Talk:Highway 400 (Ontario)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Canada Portal
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Canada and related WikiProjects, an attempt to build a comprehensive and detailed guide to articles on Canada-related topics. If you would like to participate, visit the project member page, to join the project and/or contribute to the discussion.
B This article has been rated as B-Class on the quality scale.
Mid This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the importance scale.
Canada Roads
This article is part of the Canada Roads WikiProject (Discuss/Join).
Ontario
Ontario Portal
This article is part of the Ontario WikiProject (Discuss/Join).

Contents

[edit] Proposed Interchanges

I have to question having a list of proposed interchanges along with exit numbers for the stretch of Highway 69 north of Parry Sound. I think its highly irrisponsible to simply assume exits and exit numbers for a highway that hasn't even had preliminary designs carried out. The MTO is only studying 4-laning highway 69, nothing more at this point. -149.99.27.2 00:26, 28 Dec 2004 (UTC)

The section from Parry Sound to north of Nobel will soon be under construction and has a detailed route. From Nobel to Highway 522, a planned route has been made, and by adding the distance gets us through Exit 304. Beyond that point, they are simply guesses, since the only section with a detailed plan is from Estaire to Highway 17 (under construction) and that cannot be numbered until the plan is released. The exit numbers are simply assumptions - it says "exit numbers assumed". They could easily be changed once plans are available; that is the beauty of Wikipedia :)
No detailed route north of Highway 522 has been finalized. I don't believe they are even finished the public information sessions (PIC)s. And of course, even if they were done the PIC portion of the study that does not mean that construction is actually going to start. There are many cases when construction has actually been announced (which it hasn't in this case) and projects are delayed and re-evulated (hwy 7 near ottawa as arecent example). For the record I am not trying to be difficult, but I have a big problem with information being shown that isn't true and is based on assumptions. I understand that in this 'encyclopedia' information can be changed at a moments notice, however, this is an encyclopedia, and should be based solely on real information, not just oppinions or hearsay on what might be the case. --24.103.242.178 06:06, 17 Jan 2005 (UTC)

Highway 522 to Highway 64: will be twinned (not realigned), according to the maps at the MTO site. CrazyC83 03:41, 2 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Cause of plans to be shelved

I believe the cause of the shelving of the plans to extend the 400 in the 1970's was public resistance to the plan - the same reason that the eglinton ave. expressway wasn't built. I have a bulliten published by the MTO in the 1980's with the initial plans for the expansion from Highway 12 to Mactier which I will try to scan in at some point and post here. These plans were modified because of the indian land claim by the Whata Mohawks which incidentally are the same indian band as the Oka indians so famous for their standoff with the police over a decade ago.

Are you sure about the last part? The freeway is currently under construction in the Wahta Mohawk Reserve (km 179-187) and completed to Parry Sound otherwise. (Additional construction is currently underway from Bowes Street to north of Highway 124 - roughly km 225-232) CrazyC83 23:27, 4 February 2006 (UTC)
See Wahta Mohawk Territory, Ontario for more info. The claim was settled recently which has allowed construction to start.

[edit] Metric Speed Conversions

65 MPH is closer to 105KPH than 100 KPH. The speed limit was dropped slightly on metric conversion to conserve fuel. Blacknail 16:16, 5 May 2006 (UTC)


[edit] 1951?

I was reading a document that stated the name of the highway was originally just the "Barrie Highway", which was completed in 1951. Is this a direct predecessor to Highway 400? Source: Bulletin #3: Roads, Tolls, Rails & Automobiles from City of Vaughan archives, Cultural Services Division. Mindmatrix 23:55, 24 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] 518 interchange

This isn't the only interchange with a secondary road.

