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Going eastbound on the QEW today, the new rebuilt ramp and bridge should be back to normal by the end of the month. New sound barrier walls going up.
 
Anyone know what's happening around the area where the 401 west, southbound 410 merge onto the 403? Around the Eglinton, Cawthra area. Construction going on, single lane closed off.
 
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Any know what's happening around the area where the 401 west, southbound 410 merge onto the 403? Around the Eglinton, Cawthra area. Construction going on, single lane closed off.
Bridge repair with exit lane from the express lane close to the collector/410 lanes. Had to go to Hurontario to back track when I hit the closure Sat night on our way home.
 
Does Red Hill add net traffic on eastbound QEW? I am assuming a lot of eastbound traffic on QEW would also exit to Red Hill making it net zero addition to QEW.
It does, for sure. The Linc-Red Hill combo is frequently used as a bypass route for truckers looking to get from the EB 403 to the Niagara-bound QEW. Commuter traffic is generally Skyway-bound in the AM and upbound in the PM, but the truck traffic is generally opposite of that, going to and from Niagara.
 
It does, for sure. The Linc-Red Hill combo is frequently used as a bypass route for truckers looking to get from the EB 403 to the Niagara-bound QEW. Commuter traffic is generally Skyway-bound in the AM and upbound in the PM, but the truck traffic is generally opposite of that, going to and from Niagara.
I drive that stretch regularly and it does not add net traffic towards Niagara. AADT drops by about 8% east of the Red Hill, which I already discussed above.

What does happen is a huge amount of "traffic exchange", with lots of vehicles exiting at Centennial, the RHVP, and vehicles re-entering from the RHVP. I could potentially see the RHVP adding a net addition of traffic eastbound, but this would be offset by losses to Centennial which is a very busy exit.

Regardless, the point stands that there are less cars on the QEW east of the RHVP than west of it, and that is why the lane count drops from 8 to 6. That also does not mean that a widening isn't needed east of the RHVP, just that traffic levels do indeed decline.
 
I drive that stretch regularly and it does not add net traffic towards Niagara. AADT drops by about 8% east of the Red Hill, which I already discussed above.

What does happen is a huge amount of "traffic exchange", with lots of vehicles exiting at Centennial, the RHVP, and vehicles re-entering from the RHVP. I could potentially see the RHVP adding a net addition of traffic eastbound, but this would be offset by losses to Centennial which is a very busy exit.

Regardless, the point stands that there are less cars on the QEW east of the RHVP than west of it, and that is why the lane count drops from 8 to 6. That also does not mean that a widening isn't needed east of the RHVP, just that traffic levels do indeed decline.
True, good point. The RHVP to EB QEW does dump quite a bit of volume into the right lanes on the QEW though, which all have to merge at around the same point that the QEW through lanes are reducing as well. The RHVP lanes don't even touch the QEW through lanes until past Lake Ave, just after the 4th lane on the QEW has merged into the 3rd. Both of those RHVP lanes disappear by the time they reach Gray Rd, which is a pretty short stretch.

Even just carrying a 4th EB lane through to Fruitland I think would make a big difference.
 
Yep going from London to Niagara I always use the Linc/Red Hill opposed to the 403/QEW. I am one of the people the city absolutely hates because I am using city-funded roads without doing anything in the city. They have to pay for the asphalt with no return from me to the local economy. I also contribute to traffic that make it more difficult for the citizens of Hamilton to go about their daily lives.
-That's one of their arguments to 'upload' the highways to the 400 series- similar to what Toronto wants to do with the Gardiner/DVP.

I almost always come to a full stop when merging onto the (Niagara-bound) QEW from the Red Hill when it's busy. Sure volumes are lower, but that doesn't fully explain the bad design here. With people needing to merge and other people needing to let them in the overall flow is slowed down due to all the reaction time delay for all the drivers trying to adapt to a rapidly changing highway. Extending a 4th through lane another interchange or two Niagara-bound would help for sure. While traffic can get a little annoying in the other direction with everyone wanting to get to the right to exit at Red Hill / Centennial, it's nowhere near as bad.
 
received this in my inbox. Looks like the preferred plan for the Bradford Bypass is going out for consultation on August 4th.

View attachment 416927View attachment 416928

But what changes may be made to the preferred route.................? No one asked............. LOL

Too bad, I'm telling you anyway, since I went and looked!

Link to the Docs: https://www.bradfordbypass.ca/wp-co.../RPT_2022-08-12_BBP-ECR_60636190-scaled-C.pdf

The stuff people will be interested in (some of which is below) begins on p.291

Those highlighted (by the MTO) are those changes resulting directly from the Environmental Conditions Report, while the others arise from different factors.


