Does Canada need a comprehensive limited-access highway system?

[Quillz]

I'm not talking about the Trans-Canada Highway so much as I am talking about a Canadian equivalent to the American Interstate highways. The Trans-Canada Highway varies between limited-access freeways and rural roads. Thus, you could not be on a limited-access, high-speed freeway that bisects the entire nation the way you can do that in the USA.

According to Wikipedia: "Canada does not have a comprehensive national highway system, as decisions about highway and freeway construction are entirely under the jurisdiction of the individual provinces. In 2000 and 2001, the government of Jean Chrétien considered funding an infrastructure project to have the full Trans-Canada system converted to freeway. Although freeway construction funding was made available to some provinces for portions of the system, the government ultimately decided not to pursue a comprehensive highway conversion. Opposition to funding the freeway upgrade was due to low traffic levels on parts of the Trans-Canada. Other provinces preferred the money going towards improving vital trade routes (often not inter-provincial)."

But, if you live in Canada, would you like having a full limited-access highway system, similar to Interstate highways? I can certainly see why the nation may not necessarily need it, but on the other hand, there is a certain convenience factor.

[Alps]

What is the convenience factor? Elaborate. You really mean controlled-access system, though. Limited access is an expressway. I don't see why I-15 or I-90 in Montana, I-94 in North Dakota, etc. couldn't be an expressway instead of a freeway.

[Quillz]

Yes, that's what I meant. I was using the term to mean the same thing, but obviously that was wrong.

[AZDude]

The convenience factor is not having to deal with cross traffic.  Also the ability to leagally drive at higher speeds,

[JREwing78]

There is so much of Canada that's so sparsely populated that there's no functional difference between employing a limited-access cross-continental freeway and a controlled-access expressway. In other words, the side-road traffic isn't enough to warrant a freeway. If it was, Canada would've built one.

I could see limited merit in 4-laning the Trans-Canada Highway between Winnipeg and Sault Ste. Marie, ON, from a safety standpoint, and if Canada was ever bold enough to post 130km/h speed limits on such roads. But, it's 60 miles shorter to go through the United States, through regions that are far less remote.

Judging from the traffic on the International Bridge in Sault Ste. Marie, on M-28 in Michigan's UP, and on Ontario's portion of the Trans-Canada Highway, the demand just isn't there. Hell, Ontario is just now 4-laning ON-17 between Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie. That's about as far as it's going to get short of Thunder Bay gaining significant population and industrial growth.

[vdeane]

The convenience factor is not having to deal with cross traffic.  Also the ability to leagally drive at higher speeds,

Unless the other provinces are unlike Ontario and Quebec it doesn't make a difference.  100 km/h no matter if it's a two lane road or a four lane freeway.

[ghYHZ]

Unless the other provinces are unlike Ontario and Quebec it doesn't make a difference.  100 km/h no matter if it's a two lane road or a four lane freeway.

Four lane Freeways outside of the urban areas in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are 110 km/h.

[aridawn]

Unless the other provinces are unlike Ontario and Quebec it doesn't make a difference.  100 km/h no matter if it's a two lane road or a four lane freeway.

Four lane Freeways outside of the urban areas in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are 110 km/h.

With the exception of Ontario, and Quebec, most roads in Canada that are expressway standard and are posted at 110km/h . In ON/QC, only freeways are posted at 100km/h.

Also, yes it my be shorter to go through the US when going west, but with the border regulations as they are, the only 'In-Transit" traffic going through the UP of Michigan is auto traffic. Back in the 90's and early 2000's the cross border traffic was high and it did warrant a couple of improvements along M-28 and US-2.

[Duke87]

Even 110 kph is only 68 mph. There are plenty of highways in the western US signed at 75 (and above), is there really nowhere in Canada that can handle 120?
Ontario's refusal to ever post above 100 is especially stupid. Some rural parts of the 401 are screaming to be 110.

More directly on topic, I concur with the sentiment that Canada is sparsely populated enough that just having a divided highway suffices in most circumstances.

[Alps]

Even 110 kph is only 68 mph. There are plenty of highways in the western US signed at 75 (and above), is there really nowhere in Canada that can handle 120?
Ontario's refusal to ever post above 100 is especially stupid. Some rural parts of the 401 are screaming to be 110.

More directly on topic, I concur with the sentiment that Canada is sparsely populated enough that just having a divided highway suffices in most circumstances.

Canada is divided up a little differently. You have consistent density of farms and side roads when you're in the plains. Obviously, roads are twisty in the mountains. There are no freeways outside urbanized areas, so no empty place guaranteed free of cross traffic. The freeways that do exist have exits at a lot of minor roads. All in all, I don't think you have roads comparable to most of those signed at 75. I'm of course aware that Texas will sign anything at 75, but that's a little too extreme.

[Dr Frankenstein]

Posting freeways and low-AADT divided highways at 110 would be a good idea though.

[Brandon]

Even 110 kph is only 68 mph. There are plenty of highways in the western US signed at 75 (and above), is there really nowhere in Canada that can handle 120?

I would think that Alberta 2 could easily handle 120kph, and the more rural sections of Ontario's system could also handle 120kph.  Even the at-grade expressways in the prairies could handle 110kph.

[Dr Frankenstein]

[...]Even the at-grade expressways in the prairies could handle 110kph.

And I think Alberta already posts them at 110.