Highway 58 has an interchange with the 406 in St Catharines. This is a massive cloverleaf which also has the local beaverdams road running through it. Check it out on google earth. --Uncle Bungle 23:52, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

I believe they are talking about a Secondary Highway, numbered in the 500-699 range. There are no secondary highways in Southern Ontario. Also, the 406/58/St. David's Road interchange is not a cloverleaf, nor is Beaverdams Road involved in this interchange. Snickerdo 03:07, 23 September 2006 (UTC)
Sorry I mixed up Beaverdams and St. David's, and you're right, it's not a cloverleaf, actually, I don't know what you would call it. Do you? Thanks for clarifying the secondary highways rule too. Sat Photo --Uncle Bungle 04:30, 6 October 2006 (UTC)

I'd call that interchange extremely complex, but efficient since it is indeed, FULL ACCESS to all directions involved. :) RingtailedFox • Talk • Stalk 21:43, 10 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Design Bulletin

Here is the bulletin that I promised! Blacknail 23:53, 8 August 2006 (UTC)

Image:Bulliten1.jpg
400px
Image:Bulliten2.jpg
400px
Image:Bulliten3.jpg
400px
Image:Bulletin4.jpg
400px

[edit] Proposed Interchanges

I was checking out the proposed interchange section, and I noticed that Parry Sound Drive and Highway 124 were numbered as seperate exits. However, Google Maps shows that it's just one road that is marked as Highway 124 north of 69/400 and Parry Sound Drive south of the 69/400. Is there something that I'm missing? --Smoothtofu 00:24, 20 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Slower Traffic Keep Right

I drive Highway 400 almost every weekend from the beginning of May, to mid October. I have seen this sign that reads "Slower Traffic Keep Right" at almost every entrance. The right lane is the one I always drive in, except when I'm going to pass another vehicle. I always signal in accordance with the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, if it's going to affect other traffic around me, and usually I signal anyway, because I like that same respect from other drivers too. More often than sometimes, other drivers like to speed up as soon as they see my turn signal, they like to pretend I can't see them. I like to use hand signals, they work better than lights. Whenever I pass other vehicles I always return to the right lane, unless I'm already in that lane when I pass. Often in the right lane, I seem to pass more traffic in the centre lane and sometimes the left lane. What I really hate is those motorists hauling the big boats up the long hills in the passing lane, they like to think they are sportsmen, but is that sportsmanship. W W 06:45, 7 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Basket-Weave and speed limit

The article currently says:

The junction with Highway 401 (known locally as The Basket-weave) is one of the earliest multi-level interchanges built when Highway 401 was widened to a collector-express system in 1967. Because the speed limit on Ontario freeways was raised in 1968 from 90 km/h to 100 km/h (55 to 62 mph) it rendered this interchange obsolete shortly after its completion.

First, I have always understood The Basket-Weave to refer not to the 400/401 interchange, but to the express/collector crossovers near there on highway 401.

Second, the speed limit reference is definitely wrong. The speed limit on the 400-series highways was 60 mph when I moved to Ontario in 1964 (I've read that at some earlier time it was 50 mph), then 70 mph (but still 60 for trucks), then 60 mph again, and only then came the metric conversion to 100 km/h. 1968 sounds right for the year when the limit was raised to 70, with the other two changes following in the mid-1970s. This is from memory, but I'm very sure.

Third, raising the speed limit does not make an interchange obsolete. Most interchanges involve speed restrictions on curved ramps.

207.176.159.90 23:01, 4 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Extension of Highway 400, and its RIRO Entrances.

I've been doing some reading and researching on Highway 400's new upgrades, and i'd like to clarify a few things for it. Highway 400 has a few TEMPORARY RIRO entrances, but they are most likely temporary.

The articles i've used are:

Highway notes: Highway 69 is shown in the 2008 Rand McNally atlas as travelling from a trumpet interchange (Exit 189), west to Foot's Bay, then past Gordon Bay, meeting up with Highway 141 at Parry Sound Airport, though Google Earth indicates that Highway 141 passes Horseshoe Lake and meets Highway 400 at Exit 213.

Heading north from Port Severn, Ontario: Note: most of these entrances are on the west side (southbound carriageway).

