Highway 417 Widening - Page 55

HighwayStar · #**1081** Posted **Aug 12, 2019, 3:50 PM**

For those of us that are fascinated by this stuff, but had to move to another city recently... can someone please provide an brief update of where the chicane is and why it is there?

To provide my historical perspective... I commuted on the west Queensway twice a day for the past 2 decades so I know every metre of it very well.

rocketphish · #**1082** Posted **Aug 12, 2019, 5:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighwayStar

For those of us that are fascinated by this stuff, but had to move to another city recently... can someone please provide an brief update of where the chicane is and why it is there?

To provide my historical perspective... I commuted on the west Queensway twice a day for the past 2 decades so I know every metre of it very well.

The chicane is located where the Queensway passes over Merivale Rd. It will allow for bridge widening construction, starting on the north side. The westbound lanes look to be the most affected. I passed through it this morning, and was caught by surprise by the sudden directional change, but I enjoy a good high-speed chicane so it was a non-issue. General traffic seemed to handle it well.

https://traffic.ottawa.ca/map/cameraWindow?id=161

HighwayStar · #**1083** Posted **Aug 12, 2019, 5:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocketphish

The chicane is located where the Queensway passes over Merivale Rd.

Ahh.. the good old MTO traffic cams... forgot all about those.

Thanks Rocketphish!!

OTownandDown · #**1084** Posted **Aug 12, 2019, 5:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocketphish

The chicane is located where the Queensway passes over Merivale Rd. It will allow for bridge widening construction, starting on the north side. The westbound lanes look to be the most affected. I passed through it this morning, and was caught by surprise by the sudden directional change, but I enjoy a good high-speed chicane so it was a non-issue. General traffic seemed to handle it well.

https://traffic.ottawa.ca/map/cameraWindow?id=161

Going eastbound, its a nice gentle curve (as seen in the photo) and then BAM a quick left-right punch to get back into alignment. Not sure who was drinking on Saturday night when they painted those lines..

Also, I can almost hear the British racing announcer's voice "shumacher enter's the chicane, and ohhhh he's off the track!"

OTownandDown · #**1085** Posted **Aug 12, 2019, 5:54 PM**

By the way, does anyone know when chicane #2 will finally be ready, to realign the highway under the Maitland overpass to allow for repairs? Phase 1 of those repairs must be ready soon, as the asphalt is down.

Ok nevermind, I looked at the public information boards, and I was looking at Merivale phases, not Maitland. So no Maitland work. Good.

Will there be a carpool lane from Island Park to Kanata when all is said and done? that would be amazing.

HighwayStar · #**1086** Posted **Aug 12, 2019, 10:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

Will there be a carpool lane from Island Park to Kanata when all is said and done? that would be amazing.

Doubt it... It is still 3 lanes each way from Maitland to the 416 and upgrading that chokepoint is planned for "Beyond 2021" according to the MTO website.

OTownandDown · #**1087** Posted **Aug 13, 2019, 12:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HighwayStar

Doubt it... It is still 3 lanes each way from Maitland to the 416 and upgrading that chokepoint is planned for "Beyond 2021" according to the MTO website.

Ah, so basically making the on-ramps connect directly to the off-ramps at all these interchanges, because they're currently much too short to meet current code.

Dengler Avenue · #**1088** Posted **Sep 5, 2019, 11:38 AM**

I’m looking at the google map for fun, and this is my first time seeing 417 through Kanata in orange (downtown direction). Meanwhile 417 from Hunt Club Road to the split is red (downtown direction). 174’s congested all the way to Place d’Orléans as expected.

eltodesukane · #**1089** Posted **Sep 5, 2019, 1:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocketphish

The chicane is located where the Queensway passes over Merivale Rd. It will allow for bridge widening construction, starting on the north side. The westbound lanes look to be the most affected. I passed through it this morning, and was caught by surprise by the sudden directional change, but I enjoy a good high-speed chicane so it was a non-issue. General traffic seemed to handle it well.

https://traffic.ottawa.ca/map/cameraWindow?id=161

This traffic camera is not online anymore...

eltodesukane · #**1090** Posted **Sep 5, 2019, 1:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocketphish

The chicane is located where the Queensway passes over Merivale Rd. It will allow for bridge widening construction, starting on the north side. The westbound lanes look to be the most affected. I passed through it this morning, and was caught by surprise by the sudden directional change, but I enjoy a good high-speed chicane so it was a non-issue. General traffic seemed to handle it well.

https://traffic.ottawa.ca/map/cameraWindow?id=161

Can not find this camera view online anymore...

caveat.doctor · #**1091** Posted **Sep 9, 2019, 10:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradnixon

I imagine there will need to be one before then for the installation of the new Harmer pedestrian bridge...

