[harls]

This construction project has been in the works for the last couple of years.. it is slated to officially open November 19, 2007 on time and on schedule.

The old McConnell-Laramée boulevard (or boulevard de l'Outaouais) ended abruptly at St-Raymond in the Plateau area of Hull. with the opening of this link through Gatineau Park, motorists will have a direct 4 lane link to St-Laurent boulevard in Hull, which runs directly to the Alexandra Bridge and to downtown Ottawa.

Once everything is opened, the entire stretch from Aylmer/Ch. Eardley to the Museum of Civilization will be renamed Boulevard des Allumettières (a reference to the EB Eddy Matchstick company and its female employees). Some signage in Aylmer has already been changed.

total cost - $55 Million

Map - view northwest :

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/42/117230359_78de664f3b_o.jpg

I've compiled a history of construction on flickr here, starting from May 22, 2006 until just this weekend.

http://flickr.com/photos/blix613/sets/72157600214449372/

[clynnog]

This construction project has been in the works for the last couple of years.. it is slated to officially open November 19, 2007 on time and on schedule.

The old McConnell-Laramée boulevard (or boulevard de l'Outaouais) ended abruptly at St-Raymond in the Plateau area of Hull. with the opening of this link through Gatineau Park, motorists will have a direct 4 lane link to St-Laurent boulevard in Hull, which runs directly to the Alexandra Bridge and to downtown Ottawa.

Once everything is opened, the entire stretch from Aylmer/Ch. Eardley to the Museum of Civilization will be renamed Boulevard des Allumettières (a reference to the EB Eddy Matchstick company and its female employees). Some signage in Aylmer has already been changed.

total cost - $55 Million



Great photo set Harls. I was on 148 WB on Wednesday evening going from the Casino Area towards Aylmer and I missed the new westbound onramp signs for 148 WB (Boulevard de l'Outaouais) near the Loblaws/Staples/Tim's. Instead I went SB on Boul St. Raymond and WB on the upper Aylmer Road.

How will this new road cross the 2 roads that go through that thin sliver of the Gatineau Park...above them, below them or via traffic lights?

All in all a very expensive road

[harls]

They've built a bridge over Lac des Feés Parkway - you can only exit to it if you're heading west, if you're coming from the east you have to use the Labelle roundabout and make a 180 to access the parkway.

For the promenade de la Gatineau, the new boulevard passes beneath an new bridge and interchange. there are no lights.

finally, there's the full blown interchange at St-Raymond you mentioned. There are plans to put lights further west at boulevard des Grives (T intersection) for people to access the Plateau shopping mecca. Developers are chomping at the bit already for that connection to be open... I know Boston Pizza is looking to set up shop, surely your Montana's, Kelsey's and other chains will follow (right now there aren't any significant 'dining out' restaurants in the Plateau.

Here's a map from Transports Québec website:

http://www.mtq.gouv.qc.ca/portal/page/portal/Librairie/Images/Fr/regions/outaouais/1plan.jpg

[clynnog]

. Developers are chomping at the bit already for that connection to be open... I know Boston Pizza is looking to set up shop, surely your Montana's, Kelsey's and other chains will follow (right now there aren't any significant 'dining out' restaurants in the Plateau.



I remember a planner at the former City of Kanata referring to those type of places as 'parasitic retail' as they tend to feed off a larger draw to the area.

[jeremy_haak]

This construction project has been in the works for the last couple of years.. it is slated to officially open November 19, 2007 on time and on schedule.


Amazing! Who's ever heard of such a thing! :haha:

[Aylmer]

I do hope that this dosen't bring suburbia to my fair aylmer...

I think they could have additional roudabouts at Wilfred-Lavigne and Front aswell as interchanges at Vanier and Broad.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

I do hope that this dosen't bring suburbia to my fair aylmer...

Hate to break it to ya dude, but that already happened a looooong time ago. :haha:

[clynnog]

I do hope that this dosen't bring suburbia to my fair aylmer...

I think they could have additional roudabouts at Wilfred-Lavigne and Front aswell as interchanges at Vanier and Broad.

Every time I drive along the lower Aylmer Road I get more depressed as the aluminum siding crop seems to be growing quicker and quicker.

[Aylmer]

Hate to break it to ya dude, but that already happened a looooong time ago. :haha:

yeah, but not thoroughly...
the new clock-vanier-pink corridor is going to be BIG.

have you seen all the gas stations poping up everywhere?

crazy

[citizen j]

Boul. des Allumeuses? That doesn't seem right.

