It's possible it might be usable, although I doubt it will be fully finished.

They still have to finish paving, install lighting, overhead signage, guardrails.

There's been no work on the Collector road this season.

I doubt that the Sobey's Square inner overpass will be finished this year. Once the arch underpass is
done, they still have to do the sides, decking, etc. The concrete ribs for the Topsail Rd overpass were installed in April and it's still not finished 4 months later.

Topsail Sq. Underpass
 

Precast Arch Underpass coming along nicely ...


http://i63.tinypic.com/ka5oc9.jpg




http://i63.tinypic.com/20f84k8.jpg

Yeah I mean I'm not in construction but aren't these arch tunnels pretty much just the concrete arch, some retaining walls around the entrance ways and then just filled over? There is less to it compared to the other larger spanned overpasses...which is sorta why I was speculating it was the reason is was left so late.

Reading this it seems like the whole idea of these precast arch tunnels is to allow simple and rapid construction:
http://www.odotechniki.com/mdlcms/in...ent=7&langid=2

News release update on TGH:
http://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releas...form=hootsuite

Also a nice drone video(captured August 2):
• Video Link

Some good news for transit today!

http://vocm.com/news/city-to-improve...ility-service/


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfou...ment-1.4783090

"Other recent work completed this construction season includes the construction of a an underpass near Topsail Road and a roundabout at the Blackmarsh Road intersection."

That's a bit of a stretch to say "completed" The Sobey's Sq underpass has only the concrete arch segments installed this week, FAR form conpleted.

The Blackmash Rd roundabout also is nowhere near complete. They've put a concrete lip around the centre area and are now installing the guide-ribs to form the pavement edging on the south side of the roundabout. They still have to do likewise for the rest of the roundabout, then more grading, paving etc. They are only doing this work part-time, maybe every-other day or two.

Once the roundabout is 'done', they have to re-align and link Blackmarsh Rd, Empire Ave, Redmond's Rd and the ramp to TGH which presently has only a rough roadbed with no fine gravel.

I'd have to see a lot more work done there to believe it'll be finished before late-fall.

August started with a flurry of paving, unfortunately that pace hasn't been kept up as we leave August, so here's an end-August look at some of the work. With just a couple of months
left in this construction season, I'd have to see a LOT more work to believe we'll be driving on this road this year.

I couldn't see any work on the Collector Road from the Empire Ave side, perhaps there's work closer to the Old Penneywell Rd??

No sign of guardrails or landscaping. Guardrails would have to come after all the paving ??

They have yet to pave one complete layer of three planned with a full lane not paved South from Kenmount towards Blackmarsh.

A positive note is that they have started to erect the road-sign posts along the route from Kenmount towards Topsail Rd. Two legs are in place in a couple of places south of Redmond's Rd.


A Few photos from Sunday Aug 26.
https://image.ibb.co/kox659/IMG_1604_A.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/c7MVyU/Img_1606_A.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/ebdok9/IMG_1608_A.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/bYLqyU/IMG_1617_A.jpg

The underpass at Sobey's Sq is progressing, they've started to install the concrete plates to form the sides, and looks to be about half-way up. So another couple of weeks for that, probably.


https://image.ibb.co/jeZNCp/IMG_1614_A.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/cUWfyU/IMG_1615_A.jpg

The Blackmarsh Rd roundabout has the curb installed for the most-part, will need more work when they start to align those roads. Also, looks like there's a pole in the middle of the entrance-lane off Redmond's Rd/TGH/Blackmarsh. so perhaps some utility work to do.


https://image.ibb.co/jufCCp/ZZC_15008.jpg

Edit: several dumps of topsoil have been made around the ramps at Redmond's Rd, so it appears some landscaping is underway.
None of the ramps at Redmond's Rd have any pavement. This area is a major piece of work. The Redmond's Rd interchange is now wrapped up into
the roundabout work at Redmond's / Blackmarsh / Empire / TGH which also includes a major reroute of Blackmarsh down to a new 4-way intersection
with Captain Whelan and Hamlyn Rd - funny that's not a roundabout ! Look how long it's taken to make a simple intersection at Blackmarsh and Topsail Rd
this summer !

Here's what I think will happen - TGH will open from Kenmount to Topsail with no onramp at Topsail this year ( unless the pace of work picks up dramatically ) and no interchange
at Redmond's this year and no Collector road this year - so it will be south-bound only this year. With a flurry of activity next year just in time for the Fall Prov election.

^ Nice photos.

It could be that the full width can't be paved until the guardrails are put in. So maybe that's why it's left for the time being?

Yeah It's possible they just get enough done this fall to have access from Kenmount to Topsail and nothing in between. Though I am skeptical they'd bother if they didn't have the onramp at Topsail done as well.

Nice pictures, thanks.

Look how wavy the road is in the 3rd picture though. I see this a lot around here, and you'd think the roadbed would be adjusted to keep it level..

TGH Progress
 

Topsail Sq. Underpass

http://i68.tinypic.com/2wps378.jpg

Topsail to Blackmarsh Northbound

http://i68.tinypic.com/2v8hni9.jpg

Blackmarsh to Topsail Southbound, just before underpass

http://i66.tinypic.com/dvh75h.jpg

Full steam ahead.:uhh:

Another Howlett tragedy
 

This is one intersection that is ripe for a roundabout(farm land notwithstanding).

Approaches are flat with fair visibility, but I have seen cars flow thru there at 70 - 80 klicks!

I've never liked that road.

What is the speed limit at that intersection? It's 90 KPH south of Ruby line with a single normal-size ( ie small ) 60 KPH sign as you approach the intersection. How many people miss that sign? Isn't there a standard for highway signage to say larger signs are needed when coming down from 90 to 60 within a short distance of an intersection? On the ORR eastbound past Costco there's an F'ing big 60 coming sign
then a large 60 sign and then another one overhead, why isn't there a big signs approaching that intersection?

There should have been a roundabout there from the get go, it doesn't matter how many or how big the speed limit signs are it is up to the person behind the wheel to pay attention to them. Even with the flashing warning lights, if you are doing 80 or 90 and that light turns to red when you are 100 feet away, good luck stopping in time.
Instead of shagging around with roundabout at Rawlins Cross perhaps it is time for ALL of council to hop in their cars...or on their bikes...and head out to Ruby line and observe what is going on out there.
So sad that another tragedy has to bring attention to this.

If it's eventually going to be part of a regional highway, shouldn't there be an overpass there with on/off ramps?

Yes, there certainly should be (restricted access); but it is no different than a lot of NL regional highways with level crossings. Veterans Highway is another glaring example. 100 kph highway with stop sign access at a number of points.

:shrug:

Paradise Roundabout
 

Article on roundabout near Sobeys in Paradise to be completed by end of 2018.

http://www.thetelegram.com/news/loca...radise-239161/

Well it'll be done before the plaza opens but traffic will be a nightmare in that area for the next few months...

And that makes how many consecutive years of major road construction on Topsail Road in Paradise?

It's been quite a few years for sure. Must be very trying for the folks living in the area, but they seem to be taking it in stride, good on them! A lot of great (and needed) work has been done there over the past few years and the place is starting to mature. Paradise is finally becoming more of a city and less of a "bunch of houses next to St. John's".