Trans Canada Highway Twinning: Segments U/C

[0773|=\]

Originally Posted by Andy6

Yes, but that difficult terrain is mostly just relatively short stretches amidst vast plateaus where the roads run pretty much straight. The route of the Trans-Canada in B.C. seems to present signficant challenges for almost its entire length.

Not sure how you can say that. They also have several N-S routes that maneuver through some very HIGH and difficult passes. I-15 through the southern half of Montana and again through Arizona/Northern Nevada, I-90 from western Montana to Spokane, and I-70 through half of Colorado (complete with several tunnels and multiple climbs to 14,000 ft.). I-80 and I-5 east and north of the San Francisco Bay area are also very up-and-down freeways.

The TCH's rough terrain is more brief than you'd think. It's fairly level ground through Alberta (the foothills are more turbulent than the actual mountains). And BC's stretch is only really bad from Yoho to Sicamous. East of that, it's back to level ground until you get to the Coquihalla.

[Mininari]

[QUOTE=0773| (complete with several tunnels and multiple climbs to 14,000 ft.)[/QUOTE]

Are you sure about multiple climbs to 14,000ft? I don't think any of the interstate mountain passes are nearly that high!

[amor de cosmos]

Originally Posted by Andy6

I find it difficult to believe that the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe would not have had the renowned German highway system somewhere in the back of his mind when he "noticed how crappy" the U.S. system was. But I don't know; maybe you're right.

wikipedia says he noticed how crappy it was while crossing the country in an army truck convoy in 1919, long before he became supreme allied commander, but he was influenced by the autobahn system also

[0773|=\]

Originally Posted by Mininari

Are you sure about multiple climbs to 14,000ft? I don't think any of the interstate mountain passes are nearly that high!

You're right, I got the 14,000 ft number mixed up with a peak-summit road just west of Denver, but the Eisenhower Tunnel is still the highest (and longest, 1.7 miles) freeway tunnel in North America, and it's still 11,000 ft up, making it higher than ANY pass in Canada -- two-lane or freeway. I-70 has multiple tunnels and Eisenhower is the highest of those.

[Mininari]

Wow, no kidding.
I have to drive through that sometime!

[isaidso]

Are there any good visuals showing what is twinned, province by province. One of all of Canada at once wouldn't be detailed enough, but I suppose I'd settle for that if it was current.

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by craner

I've been following the Kickinghorse project closely through the website and have to say the phase 4 tunnels option would be awesome. It still bugs me that the completed portion next to the massive new retaining wall is only 3 lanes (unless it's changed in the pase year since I drove it).

From what I understand, it will not be made 4 lanes until the final alignment for phase 4 is decided. The whole project is supposed to be 100kph and 4 lanes when it's finished as far as I know.

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by urbanfan89

Highway 17 is shorter, and much of it is three/four lanes. Because it's further south, there should be fewer stretches of driving without any signs of civilization.

Actually, highway 11 is about 30kms shorter...and much straighter....but it isn't nearly as pretty and it doesn't have as many passing lanes.

[jmt18325]

April 8, 2009

Project Update
KICKING HORSE PHASE 3 WEST CONSTRUCTION ACCELERATED

GOLDEN – Preliminary construction of the Hill-to-Portal section of the Kicking Horse Canyon Project will begin next month, a year ahead of schedule, with major works to follow this fall. The announcement was made by Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Kevin Falcon and the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of International Trade and Minister of the Asia-Pacific Gateway.

With a total project value of $68.5 million, Hill to Portal will bring another 3.8 kilometres of roadway up to a modern 4-lane standard. It will reduce the steep grade on Golden Hill, extend a fourth lane down the hill to provide a continuous four lanes through to the signals at the west end of the Town, and provide a grade separation at Golden Donald Upper Road for additional safety. There will also be improved linkages for cyclists and pedestrians and greater protection for the abundant local wildlife with fencing and crossing structures.

