Windsor-Essex Parkway

[haljackey]

Well the construction in Sarnia is simply widening the highway. The 402 will have 4 westbound lanes when done next year (eastbound will remain 2 lanes). This will help ques for the border crossing.
-I think either one or both of those new lanes will be strictly for truck traffic. Separating them from travelers and Sarnia commuters will make the route much more efficient.

Far and away the project in Windsor is more massive. Here's a video I took of the 402 in Sarnia over the summer showing the construction:

• Video Link

Compare that to what is being done to the 401 in Windsor:
• Video Link

[Symz]

Great vid haljackey. What are you using to make your recordings? I'm guessing the border guards obviously have no clue you're recording.

I wish I could update you guys on the WE Parkway a bit more but I'm busy with exams right now (this old man's going back to school). Also, as you know, it's flat down here, so it's hard to find good vantage points.

I would like to try and make a video while driving down our 401 WE Parkway stretch, but I probably won't have time until next week or after, and I was thinking of doing it with my fiancee's ipod, so we'll see how that goes I guess.

[Blitz]

Yeah, I don't think that would go over well with the border guards. One time when I crossed over with a friend, they demanded that he hand over his digital camera so they could check the last few photos he took (which weren't even of anything at the border). Idiots.

[Symz]

Originally Posted by Blitz

Yeah, I don't think that would go over well with the border guards. One time when I crossed over with a friend, they demanded that he hand over his digital camera so they could check the last few photos he took (which weren't even of anything at the border). Idiots.

Ya, it all depends on what guard you get.

[north 42]

Yeah, and I doubt that this new deal with the States will change anything at the U.S. border when it is implemented. I'm sure they'll be the same assholes that they are now, with just as many stupid , unnecessary questions to make them feel like they're important.

[Symz]

Drove down there today when I went for a beer with some friends after an exam at the college and I can't believe how much is gone! They are still clearing trees and relocating utilities, but it's crazyness how big this project is.

[north 42]

I have to drive out that way soon, it's been a while since I was in the area, and at that time it was dark out, so I couldn't really see as much as I wanted to.

[macko]

Im sick of the ambassador bridge and matty morouns greed, how awesome it would be if they build that new bridge connected to the weparkway,,,,

[Symz]

Originally Posted by macko

Im sick of the ambassador bridge and matty morouns greed, how awesome it would be if they build that new bridge connected to the weparkway,,,,

I agree macko. Can you imagine a state of the art bridge, new and modern, something iconic!

[haljackey]

In the Sarnia video, I turned off my camera right where that video ended. Didn't think much of the border guards when I recorded it, as long as I wasn't filming near/at customs.

I haven't crossed the border in Windsor in years. It's simply easier to go through Sarnia because of the freeway connection, and it isn't that much farther out of the way. In fact, Google always recommends the 402 route if you live east of the 401/402 split. That may change when (or if) an efficient crossing is set up in Detroit/Windsor.

[Calebb]

The new bridge will happen. Unfortunately its just a matter of WHEN. It would be nice if construction of both the WE Parkway and the NITC finished around the same time but it looks like that won't happen. WE Parkway will be finished before the new crossing.

[macko]

check this link out from youtube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-lZJni6qN4

[haljackey]

Originally Posted by macko

check this link out from youtube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-lZJni6qN4

That video is bullcrap. Nothing but bullcrap.

The new crossing will ease congestion at the between Detroit and Windsor and will finally provide an efficient freeway and rail link between the two nations. It will boost trade for both the US and Canada. It should have been done 40 years ago.
-While there may in fact be some sort of Chinese connection, it would be very minor.

Talk about taking something completely out of context and altering the perspective for someone's political ideology.

[Symz]

http://www.windsorstar.com/Parkway+p...582/story.html

WINDSOR, Ont. -- The land has been cleared and digging is underway for the $1.4-billion Windsor-Essex Parkway.

Homeowners near the corridor will in start hearing pile driving in January, while drivers will see several road diversions and occasional lane reductions the next few weeks as work kicks into full gear to build the massive 11-kilometre, below-grade border highway.

“Over the next three years travellers and residents will see the area changing before their eyes,” said Cindy Prince, communication director for the project.

“We are trying to work quickly so people can enjoy the completed parkway.”

Preparation work for the road project began in the summer and included home demolition, landscape clearance and utility and sewer relocation.

Two thousand workers have been trained and been on-site for various jobs on the project.