[d_jeffrey]

Boul. des Allumeuses? That doesn't seem right.

Yes, to light up your matchstick, oh wait...

[Rathgrith]

Good! Now with this road cutting through Gatineau park, I can feel like an environmentalist while I drive my big honking SUV in th epark!

[wingman]

Not open yet, guess they are having some political official opening?

Was hoping to take it to work, hopefully can take it home :cheers:

[harls]

I was wondering if it was open today or if they were waiting for the mayor to cut a ribbon with a line up of cars revving their engines behind him.

[lrt's friend]

Great news! Another road that gives cars an even bigger advantage over transit.

[harls]

It will be interesting to see how much traffic is reduced on Taché. I would imagine more commuters from Aylmer will use this new road. There are no plans for buses to use it, not yet anyway.

[wingman]

Great news! Another road that gives cars an even bigger advantage over transit.

The STO is looking into using the road as well.. and if they did I think ridership in the west end of Gatineau would increase... as it will overall once the rapibus is in place (even though it is a faulted plan) :notacrook:

[lrt's friend]

Did they include bus lanes in the road plan? Probably not, in which case transit is just an after thought. I think all new major roads and bridges within the suburban/urban area should have allowances for rapid transit, otherwise we are not serious about transit competing with cars.

[wingman]

Did they include bus lanes in the road plan? Probably not, in which case transit is just an after thought. I think all new major roads and bridges within the suburban/urban area should have allowances for rapid transit, otherwise we are not serious about transit competing with cars.

Ha, no - that would have put them over budget :cool: . Still, if they could use this new road for transit it would be a plus.

And I think we all know, for all the talk this region is "not serious about transit competing with cars." At least it is not a part of initial planning...

Either way, this new road whether it has transit on it or not is much needed, and will at worst eliminate a large amount of idling cars (looking for positives here)... :tup:

[Kitchissippi]

I'm curious to see how traffic will manage a 4-lane divided highway ending in a relatively tight roundabout. I've seen roundabouts in the highways in Europe and in the Maritimes but they were huge rotaries that allow you to enter and exit at a smooth speed.

I think traffic is going to back up on this bridge as drivers slow down to 25kph from 90kph. Then they'll be demanding the Décarie-style trench that MTQ originally wanted to build in the 70s.

[wingman]

Bah! Still not open, 11:59pm I'd say :shrug: They were doing some work between Lac des Fees and Promenade de Gatineau all day...

I could kind of see from work ;)

Last minute fix ups I guess...

[harls]

Have they turned on the street lamps yet? or are they waiting until it's open?

they look pretty nifty..

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2242/1862265241_07b4660059_b.jpg

[harls]

I went by there last night on my way to the Plateau.. still wasn't open!

Liars.

[Acajack]

Gatineau Mayor Marc Bureau was on Radio-Canada a few weeks ago and said it would be Nov. 19.

In today’s LeDroit, they’re now talking Nov. 30 or even the first week of December:

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20071120/CPACTUALITES/711200328/5046/CPDROIT

[the capital urbanite]

I'm curious to see how traffic will manage a 4-lane divided highway ending in a relatively tight roundabout. I've seen roundabouts in the highways in Europe and in the Maritimes but they were huge rotaries that allow you to enter and exit at a smooth speed.

I think traffic is going to back up on this bridge as drivers slow down to 25kph from 90kph. Then they'll be demanding the Décarie-style trench that MTQ originally wanted to build in the 70s.

I don't think it'll be an issue, Gatineau drivers are pretty used to them...I would just worry about the Ontario drivers!

[wingman]

I don't think it'll be an issue, Gatineau drivers are pretty used to them...I would just worry about the Ontario drivers!

Seriously... that is true (to an extent). You don't know how many times I have been at the roundabouts and people are literally stopped IN it... lol

Of course the plates are from Ontario... it happens to people from Quebec too I am sure, but it's funny... horns going off like crazy... ha ha

Gatineau Mayor Marc Bureau was on Radio-Canada a few weeks ago and said it would be Nov. 19.
In today’s LeDroit, they’re now talking Nov. 30 or even the first week of December:
http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20...8/5046/CPDROIT

Yea saw that today as well... I don't think people will mind the extra 2-3 weeks... as long as it is done, and done right.

