Roads: Gardiner Expressway

[UrbanAffair]

Wonder now will they toll the roads?

Not if they are looking to be reelected by the 905.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Wonder now will they toll the roads?

nope.

the press release specifically says:

. The proposal will ensure their long-term sustainability for the benefit of drivers and commerce across the Greater Toronto Area as untolled highways.

The language of the press release is also very explicit in expressing the desire for the long-term preservation of the highways i.e. preventing their demolition. I suspect Ford was incensed by the demolition discussions years ago and sees this as an opportunity to protect the Gardiner and DVP over the long term from demolition.

If anything, this opens up the potential for expansion and modernization of the facilities. If the DVP becomes an extension of the 404, MTO would probably want to do a lot of modernization of the road and interchanges at a minimum, if it doesn't look to add HOV lanes to it.

 

[hawc]

Great deal!

Now Torontonians (Urban Toronto) can stop complaining about the cost of the Gardiner and get on with their lives.

And no more of this nonsense about disconnecting two major highways from each other and have them spill on to surface roads.

On the down side it seems like Ontario Place is doomed to be whatever Ford wants and seems like Ontario Science Centre is for sure going to get torn down and replaced with condos.

But c'est la vie.

 

[cplchanb]

It's 100% the right deal. It's rare to see the major highways of a city fall under municipal responsibilities.

I doubt the Gardiner cap ex plan changes much, but I am hopeful the province would eventually consider burying it.

given on the Boston fiasco i doubt any govt in north america would even remotely consider this.

 

[cplchanb]

nope.

the press release specifically says:



The language of the press release is also very explicit in expressing the desire for the long-term preservation of the highways i.e. preventing their demolition. I suspect Ford was incensed by the demolition discussions years ago and sees this as an opportunity to protect the Gardiner and DVP over the long term from demolition.

If anything, this opens up the potential for expansion and modernization of the facilities. If the DVP becomes an extension of the 404, MTO would probably want to do a lot of modernization of the road and interchanges at a minimum, if it doesn't look to add HOV lanes to it.

which interchange should be modernised and how? looks like they need to do a lot of expropriations to do so.

wonder if they can flatten the grade in the sections crossing the valley over time. the up and down is what causes most of the traffic jams these days... that and improve driver ed to mitigate people driving too slowly and afraid of lifting and coasting.

 

[Northern Light]

nope.

the press release specifically says:



The language of the press release is also very explicit in expressing the desire for the long-term preservation of the highways i.e. preventing their demolition. I suspect Ford was incensed by the demolition discussions years ago and sees this as an opportunity to protect the Gardiner and DVP over the long term from demolition.

If anything, this opens up the potential for expansion and modernization of the facilities. If the DVP becomes an extension of the 404, MTO would probably want to do a lot of modernization of the road and interchanges at a minimum, if it doesn't look to add HOV lanes to it.

It has already been stated by the province, today, that there will be no new widenings of either highway.

 

[ericmacm]

It is somewhat surprising, but ultimately makes sense to see the DVP/Gardiner getting uploaded. These highways have become way more regional commuter-oriented as opposed to being mainly locally used like other municipally-owned expressways that were downloaded, so it makes a lot of sense for the province to own and be responsible for them. I’d like to see the province eventually do the same for the EC Row in Windsor since that too has grown beyond being locally used and into a regional commuter link.

It’ll be interesting to see what the province ends up doing with them upgrade-wise. They obviously can’t really be widened anymore, but they can still be greatly improved.

 

[innsertnamehere]

which interchange should be modernised and how? looks like they need to do a lot of expropriations to do so.

wonder if they can flatten the grade in the sections crossing the valley over time. the up and down is what causes most of the traffic jams these days... that and improve driver ed to mitigate people driving too slowly and afraid of lifting and coasting.

@Northern Light helpfully pointed out that the Province won't be widening them - so that eliminates that option. I really don't think an HOV lane on the DVP would be the worst thing, however, especially since one already partially exists. Potentially increase occupancy levels to 3+ or bus only, even.

in terms of interchange modernization, I'm thinking about interchanges like Eglinton and particularly Lawrence, which will be the last full cloverleaf interchange in the province in a few years one the last few on the 401 are replaced. The 401 interchange desperately needs some tweaking as well.

E.C. Row is still primarily used by traffic within Essex County - it should be a County road, but I'm not so sure about the merits of it being a provincial facility.

The Linc and RHVP in Hamilton are absolutely provincial facilities however and should really be uploaded.

 

[Admiral Beez]

It’ll be interesting to see what the province ends up doing with them upgrade-wise. They obviously can’t really be widened anymore, but they can still be greatly improved.

My wish list would be a commuter rail right up the middle of the DVP/404 from Steeles to Union.

DoFo's wish list likely included a doubling of the Gardiner, like in pre-1989 earthquake San Francisco.

 

[UrbanAffair]

given on the Boston fiasco i doubt any govt in north america would even remotely consider this.

To be fair, Boston had a lot more complexity to deal with, with multiple subway lines existing in the ground, all within the purview of the plan.
Didn't Seattle just bury a highway, at least a chunk of it?

I doubt this is the last we will hear of burying highways in downtown urban settings, even in North America.

 

[Northern Light]

...in terms of interchange modernization, I'm thinking about interchanges like Eglinton and particularly Lawrence, which will be the last full cloverleaf interchange in the province in a few years one the last few on the 401 are replaced. The 401 interchange desperately needs some tweaking as well.

The 401/Yonge interchange remains on the City's wish list with the MTO slow walking it due strictly to the cost.......

The MTO will now inherit the City's priority list for the Gardiner which includes substantial interchange overhauls at Islington and Kipling.

The City has also been examining a major overhaul of the Bayview/Bloor offramp system. Options being examined include removing the flyover/par-clo and having some type of at-grade intersection between Bayview and the ramp.

Consideration was also being given to simply eliminating the connection w/Bayview.

 

[turbanplanner]

Great deal!

Now Torontonians (Urban Toronto) can stop complaining about the cost of the Gardiner and get on with their lives.

And no more of this nonsense about disconnecting two major highways from each other and have them spill on to surface roads.

On the down side it seems like Ontario Place is doomed to be whatever Ford wants and seems like Ontario Science Centre is for sure going to get torn down and replaced with condos.

But c'est la vie.

Honestly I think the traffic planners have ZERO connection to reality, when the eastern ramp existed look how long it took for traffic to turn left onto carlaw? The genius planners say all that traffic plus the dvp traffic who would have to turn again and go onto an on ramp would take less than 4 mins? Just like closing 3 out of 4 lanes on lakeshore was “only” supposed to add 8 mins and added 3-4 hours to people’s trips

 

[turbanplanner]

My wish list would be a commuter rail right up the middle of the DVP/404 from Steeles to Union.

DoFo's wish list likely included a doubling of the Gardiner, like in pre-1989 earthquake San Francisco.

Would it run as express? I can’t really think of a good station point at any spot in between

 

[Bojaxs]

Nice! Now lets tunnel the elevated portion of the Gardiner.

 

[T3G]

My wish list would be a commuter rail right up the middle of the DVP/404 from Steeles to Union.



DoFo's wish list likely included a doubling of the Gardiner, like in pre-1989 earthquake San Francisco.

Doesn't this basically exist already in the form of the Richmond Hill line?

It doesn't run in the median, but it runs parallel to those two highways. And avoiding the highway once it's out of the constrained Don Valley, it's able to hit destinations it would not if it ran past the highway.