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Mid-Peninsula Highway/Niagara-GTA Corridor

RedRocket191 said:
Of course you would need to have trucks and buses and cars for local service, but you keep them local and setup rail for long distances. There is no need to have a truck drive a load all the way from Montreal to Windsor and beyond - the Swiss use that mentality (and I think the phrase "New York run by the Swiss" is a compliment).
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Well, look, I honestly don't know the bottom line. But somehow it doesn't strike me as hugely efficient to put things on trucks, take them off trucks and put them on trains, take them off trains and put them back on trucks, and build a huge, multi-billion dollar rail service and let the 401, which we already have, rot. Maybe we'd save money, maybe we'd cut pollution, but it looks dubious to me. There may be conditions that make it practical in Switzerland that don't necessarily apply here, too. Or it's possible that they do a lot of long haul in Europe in addition to rail and you're ignoring that in favour of a single solution that appeals to you.
 
Switzerland has a highly developed system of four lane highways and they're building more. Speed limits are set at 120 km/h. Here's a map of the system:

Autbahn_switzerland.png


Wikipedia also claims that the Switzerland has one of the highest highway densities in the world. Both highways and rail are highly developed in Switzerland and the systems are used interchangeably. They have passenger trains that allow you to take your car on your trip. Trucking is also a major means of freight transportation in Europe.
 
junctionist said:
Switzerland has a highly developed system of four lane highways and they're building more. Speed limits are set at 120 km/h. Here's a map of the system:

Wikipedia also claims that the Switzerland has one of the highest highway densities in the world. Both highways and rail are highly developed in Switzerland and the systems are used interchangeably. They have passenger trains that allow you to take your car on your trip. Trucking is also a major means of freight transportation in Europe.
Click to expand...

I used Switzerland as an example because they frown upon trucks that pass through Switzerland on their journey between other countries. They have roll-on, roll-off facilities to put the trucks on trains and transport the drivers in passenger coaches. They are also building massive rail tunnels under the alps to speed up the process.
 
RedRocket191 said:
There is no need to have a truck drive a load all the way from Montreal to Windsor and beyond
Click to expand...
You could use rail for the whole way, if it is more economical.

the Swiss use that mentality
Click to expand...
Purely because they are not subject to EU transport policies and therefore can in a sense treat themselves as an island.

(and I think the phrase "New York run by the Swiss" is a compliment).
Click to expand...
I'm not so sure. We're living in a time when Swiss banks are losing their secrecy and their legendary safety. SWISS BANKS!!!
 
This is going to seem random, but I really think that the speed limit on Provincial 400-series Highways should be raised to 120 km/h. Let's face it, 80% of drivers already drive at that speed (when not stuck in traffic lol). Our highways are actually of very good design quality compared to North American Standards. Did you know that cloverleaf interchanges were literally banned* from the highway system? All the while thay are all over the interstate system, some even highway/highway ubterchanges.

*except Hurontario/QEW interchange
 
Report: Mid-Peninsula Highway a Boon for Economy

I would love to see any new highway construction take a back seat to other infrastructure but if it must be...

hamiltonhighways.gif


Would it make sense for a mid-peninsula highway to terminate west of Hamilton at the 403, or would the Red Hill Valley parkway/Burlington skyway not be able to handle the additional Toronto-Bound traffic?

If its possible to do without causing gridlock, it would seem a lot simpler than crossing the escarpment up to 4 times with a 400 series highway, cutting a swath through protected lands and the greenbelt. It would also leave money for other infrastructure; like local transit systems, and intercity rail service and freight capacity.

Would it then also make sense to place a congestion toll on Hamilton's inner highways? I know people have similar ideas about the Gardiner and DVP in Toronto. It would provide revenue, reduce peak congestion, and act as an incentive to keep large trucks off the road during peak hours. This would obviously need the existence of a currently non-existent public transit system to even be feasible.
 
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http://www.niagara-gta.com/reports.html

Draft Area Transportation System Problems and Opportunities Report

The identification of future transportation problems and opportunities within the Study Area is a crucial stage for this phase of the study. An understanding of the shortfalls of the transportation system and opportunities to improve its future performance will provide the foundation for identifying sustainable transportation solutions.
 
Public Information Centres (PICs) will be held on November 24th, 2009 (Welland), November 26th, 2009 (Jerseyville), and December 1st, 2009 (Burlington).

The focus of the third round of PICs is on transportation alternatives including a high level assessment of their transportation benefits and potential environmental, economic and community impacts. A preferred strategy has not been selected; after this PIC the study team will develop a draft multi-modal Transportation Development Strategy and consult with stakeholders.

PIC display material will be available on November 24th, 2009. For more information and a copy of the PIC display material, please go to the Meetings and Events page.

http://www.niagara-gta.com/meetings.html
 
Bridge across lake floated at planning meeting
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/683024
DANIEL NOLAN
THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR
BURLINGTON (Dec 2, 2009)
There's no shortage of ideas to relieve traffic congestion between Niagara and Toronto.

The group studying alternatives to a mid-peninsula highway between Fort Erie and Burlington has compiled 150 ideas from the public and municipalities, ranging from optimizing existing transportation links to new road infrastructures.

Now they need to narrow it down and make recommendations to the province by the end of 2010.

The ideas were on display last night at the last of three public information centres staged as part of the lengthy Niagara to GTA Corridor Planning and Environmental Assessment Study.

Dozens of people wandered through the centre at the Burlington Holiday Inn. The other information nights were held in Welland and Ancaster, which were on the route of a highway that was proposed by the former Conservative government, and shelved by the Liberals for this study.

Some new ideas:

* Upgrade Centennial Parkway to a freeway link.

* Build a 400 series highway between Niagara and Milton.

* Extend the Red Hill Valley Parkway to Fort Erie.

* Twin the Burlington Skyway Bridge.

* Build a Hamilton Bay tunnel.

* Build a bridge across Lake Ontario for cars and transit.

Transportation Ministry spokesperson Will MacKenzie said the group has received a "lot of good ideas," but noted that was the purpose of the process.

"We need to have the public involved to have the process work," he said. "If we say 'Do this, do that' and then people disagree then we have a big brouhaha."

The mid-peninsula highway was derailed partly because of Burlington's opposition to it impacting the Niagara Escarpment to link up with the Freeman interchange (QEW/403/407).

MacKenzie admitted a new highway has not been ruled out, but the province is looking at coping with growth in 2031.

"Even if it were recommended to be a highway, that doesn't mean a shovel will be in the ground two years from now," he said.

Royce Curry, a former member of the Halton Transport Development Committee, suggested a lake bridge between Oakville and St. Catharines. He believed it would end congestion where the QEW meets the 403.

He acknowledged it would take courage and admitted, "How many people do we have to do that?"
 
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