Talk:Ontario Highway 401/sandbox

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Future[edit]

The MTO intends to widen all of the remaining four-lane sections to a minimum of six, and place an Ontario Tall Wall along the entire length of the freeway.[1][2]

Southwestern Ontario[edit]

In Southwestern Ontario, most improvements along the 401 have been completed to provide six lanes from London to Toronto, and eventually from Windsor to Toronto,[2] in response to the Carnage Alley pile up in 1999.[1][3] West of Manning Road, the highway is currently being widened in anticipation of the Windsor–Essex Parkway.[4][5] Between Tilbury and Highway 402, the 401 remains four lanes wide with a grass median. The widening and upgrading of this section is in the planning stages, with construction possibly beginning in 2012 and lasting for several years. Several interchanges are planned for improvement as part of this construction.[6]

East of London, closing the remaining four lane gap between Woodstock and Kitchener is a high priority, widening it to six lanes with a tall wall median barrier and paved inner and outer shoulders.[7]

Windsor–Essex Parkway[edit]

In 2004, it was announced that a new border crossing would be constructed between Detroit and Windsor. The Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) was formed as a bi-national committee to manage the project.[8] The MTO took advantage of this opportunity to extend Highway 401 to the international border, and began an environmental assessment on the entire project in late 2005.[8] Alongside this, the City of Windsor hired New York traffic consultant Sam Schwartz to design a parkway to the border. Schwartz's proposal would eventually inspire the DRIC's own design, but his route was not chosen, with the DRIC opting instead to take a northern route.[9] On February 8, 2008, the MTO announced that it had began purchasing property south of the E.C. Row Expressway,[10] upsetting many area residents who purchased properties in the years prior.[11][12]

On March 3, 2008, the Michigan Department of Transportation and the MTO (in partnership with Transport Canada and the Federal Highway Administration of the United States, and the Detroit River International Crossing group) completed a joint assessment on the soils along the Detroit River and determined the soils along the river could indeed support the weight of a new bridge; a grave concern of all parties involved in the project was the stability of the underlying soil and clay, as well as the impact of the nearby Windsor Salt mine.[13]

On May 1, 2008, it was announced that the extension of the 401 will be named the Windsor–Essex Parkway, and a preferred route was selected.[4] The new parkway will be below-grade and have 6 through-lanes. It will follow (but not replace) Talbot Road and Huron-Church Road from a new interchange at the current end of Highway 401, to the E.C. Row Expressway, which it will run concurrently with westward for 2 km (1.2 mi). From there, it will turn northwest and follow a new alignment to the border.[14] Initial construction of a new bridge south of the Highway 3/401 junction, as well as a noise barrier from North Talbot Road to Howard Avenue began in the third quarter of 2009. The project has an expected completion date of 2013.[15]

London Area[edit]

In the London area, construction is underway to widen several kilometres of the highway east of the junction with Highway 402.[16][17] A new interchange with Wonderland Road is in the planning stages to help improve access to Highway 401 westbound in the city's growing southwest end,[18] as well as reconstructing the outdated cloverleaf interchange with Highway 4.[19][20] In addition, an environmental study is underway to reconstruct the three-way trumpet interchange with the Veterans Memorial Parkway into a four-way interchange that would connect the expressway to Wilton Grove Road and eventually as far south as St. Thomas: a city within London's Census Metropolitan Area.[21][22]. Long term plans call for Highway 402 to be widened to eight[23] or ten INSERT REFERENCE FOR 10 LANES HERE lanes from Highway 402 to the city's east end.

Waterloo Region[edit]

Long term plans call for Highway 401 in the Waterloo region to be widened to eight lanes. The interchange between Highway 401 and Highway 8 (King Street) is to be reconstructed to make it free-flowing for all directions of travel, easing congestion and improving traffic flow in the area.[24]

Central Ontario[edit]

Despite its width, traffic congestion is common along many sections of Highway 401.

In their 2007 plan for southern Ontario, the MTO announced long-term plans to create HOV-lanes from Mississauga Road west to Milton.[25] Construction is also underway to widen Highway 401 to a 12 lane collector-express system from Highway 403 and Highway 410 west to Mississauga Road.[26]

Greater Toronto Area[edit]

Within Toronto, a select number of projects are being completed during overnight construction projects. This includes the widening and rehabilitation of the Hogg's Hollow bridge,[27] as well as the replacement of the original gantries throughout the collector-express system.[28]

Oshawa[edit]

In Oshawa, Exit 416 (Park Road) was replaced by a new interchange at Exit 415 (Stevenson Road). The contract, which began September 7, 2005, included the interchange as well as the resurfacing of 23.4 km (14.5 mi) of the highway between Oshawa and Highway 35 / Highway 115, at a total cost of $65,097,000.00.[29] The westbound ramps were opened in mid September, 2007[30] and the eastbound ramps in mid-2009. Resurfacing is expected to be completed by July 31, 2010.[29]

Current expansion plans in Durham include the construction of two new freeways north from the 401. The first will be directly east of Durham Regional Road 23 (Lakeridge Road),[31] while the second will lie to the east of Durham Regional Road 34 (Courtice Road).[32] Following the 407 east extension's approval, Highway 401 will be widened to an extension of the express-collector system, from its current end at Durham Regional Road 1 (Brock Road) in Pickering to Durham Regional Highway 12 (Brock Street) in Whitby.[33] Long term plans also call for HOV lanes to run from Brock Road to Durham Regional Road 33 (Harmony Road), though no planning has begun at this time.[25]

Eastern Ontario[edit]

