Hwy. 401/8 Interchange

[DHLawrence]

If they haven't yet, they will before long--only a few months until Toyota opens!

What does MTO use it for? It seems strange to put a concrete slab in the middle of a woodlot; was it for equipment storage while they were building one of the highways?

[TripleQ]

Probably a Dharma Initiative research station.

[Duke-Of-Waterloo]

Originally Posted by DHLawrence

I was wondering if anyone could answer this for me; what is this concrete patch at the 401/8 interchange near King Street? It's always been there, and I have no idea what its function is/was.

I can find out for you DHLawrence. I am a member of the Historical Highway Association of Ontario, and I will ask perhaps the biggest highway enthusiast or "roadgeek" as we call them about it. He will know what it is for sure. More to come...

[waterloowarrior]

I checked some old records and part of it has been used salt storage in the past, so likely some highway maintenance function; not sure about current use (perhaps the same)

[Duke-Of-Waterloo]

Originally Posted by DHLawrence

I was wondering if anyone could answer this for me; what is this concrete patch at the 401/8 interchange near King Street? It's always been there, and I have no idea what its function is/was.

Ok, I heard back from my Ontario Highway expert. Here is what he said in his email about the patch:


Hi (Duke-Of-Waterloo),

I had a look at the image, and it appears to be an old foundation for a building that was probably demolished in preparation for the now-cancelled Cambridge Bypass. The MTO never did do any work on this bypass back in the 1980s, as it was overrun by controversy and was eventually scrapped. However, that was still a neat find. I didn't even know that there was anything back there in the woods.


Hope this helps!

[DHLawrence]

Road study raises concern

A proposed new Cambridge interchange on Highway 401 could have significant impact on the industrial subdivisions in the city's north end.

A new study is being initiated by the Ministry of Transport (MTO) to improve the operation of the Highway 8/401 interchange. As part of the package, the ministry is considering creating a new interchange at the Speedsville Road overpass.

At Wednesday's economic development advisory committee (EDAC) meeting, the proposal got mixed reviews.

"It will be interesting to see what that interchange will be to traffic on Speedsville and Concession," said Coun. Karl Kiefer. "Taking pressure off Maple Grove Road would be a good thing, but it could mean flooding Speedsville Road with more traffic. There are two bridges and the river right there. It would have to be carefully done."

Bo Densmore, city director of economic development, also had concerns.

"Anything that is going to alleviate traffic in that area is good, but it will have an impact on our Boxwood subdivision," she said.

The Boxwood Drive industrial subdivision is the city's next big block of land about to be developed.

EDAC member Craig Bailey said the addition of the new interchange could have an impact on future economic development.

"I think this is something the committee should be aware of and something we may want to continue monitoring," he said.

MTO is about to start a study of the Highway 8/401 interchange looking specifically at the area from the Speed River bridges to the Grand River bridge and north on Highway 8 to just beyond Maple Grove Road/Sportsworld Drive. Its purpose will be to address ongoing problems and future transportation needs and evaluate the feasibility of a new interchange at Speedsville Road.

During the course of the study, the ministry will host a public information centre to let the public review and comment on the propose improvement alternatives.

I still think putting an interchange at Speedsville is a mistake. There's nowhere for the road through Riverside Park to reach Speedsville and fit an on/off ramp in without cutting through a soccer field.

[Duke-Of-Waterloo]

There was a Public Information Centre this afternoon for interchange improvements for Highway 8 and the 401. I'm really trying to get a better understanding and studying the major transportation studies currently underway in south-western Ontario, so I usually end up go to these public open houses. The MTO and Stantec didn't mind people taking pictures, so I snapped a few pics of the displays.

I won't get into big details, since Jeff Outhit was there in his glory and as a Record subscriber, I will leave that job to him.

Basically good news to you DHLawrence, the MTO has ruled out adding an interchange with Speedsville Road. Instead, they propose MASSIVE upgrades to the 401/8 interchange and the Maplegrove Interchange with Highway 8 in Cambridge. Their preferred proposal is quite the plan, with a basket weave, tunnels, 2 new flyovers, replacement to the Fountain Street and Speedsville Road bridges (but no interchange), and alterations to the interchange with the 401 and King Street. Stuff like this is rare of outside the GTA. I think this will show our fellow Ontarians that Waterloo Region means business, as that interchange is basically the "gateway" to Kitchener-Waterloo, the midpoint between London and Toronto, and really how most people come into the cities.

Here is a shot of the MTO's preferred plan.





Reasoning for no interchange with Speedsville:

[waterloowarrior]

Thanks for the update!!
Any information on the estimated cost of the improvements?

[DHLawrence]

Looking at interchanges like this always makes me wonder what the designers' dreams are like. They probably all look like blueprints, whatever they are!

What's the timing of this?

[jernst]

It can't happen fast enough. Most days going from conestoga mall to conestoga college takes me at least 45 mins in rush hour. I hope by this point the highway over the river is widened like it has been up by fairview mall.

[waterloowarrior]

Planners rule out adding Highway 401 interchange at Speedsville Road TheRecord.com - CanadaWorld - Planners rule out adding Highway 401 interchange at Speedsville Road

Jeff Outhit
RECORD STAFF

CAMBRIDGE
Highway planners have ruled out adding a Highway 401 interchange at Speedsville Road.

