The 401 - Page 54

MolsonExport · #**1061** Posted **Aug 15, 2022, 8:03 PM**

I reckoned it was cottage traffic. But the highway is jammed more often than not. Early morning, late at night, middle of the day, rushhour....there are so many goddamned bottlenecks and accidents.

Innsertnamehere · #**1062** Posted **Aug 15, 2022, 8:17 PM**

the 407 is your friend, especially on weekends

Going from the 418 to 401 in Mississauga would be $34 on a weekend. Well worth my sanity to me. And honestly you only really need to take it to the 404 on a typical Sunday evening to avoid the cottage traffic.

On long weekends when I'm up north in Haliburton instead of taking the 400 south I take back roads down to 115 then across the 407, it takes about 30 mins longer than the 400 with no traffic, but is way faster than taking the 400 haha. Takes me about 3 hours to get up north with no traffic, 3.5 taking the "long way", and often 4+ hours if I decide to sit on the 400.

haljackey · #**1063** Posted **Aug 15, 2022, 8:31 PM**

With gas prices the way they are, you'll actually recoup a little of the cost of using the 407 simply due to better fuel economy vs stop and go traffic on the 401.

Add to that less wear and tear on your vehicle (also some small savings), faster travel time and obviously less stress and the 407 is somewhat worth it.

Innsertnamehere · #**1064** Posted **Aug 15, 2022, 8:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by haljackey

With gas prices the way they are, you'll actually recoup a little of the cost of using the 407 simply due to better fuel economy vs stop and go traffic on the 401.

Add to that less wear and tear on your vehicle (also some small savings), faster travel time and obviously less stress and the 407 is somewhat worth it.

We have two cars, a small fuel efficient Honda Civic, and a larger gas-guzzling SUV which gets like 21mpg. It costs me like $100 in the SUV to get up north and $60 in the Civic... The $15-$30 in 407 charges I pay to get there faster and with my sanity is just a part of it.

I would never pay for it for daily driving / commuting as it would add up far too fast, but when I'm using it for a recreational trip it's worth every penny to save time and sanity, especially since it's far more affordable outside of weekday rush hours.

Proof Sheet · #**1065** Posted **Aug 17, 2022, 11:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Drove the 401 twice this week from London->416 to Ottawa and back. Last night, there were many traffic jams, beginning from Trenton onwards. Added at least 2 hours to the journey. Sunday fucking night. I hate this highway.

I've been eastbound on that stretch on a Sunday evening a few times in the summer and see the westbound stop and go and bunching up of traffic from about Trenton to Oshawa etc and remind myself why I don't want to live in the GTA anymore.

What drives me nuts is on the 2 lane stretches you have a truck going 101 km/h in the slow lane and a truck behind them wants to overtake and they pass by at 102 km/h which as you can imagine takes forever and just clogs up traffic behind the two trucks that are roughly running in parallel.

MolsonExport · #**1066** Posted **Aug 17, 2022, 2:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Proof Sheet

What drives me nuts is on the 2 lane stretches you have a truck going 101 km/h in the slow lane and a truck behind them wants to overtake and they pass by at 102 km/h which as you can imagine takes forever and just clogs up traffic behind the two trucks that are roughly running in parallel.

This is always the case on the stretches of the 401 past...Cobourg (?) that go down to two lanes each way. Truckity truck dee truck.

Marshsparrow · #**1067** Posted **Aug 17, 2022, 3:24 PM**

I always thought a "no trucks passing" on certain stretches of 401 would improve things - but then I guess enforcement would never be done.

thewave46 · #**1068** Posted **Aug 17, 2022, 3:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marshsparrow

I always thought a "no trucks passing" on certain stretches of 401 would improve things - but then I guess enforcement would never be done.

It would be nice to see the province relax the speed limiter rule on trucks to allow them go to 110km/h, which is now the highest limit in the province.

That would cut down on trucks oozing past each other for kilometres at a time.

Dengler Avenue · #**1069** Posted **Aug 17, 2022, 3:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by thewave46

It would be nice to see the province relax the speed limiter rule on trucks to allow them go to 110km/h, which is now the highest limit in the province.

That would cut down on trucks oozing past each other for kilometres at a time.

It’s something I get behind.

Legend has it that some trucks from Brampton already do that.