East of Durham, the MTO is planning to widen the entire length of the highway to 6 lanes.[2] Preliminary work includes the widening of the bridge over the Trent River in Trenton,[34] as well as the realignment of some roads alongside the highway.[35] By mid 2012, the 401 will be widened for 6 kilometres through Kingston.[36]

Kingston Area[edit]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference ReferenceA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Hertz, Barry (July 25, 2007). "Province plans to create 6-lane Highway 401". The National Post. Retrieved February 25, 2010.
  3. ^ Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (2008). "Borders and Gateways". Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  4. ^ a b Detroit River International Crossing Study team (May 1, 2008). "News Release - The DRIC Announces Preferred Access Road". URS Corporation. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  5. ^ Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (August 27, 2007). "Contract #: 2007-3043". Retrieved March 14, 2010.
  6. ^ Chatham This Week (December 5, 2007). "401 widening won't happen for years". Sun Media. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
  7. ^ Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (July 14, 2008). "Contract #: 2008-3004". Retrieved March 14, 2010.
  8. ^ a b DRIC study team. "DRIC Reports (Canada)". Detroit River International Crossing Project. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  9. ^ The Windsor Star. "Windsor's 'Garden of Eden'". Canada.com. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  10. ^ Cramdon, The Ambassador Bridge, retrieved February 26, 2010
  11. ^ Pearson, Craig (February 14, 2008). "Province buying up land for 401 extension". Windsor Star. p. 1. Retrieved February 26, 2010. {{cite news}}: |section= ignored (help)
  12. ^ CBC News (November 27, 2009). "Couple worries new parkway will surround their home". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  13. ^ Government of Canada (March 3, 2008). "Border transportation partnership reaches milestone". Transport Canada. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  14. ^ Detroit River International Crossing Study team (May 1, 2008). "Parkway Map" (PDF). URS Corporation. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  15. ^ Detroit River International Crossing Study team (July 2009). "Initial Construction" (PDF). URS Corporation. Retrieved February 26, 2010.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference WindsorTilbury was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (June 26, 2006). "Canada and Ontario Improving Highway 401 in London". Transport Canada. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
  18. ^ City of London (May 10, 2004). "London Transportation Master Plan" (PDF). Retrieved April 25, 2010. Planned Capital Project: Wonderland Road South/Highway 401 interchange
  19. ^ City of London (November 19, 2009). "London Transportation Report- Southwest Area Plan" (PDF). Retrieved April 16, 2010. Projects beyond 2012: # Highway 401 - Highway 402 to Highway 4, London
  20. ^ Ontario Ministry of Transportation (August 2009). "Southern Highways Program 2008-2012". Retrieved April 26, 2010. Future Interchanges/Upgrade: Colonel Talbot at Highway 401
  21. ^ City of London Transportation division (November 13, 2007). "Veterans Memorial Parkway, Environmental Study, Official Plan and Zoning Amendment" (PDF). Retrieved April 26, 2010. Veterans Memorial Parkway: Preferred Alternative to Highway 401/VMP interchange.
  22. ^ City of London Transportation division (May 30, 2007). "Veterans Memorial Parkway, Interchange-class environmental assessment study" (PDF). Retrieved April 26, 2010. Reformatting the Highway 401/VMP interchange.
  23. ^ City of London (August 23, 2004). "LONDON LONG TERM TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR PROTECTION STUDY" (PDF). Retrieved April 26, 2010. Note that the proposed widening of Highway 401 to eight lanes through London could reduce the need to widen crossing roadway corridors
  24. ^ Region of Waterloo (March 31, 2009). "PLANNING, HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES- Transportation Planning" (PDF). Retrieved April 26, 2010. HIGHWAY 8 AND HIGHWAY 401 INTERCHANGE IMPROVEMENTS.
  25. ^ a b Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (May 24, 2007). "Ontario's High Occupancy Vehicle Lane Network: Summary of the Plan for the 400-Series Highways in the Greater Golden Horseshoe". Retrieved February 25, 2010. Figure 2 proposes a vision for "growing the corridors" by building on existing HOV lanes. This involves extending the HOV lanes on Highways 400 and 404 farther north and adding lanes to other key sections such as Highway 401 in Peel Region.
  26. ^ Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (August 19, 2009). "Contract #: 2009-2031". Retrieved February 22, 2010.
  27. ^ Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (November 30, 2008). "Contract #: 2008-2017". Retrieved February 22, 2010.
  28. ^ Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (July 22, 2009). "Contract #: 2009-2029". Retrieved February 22, 2010.
  29. ^ a b Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (September 7, 2005). "Contract #: 2005-2014". Archived from the original on October 30, 2007. Retrieved February 22, 2010.
  30. ^ durhamregion.com News (September 14, 2007). "Stevenson interchange open". Metroland Media Group. Retrieved October 4, 2007.
  31. ^ Totten Sims Hubiki Associates (August 17, 2009). "Appendix D - Recommended Design Plans". Highway 407 Environmental Assessment, West Durham Link at Highway 401 (PDF) (Report). Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. p. 7. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
  32. ^ Totten Sims Hubiki Associates (August 17, 2009). "Appendix D - Recommended Design Plans". Highway 407 Environmental Assessment, East Durham Link at Highway 401 (PDF) (Report). Ministry of Transportation of Ontario. p. 9. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
  33. ^ Szekely, Reka (June 30, 2009). "Highway 401 between Ajax and Whitby to be widened". durhamregion.com News. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
  34. ^ Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (October 14, 2008). "Contract #: 2008-4006". Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  35. ^ Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (November 9, 2009). "Contract #: 2009-4003". Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  36. ^ Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (September 13, 2008). "Contract #: 2008-4009". Retrieved March 11, 2010.
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