[innsertnamehere]

we are looking at a month and a half to 2016, there is no way it will finish by then.

 

[gweed123]

we are looking at a month and a half to 2016, there is no way it will finish by then.

One of the benefits of working with a closed roadway vs doing work on an open road (like the 410 work) is that there isn't the requirement to maintain traffic flow. That could potentially allow them to finish things off a lot faster. But I agree that the end of 2015 looks like a stretch, especially if the weather takes a bad turn, which it's likely to do given the mild weather we've had so far (i.e. we're due for a whopper of a storm).

 

[innsertnamehere]

as posted on SSP by user Sonysnob:


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_...015/11-Nov/407E_cl_109_east_t_Nov15_24x16.jpg

This view looks westerly from the Salem Road interchange:

http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_...015/11-Nov/407E_cl_112_west_WB_t_Nov15_lg.jpg
http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_.../11-Nov/407E_cl_112_west_WB_t_Nov15_24x16.jpg

More to come...

 

[BurlOak]

The median shoulder on those Salem Road pictures seems narrow (next to the port-o-potty). I thought the left shoulder should be 2.5m on a freeway with more than 2 lanes. (is it actually 2 lanes and that's a speed change lane in the photo)?

 

[innsertnamehere]

looks like 2.5m to me. And no, its a 6 lane road.

 

[Transportfan]

Ontario builds the ugliest freeways now. A second gravel shoulder outside the paved shoulder. Looks terrible.

 

[Markster]

Does that sign say the 412 is a toll road? I thought it was going to be non toll?

 

[innsertnamehere]

nope, that was the original rumour, but MTO long ago confirmed that it would be tolled.

 

[Megaton327]

nope, that was the original rumour, but MTO long ago confirmed that it would be tolled.

Entirety of 412, 418, and 407E will be tolled.

 

[Haljackey]

Ontario builds the ugliest freeways now. A second gravel shoulder outside the paved shoulder. Looks terrible.

Never really noticed this but I can see benefits:
-A shoulder on a shoulder means emergency vehicles can better bypass traffic if vehicles are stopped/broken down on the shoulder
-Snow can be piled here, leaving the shoulder clear
-Can be converted to additional lanes more easily (if ever needed in the future)
-Better drainage?

 

[marcus_a_j]

A little weird seeing "407" within Ontario's crown highway symbol as opposed to the oval-esque logo used for the ETR.

 

[nfitz]

A little weird seeing "407" within Ontario's crown highway symbol as opposed to the oval-esque logo used for the ETR.

Good catch. Hopefully they get their act together, and use the same transponders as ETR.

 

[Megaton327]

A little weird seeing "407" within Ontario's crown highway symbol as opposed to the oval-esque logo used for the ETR.

To be clear--not sure if you're just commenting on the novelty, or unsure if that's correct--the eastern extension of the 407, along with the 412 and 418, is going to remain owned and operated by the provincial government, so the crown highway symbol is indeed the correct one.

Good catch. Hopefully they get their act together, and use the same transponders as ETR.

They have already stated that the same 407 ETR transponders will work seamlessly on the 407E/412/418, and even that charges will all appear on the same 407 bill. Source.

 

[nfitz]

They have already stated that the same 407 ETR transponders will work seamlessly on the 407E/412/418, and even that charges will all appear on the same 407 bill. Source.

Excellent! Now if only it would work at EZPass locations, and on Autoroute 25 in Montreal.

 

[gweed123]

Excellent! Now if only it would work at EZPass locations, and on Autoroute 25 in Montreal.

It will be interesting to see if, with all of this talk of tolling municipal expressways, if the 407ETR transponder becomes the "default" transponder for all tolls in the GTHA, or even across Ontario, regardless of the fact that it's run by a private company.

Would it be against the deal struck for the 407ETR to flip that arrangement? What I mean is, instead of using the 407ETR company to toll across the Province (even if the money is going to the Province), to have the Province set up it's own tolling agency, possibly rolled into Presto, and force the 407ETR to use that tolling system? Obviously 407ETR would still get the profits, but it would take the ability to toll back into Provincial hands.

407ETR is notorious for having pretty poor transparency when it comes to phantom charges on their bills, etc. That's the risk you take when you drive on the 407ETR, but I don't know if I would be comfortable with that same lack of transparency and accountability for error if I'm driving on a publicly owned toll road, where the tolling is managed by 407ETR. If I'm mis-charged, I would still be dealing with a private company, not the Province.