Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

[Haljackey]

Everyone and their mom loves to scream induced demand but the flip side is reducing infrastructure always leads to exponential delays here

For I-278 in Brooklyn, it's the only way for trucks to get through that part of town, so the demand is there regardless of how many lanes you have.

If the Gardiner was removed, the truck demand for it would still be there but funneled on city streets instead. So now you have lots of big heavy trucks and logistics truckling clogging up city streets.

B1M channel did a good explanation of this

 

[lenaitch]

All the years leading to the Ford government, this kind of advertisement wasn't considered as it is a distraction to motorists. Then all in a sudden Ford decided it was a great idea for revenue and now they are popping up everywhere. Every priority is wrong with this government.

No clue what the city or provincial policy is or was, but I recall big billboards along the Gardiner way back into the 1970s. I think technical advancements has a lot to do with it.

The only other place you’ll find them alongside a provincial freeway is on Highway 400 where it passes through Wahta First Nation.

I recall there were supposed to be another pair either at Shawanaga or Henvy Inlet. Maybe they're waiting for the highway to be finished.

As far as I'm concerned (not that it matters a whole lot), they are butt ugly. I think the FN was making a point. If they shifted the base back about 20' they would be on FNT property.

I don't know if the MTO has changed its policy or stopped caring, but I'm seeing an awful lot of signs quite close to the roadway, certainly closer than they used to be. Then there are the 'billboard vehicles parked along the ROW (several in Barrie). I don't know if they are a loophole or, again, the MTO no longer caring (or being told not to care).

 

[Steve X]

No clue what the city or provincial policy is or was, but I recall big billboards along the Gardiner way back into the 1970s. I think technical advancements has a lot to do with it.

The Gardiner is not a provincial highway. The city doesn't feel people will get distracted with huge billboards and advertisements. Thus they have signs over BMO Field and such.

 

[nfitz]

The Gardiner is not a provincial highway.

That's a bit of a technicality, as both the city and province have already agreed to make it a provincial highway, and only need to dot the 'i's and cross the 't's.

 

[lenaitch]

The Gardiner is not a provincial highway. The city doesn't feel people will get distracted with huge billboards and advertisements. Thus they have signs over BMO Field and such.

There are a number of elements of both the Gardiner and DVP that don't meet MTO design standards and will simply be grandfathered-in. Heck, there are parts of the provincial system that don't or no longer meet current standards. They are policy standards, not engineering limitations.

 

[Haljackey]

Ontario Newsroom

news.ontario.ca

'no new tolls'

But existing ones stay. New builds like 413 and Bradford Bypass will be toll free.

I still believe the 407 between the 418 and 35/115 should also be toll free. 412 and 418 are now toll free routes to access the 407, and here you're essentially using the 407 to access the 407.
-This is the least used section of the 407 East project and very underused, so eliminating tolls on this stretch will also decrease volumes on 35/115 and put it on these roads where they can easily handle the traffic.

 

[turbanplanner]

The Gardiner is not a provincial highway. The city doesn't feel people will get distracted with huge billboards and advertisements. Thus they have signs over BMO Field and such.

Does the grass advertising or whatever the hell you want to call it go against MTO guidelines?

 

[reinventingthewheel]

Does the grass advertising or whatever the hell you want to call it go against MTO guidelines?

View attachment 540899

These are owned and operated by CN.
Edit: looks like maybe another group manages it now. However they are considered topiary signs and do not require a sign permit according to this document

 

[turbanplanner]

These are owned and operated by CN.
Edit: looks like maybe another group manages it now. However they are considered topiary signs and do not require a sign permit according to this document

Thank you! Interesting document about this sign in particular if anyone is curious

https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2014/pg/bgrd/backgroundfile-71948.pdf

 

[innsertnamehere]

These are owned and operated by CN.
Edit: looks like maybe another group manages it now. However they are considered topiary signs and do not require a sign permit according to this document

MTO permits are different than City permits.

They likely would not be permitted on a 400-series highway. They will continue however post uploading as they will be grandfathered in.

 

[chrisw]

Oh don't worry London's catching up to you. The multi-year budget has no new funding for LTC. The funding increase just is enough to maintain the status quo due to inflation and higher operational costs.

This news popped up in my feed.

A move to get more support for London Transit service managed to get through by a tight 8-7 vote. The move will cost $18 million over the next four years while adding 18,000 service hours, increasing bus service on busy routes.

Earlier in the budget process councillors voted down London Transit's original request for more service hours.

"The service level is not adequate," said Coun. Sam Trosow, who said residents in his north London ward are regularly complaining about buses that are often too full to pick up new passengers during busy times.

"If we cannot allow this very reasonable service upgrade, we are turning our backs on everything we purport to be saying about our desire as a city to get people out of our cars," he said.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/council-approves-more-transit-funding-shoots-down-pitch-to-move-8m-from-police-to-homeless-support-1.7116387

 

[Haljackey]

This news popped up in my feed.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/council-approves-more-transit-funding-shoots-down-pitch-to-move-8m-from-police-to-homeless-support-1.7116387

Ya looks like the city came to their senses... just barely and will approve some, but not all of the funding the LTC wants.

Highway-wise, London's only half-assed freeway- Highbury Avenue South- is getting rebuilt/rehabbed over the next few years. It's 100km/h and meets the 401 at traffic lights which is kinda dumb. The interchange rebuild will not fix this.

Elsewhere in the London area, work will finally begin this year to replace the Highway 4/401 cloverleaf, which is needed due to age and the desire to 6 lane the 401. It should help support the Amazon fulfillment centre which replaced the old Ford Talbotville plant as well as support the VW EV factory once the Highway 3 extension is completed. The Highway 3 expansion/new build is not even on the province's highway project map yet so it is likely still a long way off.

A notice of study completion was released recently however- https://www.highway3elgin.ca/resources/notice_of_completion.pdf

More deets- https://www.highway3elgin.ca/resources/pres_1308_Hwy3Elgin_PIC2_fnl_20231120.pdf

 

[turini2]

I missed this bit of news...

The Ontario government is keeping costs down for drivers by introducing legislation that would, if passed, ban tolls on provincial highways. This ban would apply to the Don Valley Parkway and Gardiner Expressway once uploaded to the province, as well as the province’s 400-series highways.

Certainly would put to bed any proposals by Transurban/others ... unless the legislation is cleverly worded!

 

[PL1]

I missed this bit of news...

Certainly would put to bed any proposals by Transurban/others ... unless the legislation is cleverly worded!

All legislation, including the supposed requirement for a referendum to permit tolls, can be changed by a future government.

 

[NW87]

Today

New Highway 6 interchange between Maltby Road and Wellington Road 34