Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

[lenaitch]

As the transprovincial corridor that carries the national highway that should have a single number, that should not have even been factored in.

Seeing as the numbering decisions happened around 1925, which predates just about every other highway milestone in the province, perhaps not surprising. Hwys 11 and 17 weren't completed, and the TCH wasn't a thing, all until the 1960s.

In Ontario, the the TCH follows two routes and, in Quebec, NB and NS, it not designated as Hwy 1 either, so at least we are in good company.

 

[ShonTron]

Seeing as the numbering decisions happened around 1925, which predates just about every other highway milestone in the province, perhaps not surprising. Hwys 11 and 17 weren't completed, and the TCH wasn't a thing, all until the 1960s.

In Ontario, the the TCH follows two routes and, in Quebec, NB and NS, it not designated as Hwy 1 either, so at least we are in good company.

And Ontario did have a common number across provincial boundaries - Highway 2. Before Quebec renumbered its highways, you could follow Highway 2 from Windsor, Ontario to Halifax, Nova Scotia. NB and NS have continued the use of Highway 2 between the Quebec border and Halifax, though the NS Trunk Highway 2 is bypassed by Routes 102 and 104.

 

[ShonTron]

The province is making the 110 km/h speed limit sections permanent, and adding several more sections.

If you like to drive, the Ford government has been good to you.

This is where the speed limit will be permanently changed to 110 km/h in Ontario

Ontario is set to announce today that speed limits of 110 kilometres per hour on six sections of provincial highways are here to stay.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

It applies to the Queen Elizabeth Way from Hamilton to St. Catharines, Highway 402 from London to Sarnia, Highway 417 from Ottawa to the Quebec border, as well as from the Kanata area to Arnprior, Highway 401 from Windsor to Tilbury, and Highway 404 from Newmarket to Woodbine.

Ontario is also announcing two new areas for a 110-kilometre-an-hour speed limit on a trial basis, on Highway 400 from MacTier to Nobel, and Highway 11 from Emsdale to South River.

 

[Northern Light]

The province is making the 110 km/h speed limit sections permanent, and adding several more sections.

If you like to drive, the Ford government has been good to you.

This is where the speed limit will be permanently changed to 110 km/h in Ontario

Ontario is set to announce today that speed limits of 110 kilometres per hour on six sections of provincial highways are here to stay.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

As someone known here for my opposition to more or wider highways, and who would enthusiastically support narrowing or removing a few.......

I'm fine w/this.

On grade-separated highways that are properly engineered to handle speeds of 120km/ph or more, 110km/ph is perfectly reasonable.

This is shown by the fact that collision data in test segments has been consistent w/what it was previous to the increase.

Now, that said, I'd like to see moves to further reduce serious collisions, including digital speed limit signs that can automatically reduce the limit during inclement weather. As well as mandating certain driver-safety systems in cars and trucks that are increasingly standard (driver-alert, side and rear-view cameras to eliminate blindspots, collision avoidance alert, and truck side guards.

 

[gweed123]

The province is making the 110 km/h speed limit sections permanent, and adding several more sections.

If you like to drive, the Ford government has been good to you.

This is where the speed limit will be permanently changed to 110 km/h in Ontario

Ontario is set to announce today that speed limits of 110 kilometres per hour on six sections of provincial highways are here to stay.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

Good news, but I was really hoping to see the 401 from the 418 to Cobourg included in this as well. While it does have elevation changes, the alignment is straight as an arrow, and it's 6 lanes the whole way.

 

[whydidimakethis]

I think the 400 from the split up should definitely be 110. Maybe once they finish the first trial. 407E/412/418 could also use it.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Just in general the list of 110 limits is a lot more limited than I expected. I figured when it was approved it would expand to most of the non-urban freeways in the province.. apparently not.

At a minimum I think the following should be getting a 110 upgrade:

- 401 London to Kitchener
- 403 Woodstock to Paris
- 403 Brantford to Ancaster
- 407 for it's entire length
- 400 Vaughan to Barrie (south)
- 400 Barrie (north) to Parry Sound
- 401 hwy 35 to Cobourg
- 401 Kingston to Quebec
- 416 Barrhaven to 401
- 417 Kanata to Arnprior

A few more would be nice, like the 401 from Milton to Cambridge or maybe extending the QEW 110 limit from Fruitland Road to the Skyway, or at least Centennial Parkway. I understand not doing the busier, 2-lane parts of the 401 for safety reasons, as well as the urban highways in the province though.

There is also a whole lot of 80 and 90km/h highways in the province that could probably use an upgrade to 90 or 100km/h as well..

