Ontario's Highways

Started by un1, January 19, 2009, 03:21:49 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

AsphaltPlanet

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


webfil



jakeroot

You may have answered this already, but how do you get out into the construction zone? You're clearly in it, based on several of the photos (#4-7 in particular).

AsphaltPlanet

Park the car somewhere safe, and then go for a walk.  I always take a look around though before walking on-site.  I won't go somewhere if there are people working in the area.  I also use good judgement and try not to put myself at risk by walking somewhere I could get injured.
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

jakeroot

Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on June 17, 2018, 08:38:20 PM
Park the car somewhere safe, and then go for a walk.  I always take a look around though before walking on-site.  I won't go somewhere if there are people working in the area.  I also use good judgement and try not to put myself at risk by walking somewhere I could get injured.

Makes sense. There's rarely downtime this time of year at many Seattle-area roadwork sites, so they're hard to get to. What stops me are all the "no trespassing signs". Call me a coward, but I'm not interested in speaking to the constabulary!

MNHighwayMan

Quote from: jakeroot on June 17, 2018, 08:45:10 PM
Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on June 17, 2018, 08:38:20 PM
Park the car somewhere safe, and then go for a walk.  I always take a look around though before walking on-site.  I won't go somewhere if there are people working in the area.  I also use good judgement and try not to put myself at risk by walking somewhere I could get injured.
Makes sense. There's rarely downtime this time of year at many Seattle-area roadwork sites, so they're hard to get to. What stops me are all the "no trespassing signs". Call me a coward, but I'm not interested in speaking to the constabulary!

Yeah, in most construction zones in the US you'd get threatened or charged with trespassing if you just wandered into an area like that. At best, you'd be escorted out, at worst, escorted out... in handcuffs, to a police vehicle.

AsphaltPlanet

Quote from: MNHighwayMan on June 18, 2018, 08:31:53 AM
Quote from: jakeroot on June 17, 2018, 08:45:10 PM
Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on June 17, 2018, 08:38:20 PM
Park the car somewhere safe, and then go for a walk.  I always take a look around though before walking on-site.  I won't go somewhere if there are people working in the area.  I also use good judgement and try not to put myself at risk by walking somewhere I could get injured.
Makes sense. There's rarely downtime this time of year at many Seattle-area roadwork sites, so they're hard to get to. What stops me are all the "no trespassing signs". Call me a coward, but I'm not interested in speaking to the constabulary!

Yeah, in most construction zones in the US you'd get threatened or charged with trespassing if you just wandered into an area like that. At best, you'd be escorted out, at worst, escorted out... in handcuffs, to a police vehicle.

I don't think that's true at all.  I have walked on several US construction sites and never had a problem.  Like anything, use good juddgement, and don't go on site if there is someone who is going to ask you to leave.  Rural sites are much less problem than urban ones.
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

MNHighwayMan

#1033
Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on June 18, 2018, 09:59:16 AM
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on June 18, 2018, 08:31:53 AM
Yeah, in most construction zones in the US you'd get threatened or charged with trespassing if you just wandered into an area like that. At best, you'd be escorted out, at worst, escorted out… in handcuffs, to a police vehicle.
I don't think that's true at all.  I have walked on several US construction sites and never had a problem.  Like anything, use good juddgement, and don't go on site if there is someone who is going to ask you to leave.  Rural sites are much less problem than urban ones.

Well, you're right, it probably depends on several factors. I might've been exaggerating a little bit, but I definitely do think the consequences of being caught in the US are more likely to have worse outcomes than in Canada, especially if you're seen taking pictures, what with the collective national paranoia a lot of people seem to have.

J N Winkler

I've followed AsphaltPlanet's approach at many construction sites over the years and not had a problem.  The 2013 Wichita road meet included a stop at the I-235/13th Street flyover, which was then under construction, and several of us inspected pier foundations without being bothered.  This was in a suburban setting next to a flood control levee, with easy access from neighborhood streets.

I haven't checked how many construction contracts in the US include requirements to maintain perimeter security in their specifications, let alone include appurtenances such as site fencing as pay items.  The general rule of thumb is that unless there is a clear justification in terms of liability or loss prevention, contractors don't want to shrink their profit margins by paying extra for site security.  They will take it seriously, however, for projects in bad urban neighborhoods where there is a real risk of materials or equipment being stolen.

