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Ontario's Highways

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

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cl94

Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on October 23, 2015, 08:16:11 AM
There isn't a date, the construction activity is dependent upon the temperature.

For example, it should be 7 degrees or warmer when applying HL1 hot mix asphalt, and concrete cannot be allowed the freeze during its curing phase or it will be damaged by the expansion.  There are ways to cure concrete in the cold, it just gets more expensive for the contractor to pour concrete because they have to supply some form of winter heat.

Which means the construction season is just about over. On the other side of the Niagara River, it was 2 this morning. Stuff over here is wrapping up and we follow a similar schedule.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

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cbeach40

Quote from: cl94 on October 23, 2015, 11:08:48 AM
Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on October 23, 2015, 08:16:11 AM
There isn't a date, the construction activity is dependent upon the temperature.

For example, it should be 7 degrees or warmer when applying HL1 hot mix asphalt, and concrete cannot be allowed the freeze during its curing phase or it will be damaged by the expansion.  There are ways to cure concrete in the cold, it just gets more expensive for the contractor to pour concrete because they have to supply some form of winter heat.

Which means the construction season is just about over. On the other side of the Niagara River, it was 2 this morning. Stuff over here is wrapping up and we follow a similar schedule.

Well, that's the low, but through the day when it's warmer they'll be working for sure. Typically we expect a cut-off of November 30th, but seeing work going on into mid-late December is not unheard of in the southwestern part of the province.
and waterrrrrrr!

SignGeek101

According to Google, the 406 upgrading work is now complete. Now we can all say that the 400 series are freeways exclusively.  :clap:

Haven't found anything official from the MTO news feed yet though.

AsphaltPlanet

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

MrDisco99

Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on October 30, 2015, 08:45:09 PM
CBC Marketplace show on the low speed limits of Ontario:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/marketplace-speed-limits-1.3292975

I wondered what locals thought of this when I drove through there last month.  I was surprised to see the limit was only 100 along the entire length of 401.  Having foreign plates, I tried to stay under the radar by setting cruise at 110, and had to stay out of everyone's way because I was getting passed by everyone, except some trucks which likely are governed to do the limit.  I can see how this can cause some problems.

Here in the US speed limits are typically 65 or 70 mph between cities, and go up to 75 or 80 mph out west.  I've also driven in the UK and Ireland which has speed limits of 70mph and 120kph on their motorways respectively.  I've found that where the speed limits are higher, you tend to see less variance in the speed of traffic.  You're always going to have a few menaces weaving through traffic at 150kph, but the majority of the traffic stays in a narrower speed range and results in smoother, safer flowing traffic.

AsphaltPlanet

Some updated information about the 407 East Extension in the eastern GTA.  These pictures were taken on November 7, 2015

Some of the new signage has gone up on the 401.  To my knowledge, this is the only new signage that has been erected for the highway:

http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_401_images/401_dv_405-5_east_Nov15_lg.jpg
http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_401_images/401_dv_405-5_east_Nov15_24x16.jpg


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_401_images/401_dv_406_east_Nov15_lg.jpg
http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_401_images/401_dv_406_east_Nov15_24x16.jpg
The sign for the Lake Ridge Road interchange pre-dates almost all construction of the ramp itself.


Top coat asphalt has been applied to much of the future highway west of the Lake Ridge Road interchange.  Lines were applied at some point earlier this week.  Most of the highway is not this far advanced.  These views are from just west of Sideline 14 in Pickering, and look east:

http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_407-409_images/407E/2015/11-Nov/407E_cl_109_east_lg_24x16.jpg
http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_407-409_images/407E/2015/11-Nov/407E_cl_109_east_t_Nov15_24x16.jpg

This view looks westerly from the Salem Road interchange:

http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_407-409_images/407E/2015/11-Nov/407E_cl_112_west_WB_t_Nov15_lg.jpg
http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_407-409_images/407E/2015/11-Nov/407E_cl_112_west_WB_t_Nov15_24x16.jpg

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

SignGeek101

Quote from: AsphaltPlanet on November 07, 2015, 06:36:30 PM
Some updated information about the 407 East Extension in the eastern GTA.  These pictures were taken on November 7, 2015


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_401_images/401_dv_406_east_Nov15_lg.jpg
http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_401_images/401_dv_406_east_Nov15_24x16.jpg
The sign for the Lake Ridge Road interchange pre-dates almost all construction of the ramp itself.

Like the signage for the toll the MTO put up. Although I wish the text were a bit larger, so it's actually readable. The text looks like it's 15 cm letter height or something  :-/

I wonder why the signs weren't simply covered up. Those exits won't be open for months probably.

