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[noelbotevera]

Here's the funny thing - raising speed limits pressures drivers to go faster, and it means less rear end collisions. However, the trade off here is that pile ups occur more. I'd say that if people keep jostling with Toronto, eventually the speed limits will go through the roof. That day will happen soon.

[jakeroot]

pile ups occur more.

Citation please.

[noelbotevera]

pile ups occur more.

Citation please.

Do the two words "common sense" apply here (if they don't, I need a reality check)?

[SignGeek101]

Nowhere have I seen any evidence that Stop100 has enganged in discussions with the government, short of letters and emails to local MPPs. Perhaps, living in Ontario, you know more than I do.

FTFY. Ontario uses Members of Provincial Parliament instead of MLA's in provincial government.

Everyone has been bashing Ontario, but don't forget that after the fuel crisis of the 70's, Quebec, Newfoundland, and PEI also kept the lower limits of 100 km/h from the old 70 mph (113 km/h) limit beforehand (before Canada went metric). They're just as guilty 

I have no relation, nor am I part of or affiliated to, Stop100.ca. I don't agree with their policy of raising the 401 to 130 km/h. I don't think any Canadian road could handle that speed, not with the climate here. But I think they have managed to raise some legitimate concerns regarding the issue.

I'm no road engineer (not yet anyway  ), so I can't tell what standards Ontario uses to place speed limits on their roads. Quebec recently installed variable speed limit signs on their roads, which change according to conditions. I think that would be a smart move in Ontario for the MTO to consider.

Quite the debate here though, nice to see.

[cbeach40]

I was responding to cbeach's accusation that Stop100 is "run by a bunch with the mental maturity and capacity of 12 year olds". Someone with "political and engineering competency" should be able to engage someone without generalizing the lot of them beforehand (which is what cbeach seems to be doing).

I have talked with them on multiple occasions, even giving them another chance a few times. I think speed limits in this province need to at least be reviewed, and that their approach is a good start to it at least. But each time it was like arguing with a YouTube comments section.

Nowhere have I seen any evidence that Stop100 has enganged in discussions with the government, short of letters and emails to local MLAs. Perhaps, living in Ontario, you know more than I do.

They have. But again, their approach is so ham-fisted that it's not really helping matters.

[vdeane]

Everyone has been bashing Ontario, but don't forget that after the fuel crisis of the 70's, Quebec, Newfoundland, and PEI also kept the lower limits of 100 km/h from the old 70 mph (113 km/h) limit beforehand (before Canada went metric). They're just as guilty 

I'd definitely say that for Quebec (which also has low limits) and maybe Newfoundland (due to its remoteness), but PEI doesn't have any freeways and doesn't strike me as "middle of nowhere".  That said, this particular campaign is for Ontario, which is notable given how well-engineered the 400 series highways are.

I have no relation, nor am I part of or affiliated to, Stop100.ca. I don't agree with their policy of raising the 401 to 130 km/h. I don't think any Canadian road could handle that speed, not with the climate here. But I think they have managed to raise some legitimate concerns regarding the issue.

I'm no road engineer (not yet anyway  ), so I can't tell what standards Ontario uses to place speed limits on their roads. Quebec recently installed variable speed limit signs on their roads, which change according to conditions. I think that would be a smart move in Ontario for the MTO to consider.

While 130 does strike me as a bit high, it's often better to aim higher and negotiate to what you really want than to ask for what you want and get less.  That said, I wouldn't use winter to take 130, or any speed limit, off the table.  The roads are fine most days in winter and winter doesn't even last the whole year.  If people don't know how to drive for the conditions in a blizzard, then they shouldn't be allowed to drive at all.

[AsphaltPlanet]

I agree that there is certainly merit to having a discussion about speed limits in Ontario.  Certainly, most modern freeways in Ontario have been constructed to a design speed of 120km/h.  Also, it should be noted that a design speed for a freeway only establishes a set of minimum design criteria for a highway.  It's therefore quite possible, that many sections of a road with a design speed of 120km/h could be safely driven at higher speed.

That said, some of the older sections of the 400 series of highways (I'm sure similarly to those highways in other jurisdictions) do have design compromises, and do have sections that have lower design speeds than the 120km/h that is typical.  I know from reviewing some of the material related to improvements to Highway 400 in the Barrie area that sections of the 400 have a design speed as low as 110km/h.  There are sections of the QEW that also have a lower design speed than 120km/h.

Check out the wonky structure that is proposed to twin the existing Garden City Skyway Bridge.  The new Toronto-bound lanes will have a much more pronounced curve in order to meet current highway design guidelines compared to the existing structure.
http://www.qewgcs.ca/qewgcs/pdf/QEW%20GCS%20PIC%203%20Displays%20Part%202.pdf

All that said, Ontario does have low speed limits, and probably should increase at least some of them.  But, speed limits should be reviewed on a case by case basis in order to appropriately match the speed limit to the specific highway conditions of the roadway that the limit applies to.