[Kitchissippi]

I don't think it'll be an issue, Gatineau drivers are pretty used to them...I would just worry about the Ontario drivers!

It's not the drivers per se I'm worried about, it's the volume. Taking an autoroute-style road and putting a yield sign at the end is going to back things up. This is also a truck route and if you look at the MTQ diagram of how an 18-wheeler is supposed to negotiate these roundabouts, you'll go "yikes" (they're supposed to take up the bricked part of the roundabout, the part that looks like a sidewalk). When the logging trucks from the Pontiac start rolling down this boulevard on their way to Thurso it's gonna be a three ring circus.

[Acajack]

Re: roundabouts that back up traffic…

Nothing backs up traffic like a traditional intersection with stoplights and roads meeting at 90-degree angles. With stoplights, just one car turning left off a side street completely stops traffic on the main road that is carrying 99% of the volume for at least several minutes. Where is the traffic management logic in that? A roundabout eliminates this because traffic on the main road is kept constantly moving, albeit at varying speeds. But it’s still moving nonetheless.

The roundabout will certainly not be as efficient as an “autoroute” would have been, but that wasn’t in the cards as expressways through urban areas aren’t very “21st century”.

I’ll bet that the boulevard des Allumettières will have much better traffic flow at rush hour than traditionally laid out arteries with stoplights like St-Raymond, Maloney, Vanier Pkwy, etc.

[Acajack]

Funny thing about the LeDroit headline is that by leaving out the “generic” from the name of the road (“boulevard” in this case), it actually reads something like: “People will soon be driving all over match-making women” (On roulera bientôt sur des Allumettières).

Poor ladies!

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Funny thing about the LeDroit headline is that by leaving out the “generic” from the name of the road (“boulevard” in this case), it actually reads something like: “People will soon be driving all over match-making women” (On roulera bientôt sur des Allumettières).

Poor ladies!

:haha: :haha: :haha:

[clynnog]

I'm curious to see how traffic will manage a 4-lane divided highway ending in a relatively tight roundabout.

As long as the roundabout is built the proper way and not like the roundabout in the Central Experimental Farm where priority is given to cars entering from the north or south and not for cars in the roundabout itself. I got the fright of my life the 1st time I went in it and didn't realize that I didn't have priority.

[clynnog]

If you want to see an excellent roundabout go to

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_(Swindon)

I visited it last year and it is quite the roundabout. Check out the aerial photo links on the wiki article.

[Acajack]

Yes, the people who dreamt up the rules for the roundabout at the Experimental Farm have done a great disservice to roundabout designers and users in the entire region! For the longest time, it was pretty much the only one in the area, and people got the impression that you have to yield to traffic entering a roundabout, when it’s actually the traffic already inside that has the right of way.

BTW, the roundabouts in Gatineau use the exact same signs (wording, lettering and shape) as those seen at all roundabouts in France that say “VOUS N’AVEZ PAS LA PRIORITÉ”. This is one of the only instances I have seen of identical road signage being used in both France and Québec.

[Kitchissippi]

I agree that roundabouts work well for traffic especially if it involves the intersection of 2-lane roads. But they are horrible for pedestrians. That roundabout at des Allumettières and St-Joseph is going to have a lot of issues in the future when more homes are built on the Plateau which will increase traffic on this corridor, and if St-Joseph is to become a successful pedestrian street, those crosswalk lights are going to be activated more often. I've witnessed a few people almost getting run over in that intersection (including a guy in a wheelchair) because drivers were more engrossed at the opportunity of getting in and out of the circle than the crosswalk light. The people about to cross are also slightly concealed by the planters.

Even in Europe, in a lot of the urban roundabouts that have become busy, they've had to build pedestrian tunnels to address this problem.

[the capital urbanite]

Yes, the people who dreamt up the rules for the roundabout at the Experimental Farm have done a great disservice to roundabout designers and users in the entire region! For the longest time, it was pretty much the only one in the area, and people got the impression that you have to yield to traffic entering a roundabout, when it’s actually the traffic already inside that has the right of way.

BTW, the roundabouts in Gatineau use the exact same signs (wording, lettering and shape) as those seen at all roundabouts in France that say “VOUS N’AVEZ PAS LA PRIORITÉ”. This is one of the only instances I have seen of identical road signage being used in both France and Québec.

