I had to go back and forth to Ottawa frequently a few months back and discovered that I much prefer taking Highway 7. The time difference was negligible, and the overall experience was much more enjoyable.
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Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion
- Thread starter Haljackey
- Start date
innsertnamehere
Superstar
I don't find the 401 to be too rough east of Kingston - But Kingston-Toronto is definitely needed. The PCs promised to 6 lane it - so we shall see if that actually happens.
7 is definitely a much nicer drive, and depending on where in Ottawa you are going, could actually be faster (Kanata). The twinning to Carleton Place makes the drive much quicker than it was 10 years ago. I imagine the 407 being completed to 115 will make it an even more attractive option, provided you have a transponder. It should cut another 10 minutes off the drive if you are coming from Downtown Toronto. Which.. given that the travel time right now on Google Maps shows a 14 minute travel time difference.. will mean they will be almost exactly the same (albeit one will include some 407 tolls).
7 is definitely a much nicer drive, and depending on where in Ottawa you are going, could actually be faster (Kanata). The twinning to Carleton Place makes the drive much quicker than it was 10 years ago. I imagine the 407 being completed to 115 will make it an even more attractive option, provided you have a transponder. It should cut another 10 minutes off the drive if you are coming from Downtown Toronto. Which.. given that the travel time right now on Google Maps shows a 14 minute travel time difference.. will mean they will be almost exactly the same (albeit one will include some 407 tolls).
The stretch of 7 to Perth would benefit immensely from an upgrade to an expressway (probably along a new alignment though). That section is quite heavily traveled, and despite a few passing lanes along it, passing is nearly impossible outside of those areas due to heavy flow in the opposite direction. Quite a similar situation to what Hwy 7 from Carleton Place to 417 was prior to the twinning.
And yes PinkLucy, I use Highway 7 almost exclusively now, though I do vary which route I choose to get down to the 401. 115 is definitely the fastest if traffic is free-flowing, but I find sometimes Hwy 7 backs up through Norwood, so in that case I take CR45, which starts in Norwood and ends in Cobourg at the 401. Hwy 37 is also a good route down to the 401, provided the Belleville-Cobourg stretch isn't too bad.
innsertnamehere
Superstar
I've often pictured a twinning project to Perth as running on the south side of Mississippi Lake - it would be much more direct and remove the need for a Carleton Place bypass.
That's what I had envisioned as well. The highway would veer southward after the Appleton Sideroad interchange, with the exit for Carleton Place being the current highway. Very similar in some respects to the interchange of Highway 400 and Highway 11 north of Barrie, where the mainline highway is the one that actually veers off. This would also have the added bonus of slightly shortening the trip time to Smiths Falls, as the next interchange would presumably be at Highway 15.
JasonParis
Moderator
Just curious about the Bradford Bypass as I had to change between 400 and 404 the other weekend and didn't really find a great route. Is the public largely behind it? Also, are there some genuine environmental concerns, etc. I'm not too familiar with the route, but imagine it would be located fairly close to Holland Marsh.
ShonTron
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Yes. That along with three more passing lanes in each direction between Glen Tay and Havelock, would make Highway 7 perfect.
SunriseChampion
Senior Member
Wait.....for real?
I don't do the trip anymore (regularly) but when I was in school in Ottawa, I did and this seems counterintuitive.
For real. There are so often major tie ups on the 401 that cause delays and detours, and all the truck traffic isn’t pleasant.
SunriseChampion
Senior Member
I know it would be more pleasant I just didn't figure it'd be of a negligible time difference. I'm not mentioning the speeds at which I drive on highways.
I'll try 7 next time. I much prefer scenic routes anyway and my new ride is a fun to drive so I may as well take my time. Cheers.
nfitz
Superstar
One factor that has shifted things a bit is that 7 is now an expressway all the way from 417 to Carleton Place. Combine with the 401 traffic ...
Once 407 extends to 115, it might even be quicker up 7 from some of the northern GTA.
Dan416
Senior Member
Not sure if anyone mentioned already but CP cancelled their Toronto-Montreal service so that's hundreds if not thousands more trucks on the road between Toronto and Montreal so that would partially explain the increase in road traffic.
SunriseChampion
Senior Member
Yeah, I was just thinking about the 407 last night after being on here. I love driving the new 407 east. It's so luxurious...and empty. And quick. I started concocting a road trip to Ottawa using 404-407(plus Taunton for now)-115-7
Thanks for the inspiration, guys! Brb
Agreed. That gap doesn't need an expressway treatment anywhere in the near future, but if you extend the expressways a bit from either end, it would benefit the route enormously. The lack of passing lanes on that stretch is a PITA though, especially if you get stuck behind someone slow and there's heavy opposing volume (like on a summer weekend with all the cottage traffic).
From the 401-115 interchange to the 417-416 interchange, it winds up being about 10 mins longer if you take 115+7 than if you take 401+416, and it's about 40km shorter. This is assuming you don't get stuck behind a camper doing 80 km/h and you can cruise at about 100 km/h. Also winds up being significantly more fuel efficient than the 401, as a combination of the lower speed and shorter distance.
ShonTron
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First I heard of this. That's a busy mainline.
But if CP did abandon service on the Belleville Sub (which I seriously doubt - with the abandonment of the Havelock and Chalk River Subs it's their only line east of Toronto connecting to Montreal and New York) that would give VIA its dedicated line all the way to Smiths Falls and on to Ottawa.