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Only those highlighted get further detail from the MTO:

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There's a lot more in the docs, but its too much to post here.


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And....because its in there...........a reminder of one reason why I oppose this project:

1660416197663.png
 
But what changes may be made to the preferred route.................? No one asked............. LOL

Too bad, I'm telling you anyway, since I went and looked!

Link to the Docs: https://www.bradfordbypass.ca/wp-co.../RPT_2022-08-12_BBP-ECR_60636190-scaled-C.pdf

The stuff people will be interested in (some of which is below) begins on p.291

Those highlighted (by the MTO) are those changes resulting directly from the Environmental Conditions Report, while the others arise from different factors.


View attachment 420128
View attachment 420129

Only those highlighted get further detail from the MTO:

View attachment 420130

View attachment 420131
View attachment 420132

View attachment 420133
There's a lot more in the docs, but its too much to post here.


View attachment 420134

View attachment 420135

View attachment 420136

View attachment 420137

And....because its in there...........a reminder of one reason why I oppose this project:

View attachment 420139
Very detailed post, you pointed out your concerns and also the obvious issues(which still baffled me that this never got an environmental assessment from the federal government but the 413 did, considering the Bradford Bypass is considerably more impactful than the other)

The biggest benefit of this Bypass is getting passing trucks off the main road in the town, its a massive positive, examples are cleaner air, more pedestrian friendly in the downtown, and so much more.
 
Ooh! I have a lot to say about the Bradford Bypass, so let me try and break down some of Northern Light's last post...

  • The Highway 400 - 9th Line bridge is a no-brainer, even if this project gets cancelled. Not only would the bridge need to be widened to accommodate the HOV lanes, but driving under it on the 9th line is nerve-wracking. It's a downward slope going eastbound towards a tunnel that is barely wide enough for two cars to pass side by side. The concrete doesn't look in great shape, either. They definitely need to widen it on top for the extra lanes, but a little bit of buffer underneath between the road and the bridge abutments would make 9th Line a bit more comfortable.
  • Good to see 10th Sideroad get an interchange. Even just an EB on-ramp and a WB off-ramp would be good, but a full interchange would redirect traffic otherwise bound for CR 88, which is essentially maxed out at two lanes in each direction (there's already a conspicuous bend in the middle to avoid a cemetery).
  • I assume the Professor Day Drive bridge refinement is to allow for an underpass here, since back in 2001 the street ended at Breeze Drive. Plans to extend it beyond 8th Line probably came later.
  • I don't know enough about East Gwillimbury to say much about Bathurst, 2nd Concession, and Leslie... but the town's designs for three interchanges near what is currently mostly farmland is a choice. It kind of fits such a sprawl-friendly town, though.
  • The new archaeological site found just north of town is one I've never heard of. And that's why we should have gotten a federal environmental assessment, who knows what else we're missing?
Bradford West Gwillimbury has nearly finished a corridor study for Holland Street East and West, and their preferred alternative is to do a road diet from Professor Day/Melbourne all the way to Dissette to add cycling lanes west of Toronto Street and replace on-street parking with amenity space east of Toronto Street. 8th Line is also undergoing reconstruction, and the final layout is going to depend on whether the bypass goes through or not. I personally want to see the bypass happen in some form, but I'm still of the belief that a less land-intensive parkway option a la the Donald Cousens or William Halton Parkways should have been studied as an alternative.
 
What are they doing on the 401 east from about Allen road heading east to well past Morningside. Are they adding lanes or something, it's been a mess from before summer time.

And why on earth didn't they do all these projects during the pandemic, when the roads were virtually empty
 
What are they doing on the 401 east from about Allen road heading east to well past Morningside. Are they adding lanes or something, it's been a mess from before summer time.

And why on earth didn't they do all these projects during the pandemic, when the roads were virtually empty
Some of these contracts are awarded years in advance- hard to plan for that.

Also I think everyone that wanted to work construction during the pandemic did... sure it would be easier traffic-wise but they still had some procedures to follow to minimize risk- delaying/slowing timings a bit... Not to mention supply issues.
 
What are they doing on the 401 east from about Allen road heading east to well past Morningside. Are they adding lanes or something, it's been a mess from before summer time.

And why on earth didn't they do all these projects during the pandemic, when the roads were virtually empty
Every year they are doing this. The 401 was not construction free in 2020. It's just roadway habitation and lighting upgrade. I do like the bright white high mast lights they installed between the 400 to Allen.
 
A lot of the bridges along the 401 are being rehabilitated as well.

I don’t think there’s any room for more lanes, but there are a few places where the lane configuration can be improved – at Yonge Street in both directions, and at Kennedy Road in the collector lanes.
 

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