[KA1]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/real...the-road-at-ontario-pit-stops/article1690520/

You luck guys. The link to the article is here.

Also, see post # 62 above

 

[nfitz]

I had my first look at one of the new structures on the westbound 401 just west of Trenton. It is large and "air-y" looking.

I haven't seen this one, but last month I saw both the ones furthest east on both the eastbound and westbound (right near the border). Both seemed quite small; shockingly small compared to the new one Quebec has built eastbound on the border. The food wasn't open yet ... but still it was surprising how little space there was, and seemed no bigger than the facilities they are replacing.

The brand name for these centres is ONroute. The logo on the highway signs has white lettering on a distinctive pale green background.

The highway signs seemed very poorly designed, and are hard to see at night. It's not actually clear that they are service centres, as it doesn't say that on the sign!

 

[marcus_a_j]

I stopped at the westbound one east of Trenton and took a whole bunch of photos. I will try to post them soon. My initial reactions were positive. The only downside is that each "Onroute" station has the same building design from what I could tell by the other stations that were partially completed/framed.

 

[Swarley]

If it's a good design then I wouldn't really care if they're all the same. It's not like you're going to see anything unique at a highway rest stop anyway.

 

[gweed123]

I never understood why they build these service centres so far between exits. To me, it would make more sense to locate them at an interchange (pick 1 of the 4 corners), and put it there. Saves on infrastructure costs (you're using the existing interchange), and it makes it more accessible for deliveries and staff. It would also give competing businesses a location to set up near. You would also only need to build one, not two. A good example of this (although I don't think it's government-owned or run), is the centre in Grimsby, just off the QEW at Casablanca Blvd.

 

[EnviroTO]

They also have one with Tim's, Wendys, Pizza Pizza, Subway just before reaching Brantford on the 403. The purpose of the service centers is to not have to exit the freeway and get stuck at a light. The infrastructure costs really aren't that high for the Ontario ones because no bridges are built. As far as leasing rates go, the benefit 'giving competing businesses a location to set up near' isn't a benefit at all. In any case there probably isn't much to stop companies from setting up off the interchange services as it is now.

 

[Mapleson]

I never understood why they build these service centres so far between exits. To me, it would make more sense to locate them at an interchange (pick 1 of the 4 corners), and put it there. Saves on infrastructure costs (you're using the existing interchange), and it makes it more accessible for deliveries and staff. It would also give competing businesses a location to set up near. You would also only need to build one, not two. A good example of this (although I don't think it's government-owned or run), is the centre in Grimsby, just off the QEW at Casablanca Blvd.

A service centre by definition is located between exits. If you have services at/near an exit, you don't need a service centre nearby. Where you have large stretches without exits or nearby urban cores is where Service Centres are needed.

As a general rule, they are meant for truckers and vacationers, not 9-5 commuters.

 

[ShonTron]

Ontario is unique in offering these services along non-tolled highways. They are popular in the US, but only on long-distance toll highways. Along non-tolled interstates, however, there are some exits in the middle of nowhere where there's a huge cluster of gas stations and fast food outlets, like on Interstate 5 through the San Joaquin Valley or Interstate 79 between Erie and Pittsburgh, or along many rural interstates elsewhere, with gigantic signs meant to pierce the horizon. I can't think of anywhere like that in Ontario except one or two spots along Highway 417, which was built without service centres. Otherwise all these clusters are only found in urban areas (towns of at least 20,000) along the 401. If this was the US, places like Tilbury or Gananoque or Ingersol would be fast food meccas.

 

[nfitz]

Ontario is unique in offering these services along non-tolled highways.

They have them in Quebec ... there's even that brand new one eastbound on 20, just after the 401 runs into it.

I've seen service centres on non-tolled highways in several countries. They are extremely common in England; I can even think of a couple in New Zealand - which only has a few kilometres of motorway.

 

[vistaway]

Indeed, in the UK motorway services are spaced at 30-mile intervals!