[haljackey]

Herb Gray Parkway's final section to open within a couple weeks

http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/parkways-final-section-to-open

(last 401 extension, all that is left is the bridge)

[MrDisco99]

Until the bridge is built, I'm guessing the majority of traffic will continue to exit/enter at Huron Church Rd.

What's over at that end of Windsor now, anyway?

[haljackey]

Until the bridge is built, I'm guessing the majority of traffic will continue to exit/enter at Huron Church Rd.

What's over at that end of Windsor now, anyway?

Not much, but the village of Sandwich (now part of Windsor) is accessed via the last 401 exit, Ojibway Parkway

Ojibway turns into Sandwich St, which in turn turns into Riverside Drive. It's a scenic drive going this way with the Detroit skyline on your left.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@42.276072,-83.0776844,2821m/data=!3m1!1e3

[SignGeek101]

Good. I was wondering if this phase was going to be done before the end of the construction season.

Any idea on the last exit number?

[rickmastfan67]

Good. I was wondering if this phase was going to be done before the end of the construction season.

Any idea on the last exit number?

Looks like it will be #2 per the picture here.
http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/parkways-final-section-to-open

Just not sure of the exit number for the EB ramp from {401} to E.C. Row, however, I'm going to assume it will be Exit #3.

[SignGeek101]

Good. I was wondering if this phase was going to be done before the end of the construction season.

Any idea on the last exit number?

Looks like it will be #2 per the picture here.
http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/parkways-final-section-to-open

Just not sure of the exit number for the EB ramp from {401} to E.C. Row, however, I'm going to assume it will be Exit #3.

It actually looks like Exit 1. Behind the km marker (to the left in the pic), there is a '1' (hard to see) there.

Thanks for the link.

[vdeane]

Guess MTO is fudging the numbers so they can end with 1.

[rickmastfan67]

Good. I was wondering if this phase was going to be done before the end of the construction season.

Any idea on the last exit number?

Looks like it will be #2 per the picture here.
http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/parkways-final-section-to-open

Just not sure of the exit number for the EB ramp from {401} to E.C. Row, however, I'm going to assume it will be Exit #3.

It actually looks like Exit 1. Behind the km marker (to the left in the pic), there is a '1' (hard to see) there.

Thanks for the link.

It will be #1.  The ramps going EB to the E.C. Row will be #2.  Confirmed via a tweet I got back from their Twitter account.
Invalid Tweet ID

[mgk920]

One quick thought - looking over the latest Bing aerial images of the nearly completed ON 401 extension in Windsor, ON, only one thought comes to my mind as to how that temporary end is laid out - "Poetic justice!".

 

 

Mike

[cbeach40]

New interchange at Wonderland Road is apparently now open.

http://www.am980.ca/2015/11/12/65936/

[AsphaltPlanet]

I'm being narcissistic, but I took that photo in the article.

[cbeach40]

Took a drive out at lunch. Looks good, though once the city rebuilds the road north and south of there it'll be better. Odd to have an isolated section of decent road like that.
The 401 structures are only six lanes wide (two through lanes plus SCL per direction) though the abutments are wide enough to accommodate additional girders to widen the bridge fairly quickly, once that comes to be.

And it's IC #180 in case anyone was wondering.

[haljackey]

I'm being narcissistic, but I took that photo in the article.

Here's a better picture from today.

Highway 401's newest interchange opens at Wonderland Road in London:
http://www.lfpress.com/2015/11/12/new-hwy-401-interchange-opens-at-wonderland-road-in-london



Press release:
http://www.news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2015/11/new-highway-interchange-improves-access-to-london.html

[rickmastfan67]

I'm being narcissistic, but I took that photo in the article.

Here's a better picture from today.

Highway 401's newest interchange opens at Wonderland Road in London:
http://www.lfpress.com/2015/11/12/new-hwy-401-interchange-opens-at-wonderland-road-in-london



Press release:
http://www.news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2015/11/new-highway-interchange-improves-access-to-london.html

What's the exit #?

[cbeach40]

What's the exit #?

180

[SignGeek101]

Good news. I do think in the future London needs it's own freeway on the north side. Maybe even give it a 400 series designation or something.

Anyone know how the widening in Kitchener is going?

[rickmastfan67]

What's the exit #?

180

Thanks.   Going to add the exit into my {401} file for TM and submit it to the database in a few.

[AsphaltPlanet]

Good news. I do think in the future London needs it's own freeway on the north side. Maybe even give it a 400 series designation or something.

Anyone know how the widening in Kitchener is going?

It just started this year, so it's in the pretty early stages.  Here is a photo from back in October: