nfitz
Superstar
Lakeshore around the Exhibition ground is closed today for Khalsa Day parade - among other roads.
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Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion
- Thread starter Haljackey
- Start date
Admiral Beez
Superstar
I was thinking about the Gardiner. Was there any reasonable way forward for Toronto to have never built the Gardiner at all? This just seems unlikely in 1950-60s North America where the car was king. But was there any path for Toronto to have reached say the mid 1980 without a highway cutting across its south? And if avoided, would that turn Lakeshore Blvd. into a defacto highway?
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ShonTron
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With the announcement of the new electric vehicle and battery plants in Alliston, I’m wondering if there’s any plans for expansion of highway capacity out that way. I know Honda ships out completed vehicles by CP (and the property had access to a remnant of CN’s Beeton Sub when it first opened), but it will mean a lot more parts deliveries and commuters.
The province is paying to widen Highway 3 through St. Thomas, but what about 89? Could there be – god forbid – a western extension of the Bradford Bypass?
The province is paying to widen Highway 3 through St. Thomas, but what about 89? Could there be – god forbid – a western extension of the Bradford Bypass?
lenaitch
Senior Member
There has been talk of a 'Cookstown bypass' for quite some time now but I don't know if there are any formal plans or land assembly. Hwy 89 between Alliston and Hwy 400, particularly through the village of Cookstown, has been brutal for a while. An extension to the Bradford bypass would mean a lot of greenfielding, but might make some sense as it would draw off traffic from 89. Also, Tottenham has seen some allied auto part factories go up.
Deadpool X
Senior Member
If there are some deficiencies, they can be fixed with a relatively small investment (or with a reduced speed limit for a small stretch if we don't want to spend). It is very unlikely that you will have to stop from 130. Usually the prevailing conditions will slow down the traffic behind to some extent.
afransen
Senior Member
Some jurisdictions have dynamic speed limits to try to reduce the severity of the rolling waves/shockwaves of highway slowdowns.
Variable Speed Limits | NHTSA
Variable speed limits (VSLs) have long been used on European freeways to help manage speed and traffic flows in changing conditions (Katz et al., 2012). Variable or dynamic speed limits may be appropriate on roads with significant variations in congestion throughout the day or due to crashes, as...
Not saying we should consider 130 in the GTA. If we do adopt 130, I would be in favour only with aggressive photo radar enforcement at 135.
Deadpool X
Senior Member
I was suggesting 120 in GTA/other urban areas and 130 outside.Some jurisdictions have dynamic speed limits to try to reduce the severity of the rolling waves/shockwaves of highway slowdowns.
Variable Speed Limits | NHTSA
Variable speed limits (VSLs) have long been used on European freeways to help manage speed and traffic flows in changing conditions (Katz et al., 2012). Variable or dynamic speed limits may be appropriate on roads with significant variations in congestion throughout the day or due to crashes, as...www.nhtsa.gov
Not saying we should consider 130 in the GTA. If we do adopt 130, I would be in favour only with aggressive photo radar enforcement at 135.
afransen
Senior Member
I feel like 130 speed limit combined with bad drivers is a recipe for trouble. I see enough people driving below 100 in the middle lane or even the passing lane. I am okay with stepping up speed limits in 10 kph increments and seeing how things go.
CapitalSeven
Senior Member
Fuel consumption goes up about 10% for every 10 km above 100. So a great global warming strategy shaping up here. Not to mention severity of accidents.
innsertnamehere
Superstar
I mean Ontario has some of the lowest speed limits in the western world (yes, really). Basically nowhere on earth with full rural freeways limits them to 100km/h or less at this point.
Even 110 is relatively conservative. Most jurisdictions have 120-130 limits on freeways in some sort of variety.
110 really shouldn't be controversial. Especially on rural roads it results in real time savings (say, driving Sarnia to London at 115km/h vs. 125km/h - saves about 5 minutes on the drive) and really has a minimal additional risk factor on a rural freeway like that.
It is also closer to the speed limit which was originally assigned to 400 series highways prior to metric conversion, which were originally posted at 70mph (113km/h).
Even 110 is relatively conservative. Most jurisdictions have 120-130 limits on freeways in some sort of variety.
110 really shouldn't be controversial. Especially on rural roads it results in real time savings (say, driving Sarnia to London at 115km/h vs. 125km/h - saves about 5 minutes on the drive) and really has a minimal additional risk factor on a rural freeway like that.
It is also closer to the speed limit which was originally assigned to 400 series highways prior to metric conversion, which were originally posted at 70mph (113km/h).
Haljackey
Active Member
Bear in mind today's vehicles are much more fuel efficient and safer than they were in the 70s when the limit was 70 MPH. Also many vehicles are hybrid, electric, or use alternate fuel sources too.
Here's a map to show that while the increase to 110 on a few sections is good, we're still lagging Europe and elsewhere.
Speed limits by country - Wikipedia
innsertnamehere
Superstar
That confirms it. Ontario and Quebec literally had the slowest freeway speed limits in the western world prior to the increase. Now it's just Quebec (and Montenegro, apparently)!
2323
New Member
New York state is also still basically 100...
Mihairokov
Active Member
Eh, it feels like a dubious map. Germany might technically have no limit but that's only on de-regulated zones of the Autobahn. Everywhere else has a posted limit.
innsertnamehere
Superstar
65mph which is 104.6km/h, so higher. Not by a lot.. but higher.
Yes, but their speed limits are higher even on the regulated areas. And the map is of the highest permitted speed in the jurisdiction, not the most common - so yes, it's right. Texas is listed at 85mph as well despite there only being one relatively short stretch of toll road in the state posted at that limit.