Innsertnamehere · #**1070** Posted **Aug 17, 2022, 3:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by thewave46

It would be nice to see the province relax the speed limiter rule on trucks to allow them go to 110km/h, which is now the highest limit in the province.

That would cut down on trucks oozing past each other for kilometres at a time.

not really as all trucks would just ooze past each other at 110km/h instead of 105km/h.

thewave46 · #**1071** Posted **Aug 17, 2022, 3:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

I reckoned it was cottage traffic. But the highway is jammed more often than not. Early morning, late at night, middle of the day, rushhour....there are so many goddamned bottlenecks and accidents.

There's just no nice way around the whole mess of Toronto from southwestern Ontario to Ottawa without using the 401 or 407.

Unless you really like backcountry roads.

All roads lead to Toronto (and they're jammed)

haljackey · #**1072** Posted **Aug 17, 2022, 4:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

not really as all trucks would just ooze past each other at 110km/h instead of 105km/h.

Well at least it's a 5km/h improvement in travel speed.

When the highway is 3 lanes or more, trucks cannot use the left lane in most situations.

If the PC government is looking for votes next election in the east, they may pledge 6-laning in the coming years. It worked for the 4 lane stretch west of London- Essex and Windsor—Tecumseh went PC for example- and this 6-laning may have had something to do with it. Maybe they can nab Oshawa and Kingston with widening pledges and hold on to their other ridings.

I'd also like to see them raise the limit on the 6 lane stretch east of the 35/115 to 110, as well as on the 6 lane stretch in Kingston.

Elsewhere I'd love to see the province starting a 120 trial now that the 110 trials are over. 402 and 403 west of Brantford are good contenders... but that's for a discussion on another thread since they're not the 401

.

ScreamingViking · #**1073** Posted **Aug 17, 2022, 5:30 PM**

Trucks doing a slow pass of each other is one frustration. But whenever I'm on any 4-lane section of freeway in southern Ontario there seem to be plenty of fools in cars doing 100 km/h (or less!) in the left lane who don't want to budge.

They may not restrict traffic flow the same way, but sure do lead to some dangerous passing behaviour (and more than a few hand gestures) from fellow motorists.

Djeffery · #**1074** Posted **Aug 17, 2022, 8:54 PM**

The trucks passing thing is a frustration. I drive a truck that is set to 104 by my company. When I get someone trying to pass me, I slow down and let them pass, it adds zero time to my drive and saves a whole lot of hassle. The other frustrating thing is on ramps where I move over to let the truck on, who then proceeds to accelerate up to my speed and stay beside me, leaving me stuck out in the middle lane. Now I look like the asshole. When I get on and a truck moves over, I intentionally hang back to see if he wants to come back into the right lane, and if so, then I go to the middle to pass if I'm able. This attitude that some drivers have now of "You ain't getting by me, asshole" is what is wrong with trucking now. But I've only been doing it for 32 years now, so what do I know. I am glad I'm a local guy now though, rare I go east of Woodstock now.

sonysnob · #**1075** Posted **Sep 19, 2022, 11:54 PM**

Some recent views of the 401 construction between Milton and Mississauga:

Looking westerly from James Snow:

http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_4...ep22_24x16.jpg

Easterly view from James Snow:

http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_4...ep22_24x16.jpg

Dengler Avenue · #**1076** Posted **Sep 20, 2022, 12:41 PM**

(Photo 2) Hmm, a left-hand merge, albeit temporary. That’s interesting.

sonysnob · #**1077** Posted **Sep 20, 2022, 6:17 PM**

Spamming more 401 photos from Milton to Mississauga. This time looking both directions from the Creditview Road overpass at the eastern edge of the project:

Looking westerly:

http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_4...ep22_24x16.jpg

Three views looking easterly:

http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/hwy_4...ep22_24x16.jpg

MolsonExport · #**1078** Posted **Sep 21, 2022, 1:55 PM**

I think the pyramids at Giza were built in less time than the 401 widening is taking.

Innsertnamehere · #**1079** Posted **Sep 21, 2022, 2:04 PM**

I mean it's been, what, a 3 or 4 year project? It's not that long.

MolsonExport · #**1080** Posted **Sep 21, 2022, 2:38 PM**

Before that, it was another adjacent section. Before that, it was another adjacent section. Before that, it was another adjacent section. Before that...