..interesting thing is that Gatineau is also using the same landscaping that is found in France and Belgium around their roundabouts. Specifically the use of tall grasses to reduce noise for nearby houses.

As for the Farm "roundabout" ...it's not ...it's a traffic circle. As the signage clearly indicates, vehicles in the circle have to yield the right-of-way to incoming traffic.

[wingman]

There are plans to put lights further west at boulevard des Grives (T intersection) for people to access the Plateau shopping mecca. Developers are chomping at the bit already for that connection to be open... I know Boston Pizza is looking to set up shop, surely your Montana's, Kelsey's and other chains will follow (right now there aren't any significant 'dining out' restaurants in the Plateau.

Did some investigation, and Trinity Development has updated their plans for Phase III of the shopping area. The development is slated to open in the Spring of 2009...

Based on what I saw the plans include:
- 1 new building directly behind SuperC
- 2 restaurants behind the StarCité
- 1 huge building (the size of the StarCité) chopped into 4 stores, located behind and a little to the west of the StarCité
- 1 restaurant directly to the west of the StarCité (Boston Pizza)
- 1 building to the west of the Boston Pizza, chopped into 2 stores

Not sure what the restos or shops will be, but there are lots of options of course.

There is another commercial development area to the west of this area that has not even been planned yet... it is about the same physical size. It would be located west of des Grives with access via the T-Intersection noted by harls. Will be interesting to see how this all plays out with the new road and exits in place.

[Aylmer]

Behind the superC is the highway...

[wingman]

Behind the superC is the highway...

Actually behind SuperC & StarCité is where Phase III of the commercial development is going, as I said above... if you drive along the road behind SuperC (not the highway) you would see there is lots of space between those buildings and the highway - more than most people realize ;-)

[wingman]

Ah, I knew this was out there somewhere...

http://www.trinity-group.com/index.php?q=node/148

This will border right along the west-bound Allumettieres :rolleyes:

[wingman]

Drove along Lac des Fees today, they have the directional signage up for Allumettieres (ex how to get on Allum west and east from LdF), also most of the street lights on the bridge are now working. Looks like they are close to meeting the new Nov 30th (give or take a day) deadline.

[BlackRedGold]

Ah, I knew this was out there somewhere...

http://www.trinity-group.com/index.php?q=node/148

This will border right along the west-bound Allumettieres :rolleyes:

Weird to see a development with two big grocery stores in it.

[Cre47]

Le Droit mentions it will be Monday Dec 3 before it will be officially opened

[harls]

^ yep. Monday Dec 3 at 10 am, to be precise!

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20071128/CPACTUALITES/711280344/6790/CPDROIT

[wingman]

Le Droit mentions it will be Monday Dec 3 before it will be officially opened

^ yep. Monday Dec 3 at 10 am, to be precise!

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20...4/6790/CPDROIT


Excellent, thanks for the heads up folks.

[wingman]

Weird to see a development with two big grocery stores in it.

And the plan is to open another in the large building behind the theatre, a Market Fresh or equivalent! It is a growing area, and SuperC and Loblaws are over busy as it is... I could see it happening.

[Cre47]

I've noticed that the city changed the Saint-Laurent signs to des Allumettieres however, Transports Quebec still has the Saint-Laurent mention on signs above Hwy 50

[Kitchissippi]

I've noticed that the city changed the Saint-Laurent signs to des Allumettieres however, Transports Quebec still has the Saint-Laurent mention on signs above Hwy 50

Someone needs to light a fire under the MTQ's signage guy's ass :haha:

[wingman]

Well they did just change the signs in Montreal from Hull to Gatineau... and I don't even know if they have them ALL done... they must by now?

So is Saint-Laurent being changed over to Allumettieres right from the Alex bridge?

[Aylmer]

That's sad,
I like St-Laurent!

[Aylmer]

Allumettieres...
*GAG*

[harls]

^ better than "Bobino".. :yuck:

[jeremy_haak]

I kind of like it, even if it is a rather peculiar name.

[Aylmer]

HIHIHAHAHA!

I like Bobino!

[harls]

So is Saint-Laurent being changed over to Allumettieres right from the Alex bridge?

Yep. That's the plan.