Construction of the fourth lane extension will begin in May under day labour, the Ministry’s process for hiring local workers and equipment directly. The rest will be accelerated with a design-build process, in which the Ministry will seek complete proposals to both prepare the final design and construct the improvements according to the criteria have developed with the input of the community over the past few years. “With a funding agreement already in place, we are taking advantage of the opportunity to complete the design and accelerate construction at a time when it will do the most good,” said Minister Falcon. “And we are doing so while maintaining our award-winning commitment to environmental protection and greenhouse gas reduction, with such measures as wood waste composting, a no-burn rule for debris, reduced vehicle idling and recycling of materials.”

A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the design-build work is being issued immediately.

Kicking Horse Canyon Project Website

[jmt18325]

I wouldn't be surprised to see the golden overpass project get funding in the near future.

[craner]

Wow! The recession might not be good for private development but it sure seems to be helping highway construction.

[VANRIDERFAN]

I was just in Winnipeg this past weekend, travelling from Regina via the TCH. My major impression of the trip? The Province of Manitoba and the City of Winnipeg has to fix their roads and not in ten years, right bloody now! The TCH (except for the piece near Virden they finally paved last year) is worse than a goat path. Also because the shoulders are not paved, it feels that you are taking your life in your hands every time you pass another vehicle. Other highways that need immediate attention: #10, #83, #5 and these are the ones in Westman, I'm sure that there are others just as bad. Winnipeg's streets are absolutely horrible. Regina has the same soil type and harsh winters and their streets are a dream compared to the peg.
Unless Doer and gang get their transportation infrastructure crap together, MB and Winnipeg will always be portrayed as a backwater.

[jmt18325]

The highways are improving every year. The state of the highway at the current time is as a result of the fact that permanent maintenance and upgrades can't be done until road restrictions are removed and it gets dry enough. There is a huge amount of money being put into the Trans Canada this year, including paved shoulders.

Oh, and there are other sections besides the one near Virden that are just fine. I drive it all of the time. Manitoba is no more a backwater than Saskatchewan.

Number 10, 5, and 83 are all getting money this year as well, though besides for a very small stretch, I'm not sure what's wrong with highway 5....or 10.

[harls]

Hwy 10 is great up until #453 south of Brandon, then it could use some work.

I remember #23 between Ninette and Baldur a few years back... it was worse than a dirt trail with all the frost heaves and potholes.

[mersar]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

Oh, and there are other sections besides the one near Virden that are just fine. I drive it all of the time. Manitoba is no more a backwater than Saskatchewan.

Number 10, 5, and 83 are all getting money this year as well, though besides for a very small stretch, I'm not sure what's wrong with highway 5....or 10.

Yeah, I drove Calgary to Brandon last summer, most of the TCH through MB that I went on wasn't that bad in my view. There were a few areas that did need some work, but overall not bad.

As for #10, my grandfather lives in Rapid City so he drives it quite often into Brandon, the issue from what he described it is that theres too much truck traffic and no passing lanes or even exit lanes at some of the major intersections. He said they'd been pushing to have at least some shoulders added and a passing lane somewhere between Brandon and Minnedosa, but it kept getting delayed. Not sure about any other parts, but after staying there for a week and driving that stretch a few times I was in agreement that they need to do something to that stretch at least.

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by mersar

As for #10, my grandfather lives in Rapid City so he drives it quite often into Brandon, the issue from what he described it is that theres too much truck traffic and no passing lanes or even exit lanes at some of the major intersections. He said they'd been pushing to have at least some shoulders added and a passing lane somewhere between Brandon and Minnedosa, but it kept getting delayed. Not sure about any other parts, but after staying there for a week and driving that stretch a few times I was in agreement that they need to do something to that stretch at least.

I would agree with that. It is supposed to be rebuilt with the addition of passing lanes next year from the intersection of highway 1 to the intersection of highway 24. It may be behind schedule though, because the Forrest bypass (part of that section) was supposed to be started last year and finished this year. It is not scheduled to start this year, so it's behind schedule for some reason.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

The highways are improving every year. The state of the highway at the current time is as a result of the fact that permanent maintenance and upgrades can't be done until road restrictions are removed and it gets dry enough. There is a huge amount of money being put into the Trans Canada this year, including paved shoulders.

