The 401

[sonysnob]

^ In my own fantasy world, I'd be pretty quick to reconstruct the Hwy 401/400 interchange too. A lot of eastbound traffic congestion can be attributed to the woefully inadequate eastbound to northbound ramps from the 401 to the 400.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by jeremy_haak

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

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.62926...7i13312!8i6656

I should clarify it's the express lanes that are 2 lanes each way. I generally avoid that section of the 401 now and use the 407/410, last time I saved about 15 minutes just by bypassing that small stretch according to Google Maps. As traffic continues to grow west of Toronto, I wouldn't be surprised to see that become a massive choke point in the highway network

[eemy]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.62926...7i13312!8i6656

I should clarify it's the express lanes that are 2 lanes each way. I generally avoid that section of the 401 now and use the 407/410, last time I saved about 15 minutes just by bypassing that small stretch according to Google Maps. As traffic continues to grow west of Toronto, I wouldn't be surprised to see that become a massive choke point in the highway network

HOV lanes will be added to that section at some point in the future (possibly when the extension to the Credit River opens). The space for them is already there and paved, but I guess the MTO felt there wasn't any point in having HOV lanes for such a short distance. My personal experience is that that section isn't the chokepoint (ie. where the express drops from 6 to 4 lanes). It's where the express and collectors merge that the backups start, and it's usually much worse coming into it off the collectors than off the express.

[waterloowarrior]

next phase of 401 widening in Kingston starting this spring


Ontario Replacing Bridge and Widening Highway 401 in Kingston
Province Creating Jobs, Improving Traffic Flow by Investing In Key Infrastructure
https://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2017/...-kingston.html
January 19, 2017 2:00 P.M.Ministry of Transportation

Ontario is replacing the Cataraqui River Bridge and widening Highway 401 from four to six lanes, which will help keep traffic moving and improve the daily commute for those living in the Kingston region.

Work is expected to begin in spring 2017 and is anticipated to be completed in spring 2020. The project also includes:

• Widening the Highway 15 interchange westbound on-ramp and eastbound off-ramp,
• Realigning the Highway 15 interchange westbound off-ramp with the westbound on-ramp
• Adding a southbound right-turn lane on Highway 15 for traffic to access the westbound on-ramp
• Repaving Highway 401 from the Highway 15 interchange easterly for one kilometre
• Repairing pavement at the Highway 401 Division Street overpass
• Installing overhead sign support structures in the eastbound direction at Sydenham Road.

[haljackey]

One day the 401 will be a minimum of 6 lanes all the way from London to Kingston.

Ideally I'd like to see it from Windsor to the 416 but that seems like a pipe dream as they're rebuilding, not expanding the stretch between Windsor and London.

-----

Also work starts this year on expanding the 401/VMP from a 3-to-4-way interchange. Clearing was done last year, and this year will be mostly grading and bridge work.

More info:
http://hwy401vmp.ca/

[wave46]

Originally Posted by sonysnob

^ In my own fantasy world, I'd be pretty quick to reconstruct the Hwy 401/400 interchange too. A lot of eastbound traffic congestion can be attributed to the woefully inadequate eastbound to northbound ramps from the 401 to the 400.

It would be nice if there were exits from both the collector and express lanes on the westbound 401 to northbound 400 - there's a lot of weaving for people coming from the express lanes.

Also, I'd work on the 400 southbound to 401 westbound lanes - with a choice between using the collector lanes or the express lanes. I particularly dislike that you have to slow down so much and then are negotiating blindly as you accelerate onto the 401 while competing with traffic headed to exit at Weston Rd. I'd probably also connect the SB 400 to the 401 EB express lanes directly too.

So, basically, I'd tear apart the whole interchange and start again. Sounds reasonable, no?

Ironically, the EB 401 to 400 NB I'm fine with. There are exit lanes from both the express and collector lanes. Sure, they're tighter and slower than the other directions, but they flow reasonably well, but maybe I've been lucky.

[wave46]

Originally Posted by haljackey

Ideally I'd like to see it from Windsor to the 416 but that seems like a pipe dream as they're rebuilding, not expanding the stretch between Windsor and London.

Once you get past Kingston, the traffic really drops off. 6 lanes would be overkill and that part of the province hasn't nearly grown enough to justify it.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by haljackey

One day the 401 will be a minimum of 6 lanes all the way from London to Kingston.

Ideally I'd like to see it from Windsor to the 416 but that seems like a pipe dream as they're rebuilding, not expanding the stretch between Windsor and London.

-----

Also work starts this year on expanding the 401/VMP from a 3-to-4-way interchange. Clearing was done last year, and this year will be mostly grading and bridge work.

More info:
http://hwy401vmp.ca/

The 401 in all of Essex County has already been rebuilt to 6 lanes a decade ago, and it's extension through Windsor just recently. Its just the section from Tilbury to London that isn't 6 lanes yet. It's crazy that they aren't upgrading that section anytime in the near future considering it's such an important highway!

