The 401

[Horus]

There are lane shifts now just east of Cobourg to accommodate bridge reconstruction related to the widening project taking place there. I drove through there last weekend. I'm guessing that the widening should be done by Fall.

[TownGuy]

Well fall of 2017 anyways, so the signs say. That's for the whole project however.

[sonysnob]

I posted these on another forum a month or so again. This is the 401 through Kingston, now that construction has been completed.











The whole set:
http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_4...p15_images.htm

[1overcosc]

^ The project isn't completed.. only the first phase is.

Notice how the new lane ends short of the Highway 15 exit (very apparent in the second last picture; also apparent by the distances in the first picture advertising 4km to Highway 15 and 2.5km to the end of the third lane).

The project is being dragged out like crazy, taking something like 5 years with the two 2km sections being widened one at a time, because the area is so ecologically sensitive that the Ministry of the Environment was unwilling to allow the work site to be big enough to allow both sections to be built at the same time.

[sonysnob]

Are you sure about that?

I work for the MOECC, and it typically wouldn't be us that would stop a project like that. Potential permitting would be required from the conservation authority, the DFO, MNRF, and in this case because of the canal, both Transport Canada and Parks Canada. I'd imagine it was one of those agencies that halted the work at the canal bridge.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by sonysnob

Are you sure about that?

I work for the MOECC, and it typically wouldn't be us that would stop a project like that. Potential permitting would be required from the conservation authority, the DFO, MNRF, and in this case because of the canal, both Transport Canada and Parks Canada. I'd imagine it was one of those agencies that halted the work at the canal bridge.

Must have been some other body, then. I don't know the details, just remember hearing in the news that the project was split into two by some environmental agency. Perhaps MNRF or the CRCA (the local conservation authority).

In any case, I'm not fussed about the long timeline. The widening is nice to have but it's not really an urgent need for the local community.

[sonysnob]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

Must have been some other body, then. I don't know the details, just remember hearing in the news that the project was split into two by some environmental agency. Perhaps MNRF or the CRCA (the local conservation authority).

In any case, I'm not fussed about the long timeline. The widening is nice to have but it's not really an urgent need for the local community.

Agreed. There is definitely an infrastructure renewal aspect to the timing of the widening project. I have to think that the 60 year old Cataraqui River Bridge is due for some work though. I'd be curious to know what the reason for the delay is. I know in the case of the Highway 11 bridge over the Trent-Severn in Washago, the MTO didn't actually own the corridor over the waterway, but rather had an easement through federal lands. This complicated the ongoing rehabilitation contract, as the easement was more restrictive than just outright land ownership.

[1overcosc]

Originally Posted by sonysnob

Agreed. There is definitely an infrastructure renewal aspect to the timing of the widening project. I have to think that the 60 year old Cataraqui River Bridge is due for some work though. I'd be curious to know what the reason for the delay is. I know in the case of the Highway 11 bridge over the Trent-Severn in Washago, the MTO didn't actually own the corridor over the waterway, but rather had an easement through federal lands. This complicated the ongoing rehabilitation contract, as the easement was more restrictive than just outright land ownership.

Federal interactions might be at fault here, too.. it passes over the Cataraqui River which is part of the federally owned Rideau Canal waterway.

Infrastructure renewal is definitely it. The section of the 401 through Kingston is one of the oldest parts of the highway; it was built in the mid 1950s and for quite some time was a disconnected highway serving only as a Kingston bypass. If it weren't for the fact that every structure needs replacing, they wouldn't have widened it.

[sonysnob]

I don't entirely agree with that. There may be an infrastructure renewal component to the specific timing of the construction project, but it's not like the 401 east to Highway 15 would otherwise be decades away from needing widening.

Also, it's worth noting that the reason that the 401 wasn't upgraded in Kingston for as long as it was was likely because the MTO knew that there was a looming need to widen the highway due to increasing traffic volumes. If the traffic volumes weren't what they are, it's quite probable that some of the infrastructure deficiencies would have been addressed sooner.

It was a similar case east of Newcastle. One of the final stretches of highway to get a concrete median barrier between Newcastle and Belleville was the stretch between Newcastle and Port Hope, as the barrier work was packaged with the highway widening.

It's going to be interesting to see what MTO does with the 401 through Napanee. The 401 is definitely in need of a full reconstruction through the city that is greater for many reasons. It will be interesting to see exactly what is designed, and how it gets built. It seems likely to me that they would build an interim four-lane cross-section that is designed to be easily widened to six, but that'll ultimately depend on what the most cost-effective long term solution ends up being.

[MolsonExport]

Nice pics of the Kingston sections. I travelled it very recently, coming back from QC/Mtl/Ott

[sonysnob]

A new photo of the beast:


http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_4...ug16_24x16.jpg

[haljackey]

...With a fresh coat of asphalt

[sonysnob]

^ I've yet to get tired of looking at the 401. I've taken quite a few photos from this (and other) overpasses over the years, and I still really enjoy looking at the results. I took photos from several neighbouring overpasses on this occasion, as well as a number of photos of the 401 widening in Mississauga. There isn't much to see in Mississauga yet, aside from some early grading a ditching.

[sonysnob]

MTO has called the final contract for widening the 401 through Kingston:

Part A - Hwy 401 Expansion from 2km west of Highway 15 Easterly to 250m west of Highway 15, including replacement of Cataraqui River Bridge Part B - Highway 15 Interchange Improvements Part C - Highway 401 Paving from 250m west of Highway 15 to 1km East of Highway 15 Part D - Highway 401 crack repair and repaving at Division Street Structure Part E - Highway 401 Overhead Sign Installation between Sydenham Road and Gardiners Road

Presumably if the contractor's selection goes normally, construction will begin next spring.

[haljackey]

Widest part. Click for full size.



Via
https://www.flickr.com/photos/anotherangle/30136547891/

[1overcosc]

^ What kind of magic did it take to get the highway that empty during the daytime?

[sonysnob]

^ The photographer is using a $4000 camera, so maybe that's the magic? :-)

[manny_santos]

Are there any plans to do anything about the 401 between Mississauga and Milton? That section, particularly westbound from the 407 to Trafalgar Road seems to be getting more and more congested every month, even outside rush hour. That, along with the one two-lane section in Mississauga, has become a major choke point.

[eemy]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

That, along with the one two-lane section in Mississauga, has become a major choke point.

What two-lane section? The 401 is greater than 6-lanes through all of Mississauga.

They're currently in the midst of widening it to the Credit River with completion in 2019. Widening further west to Hwy 25 in Milton is slated as beyond 2020 in the Southern Highways Program.

In Waterloo Region, they are also in the midst of expanding the 401 from 6 to 10 lanes between Hwy 8 and Hespeler Rd. Completion is estimated for 2019, but they managed to do a lot in the past year with new bridge structures for both directions over the Speed River and rehabilitation or reconstruction of the old ones already underway. Expansion further east to Townline is slated for beyond 2020.

They are also conducting an EA for expansion between Townline and Halton Region.

[Loco101]

I still feel that collector lanes need to be added between the Hwy 409 and 427 interchanges. It can be done. Even if the collectors are elevated it would be worth it. It's one of those projects that would cost a lot but would pay off in the long run.