-the-new-funding-deal-between-the-province-and-the-city-of-toronto-1.6662719. Sources are also indicating a similar deal with the City of Ottawa might be forthcoming and include uploading Regional Road 174 (former Highway 17) back to the province, although that deal has not been announced, https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/deal-between-ottawa-and-province-similar-to-toronto-likely-coming-sources-1.6662824.

It would be interesting to see what will happen with the announced deal with Toronto and the rumored deal with Ottawa in terms of highway designations. I'm guessing that if the 400-series highways were extended, DVP would become part of Highway 404 while the Gardiner Expressway would have some sort of association with Queen Elizabeth Way and/or unsigned Highway 451 - exit numbers for both (formerly) municipal expressways are already continuous with the respective 400-series highways.

As for the possible uploading of RR 174, it would be interesting to see how extensive that would be and what (if any) number would be used. For example, would an uploaded RR 174 only include the freeway section near Hwy 417, the entire section within Ottawa, or the entire former Hwy 17 section that includes Prescott and Russell County Road 17? Also, would an uploaded highway retain its Hwy 174 number, revert back to being Hwy 17 (pre-1998), or maybe be renumbered entirely? The local Liberal MPP introduced a bill to upload the entire route in 2021, https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/mpp-calls-on-ontario-to-take-over-responsibility-of-hwy-174-in-ottawa-s-east-end-1.5641034, but at this point it is still remains downloaded.

[Stephane Dumas]

It would be interesting to see what will happen with the announced deal with Toronto and the rumored deal with Ottawa in terms of highway designations. I'm guessing that if the 400-series highways were extended, DVP would become part of Highway 404 while the Gardiner Expressway would have some sort of association with Queen Elizabeth Way and/or unsigned Highway 451 - exit numbers for both (formerly) municipal expressways are already continuous with the respective 400-series highways.

That or they could bring back Hwy-2 from the dead for the Gardiner. 

It could be interesting to see if the E.C. Row Expressway in Windsor will be lucky as well?

[andrepoiy]

I think there perhaps might be a case for the 404 being extended down the DVP and the QEW being extended as well. But I suspect that the "local names" of DVP and Gardiner will stick.

I am excited for when all those imo ugly City of Toronto signs get replaced by proper MTO signs on both freeways and for (especially the DVP) to be redesigned to MTO standards.

For Ottawa though, I feel that it may be unlikely that RR-174 gets renumbered to 17, as that would again create another discontinuous segment. Perhaps it might just stay as 174?