[innsertnamehere]

I thought the Sudbury bypass was going to be the last phase of the 400 extension? (i.e. probably not happening until around 2020)

 

[Kitsune]

I thought the Sudbury bypass was going to be the last phase of the 400 extension? (i.e. probably not happening until around 2020)

The last plan was to do it concurrently with the last stretch of 400. Where 400 / 17 was suppose to be meet was turned into a Provincial Park, so now the 400 will end in a Parclo where 69 currently ends, to go from 17 east to 400 south will require a traffic light. The 69 portion in Sudbury is suppose to be upgraded to an expressway, to the point they have to relocate a jail. Also - a part of the 17 twinning was quite contentious in Sudbury as there where two roads leading to entirely different area's of the city and only one of them is/was slated to get an interchange.

 

[gweed123]

Highway 3 in St. Thomas is a super-2.

It has right of way for a twin but freeway plans were shelved.

More pics http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_3-9_images/Hwy3_images.htm

Did not know that, thanks! I haven't really ever been down that way.

Responding to some of the other comments that had the same general theme:

I'm not saying that all of the TCH through Ontario should be twinned, but there are definitely some sections along the route that if it were in a lot of other provinces, would have gotten an upgrade of some kind beyond a two lane undivided highway. I can remember driving Highway 2 in NB from Federicton to Moncton, and seeing the highway be pretty much empty (this was early evening on a weekend). I can almost guarantee that there are sections of 17 (and probably significant sections of Highway 7 as well) that carry about the same or more traffic than most of Highway 2 in NB.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Sections like Thunder Bay to Nipigon will be like that.

 

[nfitz]

I always thought that using highway 102 would have been a better option for the Trans Canada. Either expanding it to 4 lanes or building a new alignment roughly parallel to it.

However, 3 or 4 years back they built a new stretch of highway 11/17 (north of Arthur Street) by extending the Harbour Expressway about 12km West - it is still another 30km to Shabaqua Corners. A highway 102 route would have been 30km total. Maybe they figured motorists would not mind driving the extra 15km to ensure that the "Niagara of the North" (Kakabeka Falls) would not be by-passed.

I drove through there once ... and I couldn't understand why anyone wouldn't take 102 ... so I took it. Now that we have Google maps, I can see it's 33 km and 24 minutes compared to 49 km and 34 minutes on the Trans Canada.

I still don't get it ...

 

[Hipster Duck]

Good to hear that they're thinking about doing something with the stretch of 17 west of Kenora to the Manitoba border. It always frightened me a little that Canada only had one road connecting its western half from its eastern half, and that that road was a 2-lane undivided highway.

 

[jamincan]

Thunder Bay is a common stopping point for people on a cross-country trip, which means that a lot of travellers are heading there anyway. Also, for those travelling across the country and driving through the area, stopping to see Kakabeka Falls takes all of 5 minutes and they really are quite spectacular.

 

[adma]

I'm wondering if the present Kakabeka 11/17/Trans-Canada routing has something to do with, in bygone times before they were amalgamated, both Port Arthur and Fort William wanting a piece of the cross-country action...

 

[Haljackey]

I took a couple new shots today of the 401 extension in Windsor:

 

[Kitsune]

I read that Route 185 in Quebec is being upgraded to a freeway ... and with the rest of highway 1 from Coquihalla Highway through to the eastern entrance of Banff National park being twinned over the next 10 years, Ontario will be the only kink in a four laned coast to coast highway.

 

[innsertnamehere]

are you willing to pay the billions of dollars to upgrade a road that sees 2,500 cars a day?

 

[nfitz]

... Ontario will be the only kink in a four laned coast to coast highway.

Kink? The Trans-Canada through Ontario is over 2,100 km. It's only about 2,400 km from Ontario to Vancouver on the Trans-Canada.

 

[Haljackey]

A couple new videos to share

The entire route of Highway 402 (Made by me!)
[video=youtube;7SI8WIiiaVA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SI8WIiiaVA[/video]

 

[Haljackey]

Double post as the site won't let me include two videos in a single post.

Highway 407ETR between the 427 and 404:
[video=youtube;rPjcP59DboI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPjcP59DboI[/video]

 

[PinkLucy]

From Nov. 1

Today, Glen Murray, Minister of Transportation and Minister of Infrastructure, released the following statement on the Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway in Windsor:

"Earlier today, the Windsor Essex Mobility Group (WEMG) and Parkway Infrastructure Constructors (PIC) announced that they were rejecting and replacing the 500 girders manufactured by their supplier.

I am pleased that WEMG/PIC has decided to do the right thing and take responsibility for the actions of its subcontractor.

From the beginning, I have been clear that the girders in question would be removed, unless their safety and durability could be assured. That is why I asked independent experts to review certain girders, and why I directed the ministry to conduct testing on the supplier's girders.

Representatives from WEMG/ PIC attended the additional testing. What they observed during the testing process caused them to lose confidence in these girders and make this decision. The ministry's chief engineer accepts this recommendation from WEMG/PIC.

The Independent Expert Review also reviewed some additional girders and today released their supplemental report on these additional girders, now available online at www.independentexpertreview.ca.

The Ministry of Transportation's chief engineer has been reviewing this report and has recommended that a program of monitoring and enhanced inspection be put in place for these additional girders. I have accepted that recommendation for the Hearthwood Tunnel (T-10B).

I have directed that the girders on the North Talbot Road Bridge (B-15) be tested to ensure their safety and durability. This would require the bridge to remain closed while the testing is conducted.

In recognition of the important economic and transportation role the bridge has in the community, WEMG/PIC has decided to rebuild the North Talbot Road Bridge to ensure it is open as quickly as possible. The ministry will conduct its testing while the bridge is being rebuilt.

Safety of the travelling public has always been my motivation. The removal of these girders does not come at any additional cost to the taxpayer - the costs are the responsibility of WEMG.

The Parkway will be a vital transportation link for the Windsor-Detroit trade corridor when it is completed. I thank the community in advance for their continued patience and cooperation and thank WEMG/PIC for doing the right thing for the people of Windsor and Essex County."