[Haljackey]

I was not aware any of the 400-series highways having a design speed over 130 km/hr. Which one are you thinking?

It's mainly the curves that have a design speed of 130 km/h. Most straight sections can have 130+ design speeds... just look at the German Autobahns with no posted limit. The real factor here is safety. How safe is the roadway and how long are the accel/decel lanes? Most rural sections of the 401 that are straight and have a concrete median with inner and outer shoulders can easily handle traffic without speed restrictions. 130-150 is the recommended speed for these spans but a lot of people do 180+ in Germany and other places with no limit.

I'm not saying that having no restrictions would work for Ontario, but if you were driving closer to the actual design speed it wouldn't feel like you're crawling down the highway. People might actually obey a 120 or 130 speed limit (110 or so in urban areas and in poor weather conditions), thus it could make the road safer.

 

[nfitz]

It's mainly the curves that have a design speed of 130 km/h. Most straight sections can have 130+ design speeds...

When I was doing highway design in school, and going through the MTO manuals, I never once saw roads that were designed to different design speeds for the curves compared to the straight sections.

I think your overreading the situation.

 

[howl]

The biggest problem with freeways/expressways/divided-highways is that they are controlled-access. That means when you convert a regular road to a freeway all the local streets and driveways have to be connected to some other access road. Turning Highway 7 into a controlled-access highway would be next to impossible for this reason. The cheaper solution would be to build a new parallel highway a few km to the north or south.

 

[nfitz]

The biggest problem with freeways/expressways/divided-highways is that they are controlled-access. That means when you convert a regular road to a freeway all the local streets and driveways have to be connected to some other access road. Turning Highway 7 into a controlled-access highway would be next to impossible for this reason. The cheaper solution would be to build a new parallel highway a few km to the north or south.

There are lots of divided highways that aren't controlled access, particularly in more remote areas. Look at parts of Highway 11 to North Bay. Or parts of the Trans Canada in the western provinces. Not to mention over countries.

 

[howl]

Divided highways that allow local access are death to retail establishments and property values. No one want to operate a business or live in a house where you have to go two km or more out of your way just to get turned around. Most of the business along 35/115 that aren't right at an overpass have been abandon or are on their way out. If you divided the existing Highway 7 from Peterborough to Ottawa the logistics of rerouting everyone would be a nighmare and the impact on existing local businesses would be devastating.

 

[nfitz]

I'm sure you all remember the protests back in the 1950s and 1960s, particularily in the USA, about towns that were going to get all their traffic bypassing them on the Interstate rather than rolling through town, and stopping for gas and food.

Which I've always believed is why I there seem to be so many towns in New York (and probably elsewhere) where there is an partial interchange at both ends of town ... and once you've come off for gas, you're forced to drive through the entire town to get back to the highway! Don't you love when politics!

 

[gweed123]

Divided highways that allow local access are death to retail establishments and property values. No one want to operate a business or live in a house where you have to go two km or more out of your way just to get turned around. Most of the business along 35/115 that aren't right at an overpass have been abandon or are on their way out. If you divided the existing Highway 7 from Peterborough to Ottawa the logistics of rerouting everyone would be a nighmare and the impact on existing local businesses would be devastating.

Highway 35 is a bit of an abberation. What I was alluding to is most of the state highways in the US, they are very similar to an avenue (4 lanes + median)... And I really don't think that they would be a detriment to businesses, especially if the widening would mean more people using the highway. And they provide U-turn locations every 1km or less. In fact, Highway 7 has side street turn-offs every 500m or so in most spots. It's really not as big of an issue as you're making it out to be.

 

[waterloowarrior]

http://www.mykawartha.com/news-story/4412563-friday-focus-is-hwy-7-the-lost-highway-/

may be getting an update soon

According, to Brandy Duhaime, regional communications coordinator for the Ministry of Transportation, a series of long-range planning studies are in the works to help provide the Province with a long-term perspective on "movement of people and goods" in Peterborough and along Hwy 7. The information collected will be used to assess current and future transportation needs, and to develop a transportation strategy for each area. The studies will also help direct provincial plans, policy and help set investment priorities, Ms Duhaime says in an emailed response.

It's unclear whether the findings will eventually lead to road work east of Peterborough along the highway.

Draft transportation strategies will be made public at www.Peterborohwy7studies.ca once municipalities and stakeholders have had a chance to comment sometime in early 2014.

 

[mrmadoc]

I hope this project moves forward in the near future. As someone previously mentioned, the speed limit should immediately be increased to 90km/h as a stop gap measure. Highway 7 has already had a noticable increase in traffic, especially over the summer months around Madoc. When the 407 is complete in a year or two it will only get worse. It's hard to believe the government would sink any money into widening highway 401 before fixing this major hole in our transportation network. Completing this road will take a large percentage of vechicles off highway 401 and finally connect Toronto and Ottawa directly with a proper freeway. Hopefully our new government recognises this!

 

[nfitz]

I hope this project moves forward in the near future

What's near future in a thread that's been all but dead for near 9 years? 2025? Or 2045?

I'll put my money on 2065!

 

[Leo_Chan]

What’s more important from a regional sense though? This (Highway 115-417) or Highway 413 (GTA West 401/407-400)?

 

[mrmadoc]

What's near future in a thread that's been all but dead for near 9 years? 2025? Or 2045?

I'll put my money on 2065!

I hope not, this should have been upgraded to a limited access freeway 50 years ago. Was hoping my post would revive some attention online as well as the planned via route in the corridor - which is also a long time coming!

 

[mrmadoc]

What’s more important from a regional sense though? This (Highway 115-417) or Highway 413 (GTA West 401/407-400)?

Highway 7 between Peterborough and Carelton Place is the most important from a provincial perspective. It's the missing link between Toronto and Ottawa, the direct route. 115 is already a 4 lane controlled access freeway which connects Toronto to Ottawa and the expansion of 7 between Peterborough and Carelton place would complete the route to Ottawa. Traffic on the 401 would drop substantially as a result. Yes the 400 expansion project is important but not nearly as important as a proper highway between the nation's capital and largest city.

 

[crs1026]

Highway 7 between Peterborough and Carelton Place is the most important from a provincial perspective. It's the missing link between Toronto and Ottawa, the direct route. 115 is already a 4 lane controlled access freeway which connects Toronto to Ottawa and the expansion of 7 between Peterborough and Carelton place would complete the route to Ottawa. Traffic on the 401 would drop substantially as a result. Yes the 400 expansion project is important but not nearly as important as a proper highway between the nation's capital and largest city.

While the 7 is not 400-highway quality, it's a decent drive, and except for Holiday weekends I have never had a serious delay on it. So while it may look like a missing link on paper, I can't see the value added in upgrading it.

I can't imagine that we would incur that capital cost, with the environmental impact that would accompany it, in preference to rebuilding the parallel rail line, which is probably a much cheaper proposition. I'm not a huge fan of that route as VIA's backbone line, but it would be a travesty to deny the VIA proposal and then throw the same amount of money into a highway for the same route.

- Paul

 

[mrmadoc]

Yes it would be a travesty to deny the VIA proposal, I'm advocating for both. Build it and the drivers/riders will come. Madoc, Marmora, and Tweed are all shadows of the towns they once were, largely due to a lack of transportation in the central corridor. I drive highway 7 every day for work and while it would be an expensive upgrade for sure, I believe the economic benefits would outweigh the costs due to the reduced travel times. Ottawa, Toronto, Peterborough, and Perth would benefit the most as would all the smaller towns along the way.