Atlantic Highways Thread

[Hogie75]

Originally Posted by Franco401

My opinion on all of this:

Route 7: Twin the whole thing. We won't be able to use our 250-foot medians like we do on most divided highways in NB because of the Base, but a simple concrete divider should solve this. A new route from Geary to Welsford could be done if the economy magically gets better, but I'm not counting on it. Realign the Route 8 interchange, use roundabout on Route 8 since the speed limit will be shorter with the Smythe Roundabout anyway. Gives good access to College Hill Road, UNB/STU and the Hospital.

Route 8: Realigned PMB North interchange, controlled access at least to Doaktown, then to Miramichi, plus the Miramichi North Bypass.

Route 11: Twin to Richibucto, create a divided Super Two (like this section of Interstate 93 in NH) to Miramichi, as well as Route 8 to Bathurst.

Route 15: Controlled access to Port Elgin, plus 16 to the Bridge. Interchange at Wheeler and Lewisville Rd in Moncton.

In Freddy, Third Bridge (It won't be needed for at least 10 years and Gallant will probably be gone by then), freeway across Northside to Marysville Bypass, freeway from New Bridge (which IMO should run from the end of Ring Rd. to Prospect St. and Springhill Rd) to Route 8.

TOLLS: Reinstate tolls on Route 2, but west of Route 1, where it would make less money but cause less uproar than it did when the highway was built. Add tolls on Route 2 here for maximum efficiency. Tolls would also be an option on twinned Route 11.

That billion in Infrastructure ain't gonna pay for itself.

Personally, I would love to see HIGHWAY 1 extend before the northern terminus north east following the south side of the petitcodiac river cross route 895, and 910 south of the Riverview border and cross the route 115 then the petitcodiac river around the northern terminus of Route 925, then Route 106 and continue east around the border of Dieppe and Memramcook. Then Cross the Trans Canada at a new exit. Continuing Crossing Route 933, and Route 940 and Route 15 around the Southern Terminus near Port Elgin. Then Continue to the Confederation Bridge and become the New Trans Canada Knocking Route 16 downgrading.

This would solve a lot of issues including twinning problem of Route 16, Creating a 3rd crossing from Riverview area eliminating a lot of big trucks in and around Route 114 Residential Area. Easy to get right on the TCH. Would help Memramcook and Lower Coverdale to grow. Give Riverview more expansion options and develop Salisbury more to the south. Considering most of this route would be through a treed area, I don't anticipate too much resistance to this idea. Thoughts?

[MonctonRad]

Well, that would certainly waste Brian's billion pretty quick!

Seriously though, a south side Petitcodiac bypass would certainly be good for Riverview, but the cost would be prohibitive.

[JHikka]

Lack of a divided Route 7 has long been a sticking point in Saint John and many joke that there's a good reason why there isn't a divided highway between the Capital and the economic driver of the province.

I'm totally fine with Route 11 being twinned to Bouctouche but anything further is an absolute waste. The traffic numbers don't warrant it, especially with the sterling demographics of the North and the future that faces in the next 20 years.

[NBNYer]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Lack of a divided Route 7 has long been a sticking point in Saint John and many joke that there's a good reason why there isn't a divided highway between the Capital and the economic driver of the province.

I'm totally fine with Route 11 being twinned to Bouctouche but anything further is an absolute waste. The traffic numbers don't warrant it, especially with the sterling demographics of the North and the future that faces in the next 20 years.

Yes. I think any highway twinning in NB for the foreseeable future should be limited to Route 7, Route 11 up to Bouctouche and maybe the 15 up to Cap-Pele. Aside from that, I don't see any use for highway twinning anywhere else in NB in my lifetime. The network is pretty much complete.

[thefishingnut]

If twinning 7 is the best they can come up with, I hope this promise is broken very quickly. I drive it a couple of times a week, there isn't nearly enough traffic to cause slowdowns given all the passing lanes.

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by thefishingnut

If twinning 7 is the best they can come up with, I hope this promise is broken very quickly. I drive it a couple of times a week, there isn't nearly enough traffic to cause slowdowns given all the passing lanes.

Exactly. I really don't understand why people think this road should be a priority.

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I expect twinning of 11 to Bouctouche to continue, as well as the realignment of the 11/15 interchange at Shediac. That's all in Gallant's backyard anyway.

That latter bit has already started, as far as I can tell. They appear to be clearing trees completely along the lines they surveyed last year.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Anyone know what happened to the Big route 11 bypass they had planned from outside Bathurst to Pokmouche? Did they simply replace this project with the Caraquet bypass?

Also I don't think it would be a long shot to think they couldn't extend the controlled 2 lane North further to provode better access to Shippagan(phase 1) and eventually connect it to the Caraquet bypass (phase 2) and then eventually connected the western end of that to the controlled 2 lane outside Bathurst (phase 3) Ive never been to that area but I would think the people in the area would rather see as least the first couple phases of this project happen.
Realistically while this government is in power we can expect perhaps phase one of that project, the shediac north twinning, four lanes to cap-Pele, perhaps a bypass of blackville on route 8. Now that most of the twinning is done, more controlled access highway should be able to be built as it costs less money.

My view on route 7 is they should just make it a limited access the whole way. It currently isn't.