In the EU it may be different because construction contracts (presumably in response to an EU directive) invariably have a health-and-safety section in their documentation that addresses site safety, such as requirements for protective apparel.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

jakeroot

Quote from: J N Winkler on June 18, 2018, 10:30:14 AM
In the EU it may be different because construction contracts (presumably in response to an EU directive) invariably have a health-and-safety section in their documentation that addresses site safety, such as requirements for protective apparel.

Warnings for such protective apparel are all over fenced construction sites here. Virtually all construction sites I've seen have hard-hat warnings in Washington. I believe OSHA laws here in WA are pretty similar to CA, which may explain all the warnings.

When Steve, myself, and several others attempted to visit the the 520 construction site in the Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle (back in 2014), we were politely told to leave. Security immediately located us. No police involved but they weren't letting us continue. There wasn't any construction occuring that day; I think the security guard was the only one there.

AsphaltPlanet

At the 2004 Ontario Roads Meet in Hamilton, security asked us to the leave the site when we were checking out the then under construction Red Hill Valley Parkway.  It's been a long time (more than 14 years!), but I think the security staff may have watched us until we left.

I have also been scolded for taking photos of the 401 extension in Windsor.  While I was in an area that didn't have construction equipment working, I was there on a weekday so there was a lot of activity around the site.

Both those examples were projects in urban areas.  Rural areas are less likely to have looky-loos, so security is less-stringent, particularly on a Sunday.

Off the top of my head I remember checking out construction for the US-219 extension south of Buffalo, and I-99 in Pennsylvania and not having any problems.  When I visited Seattle a couple of years ago, I didn't venture into the SR-520 construction site, or the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement project since there was so much active construction.  I did venture up to a semi-accessible public vantage point to take a photo of the Alaskan Viaduct construction project when I was there however.
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.


AsphaltPlanet

A recent view of the 401 widening through Mississauga, taken earlier this week:


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_401_images/401_cl_337_east_C_Jun25-18_24x16.jpg
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

AsphaltPlanet

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

Stephane Dumas

Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on June 28, 2018, 01:27:49 PM

Some views of the twinning work underway between Nipigon and Red Rock, northeasterly of Thunder Bay, Ontario.  These photos were taken by me just over two weeks ago.


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_11_images/11_cl_1337_west_Jun18_24x16.jpg

That photo reminded me a bit of PQ-175 twinning in the Laurentides Park a decade ago.  Being in the Canadian shield and transmission power lines who follow the roads, there's some similarities when we compared some photos posted by Richard3.
https://richard3.net/2008/09/01/route-175-1-au-camp-jacques-cartier/
https://richard3.net/2008/09/22/qc-175-entre-laterriere-et-la-route-169/

andrepoiy

Quote from: 7/8 on May 26, 2018, 02:22:34 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on May 26, 2018, 02:07:14 PM
Does Ontario use any physical delineation between the HOV and GP lanes? Nothing is used here in Seattle along the 405, and cars seem to love jumping in and out at random.

The only delineation is a striped buffer, so there isn't any physical barrier preventing people from changing lanes. I don't drive on HOV roads often enough to know how common it is for people to illegally cross the buffer.

Here's a typical HOV lane setup from the MTO website taken from this webpage:


People jump across the lanes. It's not common, but it's not uncommon either.




compdude787

Wow, looking pretty nice so far!

AsphaltPlanet

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


jakeroot

Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on October 01, 2018, 09:40:13 AM
Some photos of the recently twinned section of Trans Canada Highway between Red Rock and Nipigon.  The eastbound lanes are finished, but construction is still ongoing on the westbound lanes.


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_11_images/11_cl_1336-5_west_t_Sep18_24x16.jpg

Very wide median! Is that the standard width for rural divided highways in Ontario? Wide medians are unusual over here in BC.

AsphaltPlanet

Wide medians are pretty common in Ontario.  Anywhere between 22.5m and 30m are pretty well the standard.  I think this highway has a 30m wide median.

I know BC tends to build narrower highways, but I wouldn't consider BC to be the hallmark of good highway design either.
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.



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.