Such an interchange would damage Speed River wetlands, compromise traffic safety and worsen congestion, they contend.

"It would be a hindrance, adding an interchange at Speedsville," said Scott Howard, project manager for the Ministry of Transportation.

Instead, the ministry proposes better connections between Highway 401 and Highway 8, at an undefined cost exceeding $100 million. This proposal includes:

Two highway-to-highway ramps that would soar above a
reconfigured interchange at King Street.

A reconfigured interchange at Sportsworld Drive and Highway 8.

The proposal released yesterday is intended to improve Highway 401 access in south Kitchener and Cambridge. It has no launch date and is not among projects the province plans to construct within five years.

The rejection of an interchange at Speedsville Road was both panned and praised by residents at a public information centre.

"I think they should have had one 20 years ago," Jim Cassel said. "It's the industrial basin of the city."

Steve Halicki also feels Speedsville Road needs an interchange. "They've done this in Toronto," he said. "Why could they do it in Toronto but they can't do it here?"

Mike Dearden and Larry Johnston say Speedsville is the wrong place for another interchange. "It's too tight between Highway 24 and Highway 8 to put in another full interchange," Dearden said.

"I fully understand the mess it would create on the 401," Johnston said.

Planners say Speedsville Road will get a new bridge over the 401 but not an interchange. They contend an interchange would:
Impact Speed River wetlands.
Increase traffic on Speedsville and Royal Oak roads.

This is because, in a short space heading up a steep hill, vehicles entering the 401 from Speedsville would have to weave against vehicles exiting the 401 at Highway 8.

Planners say this would "create conflicts, congestion and compromise traffic safety." In peak hours they predict westbound traffic would back up almost to Hespeler Road.

The ministry proposes instead to construct more flyover ramps where Highway 401 meets Highway 8.

Motorists heading out of Kitchener on Highway 8 would take a new flyover to go west on Highway 401. This would get them off King Street.

Motorists heading eastbound on Highway 401 would take a new flyover to enter Kitchener on Highway 8. This would get them off King Street.

Interchanges at Sportsworld Drive and at King Street would be reconfigured to improve traffic flow.

This would consume nine hectares, disrupting a corner of the Sportsworld Crossing shopping plaza in Kitchener and part of a proposed Limerick Drive subdivision in Cambridge.

Affected developers are aware of highway plans.
jouthit@therecord.com

[notmyfriends]

Isn't that new exit planned for Sportsworld Drive in the diagram eating up the place they planned on having a rapid transit stop?

[DHLawrence]

Looks like they're planning to relocate the station.

Judging by the position of the label "Potential rapid transit station location", I'm guessing it's going to be closer to Gateway Park. I've heard that the Future Shop there is planning to shut down or relocate; maybe they'll demolish and put it in there. Wouldn't be a bad idea, because the parking lot there is too small for the current demand. Customers have to park in the secondary Home Depot lot (which may also be on the auction block).

[dunkalunk]

If it's LRT, it would be placed near the water tower because the proposed LRT route is along the rail line. This is all well and good as long as they provide sufficient connections to gateway park. Unless I'm wrong and they've decided on the Highway 8 corridor.

[DHLawrence]

Wouldn't it be nice to be in the loop?

Last I heard, there's going to be a stop on the actual Sportsworld site no matter which corridor is followed--they'll just divert it away from the line to Sportsworld. Of course, that was about two public consultations ago.

[notmyfriends]

What about an underground mall between the CPR tracks and sportsworld, going under the highway, with a moving walkway in the middle

lol

[dunkalunk]

If an interchange at Speedsville road is going to eat up too much wetland, why not have a simple diamond interchange or better yet, a SPUI?


Wikipedia

Or does this just make too much sense for the MTO? No weaving, imagine that!

[notmyfriends]

I think they mean cars getting on the 401 west from sv would have to weave across lanes and against traffic already on 401 wanting off at 8, all while going uphill.

[jcollins]

Originally Posted by notmyfriends

I think they mean cars getting on the 401 west from sv would have to weave across lanes and against traffic already on 401 wanting off at 8, all while going uphill.

And that they had concerns that it would be too tight between SV and 24 with cars trying to get on and off the 401 in the same place

[dunkalunk]

Very true. Even so, leaving out an interchange at Speedsville will do nothing about traffic congestion currently seen at Shantz Hill.

When they upgrade the interchange at Sportsworld drive, I honestly hope it is not a full cloverleaf as depicted. If this is going to be an access road for trucks to the 401 west, all of that weaving will cause massive congestion. Remember the 7/8 interchange before the flyover?

I know this is a bit off topic, but since almost nothing is being done about local traffic congestion in this proposal, what would you think of the idea of a new road that roughly follows the CN tracks from King Street in Preston to Fountain at Cherry Blossom?



The interchange with the 401 would be partial. Lane segregation would prohibit vehicles from weaving across traffic to enter or exit the 401 from the west. However, vehicles to and from the east 401 will gain more direct access to Preston.

Vehicles from Preston that need to go west on the 401 will still be required to use the King Street interchange. Regardless, this interchange would remove much of the traffic congestion from Shantz Hill and would not create much interference. This interchange would effectively act like a continuation of Highway 8 into Preston.

Here's a closeup of the interchange:


It is expected that the Sportsworld drive interchange would still need to be upgraded