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

My view on route 7 is they should just make it a limited access the whole way. It currently isn't.

Where is it not limited access?

[stephan.richard]

Originally Posted by Vorkuta

That latter bit has already started, as far as I can tell. They appear to be clearing trees completely along the lines they surveyed last year.

Yep I think that Route 11 should be a priority over oute 7 but they are both as busy I think also IF i would be the Liberals and want to make revenue is charge a 2-5 cents per kilometer toll on ALL twined highways in the province and 100% of that will go into direct into revamping the highway.

For an example from the border in Aulac to Quebec the base toll at 2 cents pre KM would be 10.38 one way.

That is just my take

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by OliverD

Where is it not limited access?

Just south of Gary there is an at grade crossing from Broad Rd, there is also 8 military related road access points.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by stephan.richard

Yep I think that Route 11 should be a priority over oute 7 but they are both as busy I think also IF i would be the Liberals and want to make revenue is charge a 2-5 cents per kilometer toll on ALL twined highways in the province and 100% of that will go into direct into revamping the highway.

For an example from the border in Aulac to Quebec the base toll at 2 cents pre KM would be 10.38 one way.

That is just my take

What if they put a toll both in Coles Island and at the first exit after the route 1 split. Another toll both before you cross the two bridges since they were the most expensive part. Make the toll something like 2 bucks. "The Pass" in NS has tolls and it is a comparable project.

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

Just south of Gary there is an at grade crossing from Broad Rd, there is also 8 military related road access points.

That doesn't necessarily make it not limited access though.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by OliverD

That doesn't necessarily make it not limited access though.

I meant to say controlled access, sorry my bad.
"A controlled-access highway provides an unhindered flow of traffic, with no traffic signals, intersections or property access."

[Franco401]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

What if they put a toll both in Coles Island and at the first exit after the route 1 split. Another toll both before you cross the two bridges since they were the most expensive part. Make the toll something like 2 bucks. "The Pass" in NS has tolls and it is a comparable project.

When the highway opened the controversy of tolls was severely exacerbated by the fact that all traffic from Freddy AND SJ had to use the tolls. IMO they should have put them west of Route 1 where less money is made but less people are mad, and we still make money from traffic that was originally headed from Quebec to NS. It was originally $6 but with more tolls in west of Pokiok as I suggested, the fee could be $3 or $4. The Pokiok location would also be off the MRDC section of the highway, which MRDC should appreciate as we already changed agreements with them once.

As for 7, tolls could also be used in twinning. If we don't do any of that, we ought to at least twin the 8 km from the TCH to Geary and 19 km around Grand Bay-Westfield. or we could build a new highway from Geary to Welsford but that's just my opinion

Oh, and in NB all provincially designated highways are referred to as ROUTE 2, ROUTE 101, ROUTE 690, not Highway __ like in NS. Please refer to them as such . Pet Peeve #109283.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Franco401

As for 7, tolls could also be used in twinning. .

As I said in my last post in this thread...

Originally Posted by JHikka

Lack of a divided Route 7 has long been a sticking point in Saint John and many joke that there's a good reason why there isn't a divided highway between the Capital and the economic driver of the province.

...and when the Province finally does decide to twin it they put the only tolls in NB on it? You'd be throwing all of the possible votes you'd gain with such a move out the window at that point. What helped the Federal Conservatives a lot in Saint John last election was the removal of the Harbour Bridge tolls in Saint John. As much as it may seem odd, people have a disposition against having to pay tolls [Muh Taxes!] and with driving divided highways. I guarantee you'd see a huge bump up in non-transport traffic on Route 7 if you divided it. There are a lot of people who are nervous about highway driving not on divided highways and will entirely go out of their way to avoid driving anywhere with single lane highways.

[L'homard]

Put tolls at border points (only on major highways ie at Que. NS and US borders) and y0u'd barely hear a squeek out of voters. Just my opinion.

[Taeolas]

Well Woodstock might complain about a toll on Route 95, but depending on where it is, locals probably would know a way around it. (If it's more than 500 metres or so past the Canadian customs, there's a dirt road you can take from Route 555 to get to the border; my dad takes it all the time.

But I agree, tolls at the Highway border points (Including Confederation Bridge) would probably be the best. So Route 2 at PQ and NS, Route 95 at Richmond Corner, Route 1 at St Stephen and (after upgrades to controlled access status at least if it isn't already done) Route 16 to PEI.

[Franco401]

Originally Posted by JHikka

...and when the Province finally does decide to twin it they put the only tolls in NB

Reread my post. I want to reinstate tools on Route 2 in River Glade and in Pokiok, as well as somewhere on the twinned Route 11, not just 7.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

Well Woodstock might complain about a toll on Route 95, but depending on where it is, locals probably would know a way around it. (If it's more than 500 metres or so past the Canadian customs, there's a dirt road you can take from Route 555 to get to the border; my dad takes it all the time.

But I agree, tolls at the Highway border points (Including Confederation Bridge) would probably be the best. So Route 2 at PQ and NS, Route 95 at Richmond Corner, Route 1 at St Stephen and (after upgrades to controlled access status at least if it isn't already done) Route 16 to PEI.

How much business does the retail sector in Moncton get from places like Amherst or PEI? Or Edmundston from places like Dégelis?