meanwhile in London...we get no freeways, and none until the planned VMP upgrade slated for 2060.
__________________
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. (Bertrand Russell)
Once that's done, other 401 interchanges in London will be upgraded.
-401/VMP will actually be downgraded though as they are adding stoplights to it. No freeway there anytime soon
meanwhile in London...we get no freeways, and none until the planned VMP upgrade slated for 2060.
What is a bit surprising to me is that the underpass for the new interchange at Wonderland Road doesn't seem to be wide enough to support a six lane cross-section of Hwy 401. While it isn't all that difficult to widen an underpass, it does seem to indicate there are no immediate plans to widen the 401 west of the 402.
They look super long term with these structures, as they tend to last 60 years or more. There are still original bridges along the 400, more than 60 years old.
The 401 may need to be widened in 2075, we can't really know but it's best to be prepared.
^ On top of that design standards and technology have improved significantly since the 1950s, so if bridges from the 1950s survive today... then today's bridges could probably survive a hundred years.
The Westminster Drive overpass was replaced so that it could span 8 lanes. Since it's past the 402 it's in the middle of nowhere.
Why they spent so much to make it so long is beyond me. I don't think any part of the 401 west of 402 will ever need to be 8 lanes in girth.
Not unless London doubles its growth and expands Westerly. You never can tell, but a greater London of 750,000 would probably require such an accommodation.
__________________
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. (Bertrand Russell)
The Westminster Drive overpass was replaced so that it could span 8 lanes. Since it's past the 402 it's in the middle of nowhere.
Why they spent so much to make it so long is beyond me. I don't think any part of the 401 west of 402 will ever need to be 8 lanes in girth.
I really like the design that the MTO's West Region has been doing on their concrete bridges of late. The horizontal recessed lines in both the concrete wall and the abutments are a really simple and nice design element.
I really like the design that the MTO's West Region has been doing on their concrete bridges of late. The horizontal recessed lines in both the concrete wall and the abutments are a really simple and nice design element.
The MTO has been building the same style out east too. A new interchange was just built in Ottawa, with the exact same design. It seems to be a new standard.
Don't forget the crumbling crappy overpasses in Oshawa:
thekingshighway.ca
I am always surprised when I drive through them (there are 3 in a row)...so many overpasses have been replaced yet these linger. From the 1940s, I understand.
thekingshighway.ca
__________________
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. (Bertrand Russell)
__________________
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. (Bertrand Russell)
Don't forget the crumbling crappy overpasses in Oshawa:
thekingshighway.ca
I am always surprised when I drive through them (there are 3 in a row)...so many overpasses have been replaced yet these linger. From the 1940s, I understand.
thekingshighway.ca
Both the Henry Street and Hwy 12 bridges in Whitby are programmed to be replaced I think starting next year. I don't think any of the bridges through Oshawa are programmed yet though. They certainly have gotten a good service life out of them. It seems a lot of bridges from the 70s are being replaced sooner than those built in the 40s and 50s.
^ That's right, the oldest parts of the 401 are still in Oshawa and Whitby.
A couple of new pictures of the 401 through Lakeridge:
Beautiful. Like a Joni Mitchell song.
__________________
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. (Bertrand Russell)
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