Speaking of which.. anyone know what's going on with that!? I'm kind of surprised it hasn't been installed already.

Here's how it looked this weekend:

Harmer Av N: you can see the new precast concrete wall, it's slightly higher than the old one. The ramp is much longer than before to provide a gentler slope. I think the plans call for a staircase as well, which didn't exist on this side in the original.

Helena St: as before this will have stair access but no ramp.

Richard Eade · #**1092** Posted **Sep 10, 2019, 1:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by caveat.doctor

Here's how it looked this weekend:

Helena St: as before this will have stair access but no ramp.

Are you sure there will be no ramp on the Helena St. side? It would be very surprising to have a ramp only on one end of a pedestrian bridge.

TransitZilla · #**1093** Posted **Sep 10, 2019, 1:52 PM**

Per Twitter this AM from Jeff Leiper, the new Harmer bridge is supposed to be installed later this month.

caveat.doctor · #**1094** Posted **Sep 10, 2019, 4:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

Are you sure there will be no ramp on the Helena St. side? It would be very surprising to have a ramp only on one end of a pedestrian bridge.

On the project site

it looks like the replacement will be as the original one: stairs to Helena St, ramp to Harmer Av N (I stand corrected on that - no stairs), and both stairs and a ramp to Harmer Av S.

rocketphish · #**1095** Posted **Sep 30, 2019, 1:04 PM**

The chicane was straightened out yesterday and all westbound traffic was moved a lane northward, from Carling to Woodroffe. The former fast lane is now behind a barrier.

https://traffic.ottawa.ca/map/camera...=1569848284648

AuxTown · #**1096** Posted **Sep 30, 2019, 1:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocketphish

The chicane was straightened out yesterday and all westbound traffic was moved a lane northward, from Carling to Woodroffe. The former fast lane is now behind a barrier.

https://traffic.ottawa.ca/map/camera...=1569848284648

Interesting....

I know this is a complex project but I can't for the life of me figure out what is with all this lane shifting and why it is taking so long to complete the widening (and reopening of the onramp at Carling).

DarkArconio · #**1097** Posted **Oct 2, 2019, 3:42 AM**

They’re almost certainly preparing to replace the median jersey barrier with the new fatter and taller Ontario standard median divider (like on the recently redone eastern section of the 417).

OTownandDown · #**1098** Posted **Oct 2, 2019, 2:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AuxTown

Interesting....

I know this is a complex project but I can't for the life of me figure out what is with all this lane shifting and why it is taking so long to complete the widening (and reopening of the onramp at Carling).

It's all phases, when it comes to the Chicane. There's a bridge under there which needed concrete repair (chipping, prepping, pouring, curing (28 days), waterproofing, then paving).

Phase 1: North side of bridge, chicane to the south.
Phase 2: South side of bridge, chicane to the north.
Phase 3: Both directions of highway will be pushed to the outer limits, including the fully widened highway, to allow for the centre median to be demolished, and ALL the plumbing, which is quite deep, to be replaced. The westbound lanes are already out at that extreme north side. The south side will be pushed out when the south bridge repair is complete.
Phase 4: Next summer, this will all be complete.

TransitZilla · #**1099** Posted **Oct 2, 2019, 2:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by AuxTown

Interesting....

I know this is a complex project but I can't for the life of me figure out what is with all this lane shifting and why it is taking so long to complete the widening (and reopening of the onramp at Carling).

WRT to the Carling ramp.

From http://rileybrockington.ca/eastbound...date-from-mto/

Quote:

Work is progressing at the Merivale Road Bridge, but unfortunately we have run into some unforeseen issues with the repairs to the bridge. Some elements of the bridge were in worse condition than anticipated therefore increasing the duration of the work in each stage. As a result, there will be additional time required to repair the bridge, which will result in a delay in opening the Carling Avenue Eastbound on-ramp. The ministry is looking at every avenue possible to expedite the work, but at this time they are anticipating opening the ramp by November 4, 2019. On a more positive note, they have nearly completed the rehabilitation of the north side of the bridge and are implementing a new staging configuration next weekend, which will facilitate repairs to the south end of the bridge.

Jim613 · #**1100** Posted **Oct 2, 2019, 4:08 PM**

Anyone know what's going on at the 417/Ramsayville (between Hunt Club and Anderson)?

Is it a widening or are the replacing the bridge?