As for Bobino, I dunno.. it seems like a weird name for a major thoroughfare... They should rename St-Joseph and call it "Bobinette". :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobino_(television)

http://archives.cbc.ca/med/fr/au_fil_des_jours/cl_bobino.jpg

if you're going to remember the guy, I'd use his real name - "Boulevard Guy-Sanche" sounds better. :)

[Kitchissippi]

Too bad about the name change. I thought it would have been poetic that Boulevard des Outaouais would have flowed into Boulevard St-Laurent, just like the way the Rivière des Outaouais flows into the Fleuve St-Laurent :)

[harls]

Well, I took the bus from Aylmer this morning after an extended long weekend.. I was hoping the traffic would be a bit lighter on ch. Aylmer but I haven't noticed any change since the boulevard opened. It could be because of the snow, or the fact that everyone in Aylmer works in Kanata..the line up for the champlain bridge was about 2 km long.

[Acajack]

I’ve been out of the country for a bit and was surprised when I returned to see that the MTQ still hadn’t finished changing the majority of its signs that still say Hull. They had started (and announced in the media) it would all be done this fall but after putting just a handful of new signs up, nothing has budged. You will recall that the new city of Gatineau came into existence on January 1, 2002, so it’s going to be six years on January 1, 2008.

Maybe they were caught off guard by the early start to the snowplowing season!

[Aylmer]

The school bus changed routes because there was an accident in the hills and we passed by the road and it was bloated with traffic...

[wingman]

Got to drive on the new road today... was slow but traffic was moving. Obviously a bit of a wait at the round abouts... but nothing major. Road conditions making things slower than they would usually be.

Surreal driving down there... lol

Don't know if we will see the real impact on the new road for a while yet harls... hopefully it helps out you folks coming from Aylmer, I know for us Plateauers, it'll be great.

Now, looking forward to the des Grives exit being completed ;-)

[harls]

I think the weather has a lot to do with the slowdowns. Today it was sunny and the roads were cleared and I noticed a significant improvement in the flow of traffic on ch. Aylmer.

I can't believe the lineup of cars for the bridges.. where's our light rail already? :D

[Aylmer]

THE ROUDABOUTS!!!!

I passed by the road and the horrible roudabouts that take minutes to get passed and the mess of traffic lights don't help!

They either make the middle smaller, place more traffic lights of build an expressway!!!

they could remove the roundabouts, have no intersectons there, dig under St.Joseph and place and interchange to the road...

But for heavens sake, remove the dam*ed roundabouts!!!

[jeremy_haak]

It always takes people some time to adjust to them, but there is a reason traffic engineers choose roundabouts in many cases.

[Kitchissippi]

Hmmm, post #20, I rest my case.

Don't get me wrong, I actually like the design of the urban boulevard part between St-Joseph and Lac-des-Fees. Marrying it with an autoroute is the mistake. People in Aylmer will have their expectations and there will be constant pressure from now on to remove those roundabouts and the onus will be on the residents of Wrightville be on the defensive to leave them as is.

[StephL]

I'm all for the roundabouts on that road. They force the cars to slow down, which is what is needed in this residential area.

[Aylmer]

Yeah, No.

They have GOT to GO.

[Acajack]

Drivers are just going to have to get used to it.

Plus, it’s not really married to an autoroute. Boul. des Allumettières through the Aylmer sector is not an autoroute and actually has at-grade intersections with stoplights at all of the major roads it crosses. Sure, there is a major freeway-style interchange in the Plateau/St-Raymond area, but no one can really mistake this road for a bona-fide autoroute like the 50.

The road’s been open for almost a week now. Anyone heard of any accidents, serious or otherwise?

[Aylmer]

There will be so many accidents, they will have to do something...

[Kitchissippi]

Plus, it’s not really married to an autoroute. Boul. des Allumettières through the Aylmer sector is not an autoroute and actually has at-grade intersections with stoplights at all of the major roads it crosses. Sure, there is a major freeway-style interchange in the Plateau/St-Raymond area, but no one can really mistake this road for a bona-fide autoroute like the 50.

That's like saying Hwy 174 to Orleans isn't really a 400-series highway. It isn't, but can you tell the difference? actually all the interchanges in Orleans used to have lights. The Champlain/Place d'Orleans interchange was only done in the 1990's as was Tenth Line. When upper Aylmer gets built up, I'm sure they'll change all those lights to interchanges, especially if the plan to build a bridge to Kanata goes through. The planned exit at des Grives will be freeway style.

[Acajack]

Boul. des Allumettières is designed as an “urban boulevard”. It is no more of an autoroute than the Blackburn Bypass or West Hunt Club Rd.

