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I mean minus the inevitable bike lane this doesn't look all that different to me:

ya because its not from this decade.

screenshot from a modern highway overpass Poland (highway 2 Warsaw)
Screenshot 2021-11-18 142302.png
 
So you like ontarios highway design of 1 meter sidewalk beside 6 lane roads with cars going 70km/h. Or the on ramp design were the cars are speeding up to 100km/h while on the street, and forcing pedestrians to cross these on ramps at unsignalized crossings. Oh and the rotting concrete walls.
Lots of room for improvement here as well as elsewhere. Though I'm unsure where there's rotting concrete walls on new highways here or elsewhere!
 
In London a few over/underpasses have a little decoration-


Also the 418 got some maple leafs too

It's not much but it's something!
 
In London a few over/underpasses have a little decoration-


Also the 418 got some maple leafs too

It's not much but it's something!
Like I appreciate that the MTO does something. But I'm a firm believer that they need to create an urban highway design standard. This should balance community impact, pedestrian and cyclist safety, with traffic flow through highway on off ramps.

These standards should also try and minimize the footprint of highway in urban areas. And having a percentage for "art or beautifying" the infrastructure would be a good start.
 
The Queen Elizabeth Way used to be like that. Decorated to "show off" the highway. Then the volume of traffic necessitated the removal of those "decorations" for more spartan use. More likely to "save money".

8044121.png

Toronto’s “Lucky Lion”, on the monument erected in 1939 to commemorate the opening of the Queen Elizabeth Way. Photo is looking west,
From link.

c8687a0d4dccb4e3bf21ea4a5778_Gallery.jpg
From link.
 
I'm quite impressed with the details they included on the new bridges for 6th Line and Trafalgar over the 401. I don't have any pictures, but there is a textured detailing along the length of the bridge, and both have inset coloured figures on the abutments (a butterfly on one and wheat sheaves on the other as I recall).
 
I care more about how the highway and interchanges work for pedestrians and cyclists and nearby community that window dressing aesthetics.
Parclo A4s (the MTO standard) really aren't that great for walking across because of the high speeds and crossing the ramps. Unfortunately I can't really think of a way to fix that so easily.

This example from 409/ Martin Grove at least has lights to cross one of the ramps:
1637714367412.png
 

From the article:

-Get rid of slip lanes
-Signalize the ramps
-Separate pedestrian/cyclist paths entirely from car movements on different sides of the road

I would also add:

-Narrow the ramp lanes
-Increase turn radii with curb extensions
-Add rumble strips
-Improve sightlines for all road users and illumination
 

From the article:

-Get rid of slip lanes
-Signalize the ramps
-Separate pedestrian/cyclist paths entirely from car movements on different sides of the road

I would also add:

-Narrow the ramp lanes
-Increase turn radii with curb extensions
-Add rumble strips
-Improve sightlines for all road users and illumination
i personally favour square ramps, since they take up much less space. i know that they have an impact on traffic flow, but should be utilized in urban areas much more for the saved space. Plus when signalized, are much safer too, and with a dedicated right turn signal, can have a high traffic through put.
 

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