Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

[catcher_of_cats]

I know that these forums serve as a voice for armchair development generals, but suggestions such as creating an expressway running over 1,000 km from the Manitoba border to Sault Ste Marie for no logical reason or stating that a member's idea is unworthy because you are unfamiliar with the geographical area does not help anyone here.

 

[Haljackey]

Here's a rough idea I had of re-numbering Ontario's existing 400-series Highways to make the networks more north-south, east-west and less confusing overall. It could also consume the Gardiner/DVP.

Highways 1 and 2 would be co-signed between the current 401/402 and 401/403 interchanges.

Click the image for full resolution.



Suggestions welcome! Just an idea...

 

[gweed123]

Here's a rough idea I had of re-numbering Ontario's existing 400-series Highways to make the networks more north-south, east-west and less confusing overall. It could also consume the Gardiner/DVP.

Highways 1 and 2 would be co-signed between the current 401/402 and 401/403 interchanges.

Click the image for full resolution.

Suggestions welcome! Just an idea...

If anything, I think Ontario should follow the system of most of the rest of Canada, and number the Trans-Canada Highway 1. Either that, or Canada should adopt the US standard and have a national highway numbering structure.

Highways like the Trans-Canada would be labelled Canadian Highway 1 (or C-1 for short, a take on the American I-#). Other major Highways like the 401 could also be given a C designation, because they cross provincial (and soon international) borders.

Other major highways within a region (ex: Highway 407) would be given a designation that begins with the letter of the Province (so the 407 may be renamed O-7), or Autoroute 15 in Quebec would be Q-15.

Just a thought. It would allow Canada to have a consistent highway identification system, instead of the ad-hoc provincial systems that we currently have.

 

[Dan416]

It looks like you're just renumbering the 400-series highways to the highways they were based on (410 follows 10; then rename 410 to 10?; 407 follows 7, rename 407 to 7).

If anything, I think Ontario should follow the system of most of the rest of Canada, and number the Trans-Canada Highway 1. Either that, or Canada should adopt the US standard and have a national highway numbering structure.

Highways like the Trans-Canada would be labelled Canadian Highway 1 (or C-1 for short, a take on the American I-#). Other major Highways like the 401 could also be given a C designation, because they cross provincial (and soon international) borders.

Other major highways within a region (ex: Highway 407) would be given a designation that begins with the letter of the Province (so the 407 may be renamed O-7), or Autoroute 15 in Quebec would be Q-15.

Just a thought. It would allow Canada to have a consistent highway identification system, instead of the ad-hoc provincial systems that we currently have.

An interesting idea. Would there be any duplicates if we did that?

A for Alberta
B for BC
S for Saskatchewan
M for Manitoba
O for Ontario
Q for Quebec
N for Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia?
P for Prince Edward Island
N for Nunavut and Northwest Territories lol
Y for Yukon

 

[CDL.TO]

The simplest solution is usually the best.

Like stopping the Gravy Train!

 

[gweed123]

An interesting idea. Would there be any duplicates if we did that?

A for Alberta
B for BC
S for Saskatchewan
M for Manitoba
O for Ontario
Q for Quebec
N for Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia?
P for Prince Edward Island
N for Nunavut and Northwest Territories lol
Y for Yukon

I was thinking that for the N's, NB, NS, NL would solve that. And seeing how the Territories have so few highways anyway, just having T would be sufficient.

To further that, I was thinking that numbers 1-5 would be reserved for various main Trans-Canada routes, 6-20 for main provincial routes (like the 400, or the main highway between Calgary and Alberta), and 21-99 for the random 4 lane highways (like the 406, 409, 420, etc).

 

[Dan416]

I was thinking that for the N's, NB, NS, NL would solve that. And seeing how the Territories have so few highways anyway, just having T would be sufficient.

To further that, I was thinking that numbers 1-5 would be reserved for various main Trans-Canada routes, 6-20 for main provincial routes (like the 400, or the main highway between Calgary and Alberta), and 21-99 for the random 4 lane highways (like the 406, 409, 420, etc).

lol now you've just gone and made it overly complicated

 

[picard102]

Just make all the islands I and the territories T.

 

[Haljackey]

The Highway 407 extension was finalized yesterday. It will extend the tollway to Highway 35/115 by 2020. However, this section will be tolled by the province, not a private company like the rest of the toll road.

Here's the map. Phase 1 is to be done by 2015, phase 2 by 2020.

The entire extension was planned to be fully complete by 2013, but the Ontario government had to push this project back due to financial problems/deficits. After the 2008 recession, it was announced that the highway would only be built to Simcoe Street by 2017, the rest at a later date. This wasn't good enough for the local governments and residents and they pushed the provincial government to get it done sooner. Eventually, this compromise was reached.

 

[nfitz]

The entire extension was planned to be fully complete by 2013, but the Ontario government had to push this project back due to financial problems/deficits.

Well, partly - also partly because the EA hasn't been finished for that long. Clearly the whole thing wasn't going to be built in 2 years!

BTW, I wonder how many people will be using that "Future Transitway" through the greenbelt between Oshawa and 115. LOL!

 

[TOareaFan]

Well, partly - also partly because the EA hasn't been finished for that long. Clearly the whole thing wasn't going to be built in 2 years!

BTW, I wonder how many people will be using that "Future Transitway" through the greenbelt between Oshawa and 115. LOL!

It is an interesting question......who is that road supposed to serve?

 

[gweed123]

Well, partly - also partly because the EA hasn't been finished for that long. Clearly the whole thing wasn't going to be built in 2 years!

BTW, I wonder how many people will be using that "Future Transitway" through the greenbelt between Oshawa and 115. LOL!

It's the token "yeah, we were thinking about transit when we did this". It's like designing a power centre for future upgrade to a mixed-use neighbourhood. It's never going to happen, but they like to show that it CAN happen, because they're "thinking about the future".

 

[Dan416]

The plan seems fine, except I don't like where they put the interchange with 35/115. I think it should have been further north and renamed the 35/115 east of that the 407.

 

[nfitz]

It is an interesting question......who is that road supposed to serve?

I'd find it useful from some parts of the city heading to Peterborough (or Ottawa if they upgrade much more of Highway 7 to expressway standards), or by-passing the congested piece of 401 west of Bowmanville when heading to Montreal or Ottawa.

But I'm baffled at who would be using a Transitway ... it's all greenbelt along there, so nothing much will develop, and those who start on transit in Peterborough can simply be on buses on the 407 as there is no need for stations along here. Perhaps it will come in useful in 2200 or so ... and someone will credit great thinkers of the past ...

 

[nfitz]

The plan seems fine, except I don't like where they put the interchange with 35/115. I think it should have been further north and renamed the 35/115 east of that the 407.

Where they have put it is a lot more useful for cars that then drop south to the 401 ... I assume they'll upgrade the 35/115 between there and the newish expressway portion of 115 just north of their, and eliminate the only at-grade interchange.

And although I make fun of those worrying about highway numbers ... let's hope they simply renumber 115 as 7.