People have just got to learn to respect speed limits and road signage. Point final. Just because Autoroute 50 at its end point spills traffic onto Montcalm doesn’t mean you can go racing onto the city streets there at 100 km/h.

BTW, the eventual connexion between the boul. des Grives and boul. des Allumettières is slated to be a “continuous flow intersection” with traffic lights. It’ll be the first such intersection in the region I believe.

[harls]

^ I think it will resemble the Fisher/Carling Intersection if I'm not mistaken.

I agree that Allumettières is no autoroute, but I'm sure that the portion between Eardley and St. Raymond will eventually be made into a freeway someday.

it would make more sense to name the proposed extenstion through Chelsea joining number 5 as Autoroute 50, and renumber the section from Montcalm to the curve after La Verendrye as "550" .

[waterloowarrior]

continuous flow intersection (http://www.udot.utah.gov/cfi/tutorial.php)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2159/2037952385_a0fc1f8622.jpg

[jeremy_haak]

It's quite clear that the road is built for much higher speeds through Aylmer and so I'm not surprised that they would have a problem with speeding motorists through those roundabouts. It doesn't help that the ROW is so wide. Looking at it, it definitely seems that it was engineered with conversion to a full expressway in mind, even if that's not the intent.

[StephL]

There will be so many accidents, they will have to do something...

Don't know if you read French, but this is what I found on the MTQ's web site regarding advantages of carrefours giratoires. I think everything they say pretty much applies to the situation with the boulevard des Allumettieres:

Le carrefour giratoire présente de nombreux avantages. En obligeant les conducteurs à réduire leur vitesse, ce type d'aménagement contribue à diminuer le nombre d'accidents avec blessés. En ce qui a trait à la sécurité, il possède également un avantage marqué par rapport aux intersections comprenant des feux de circulation. En effet, il n'est pas possible de brûler un feu rouge ou qu'il se produise une collision latérale à grande vitesse.

Des recherches américaines et françaises ont permis de constater une réduction notable de la gravité des accidents en comparaison avec les intersections avec feux de circulation ou panneaux d'arrêt.

La présence d'un carrefour giratoire accroît grandement la fluidité de la circulation, les véhicules ayant rarement à y effectuer un arrêt complet pour céder le passage.

Sur le plan de l'environnement, le carrefour giratoire a aussi fait ses preuves. En effet, il contribue à réduire le bruit, les camions lourds ayant moins souvent à effectuer un arrêt complet ou à recourir à l'utilisation du frein moteur. De plus, la consommation d'essence est légèrement réduite, et conséquemment la pollution atmosphérique. L'aspect visuel est également bonifié par, entre autres choses, la plantation de végétation dans l'îlot central.

With this information, I believe it is a good idea to have carrefours giratoires on boulevard des Allumettieres in the urban section.
I am sure there will be some accidents at some point, not because of the carrefours giratoires, but because accidents happen all the time every where.

[harls]

What did the original 1970's plan look like (when all of that land was expropriated?) I think it was supposed to be a freeway all the way through Wrightville.

(c'mon Kitchissipi.. I know you've got something. ;))

[StephL]

I believe the original plans where to make something like a Decarie type autoroute. That was the trend in those days.

[Aylmer]

We don't need that and I do read, speak and have gone to school in french for my whole entire life. I don't know why I can speak or, for that matter, write in english.
Oh well!

décarie is a NO NO.
It is congested and has no opprotunities to expand extra lanes...

[wingman]

Saw an accident on the second round about yesterday, minor - but the driver in entering the round about just motored right in and smacked into a small SUV.

I had an incident at almost the same time where a white Sunfire bombed through the second round about, I saw him coming so I slowed a little (was in the round about) and let him go - I would have been clobbered on my passenger side. I think the guy in the white car felt stupid afterwards though as he was driving about 40 the rest of the way... lol

I think the round abouts are great, slows down things in the residential area. I also agree that at some point from the last round about (nearest the bridge) to Eardly will be an expressway with exits rather than lights...

Wonder if the MTQ will ever complete the 550 from Aylmer to the 50 going over the Allumettieries, Pink, 5 and Gatineau river:
http://webfil_92.tripod.com/autoroutes_en/id90.html

I think it would eliminate at least some the pass-through traffic in Hull...