Oh, and there are other sections besides the one near Virden that are just fine. I drive it all of the time. Manitoba is no more a backwater than Saskatchewan.

Number 10, 5, and 83 are all getting money this year as well, though besides for a very small stretch, I'm not sure what's wrong with highway 5....or 10.

I stand by my assertation that the TCH in MB is in the worse shape of the 3 prairie provinces. No shoulder paving? Alta and Sask have had that for at least 15 years and MB is just starting now? That is pure negligence on the part of the Government. Letting the condition of the road deteriorate until the only remedy is to scrape it to pretty much bedrock and build it up again? Where the heck has planned maintenance gone? As for the City of Winnipeg, does the road maintenance section have an interests in the wheel alignment stores? The size and frequency of the pot-holes amazes me.
I have seen and applaud the MB government's plan for highway improvement but it should have been commenced 5 to 10 years ago.
I also hope that they plan to bypass Headingly as part of the Winnipeg Centraport initative because like the east end of Regina, allowing so much commercial development to locate right up against a major transportation route is an invitation to bottleneck hell.

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

I stand by my assertation that the TCH in MB is in the worse shape of the 3 prairie provinces. No shoulder paving? Alta and Sask have had that for at least 15 years and MB is just starting now? That is pure negligence on the part of the Government. Letting the condition of the road deteriorate until the only remedy is to scrape it to pretty much bedrock and build it up again? Where the heck has planned maintenance gone? As for the City of Winnipeg, does the road maintenance section have an interests in the wheel alignment stores? The size and frequency of the pot-holes amazes me.
I have seen and applaud the MB government's plan for highway improvement but it should have been commenced 5 to 10 years ago.
I also hope that they plan to bypass Headingly as part of the Winnipeg Centraport initative because like the east end of Regina, allowing so much commercial development to locate right up against a major transportation route is an invitation to bottleneck hell.

Yes, it is in the worse shape of the three, but we can't wish things happened before and ignore that they are fixing the problem now. The road is drivable and most parts aren't as bad as you make out. Would I like it to be better? Yes, I would. Is it going to be better? Yes, it is. I don't see what good will come from complaining about it right now. The work being done goes far beyond the highway renewal plan and will make huge improvements.

In the near term, the road through Headingley will be improved. In the medium to long term, it will be bypassed to the north.

[0773|=\]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

I stand by my assertation that the TCH in MB is in the worse shape of the 3 prairie provinces. No shoulder paving? Alta and Sask have had that for at least 15 years and MB is just starting now? That is pure negligence on the part of the Government. Letting the condition of the road deteriorate until the only remedy is to scrape it to pretty much bedrock and build it up again? Where the heck has planned maintenance gone? As for the City of Winnipeg, does the road maintenance section have an interests in the wheel alignment stores? The size and frequency of the pot-holes amazes me.
I have seen and applaud the MB government's plan for highway improvement but it should have been commenced 5 to 10 years ago.
I also hope that they plan to bypass Headingly as part of the Winnipeg Centraport initative because like the east end of Regina, allowing so much commercial development to locate right up against a major transportation route is an invitation to bottleneck hell.

For the record, there are parts of Ontario's 400-series highways, arguably some of the best designed highways in the world, which have gravel shoulders as well.

The important thing is that major change is starting right now. I've found MB's highways at the very least have wider lanes than Sask. (not as wide as AB, but oh well), more consistent signage, wider medians, and well-spaced intersections which will make grade-separation a much easier process.

[jmt18325]

OTTAWA — Michael Ignatieff wants Canadians to think big.

High-speed rail links between major cities. An east-west electricity corridor. Completion of a coast-to-coast, four-lane national highway system.

Even a national energy strategy (Not to be confused with the hated National Energy Program, he stresses).

The Canadian Press