Ontario's Highways

[yanksfan6129]

Haljackey said it all!

[sonysnob]

Look at how easily this asphalt was repaired.

[haljackey]

The way I see it, an asphalt or concrete highway can look bad.  Under normal conditions, concrete may last longer than asphalt, but asphalt is cheaper to build and repair.  The pros still outweigh the cons in my opinion.

[Alps]

Simple, hijack.  Do a life-cycle cost analysis (discounted to present-year dollars) of concrete vs. asphalt.  Feel free to include the higher user cost of more elaborate/longer lasting construction zones when concrete is replaced.  I've seen one done putting concrete ahead.  Your mileage may vary, especially depending on location (some places asphalt is cheaper than others, plus freeze-thaw can be an issue).

[Fcexpress80]

In regards to the asphalt/concrete debate, I would think asphalt is cheaper but wears faster than concrete.  Asphalt takes a beating on grades where braking vehicles "push" up ripples.  This would be most noticable on off-ramp exits. 

Concrete holds up better but ages and wears eventually, especially where studded tires are used during winter months. 

In my city (Seattle, WA), the WA State DOT is currently tearing out and repouring severely cracked sections of concrete on the 45-year-old Interstate 5.  The ruts created by tire wear are being eliminated by the use of a high tech laser level concrete grinder which shaves off the old surface by a few centimeters to a smooth surface, good as new.  I'm sure the cost is more than slapping on a new layer of asphalt but it creates a pretty quiet surface that will last another 40 years, I hope.

[Chris]

Asphalt takes a beating on grades where braking vehicles "push" up ripples.  This would be most noticable on off-ramp exits

True, that's why many countries construct a different kind of pavements on off ramps and at traffic lights. I know my city (Zwolle, Netherlands) used to have some nice camel pavement at traffic lights.

[haljackey]

Yes well it all depends on the location.

In Ontario, we experience many freeze/thaws which expands and contracts the roadbed.  Asphalt can expand and contract better than concrete.  You also have to take into consideration he sand/salt/deicing solution and plows used to keep the roads clear in the wintertime.

Advances are being made in both asphalt and concrete paving.  Just look at the Big Dig tunnels in Boston, concrete feels right at home there, but when you get to the climate and conditions of Ontario's highways, asphalt is better.


A small quote about this from the 400 series Wikipedia article

Unlike most of the U.S.'s highways (which are mostly paved with a concrete surface), the majority of 400-series highways are coated with asphalt pavement. All bridge decks are also covered with asphalt, with concrete only exposed around the expansion joints, in contrast to most U.S. Interstates, which have bridge decks paved with exposed concrete containing tining (grooves).

Normally, asphalt pavements would actually require more frequent maintenance due to the material being less durable in general. In addition, the laying of additional asphalt layers would require a stronger infrastructure, translating to higher construction costs. However, the use of additional asphalt covers on most 400-series highways is due to the fact that the asphalt is more resistant to erosion from de-icing salt than concrete.

You'll even see complete opposite uses of concrete and asphalt on Ontario's highways compared to US highways.  A great example is highway 407 which is concrete but has asphalt bridges, whereas many US highways are asphalt and have concrete bridges.

Interesting eh?

[sonysnob]

You know what, it is interesting.  I remember talking to an MTO guy a few years ago when they were presenting the Wellington Road widening along the 401 a few years back.  I asked the MTO guy if they were going to resurface the highway in concrete, for which he scoffed.  He didn't like concrete either.  I guess it is up the specific engineer what they want to see constructed.  Ontario has seen a fair number of concrete highways constructed in the past few years, the 401 in Essex, the 402 in Lambton, the 410, the 417 near Hawsburry, Highway 3 in Essex.  Apparently the MTO is quite pleased with the work being completed by CoCo paving in Essex.

[un1]

http://www.news.ontario.ca/mndm/en/2009/05/four-laning-of-highway-1117-begins.html

Starts next year, not much, but that is because the past few years they completely rebuilt the road, though the sections that are becoming a limited access expressway haven't been rebuilt last year (due to complete failure of the company who was supposed to do it  ).


Just looking around the news site and I found this:
http://www.news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2009/04/ontarios-roads-safest-in-north-america.html

Ontario's Roads are the safest in North America...

[sonysnob]

Some new photos:

[agentsteel53]

sometimes they do take that "English and French" thing just a bit too far.  Just send Quebec off already to be its own independent nation!

[sonysnob]

^ Really, you think so?  I like our billingual signage.

[agentsteel53]

I think it's a waste of taxpayer money to be spending twice as much as necessary.

[sonysnob]

bah...  supporting our bilingual heritage is worth the cost of a few extra signs.

[Truvelo]

sometimes they do take that "English and French" thing just a bit too far.

Exactly, one of the first signs I saw when leaving the airport is this. It's not as if points of the compass are completely different in both languages

[sonysnob]

^ That is a sharp photo, do you use a filter for that?  No haze at all.

[Hellfighter]

Does anyone have any photos of Hwy 599?

[Truvelo]

^ That is a sharp photo, do you use a filter for that?  No haze at all.

I use a filter but it's only to protect the lens. The sharpness is probably from 10 years of taking photos at the wheel so with experience you get the hang of reducing shake and blur

Here's a 100% crop of the next sign. I doubt very much that even if I parked and took the picture using a tripod it would come out any sharper.

[WillWeaverRVA]

How long has Ontario been using Clearview? It looks like they're using it even for route shields, which differs from the U.S. in most respects (most US jurisdictions using Clearview still opt for FHWA fonts on route shields and markers).

[Tom]

Here's a group about Hwy 17, and an article about Ontario's provincial highways + county roads:
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/hwy17ontariocanada/?yguid=148538425 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ontario_provincial_highways
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_roads_of_Ontario  

[sonysnob]

^that sign was not put up by the MTO, but rather the GTAA (Greater Toronto Airport Authority).  MTO has used clearview on a couple of signs on the QEW, but since 2007, hasn't put anything new up.  The City of Toronto is using Clearview on its newest freeway signs.

[rickmastfan67]

^that sign was not put up by the MTO, but rather the GTAA (Greater Toronto Airport Authority).  MTO has used clearview on a couple of signs on the QEW, but since 2007, hasn't put anything new up.  The City of Toronto is using Clearview on its newest freeway signs.

Somebody forgot to put up the exit number tabs there. lol.  Been awhile since I was that far North on the QEW.  The farthest North I've been as of late is the Ontario Street interchange on the QEW in St. Catharines.

[sonysnob]

^Ontario doesn't post exit numbers on every sign.  Usually just at advanced arrows, and at the gore.

[Tom]

In the early days of modern highways, it was common for some major highways to be gravel, so we probably don't think about any gravel highways later on.  However, the last stretch of gravel highway was Hwy 17 in northwestern Ontario, and wasn't paved until 1967.  Personally, I remember driving on St. Joseph Island's Hwy 548 in 2002, and it was gravel, but I believe it was because of a construction project on the road at the time.

[Edited for readability. -S.]

[sonysnob]

There are still gravel highways in Ontario.  This is Highway 600:
http://www.onthighways.com/secondary/hwy_600-649_images/600_cl_47_east.jpg

The last stretch of principal highway in Ontario to be paved was Highway 129, it was paved in 1982.