AsphaltPlanet

^I don't know.  I had been expecting the signs to be covered up as well.  I had noticed the posts for the gantries had been erected a couple of weeks ago.  I read about the signs being erected in another forum earlier this week and was quite surprised.  I kind of think that the signs were erected this far in advance as a bit of an advertisement for the new highway, but maybe I'm just over thinking it...
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AsphaltPlanet

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

SignGeek101

How many lanes will the 412 be? From the pictures it looks like there could be around 2-3 per direction.

Completely off topic, but I'm a little surprised there's no snow there yet. We just got our first snowfall here.

cl94

Quote from: SignGeek101 on November 21, 2015, 06:18:00 PM
How many lanes will the 412 be? From the pictures it looks like there could be around 2-3 per direction.

Completely off topic, but I'm a little surprised there's no snow there yet. We just got our first snowfall here.

This area has gotten very little so far. Quite unusual. Even the snowbelt south of Buffalo has barely gotten anything. The heavy snow that fell on the plains is coming down as rain. The region might get some measurable stuff on Monday, but that's about it.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

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AsphaltPlanet

No snow for Toronto as of yet.  The weather people are saying that some areas to the north and west of Toronto (probably in the traditional snow belt areas east of Lake Huron) could get up to 15cm of snow tonight.

The 412 will be four lanes (two per direction) when it opens.
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SignGeek101

An update on the Nipigon River Bridge:

http://www.enl-tbay.com/NipigonBridge/PhotoAlbumFall2015.html

Obviously, the pictures aren't mine.

AsphaltPlanet

That's a cool project.

They are supposed to be transferring traffic over to the new span at some point in the near future (if they haven't already).
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

AsphaltPlanet

I have completed an update to the 407 East Extension Construction Page.  These photos were taken earlier in November.  Construction i still ongoing, so things may have changed somewhat since these photos were taken:


Easterly view from Brock Road


The Sideline 14 overpass


Westerly view from Salem Road


Three level Highway 407/412 interchange


The Anderson Road overpass situated behind a big brother gantry


Un-completed Simcoe Street overpass


Crossing of the east branch of Oshawa Creek near the eastern terminus of the Phase 1 extension.

All of the photos are available here:
http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_407-409_images/407E/Hwy407_ConstructionImages.htm#Nov15
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

haljackey

Don Valley Parkway at Eglinton Avenue in Toronto

Former cloverleaf.



Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ai360/19863133985/in/dateposted/

SignGeek101


AsphaltPlanet

HOT lanes will be debuting in Ontario next year.  The full details haven't been made public yet, but the pilot project is loosely based on the permit system that was used in Utah before they went to all-electronic tolling.

Also of note in the linked article is the scheduled completion date of the 427 extension as 2021, and if it's correct, that the 427 extension will open with four general purpose lanes (two per direction), and two HOT lanes (one per direction) as far north of Rutherford, instead of the more expected six general purpose lane cross-section that I had envisioned.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/12/07/toll-lanes-coming-to-ontario-highways.html
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

SignGeek101

Interesting. Looks like Ontario is more so adapting US style tolling on its roads. I guess perhaps the HOV system didn't work as well as MTO thought it would, or maybe they want to establish a larger transportation budget in the future? I wonder how they will implement a HOT system.

On another subject, it appears the 407E has been formally delayed to next Spring. But we all knew that was going to happen  ;-)

AsphaltPlanet

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

Transportfan

^If the MTO is planning to widen 401 east towards Whitby, why are the the piers on the new overpass so close together?

AsphaltPlanet

#471
Collector lanes:


http://www.407eastphase1.ca/wp-content/gallery/segment-b-1/pic3-structure_b1_corrected.jpg

For interests sake, the structure design was somewhat neutred during the detailed design from what had been proposed in the preliminary design.  The preliminary design had proposed longer cast in place structures that are more typical of Ontario's highways:
http://asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_407-409_images/407E/Plates/Plate-12---407-East---WDL2---Rossland-Rd.jpg
(This image doesn't show the 401 in final configuration).
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

cbeach40

Quote from: Transportfan on December 11, 2015, 12:52:14 AM
^If the MTO is planning to widen 401 east towards Whitby, why are the the piers on the new overpass so close together?

Any widening would likely be done in a core-collector configuration.
and waterrrrrrr!

MisterSG1

407 East toll prices, man the government finds more ways to screw us.

Let's do some comparison

407 ETR 34.73 cents per km between 4pm and 6pm on weekdays

407 East 29 cents per km between 4pm and 6pm on weekdays

407 ETR 19.74 cents per km between 7pm and 6am on weekdays

407 East 19 cents per km between 7pm and 6am on weekdays

Of course I am not surprised by this at all, a growing sunshine list has to find more ways to keep it sustainable, these aren't taxes but "revenue tools". I thought the original purpose of a toll road is for maintenance of the toll road. Our counterparts even in WNY sees this kind of nonsense there, it costs a dollar to use the Grand Island Bridges, yet those bridges are in fairly rotten shape, the money goes right from the toll collectors hand into a slush fund in Albany.