[harls]

Think of all the big box malls you could build along that highway. :frog:

[harls]

I’ve been out of the country for a bit and was surprised when I returned to see that the MTQ still hadn’t finished changing the majority of its signs that still say Hull. They had started (and announced in the media) it would all be done this fall but after putting just a handful of new signs up, nothing has budged. You will recall that the new city of Gatineau came into existence on January 1, 2002, so it’s going to be six years on January 1, 2008.

Maybe they were caught off guard by the early start to the snowplowing season!

I noticed that MTO changed the signs on the 417 to "Gatineau" now, at the Nicholas exit in both directions. Pretty sad that our own province can't get with the program first!

[Aylmer]

Avatar changing time for Harls!

[harls]

Yeah. Enough ogling my wife, you pigs.

[O-Town Hockey]

Shit Harls, I didn't even notice how your avatar changes like that....freaky.

[Kitchissippi]

^ I think it will resemble the Fisher/Carling Intersection if I'm not mistaken.

I agree that Allumettières is no autoroute, but I'm sure that the portion between Eardley and St. Raymond will eventually be made into a freeway someday.

it would make more sense to name the proposed extenstion through Chelsea joining number 5 as Autoroute 50, and renumber the section from Montcalm to the curve after La Verendrye as "550" .

I remember when that stretch was actually signed 550. Here's a part of a map circa 1990 that shows it identified as such and still shows the proposed freeway-style extension into Wrightville:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2226/2092075561_3b55f19bd9_o.jpg

Actually with the urban boulevard scheme, I think they should tear down the portion of that Autoroute between the 5 and Montcalm. It no longer makes sense, and a lot could be done along the Ruisseau de la Brasserie if it was cleared, like creekside condos or even just restored greenspace.

[Acajack]

Don’t know if they’ll ever do anything with them, but if you look closely there are actually parts of unfinished “ghost ramps” in the junction of the 5 and the 50, that if completed would make a full interchange between the two highways.

Currently, when exiting the bridge northbound, one can’t take the 50 westbound to go toward the Montcalm and Boul. des Allumettières exits. You can only go east on the 50.

But I’ve never, ever, heard any talk about constructing these ramps.

[harls]

I wondered what that one ramp was when you are heading west on 50 next to the Casino's lake (with the huge fountain). How would that ramp connect with anything? it looks like it have to be built right into Lac Leamy beach!

[Acajack]

Unless I’m mistaken, I think what you see there is the “landing” for the ramp that would lead from the 5 northbound. If you take the exit for the 50 eastbound from the 5, you have the very short start of a ramp that goes off towards the Lac de la Carrière (the Casino’s lake), and with a bit of imagination would logically end up at the spot you referred to.

There is even an overhead sign gantry at this point that was built wide enough for an extra sign for the 50 westbound.

[jeremy_haak]

Yeah, it looks like it would have have connected to a flyover ramp to the A-5 connection to A-50 eastbound, roughly paralleling the ramp from A-50 westbound to A-5.

It was interesting reading up on the autoroute system in Quebec. Apparently A-5 is planned to eventually connect all the way to Low and in the short term, it is supposed to be properly extended to La Peche. And A-50 was originally supposed to extend to Quyon or so. Speaking of A-50, when is it supposed to be completed to Montreal? I understand they were working on building the middle part between Lachute and Buckingham.

[Acajack]

The way the exits are numbered, with the last one (counting down) at Montcalm being 134, the highway was apparently initially supposed to end somewhere around 134 km west of the city. This would place it well past Quyon, in the vicinity of Fort-Coulonge. Almost all the way to Pembroke.

On the other side of the 50, the connexion to Montreal is slated for completion in 2010. There have been some delays, but the MTQ maintains they’re going to make it for 2010. Various sections of the 50 will also be opening as they are ready in 2008 and 2009.

[Kitchissippi]

Here's my thought for a make-over in Hull, removing some of its freeway scars.
BEFORE:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2357/2093616347_5748c7ea1d_b.jpg

AFTER:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2250/2094390936_4984206f83_b.jpg

1. Extend de la Carrière to des Allumettières.
2. Erase Autoroute between Lac Leamy and Montcalm.
3. new ramps on the A-5, exit to de la Carriere, on ramp from Montclair.
4. Erase Montclair-St Redempteur connection.
5. Improve and simplify St-Raymond exit.

I can see the possibility of this if they built the by-pass at Chelsea, as there would be less need for traffic to go though Hull from Alymer to Gatineau and vice versa

[Aylmer]

How did you do that?