  • Rock Quarry, 2 km south of South Bay Road (Road 48). RIRO with southbound carriageway.'
  • Hidden Glen Road, 2 km north of Joe King Road (Hidden Glen Road leads west to cottages and boat launches). RIRO with southbound carriageway
  • Heather path Trail: 500 meters south of South Gibson Lake Road (Road 33) trumpet interchange (Exit 174). RIRO with southbound carriageway.
  • Global Tower Road: 1 km north of South Gibson Lake Road (Exit 174). Note: the 2008 Rand McNally atlas shows Global Tower Road being re-aligned, following along the west side of Highway 400 to meet South Gibson Lake Road at a full interchange. RIRO with southbound carriageway.
  • Go Home Lake Road former alignment: 250-500 meters north of new extension to Road 38 (full interchange with Highway 400). Go Home Lake is newly-designated Road 32).
  • Also easily visible from highway: former Highway 69 alignment, branches off for 1 km)
  • Musquash River:
  • A alrge building is located on the northern shore of the river, with a driveway to the northbound carriageway. Google Earth shows trees have been cleared in a path to access this building.
  • It also appears there is a third bridge being built across the Musquash River. The north-bound bridge is somewhat out-of alignment and very far from the southbound bridge, with room for a third in between. Google Earth shows footings for a bridge that is either going to be built, or is already under construction. This new bridge is in place between the open northbound carriage, and the under-construction southbound carriageway. This middle bridge may end up being the new northbound carriageway, with the current road becoming a service road for access to cottages and other roads.
  • Wahta Road: 500 meters north of Musquash River. Google Earth shows a basic diamond interchange being built here with extension of Wahta Road going under the new (southbound) Highway 400 carriageway. It is assumed it will go under the northbound carriageway as well. Extended north along west side of Highway 400, as a link to 12 Mile Bay Road (Road 12). Trees have also been cleared for an interchange ramp, and to meet to a new road to travel to the building mentioned previously, and to Indian Reserve of Gibson Road. On the other side of the freeway, a resource road has been built to a quarry that previously had access only to Highway 400's carriageways. This access has since been removed with the opening of this new resource road.
  • Indian Reserve of Gibson Road: 500 Meters north of Wahta Road intersection/interchange: currently RIRO with what appears to be left-turn access to and from southbound carriageway. Trees have been cleared just east of the northbound carriageway to what is assumed to be the interchange with Wahta Road. This road leads to the Gibson Cranberry Bogs, and to Road 38 (east side).
  • 3 or 4 houses are located 3 km north of Indian Reserve of Gibson Road, and 100 meters south of new interchange with 12 Mile Bay Road (Road 12). Google Earth shows this road as going under the new (southbound) carriageway. It is assumed it will also go under the northbound carriageway, and probably curve south to serve those houses that currently face the northbound carrigeway.
  • 12 Mile Bay Road (Road 12): basic diamond interchange being built at former intersection with Highway 400. Snowmobile Trail Road being extended along part of 12 Mile Bay Road's alignment to meet its new extension that takes it to Wahta Road.
  • Moon River Road: RIRO interchange with southbound carriageway and what appears to be left-turn access to north-bound carriageway. Appears to also go UNDER the Highway 400/Moon River bridges. This road also leads west towards other roads, such as Jenkin's Lake Road, Tower Road (no relation to Global Tower Road), and Gooley Lake Road.
  • Pitt Road (2.5 km north of Moon River bridges): RIRO entrances on right and left of freeway. Pitt Road leads to a giant rock quarry, very close to Silver Sands Lake Road. It could theoretically go through the forest to meet Silver Sands Lake Road.
  • New Highway 69 trumpet interchange. former alignment straight from the northbound carriageway to the new Higwhay 69 can easily be seen.
  • Tower Road (1 km north of Highway 69 trumpet interchange): travels under Highway 400, and west, to meet Jenkin's Lake Road, Gooley Lake Road, and ultimately, Moon River Road.
  • 500 meters south of the CP Rail overhead appears to be a paved biking or snowmobile overpass over the freeway, which curves around, crosses the rail line (at-grade), and follows alogn the eastern side of Highway 400.
  • 2 KM from CP Rail overhead: Lawson Bay Road travels under Highway 400
  • 250 meters from Lawson Bay Road tunnel: CN Rail travels under Highway 400.
  • 500 meters from CN Rail tunnel: interchange with Airport Road (Exit 207). Airport Road is shown as Highway 141 in Rand McNally 2008 road atlas.

I was thinking, if this information is relevant, then should it be added to the article? and if so, how should it be done? —Preceding unsigned comment added by RingtailedFox (talk • contribs) 21:50, 10 November 2007 (UTC)

RingtailedFox • Talk • Stalk 22:15, 10 November 2007 (UTC)