Next steps will see construction of several bridges and tunnels in the upcoming months.

First up is a new North Talbot Road bridge where pile driving will begin right after the holidays. That will be followed later in the month by construction of a bridge just west of St. Clair College.

Work on three tunnels will follow in February — near the subdivisions of Villa Borghese, Hearthwood and Oliver Estates — along with a bridge east of Huron Church Line.

Four lanes of traffic will be maintained throughout in the Huron Church Road-Talbot Road corridor, but will be reduced occasionally at night to one lane in each direction, parkway officials said.

Travellers in the next few months will also see the first temporary detour roads constructed. The first traffic diversion will begin this week in the Spring Garden area with a road built between Bethelem Avenue and Lambton Road.

Several detour roads are also scheduled to be completed in the next few weeks along the Talbot Road corridor leading to Highway 3, largely for traffic heading east. Among them will be those near Cabana Road/Todd Lane and near Howard Avenue.

Among the first noticeable completed changes under the parkway plan is the extension of Highway 401 farther south to Howard Avenue where drivers will encounter a new roundabout connection with Laurier Parkway.

Construction of the roundabout — essentially in a former farm field — has been taking place for months, but it remains unknown exactly when it is expected to open for traffic, Prince said.

Temporary overhead utility lines are also going up above the parkway corridor. They will be relocated underground once tunnel structures are completed. The bulk of that work will be between Spring Garden Road and Cabana Road.

In the area adjacent to E.C. Row Expressway — that includes the area of Malden Road, Matchette Road and Ojibway Parkway — installation of wick drains will continue for the next several months. There is consideration of closure of the eastbound expressway entrance ramp at Matchette, but no decision has yet been made.

Community consultation continues regarding the final landscaping elements throughout the parkway corridor for 300 acres of green space and 20 kilometres of multi-use trails.

Up for debate during community meetings are landscaping of tunnel tops and public art opportunities as well as the style of noise barriers and retainer walls.

Work on four stormwater ponds is also underway. They are needed to prevent flooding of the below grade highway.

In all, there will be an estimated 3.9 million cubic metres of dirt moved during construction. There are 11 stockpile locations throughout the corridor.

As construction ramps up over the next couple of weeks, anyone with concerns should call the public liaison office at 1-877-937-5929, Prince said. The latest information on the project can also be found at weparkway.ca.

© Copyright (c) The Windsor Star

[Symz]

source:www.windsorite.ca

The fourth Design and Construction Report for the Windsor-Essex Parkway was released Thursday afternoon.

This report documents the proposed works at Cahill and Lennon Drains, associated mitigation measures and how public input received to date and commitments outlined in the Detroit River International Crossing Provincial Environmental Assessment Report of December 2008 and the associated Conditions of Approval have been addressed.

The works in Design and Construction Report #4 include:

Cahill Drain and Lennon Drain realignment and submerged culverts
Vegetation removal, top soil stripping and grading throughout the realignment area
Lennon Drain fish habitat compensation pond
Construction of culvert at Geraedts Drive.
The report is available for a 34-day public review period ending on Wednesday, January 25, 2012, at 2pm at http://www.weparkway.ca/

[Symz]

This picture is from an old article, but even still, this is not something you'll see very often, a Tim Horton's being torn down.



source: http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2011/08/18/

[go_leafs_go02]

Originally Posted by Symz

This picture is from an old article, but even still, this is not something you'll see very often, a Tim Horton's being torn down.



source: http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2011/08/18/

That's fantastic. I had to laugh that it appears to be somewhere between May and September and it says "Seasons Greetings" on the window. That Timmies must have been sitting around for some time empty till demolition.

[Symz]

Originally Posted by go_leafs_go02

That's fantastic. I had to laugh that it appears to be somewhere between May and September and it says "Seasons Greetings" on the window. That Timmies must have been sitting around for some time empty till demolition.

It was! A lot of the properties sat empty for a year or so.

[Symz]

Pile driving to replace the North Talbot Rd. bridge torn down that spans the 401 is beginning. The bridge was torn down to expand the highway from 4 lanes under the bridge to 6 lanes.

http://windsorite.ca/2012/01/border-...talbot-bridge/

[haljackey]

Manuel Moroun, the owner of the Ambassador Bridge has been sent to jail.‏

Full story here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...nada&ir=Canada

Will this help revive the new bridge crossing for the 401?

-Ryan (Haljackey)