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Fort McMurray used to have a passenger rail service - I'll have to find a schedule, but it was a remote train type service; it might have been a mixed train until the end of CN's service.
 
MisterF said:
If an investment approaching that going into Hwy 69 (or the Hwy 11 widening for that matter, another billion dollar project) had gone into ONR, it would have benefitted freight as well. It is a freight railway after all. Not sure why you think that freight rail improvements primarily benefit office jobs.

The fact that it's the Trans-Canada doesn't mean it has to be a 4 lane divided highway.

As for Fort MacMurray, a comparable city in a country like Russia or Australia would have rail improvements instead of a 4 lane highway. So it's not as farfetched as you think. There's no reason that transportation to a remote resource town has to be car based.

But it's not a very good comparison since there's never been any passenger rail to Fort Mac that I'm aware of. In the case of Sudbury or North Bay there's been (was) passenger rail for decades. Instead of improving existing infrastructure we built a whole new, inherently less reliable infrastructure while letting the old one fall apart. Kind of wasteful when you think about it.
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Actually - the federal government mandated that the trans canada highway be at minimum 4 lanes, this was done in the early 2000's, and the sections of 69 left are part of the trans canada. However, the Trans Canada to Toronto is rather in chunks as they didnt want a direct route to Toronto but rather one that could hit as many communities as possible - and that is why the entire 400 is not listed as Trans Canada highway.
 
Kitsune said:
Actually - the federal government mandated that the trans canada highway be at minimum 4 lanes, this was done in the early 2000's, and the sections of 69 left are part of the trans canada. However, the Trans Canada to Toronto is rather in chunks as they didnt want a direct route to Toronto but rather one that could hit as many communities as possible - and that is why the entire 400 is not listed as Trans Canada highway.
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I don't think the federal government funds the TC highway enough to be dictating that it should be 4 lane. Seems like a pretty stupid rule. Are there really that many vehicles at Ignace that the odd truck passing lane wouldn't be able to handle.
 
ShonTron said:
Fort McMurray used to have a passenger rail service - I'll have to find a schedule, but it was a remote train type service; it might have been a mixed train until the end of CN's service.
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Interesting. I stand corrected. I guess Fort Mac has a longer history than I thought.

Kitsune said:
Actually - the federal government mandated that the trans canada highway be at minimum 4 lanes, this was done in the early 2000's, and the sections of 69 left are part of the trans canada. However, the Trans Canada to Toronto is rather in chunks as they didnt want a direct route to Toronto but rather one that could hit as many communities as possible - and that is why the entire 400 is not listed as Trans Canada highway.
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I'm not sure how the federal government has the power to mandate anything about the Trans-Canada Highway seeing as highways are provincial jurisdiction. They do help the provinces fund projects to widen the highway though.

But there's no real need to widen the entire length of the Trans-Canada. It goes through some extremely remote, low traffic areas. No other country has twinned a highway over such a long distance, through such remote terrain.
 
BurlOak said:
I don't think the federal government funds the TC highway enough to be dictating that it should be 4 lane. Seems like a pretty stupid rule. Are there really that many vehicles at Ignace that the odd truck passing lane wouldn't be able to handle.
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Are there any sections of Interstate Highways in the US with less than 4 lanes?
 
arcum said:
Are there any sections of Interstate Highways in the US with less than 4 lanes?
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Sure. Offhand, ones I've seen are I-81 just south of the Canadian border, crossing the St. Lawrence River. I was also surprised to see when driving from Boston to Sherbrooke that pieces of I-93 between I-89 and I91 only have 2 or 3 lanes! I'd assume these aren't unique as I certainly haven't driven most US interstates!
 
There is a section of Interstate 93 in New Hampshire, through Franconia Notch, that's two lanes. I've driven it. Traffic isn't heavy there and it does through a important state park. That's where Man of the Mountain used to be until it collasped about 12-13 years ago. That's the only two-lane section of a mainline Interstate that I'm aware of.

There's also the infamous gap in Interstate 70 in Breezewood, Pennsylvania where the interstate takes a local highway, with traffic lights, to connect it with Interstate 76/Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Breezewood 7
 
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ShonTron said:
There is a section of Interstate 93 in New Hampshire, through Franconia Notch, that's two lanes. I've driven it. Traffic isn't heavy there and it does through a important state park. That's where Man of the Mountain used to be until it collasped about 12-13 years ago.
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Yes, that's the one heading north out of Boston. Wasn't very busy at all - almost seems superfluous (at least the northern bit), given taking 89 and 91 instead is about the same time.
 
arcum said:
If you stay on the left lane of the 2-lane ramp from 400 to 401W, then you don't have to move over at all, until just before the 409 exit (about 2km). This was recently improved in 2012 or so from where the left lane would exit to Weston. Most drivers must still think it is the original configuration as they desperately change lanes as soon as they enter 401WB.
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In fairness, I haven't really driven it since about 2010. Didn't realize they fixed that clusterfuck.

EDIT: Improving signage could help as well. So when on the 400 south, it could indicate that the right lane goes Weston Rd. Likewise, once on the 401, they could have sign indicating which lanes do what. For example:

401 West London | 401 West (Downtown/Centre-Ville via 427) | 401 West Etobicoke/409 Airport | 409 to Airport/Islington Ave/Weston Rd | Weston Rd
 
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full list of gaps and substandard interstates:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_gaps_in_Interstate_Highways

Essentially the two already mentioned are the two biggest violations, but there are still a couple of bridges with drawbridges for boats, a couple spots with at grade pedestrian crossings, small at grade intersections with farming roads, 2 lane bridges at the canadian border, etc.

The 400 series system is has exceptions to the rule as well, with the 406 (that is being changed now, but still), the 3 or 4 at grade intersections along the 400, etc.
 
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^ What 3-4 roads intersect the 400? The only public road I know that runs off it is Hidden Glen Rd. (which should have driveway built to connect it with Georgian Bay Rd.) Global Tower Rd. is a gated service entrance. Don't know why it has a name and a sign for.
 
Kitsune said:
However, the Trans Canada to Toronto is rather in chunks as they didnt want a direct route to Toronto but rather one that could hit as many communities as possible - and that is why the entire 400 is not listed as Trans Canada highway.
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The TCH would go through even more communities if it continued down to Toronto and followed the 401 east...it would also make more sense than the rather pointless Central Ontario Route.
 
Transportfan said:
^ What 3-4 roads intersect the 400? The only public road I know that runs off it is Hidden Glen Rd. (which should have driveway built to connect it with Georgian Bay Rd.) Global Tower Rd. is a gated service entrance. Don't know why it has a name and a sign for.
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Canal Road is at grade, Hidden Glen, and Global Tower, yes. So only 2 if you don't count Global Tower I guess. Pretty sure Canal road is being eliminated in a few years anyway.
 
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