[Fritter]

also shows how greenfield highway construction is a lot cheaper than rebuilding existing highway

Could one of the main reasons for this be the costs of maintaining operations on an existing highway (building detoured right of way and re-establishing original, temporary structures etc.) and staging around that, as opposed to building what is needed, no limits, on greenfield?

 

[lenaitch]

Could one of the main reasons for this be the costs of maintaining operations on an existing highway (building detoured right of way and re-establishing original, temporary structures etc.) and staging around that, as opposed to building what is needed, no limits, on greenfield?

That could be part of it, but the costs to work around existing infrastructure, chip away what you want to replace, have what's left evaluated, engineered and remediated, brought up to current standards, then build new around it, is much more expensive that greenfield. Heck, the first time I re-built a deck I learned that lesson. Rip it out - put in new.

 

[darth_freeman]

Traffic control and temporary barriers make a large cost for working on existing freeways. The standards are constantly evolving to improve worker safety and the costs seemingly increase every year. A lot of the work is done at night also which carries a premium. Production rates are lower, etc.

 

[Haljackey]

Flew into Toronto Pearson, caught the 403/410 meeting the 401 nearby.

 

[Transportfan]

Tomken Road was originally the southern continuation of Heart Lake Road, as can be seen with the 410 lining up with it north of Steeles.in the distance.

 

[Dan416]

Tomken Road was originally the southern continuation of Heart Lake Road, as can be seen with the 410 lining up with it north of Steeles.in the distance.

I decided to look on Google maps to look at this. 410 kinda "jogs" between Derry and Steeles to the east, so that northern segment does seem to line up with Heart Lake Rd, whereas the southern segment lines up with Cawthra. I do find it interesting that they took existing roads to build 410 rather than take a new alignment. I wonder why they did that for 410.

 

[JasonParis]

There's even still a bit of Heart Lake Road next to the 410 between Steeles and Orenda.

 

[ShonTron]

I decided to look on Google maps to look at this. 410 kinda "jogs" between Derry and Steeles to the east, so that northern segment does seem to line up with Heart Lake Rd, whereas the southern segment lines up with Cawthra. I do find it interesting that they took existing roads to build 410 rather than take a new alignment. I wonder why they did that for 410.

Partly because that land was reserved and formerly lay between the Town of Brampton and Chinguacousy Township before amalgamation. It was the route of least resistance.

Highway 427 is similar as it follows the old Indian Line alignment between Airport/Dixon Road and Finch.