On the topic of Western New York, the distance from the Lackawanna Barrier to the Ripley Barrier on the Thruway is around the same length of the original 407 ETR, yet that only costs around $3 to travel. God only knows how much it costs to drive the entire length of the 407.

But hey, it's all social engineering, the people in charge of the MTO and the City of Toronto are trying to make driving the new smoking so to speak. Think about it, what new real road infrastructure have we got since the opening of Hwy 407 ETR. A measely 410 and 404 extension. Maybe a widening here and there on parts of the 401 in the GTA like from Westney to Salem. We did however get many HOV lanes which are completely unfair and do absolutely nothing to help commercial traffic. The fact that the powers that be swiftly built an HOV only ramp, or a rail viaduct to the airport really is telling. That rail structure to the airport is arguably just as much as an "eyesore" as the Gardiner expressway, but hey, no one ever complains if the purpose of the said structure is used solely for public transit.

Am I anti public transit, I am not at all. However, I am for worthwhile public transportation, building LRTs like the ones proposed in Transit City are not really worth the investment, considering how light syncing could never be achieved to make the LRTs efficient. Take a look at the Highway 7 "Rapidway" and just watch how often the buses sit at lights in their dedicated lane in the middle of the road. The LRTs are exactly that but will use a "streetcar" like vehicle, yes, powered by a wire overhead. Also, what I don't get is the somehow backwards inefficiency we face with construction nowadays with regards to how much we have moved forward in technology. For instance, PRIVATE COMPANIES built the original subway lines in NYC, such as the BMT and IRT. Yet to build a subway line in NYC or here takes over a decade and costs billions of dollars. The question is why? How much of that often repeated $300 million dollar per km cost is actually bureaucracy?

Equally frustrating is how governments say they have no money for anything, yet the feds were able to magically use money for the 25,000 syrian "refugees". Yeah, Toronto is one of the best cities in the world, it just takes you hours to get anywhere in this city. We have bad enough traffic already, and what does the city want to do, oh yeah, knock down the Gardiner. There was a time when people had vision in this region, Frederick G Gardiner, the man the expressway was named after was responsible for getting the original Yonge line off the ground. There is always the story about the Bloor Viaduct, when that was built in the 1920s, somehow, the people knew in the future that there would be a subway line running underneath, so they built the viaduct with the intention to be able to run subway trains underneath, and that was a very good decision.

While the city could do without a Spadina Expressway, the decision to derail the 400 extension and the Gardiner extension were extremely bad moves that have real consequences today. People need to understand that not everyone is heading downtown, I go into the core every day, and I use the GO Train, because it's convenient for me, I'm only about a mile walk out of Union Station, so I take the train everyday. What about the person who lives in Brampton and has a job at Markham/401 area, they have no other choice but to use the 401 in that case. Better yet, what about a Bramptonian who works in Port Credit, want to spend hours on transit buses, I'm sure most don't. There are so many simple things they could do to make GO better, but they don't. In Los Angeles of all places, their equivalent to GO, called Metrolink, one of our lines has more riders than their whole system, yet they get all day two way service on all lines. What do they do, they don't run those giant 12 coach trains, there is no reason why every other line can't have 4 or 6 coach trains in not peak times that run all day. Consider that Metrolink is in LA, basically car capital of North America.

This is my rant for now and it shows my complete frustrations with  the city and region. I want this city to work, I really do, but the powers that be just make bonehead move after bonehead move after bonehead move.

cl94

Actually, it doesn't all go to a slush fund in Albany. The people who say that are the same ones who think New York City gets all of the state's tax revenue (they get less back per dollar paid than anyone else) and Niagara Falls power goes to New York City (it mostly goes to factories in Upstate New York with a lot staying in Niagara Falls, Buffalo, and the surrounding area). Most of it goes to pay salaries of the toll collectors (who have been there long enough to be making a decent salary) and engineering/maintenance personnel, as well as the ongoing redecking projects (at ~$50 million per deck) and bridge work along the mainline that will start shortly.

Also, 407 was designed to be express lanes to let people bypass 401. Don't compare it to the Thruway. Compare it to, say, the I-495 Express Lanes that hit $1/mile during a typical rush hour and can go much higher depending on traffic. That's a heck of a lot more per km than 407 even without the currency conversion. Also, it's an urban area. Urban tolls are often higher than rural tolls.
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)



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