[HillStreetBlues]

Originally Posted by north 42

The 401 in all of Essex County has already been rebuilt to 6 lanes a decade ago, and it's extension through Windsor just recently. Its just the section from Tilbury to London that isn't 6 lanes yet. It's crazy that they aren't upgrading that section anytime in the near future considering it's such an important highway!

I am by and large not a fan of highways, and think we need to be investing in passenger rail in a big way instead, but I agree with you that it's bizarre, and I'm surprised it hasn't happened.

Someone here once posted some great information about the breakdown between commercial and passenger traffic on the 401 at various stretches. I think the portion west of London is disproportionately commercial, but I could be remembering wrong- maybe, if our auto industry and manufacturing at large stagnates, and we become less dependent on the U.S. market, this part of the 401 will never go to six lanes.

[sonysnob]

Video of the 401 through the GTA starting in Courtice, and ending at the 400 taken last month in January:

• Video Link

[TownGuy]

Cool vid. Funny seeing Courtice Road on there. Took that yesterday.

[toaster]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.62926...7i13312!8i6656

I should clarify it's the express lanes that are 2 lanes each way. I generally avoid that section of the 401 now and use the 407/410, last time I saved about 15 minutes just by bypassing that small stretch according to Google Maps. As traffic continues to grow west of Toronto, I wouldn't be surprised to see that become a massive choke point in the highway network

I'm not sure if this is the same area you are talking about, but every morning when I wake up at about 6AM, I'm woken up to radio traffic updates saying that the 401 is already busy from "Mississauga Road over to Mavis". Every day.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by toaster

I'm not sure if this is the same area you are talking about, but every morning when I wake up at about 6AM, I'm woken up to radio traffic updates saying that the 401 is already busy from "Mississauga Road over to Mavis". Every day.

The section that is two lanes on the Express lanes is between east of Mavis and west of Highway 410. However from my observations the backup starts at Mavis as Toronto-bound traffic is trying to cram into those two lanes, and backs up to Mississauga Road.

[sonysnob]

^ That, plus an inordinate amount of eastbound traffic enters the highway at Mavis, and there are still only three eastbound lanes beneath the McLaughlan Road overpass.

The configuration of the eastbound collectors once construction has been completed is going to cause traffic congestion as well. All eastbound traffic entering the highway from Mavis, Hurontario, Hwy 410, a ramp from the 403 and Dixie are going to be funnelled into the collector lanes until the airport transfer. Traffic operations eastbound beyond the 410 are already problematic... they aren't going to get any better with the widening through Mavis.

[sonysnob]

Video of the 401 through Kingston, taken last July:

• Video Link

[DavefromSt.Vital]

Anyone know why the six lane expansion east of Cobourg has not opened yet? I drove through there this weekend and the lanes were built and in several sections the lines were painted, albeit with signs advising there were only two lanes (each way). I do recall one bridge's support structure was fairly close to traffic so maybe they have to take that down...

[sonysnob]

^ The short answer is they aren't finished yet. There is still some work that remains around the Burnham Street interchange, and a lot of the contract still requires its final coat of asphalt.

[TownGuy]

Aecon has done a horrible job with the widening IMO. They've left the whole place a mess since they stopped work for the winter. Just sloppiness in general. There are spots within Cobourg that still have grooved pavement, one exit is highly dangerous as the traffic lights they installed are not operational leaving you to dart across multiple lanes of traffic in a high speed busy area. Needless to say there have been accidents.

The highway itself is not much better. The spot that is wide enough for 3 lanes but remains 2 has been a disaster. First they put up little white reflectors in the middle of the third lane that mostly all got destroyed by snowplows, with those gone people started using the third lane, but wait, there was the odd reflector left so whoever tried the 3rd lane had to dodge the lone reflectors...Aecon removed them all, now they've got signs, both electronic and stand alone, advising people not to use the lane, the odd person still does...

From a design perspective the on-ramp from Division St to 401 eastbound is too long and meandering in addition to being extremely dark with sharp corners. The exit ramp from 401 Eastbound to Division St isn't much better. There is a merge lane that ends directly at a stop light meaning people who want to turn left at the stop light have to get from the merge lane, across 2 lanes, almost immediately if they want to turn left. I see close calls here daily.

Ultimately the widening is welcomed but the process has left a lot to be desired and we are going to be left with some peculiar and borderline dangerous engineering IMO which is strange for the MTO.

[sonysnob]

^ Do you think the eastbound ramp from Hwy 45 is that bad? I'd say it's definitely an improvement from the old one. The old curve was definitely sharper than the current curve, though I agree it does meander around a bit.

Have you had problems turning left on Densmore Road from the eastbound off-ramp to 45-South? They don't really look THAT close together, though admittedly, I've never tried to make that maneuver.

[TownGuy]

Overall it's a slight improvement over the old one. My biggest issue is I take the thing early in the morning and its literally pitch black like you're driving down a country road because of how far it meanders. I've been tempted to use my high beams it's so bad. The turns aren't as sharp but because of the darkness it catches you off guard.

As for the off ramp to 45 south, I've never made the maneuver personally but have seen many close calls on my way home from work. If traffic slows to a red light people sit in somewhat of a no man's land in the merge lane waiting acrossed to the left lane or get aggressive and ram their way across.