Highway 69 conversion

[Dengler Avenue]

Ah okay. Remember, when ON Liberals needed ON NDP to pop up the minority government, plans for 17 expansion around Sudbury were drawn. Sometimes that’s all that’s needed.

[DavefromSt.Vital]

No pictures, but did drive through the main construction area today. Still no tracks laid on the new railbed but it looks like the new highway bridge decks over the new rail alignment are both done.

A LOT is going to have to get done for this section to be finished in 2020 as originally scheduled. Only the south piers are in on the new French River bridges and a ton of other things need to be done.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by DavefromSt.Vital

No pictures, but did drive through the main construction area today. Still no tracks laid on the new railbed but it looks like the new highway bridge decks over the new rail alignment are both done.

A LOT is going to have to get done for this section to be finished in 2020 as originally scheduled. Only the south piers are in on the new French River bridges and a ton of other things need to be done.

The section under construction ends just north of Grundy PP. The new CN alignment is just south of Grundy PP. It will not be part of this construction phase.

[DavefromSt.Vital]

^ I know the CN realignment is separate and part of a future section.

While I am not an expert, it just appears that they still have tons of things to do. e.g. At the north end of the current construction they have not yet finished removing rock from the right of way. While I would be pleasantly surprised if they finished the current section by next year, it would still come as a surprise.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by DavefromSt.Vital

^ I know the CN realignment is separate and part of a future section.

While I am not an expert, it just appears that they still have tons of things to do. e.g. At the north end of the current construction they have not yet finished removing rock from the right of way. While I would be pleasantly surprised if they finished the current section by next year, it would still come as a surprise.

I drove through a week ago.

I don't know what you mean about the north section. That looks like it is going well.

The realignment will be done with the next phase. I have no idea why it is being rerouted.

[DavefromSt.Vital]

IIRC (it's been a long day) driving south as the divided highway section ends you see two large rock cuts where the new highway will be. The future southbound lanes were still full of blasted rock.

Also, only having the south piers up over the French River is a long way from getting that crossing done. I was puzzled as to how the bridges were in place over the future CN alignment but things were still at early stages at the French River. Definitely separate projects but you would think they would be close in progress.

I know the new railway alignment avoids a semi-sharp s-curve and moves the bridge further from 522, but I leave it to others as to whether there are other reasons for moving the tracks.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by DavefromSt.Vital

IIRC (it's been a long day) driving south as the divided highway section ends you see two large rock cuts where the new highway will be. The future southbound lanes were still full of blasted rock.

Also, only having the south piers up over the French River is a long way from getting that crossing done. I was puzzled as to how the bridges were in place over the future CN alignment but things were still at early stages at the French River. Definitely separate projects but you would think they would be close in progress.

I know the new railway alignment avoids a semi-sharp s-curve and moves the bridge further from 522, but I leave it to others as to whether there are other reasons for moving the tracks.

When did you drive there? A week ago, most of the frame for both bridges over the French were there. They had blasted through the north section too.

[DavefromSt.Vital]

I was there today. Just taking a quick glance (someone has to do the driving) but it appeared the south piers were up for the new crossing but they did not actually connect yet to the south side of the river. There was some heavy steel lying in the ROW south of the river but I didn't get a good enough look at it to see if it was the connection to the south shore or a different piece(s).

The southbound lanes were definitely full of loose rock during one major cut.

[Dengler Avenue]

The cottage traffic is real. I’ve never seen this many passenger vehicles on the four lane sections of 400N.

[Dengler Avenue]

Yesterday after dropping my friends off at Pearson at 6:15 am, I decided to take a spontaneous trip to check out Gravenhurst (Golf Lake, really), South River (Exit 289, really), North Bay, Sturgeon Falls and Sudbury. I went up by 11, across by 17 then back down by 69.

By now, the animal fencing has been put up, and the construction zone speed limit back up to 90 km/h. When I was crossing French River, I made sure to take a look at the “new bridge”. Holy smokes, the structure’s massive and it looks beautiful.

Sadly, though, it seems that the 4-lane interchange at Highway 522 will be separate from the rest of the 4-lane sections. It’s like 17 from Denlou to 69: 4-lane for quite a bit, back to 2, then 4-lane at interchange with a major highway, then back to 2.

Speaking of the 17, the drive from North Bay to Sudbury/Nipissing boundary was not fun. There were so many cars in both directions (especially eastbound) that it wasn’t even funny. On the bright side, the part of 17 having Veuve River on one side and rocks on the other is seeing some serious rock blasting to widen or straighten to highway, which is nice.

[sonysnob]

The speed limit on Highway 69 is variable. It's 90km/h on the weekends when nobody is working, but it drops back to 70 km/h during the week.

[Djeffery]

That's a serious spontaneous tour lol.

[wave46]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

That's a serious spontaneous tour lol.

Indeed.

It takes about an hour of me driving on the speedway in Northern Ontario to become mind-numbingly bored.

Someone once described it as spaceflight without the cryogenics.

[Dengler Avenue]

Here’s the funny thing: At certain places, especially where Highway 69 is a freeway, the highway shield is missing, but the direction sign and TCH shield are still there. At first I was wondering to myself, “Is MTO renumbering the freeway section already?” Then I realized the reason that the sign is missing might have been a dirty one...

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Here’s the funny thing: At certain places, especially where Highway 69 is a freeway, the highway shield is missing, but the direction sign and TCH shield are still there. At first I was wondering to myself, “Is MTO renumbering the freeway section already?” Then I realized the reason that the sign is missing might have been a dirty one...

What could you possibly mean?

[sonysnob]

The real reason the province is twinning 69 and renumbering it as Highway 400 as it was cheaper than replacing all of the stolen signs.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by sonysnob

The real reason the province is twinning 69 and renumbering it as Highway 400 as it was cheaper than replacing all of the stolen signs.

Oh yea I get that part. I was simply wondering why those signs went missing to begin with.

I hope the TCH shield (indicating Georgian Bay Route) plus the direction sign would do if people start to become unsure as to which highway they’re on~

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Oh yea I get that part. I was simply wondering why those signs went missing to begin with.

I hope the TCH shield (indicating Georgian Bay Route) plus the direction sign would do if people start to become unsure as to which highway they’re on~

If you were a young adult, wouldn't one of those signs go good in your college dorm?

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

If you were a young adult, wouldn't one of those signs go good in your college dorm?

That’s what I was hinting at.

Now I wish MTO should have kept the numbering as (Highway) 103.

[Dengler Avenue]

Now that Sudbury has voted red federally and that JT is to stay, I'm guessing we will finally see 400 taken all the way to MacFarlane Lake (a bit before the bypass)?