100km/h upgrades:
- Highway 7 from Baden to Kitchener
- Highway 11 from Barrie to Orillia
- Highway 35 from the 401 to 115
- Conestoga Parkway from University Avenue to St Jacobs

90km/h upgrades
- Highway 10 from Brampton to Orangeville
- Highway 6 around Hamilton
- St Thomas Expressway
- Highway 6 from Waterdown to Morriston
- Highway 24 from the 403 to Simcoe (this is only a 2-lane highway but is on a newer alignment that is dead straight and has essentially no driveways along it)
- Most of Highway 7 between Peterborough and Carleton Place

I mean, most provincial highways can probably be a minimum of 90km/h, outside of the smaller ones which have substandard curves (not many of those though, especially in southern ontario).

If some of the rural counties in the province can have 90 limits on their regional roads, it makes no sense that the provincial highways, which are almost universally built to higher standards, can't support 90..

 

[Undead]

Meh, the entire 400 series network should be 120 (central Toronto included) where the highway design can support it. It's already the default speed for most drivers, including cops, who I regularly see breezing along 20-30 kph above the limit. Better to focus on improving driver training, speed enforcement and design safety.

 

[tstormers]

Meh, the entire 400 series network should be 120 (central Toronto included) where the highway design can support it. It's already the default speed for most drivers, including cops, who I regularly see breezing along 20-30 kph above the limit. Better to focus on improving driver training, speed enforcement and design safety.

I personally feel driver training is very lacking in North America, especially when it comes to highway driving and edict. (Talking just highway driving in this post). Some of it I believe involves new learners in the rural areas not being able to be shown on a 400 series highway since one isn't close enough, to many people I have heard that are scared to drive on the highways, and to add to that feel like the middle and "fast" lane is the safest options, to also being scared of transport trucks. Multiple things that I feel should be addressed earlier on in the training to get your license.

I got my full G license over 20 years ago and didn't have to go on the highway (near Windsor) nor was my G2 test more than going around the block.

I understand backlog recently and maybe the opposite where people get failed on purpose due to some quota. But there are many drivers out there that could use that extra training to be more comfortable.

It is sad the amount of times I have driven to Kitchener from Toronto and have driven in the "slow" lane and been passing everyone in the other two lanes with not one car in front of me for kms. Made me wish I was back in Croatia where everyone moved over (My only European driving experience).

So to your point it would be great to have the higher speeds, but some of the users of the roads would make the bump up more dangerous.

*Rant/comment complete haha.

 

[Haljackey]

Much of the 400 series was 70 MPH (113 km/h) when initially built

During the fuel crisis in the 1970s, it was dropped to 60 MPH (96 km/h) to increase efficiency.

Then when we converted to metric, we upped it a bit to 100km/h (62 MPH)

Going to 110 km/h (68 MPH) gets us closer to the original speed limit

BUT- for most vehicles, for every 10km/h you go above 100km/h, you see a 10% dip in fuel economy. With gas prices the way they are, maybe we want to keep them 100 for a while until prices either go down or more people switch to electrics.

 

[Haljackey]

Via

https://www.reddit.com/r/ontario/comments/tr5ofp

 

[Undead]

Much of the 400 series was 70 MPH (113 km/h) when initially built

During the fuel crisis in the 1970s, it was dropped to 60 MPH (96 km/h) to increase efficiency.

Then when we converted to metric, we upped it a bit to 100km/h (62 MPH)

Going to 110 km/h (68 MPH) gets us closer to the original speed limit

BUT- for most vehicles, for every 10km/h you go above 100km/h, you see a 10% dip in fuel economy. With gas prices the way they are, maybe we want to keep them 100 for a while until prices either go down or more people switch to electrics.

If people want to save on gas, they can just drive slower. I'd rather have the flexibility to go faster and spend more if I choose so.

 

[north-of-anything]

If people want to save on gas, they can just drive slower. I'd rather have the flexibility to go faster and spend more if I choose so.

If people want the flexibility to go faster and spend more, they can do it in the left lane instead of tailgating me when I'm already going 10 over the limit.

 

[EnviroTO]

This goes into the category of things politicians shouldn't announce. Shouldn't MTO should set road speeds based on road design and safety margins? Why not 120km/h, why not 90km/h. Politicians should set goals for roads (i.e. this is a provincial highway, this is an arterial route, this is a primary collector, this is a secondary collector, and this is a local residential road) and everything should flow from that, except at budget time for building or rebuilding a new road where design speed is a cost consideration.

 

[north-of-anything]

Shouldn't MTO should set road speeds based on road design and safety margins?

They already do, for the most part. Pretty much all 400-series highways are designed for speeds of 120 km/h. You can't get charged with speeding if you're going 115 in a 100, and I imagine the new 110 areas all have a volume of traffic low enough that people have more room to stop in an emergency.

I don't think this is a strange thing to have a press release about. Maybe if it involved a groundbreaking ceremony where white guys in suits shoved ceremonial 110 km/h signs into the ground...