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Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

Presser incoming on the Morriston by-pass. The fact it includes 'next steps' in the teaser suggests to me construction isn't imminent, but we shall see.

The announcement ended up being for Phase I of the project beginning this summer, which is the construction of the new Hanlon Expressway interchange between Wellington CR 34 and Maltby Road, as well as the closure of the current at-grade intersection at Maltby Road. Phase II will be the two new interchanges on the 401, which could potentially be complete by 2025 according to the announcement.
 
The announcement ended up being for Phase I of the project beginning this summer, which is the construction of the new Hanlon Expressway interchange between Wellington CR 34 and Maltby Road, as well as the closure of the current at-grade intersection at Maltby Road. Phase II will be the two new interchanges on the 401, which could potentially be complete by 2025 according to the announcement.
BUT they have yet indicate when they'll actually bypass Morriston which could take a whole decade.
 
I'm from town and barely understand FGG, I doubt many people from Toronto would even know it stands for "Frederick G. Gardiner". Most people just know it as the Gardiner.

Honestly the sign even looks like it has enough space to fit the extra 5 letters in to say "Gardiner" instead of "FGG"
Yeah it would be like if someone put on a sign that the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway was under construction instead of the 401
 
BUT they have yet indicate when they'll actually bypass Morriston which could take a whole decade.
It's likely that it will be built with the two new interchanges on the 401 as part of Phase II. I am incredibly doubtful that the province would build the new bypass interchange (different from the existing interchange at Morriston which will remain in service but with additional connections) in an area that has no connecting roads and let it sit unused for many years. The 401 interchanges and the bypass to Puslinch have to be done together.

Phase I comes so soon because it's relatively easy in comparison to the rest of the project.
 
My understanding is that the PCs are trying to do these "early" contracts for a lot of their highway projects to show progress on the files - the new interchange for Morriston, the Calebogie Rd interchange for the 417 extension, the Yonge St. Overpass for the Bradford Bypass, etc.

Small initial projects in advance of the primary expansion contract.
 
My understanding is that the PCs are trying to do these "early" contracts for a lot of their highway projects to show progress on the files - the new interchange for Morriston, the Calebogie Rd interchange for the 417 extension, the Yonge St. Overpass for the Bradford Bypass, etc.

Small initial projects in advance of the primary expansion contract.

The recent 7/85 and Wellington Street interchange rebuild in Kitchener was supposed to be the start of Highway 7 New, but it’s been completed for several years with nothing else to show for it.
 
.. and lets not forget about the two highway 400/69 bridges over a not completed realigned rail corridor in a forest in Northern Ontario that was built in 2015 ..

1651582759581.png
 
.. and lets not forget about the two highway 400/69 bridges over a not completed realigned rail corridor in a forest in Northern Ontario that was built in 2015 ..

View attachment 397584

At least progress is being made elsewhere on 69. I suspect that this section will be the next to be built – there’s already some fresh vegetation clearing south of the new section already completed south of the French River.
 
The Highways program has that part of the 69 twinning starting in 2024/2025.

Interestingly, it also shows "resurfacing" work through the 401 stretch of the Morriston Bypass project in 2024-2025, which I find unusual if they are planning on reconstructing the stretch in the next few years anyway.. Wonder if that's some kind of misidentification.

Also, the blurb in front of the digital highways program map has changed:
The Ontario Highways Program provides information on highway expansion and rehabilitation projects that are planned or underway in communities across the province through different formats, including an interactive map and sortable tables. footnote 1[1]

On April 28, the government released the 2022-23 Budget. The highways program has been updated to reflect new funding.


From April 2022 to March 2023, the Ontario government is committing approximately $3.0 billion to repair and expand provincial highways and bridges. This includes construction funding of almost $1.7 billion in southern Ontario and almost $624 million in Northern Ontario. These smart investments are estimated to create or sustain approximately 15,700 direct and indirect jobs and improve quality of life for workers, families and small businesses across Ontario.

The 2022-23 Budget provides additional funding for existing projects to move forward towards completion. In addition, there is funding for new bridges on Highway 7 over the Grand River in Kitchener and replacing a bridge on Highway 401 at Albert Street in Durham Region.

Other new additions to the "rehab" project list I don't remember seeing is:

- replacement of the Bayfield Road interchange on Highway 400, the last remaining bridge on the highway to be replaced,
- more bridge replacements and rehabilitations through the Freeman Interchange (identified as "Phase 3"),
- 3 "intersection improvements" along Highways 6, 5, and 8 between Cambridge and Aldershot,
- "intersection improvements and traffic signals" on Highway 9 from the 400 to Orangeville,
- replacement of the Highway 93 overpass on Highway 11 immediately following the split,
- interchange reconstructions in Belleville,
- several bridge replacements along the 401 east of Kingston to the Quebec border
- Woodroffe and Maitland Avenue bridge replacements on the 417 through Ottawa;
- 417 Rideau Canal Overpass bridge replacement
- "intersection improvements" on highway 7 east of 35 in Lindsay (I take it this is bringing the 4-laned part of 7 further east of 35)
- Bloomfield Rd Interchange reconstruction in Chatham (likely in advance of 6-laning)
- Waterloo Rd 97 Highway 401 bridge replacement
 
At least progress is being made elsewhere on 69. I suspect that this section will be the next to be built – there’s already some fresh vegetation clearing south of the new section already completed south of the French River.

I tend to think that too .... this section has a very short stretch across indigenous territory - and the previous Liberal gov came to an agreement to cover the existing highway. Also the new budget did mention the "Broadening of Highway 69".
 
.. and lets not forget about the two highway 400/69 bridges over a not completed realigned rail corridor in a forest in Northern Ontario that was built in 2015 ..

View attachment 397584
Well good news is that around 35 kms of highway 69 will be twined as confirmed in this election budget.

Table 1.1
Examples of Highway Expansion and Rehabilitation Projects​

Northern
  • Widening from two to four lanes on Highway 69 north of the north junction of Highway 529 for 20.4 km in Britt.
  • Construction of a new bridge, new culvert and widening from two to four lanes on Highway 69 north of the south junction of Highway 529 for 15 km in Pointe au
 
The recent 7/85 and Wellington Street interchange rebuild in Kitchener was supposed to be the start of Highway 7 New, but it’s been completed for several years with nothing else to show for it.
The previous Wellington Street interchange and stub to River Street they built in the 1960s (early 1970s?) was also supposed to be the start of Highway 7. The government has been promising, and failing to deliver, an upgraded Highway 7 over half a century!
 

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