I disagree though...

[Kitchissippi]

How did you do that?

I disagree though...

Easy: I took a trip to the future, went on Google Earth, copied the satellite image, and then brought it back. So it's too bad you disagree with it, 'cause it's coming true :laugh:

[Aylmer]

Did you use a Uberuptighthogztownbitcheswon'texposezemtitties (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=142393&page=2) to time-travel?

[spotlight]

The Chelsea bypass will never happen... no more roads will ever be built going through gatineau park, especially not a freeway/highway/major throughfare.

[harls]

^ these people seem to think it will happen (well, at least to Highway 5)..

http://chelseacreek.ca/project.php

Check the map they use:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2379/2038606724_ef228d0c7b_o.jpg

it's bad data, as waterloowarrior stated:

On the bottom right of the developers map it says Tele-Atlas, but Google Maps link shows the map data is from Navteq...the developer's map does have some elements of custom programming, so they are probably using the Google Maps API. The Google Maps API uses Tele-Atlas data, rather than Navteq so probably Tele-Atlas made a mistake

(click on his post to see our amazing discussion, I know you all want to ;))

[Cre47]

There were plans to extend de la Carriere further south but considering the Rapibus running through the same corridor or most of it, I think it is virtually impossible to extend it, and quite frankly there is no need for another road there.

[Kitchissippi]

There were plans to extend de la Carriere further south but considering the Rapibus running through the same corridor or most of it, I think it is virtually impossible to extend it, and quite frankly there is no need for another road there.

I'm not sure if you looked closely at the amount of road that was taken out in the "after" photo. Erasing the freeway basically removes the future pressure of turning des Allumettieres into a freeway.

And if indeed the RapiBus (god what an awful name, might as well call it "Viol-o-bus") was going through there (or an LRT hopefully) the area should be prepared for smart development instead of being an urban cesspool that transit just wades into.

I find it tragic that not only is Île-de-Hull separated by the creek from the rest of the city, it is also hemmed in by freeways which also ruin the natural beauty of the creek. The result is an utterly fragmented city core that hinders the potential of that area. The biggest problem facing the Hull Sector and the city of Gatineau as a whole is it does not have "gestalt" (http://m-w.com/dictionary/gestalt) and it is all attributable to bad urban design.

The stupidity of building wide boulevards that end abruptly or transform into freeways needs to be addressed. The city also needs to acknowledge the geography around it instead of turning its back and hiding the natural features that have so much potential, ie, the Chaudiere Falls, Ruisseau-de-la-Brasserie, and the Ottawa River. I find it so sad that the area east of St-Joseph (along Lois) that has spectacular views of the Ottawa skyline is wasted on some of the ugliest industrial buildings in this metropolis. Jeez, if condos in Ottawa had that view, they'd sell for a fortune.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Allumetieres should not become a freeway. I don't know if people have forgotten, but there are a lot of people who live along Allumetieres...

I feel pretty confident when I say that they will not want to live next to a freeway.

[gatt]

i heard that des allumettières boulevard is not doing his job as expected on rush hours.that what happening when you take to long to complete something that was suppose to be done over 30 years ago.

[wingman]

i heard that des allumettières boulevard is not doing his job as expected on rush hours.that what happening when you take to long to complete something that was suppose to be done over 30 years ago.

It is backed up to the St-Joseph roundabout in the mornings... I get off at the first one after the bridge so I don't care :P

Seems to be backed up pretty far in the evenings as well, for those heading west along Allumettieres.

On a side note, I have noticed that there is NO traffic heading west on Tache in the evenings now...

I think once people figure out what works best for them things will even out, as it seems right now EVERYONE is trying to take the new road - where maybe they are still better off taking Tache. Give it until next summer and we'll see how things are then.

It's too soon to say it doesn't work. But I will agree that an expressway that was planned for 30 years ago won't have the same impact now. :koko:

[Kitchissippi]

^ these people seem to think it will happen (well, at least to Highway 5)..

http://chelseacreek.ca/project.php

Check the map they use:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2379/2038606724_ef228d0c7b_o.jpg

it's bad data, as waterloowarrior stated:



(click on his post to see our amazing discussion, I know you all want to ;))


Funny, but that "autoroute phantôme" shows up too when you turn on the roads layer in Google Earth:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2120/2100082878_4b74e7dc7e_o.jpg