[nfitz]

This is what I think of when I see the term 'moveable concrete barrier' (AKA 'road zipper'). Not very common in Ontario.

You see it a lot in Montreal. Particularly for permanent installations where they literally move it twice a weekday, to increase capacity in the peak direction. (or at least you used to - increasingly useless with counter-peak increases).

 

[Northern Light]

A piece in the Narwhal today about disputes between the Feds and Ontario over the potential routing of 413:

Canada advised Ontario to reroute Highway 413 | The Narwhal

With an Ontario election called, the two levels of government are still clashing over Highway 413

thenarwhal.ca

 

[Northern Light]

No @innsertnamehere .....no @ericmacm ? Where are all the highway people on this............

 

[ARG1]

A piece in the Narwhal today about disputes between the Feds and Ontario over the potential routing of 413:

Canada advised Ontario to reroute Highway 413 | The Narwhal

With an Ontario election called, the two levels of government are still clashing over Highway 413

thenarwhal.ca

I'm not really sure what we're supposed to get out of this. Based off the wording of the article, it seems like many of the things that the Federal Government want is simply infeasible with any rerouting that doesn't fundamentally alter what this highway even is. An example the article uses is the Western Chorus Frog, and the article quite literally states that "Highway 413 would run across Ontario’s largest remaining patch of habitat vital to the western chorus frog’s survival in the province, destroying an area equivalent to about 30 soccer fields. The federal government warned Ontario in 2023 that minor shifts in the highway’s route would be unlikely to help, as the frog can be impacted by highways up to 2.4 kilometres away". In other words, there is no routing that solves this issue. Its not like the story is that the Federal Government proposed an alternate alignment that would help mitigate some of these environmental concerns and Ford refuses to budge - the story very much seems to be that the Feds are putting the onus on the province to find a way to build this highway without those concerns, and that in practice the only way to do so would be to just not build the highway (which obviously isn't going to happen).

 

[Northern Light]

I'm not really sure what we're supposed to get out of this. Based off the wording of the article, it seems like many of the things that the Federal Government want is simply infeasible with any rerouting that doesn't fundamentally alter what this highway even is. An example the article uses is the Western Chorus Frog, and the article quite literally states that "Highway 413 would run across Ontario’s largest remaining patch of habitat vital to the western chorus frog’s survival in the province, destroying an area equivalent to about 30 soccer fields. The federal government warned Ontario in 2023 that minor shifts in the highway’s route would be unlikely to help, as the frog can be impacted by highways up to 2.4 kilometres away". In other words, there is no routing that solves this issue. Its not like the story is that the Federal Government proposed an alternate alignment that would help mitigate some of these environmental concerns and Ford refuses to budge - the story very much seems to be that the Feds are putting the onus on the province to find a way to build this highway without those concerns, and that in practice the only way to do so would be to just not build the highway (which obviously isn't going to happen).

Full credit for coming out to play...........

I may have a different interpretation in respect of some things.....

 

[northyorker1]

I'm not really sure what we're supposed to get out of this. Based off the wording of the article, it seems like many of the things that the Federal Government want is simply infeasible with any rerouting that doesn't fundamentally alter what this highway even is. An example the article uses is the Western Chorus Frog, and the article quite literally states that "Highway 413 would run across Ontario’s largest remaining patch of habitat vital to the western chorus frog’s survival in the province, destroying an area equivalent to about 30 soccer fields. The federal government warned Ontario in 2023 that minor shifts in the highway’s route would be unlikely to help, as the frog can be impacted by highways up to 2.4 kilometres away". In other words, there is no routing that solves this issue. Its not like the story is that the Federal Government proposed an alternate alignment that would help mitigate some of these environmental concerns and Ford refuses to budge - the story very much seems to be that the Feds are putting the onus on the province to find a way to build this highway without those concerns, and that in practice the only way to do so would be to just not build the highway (which obviously isn't going to happen).

The feds, in their current form, won't be around for much longer and common sense will prevail.

 

[innsertnamehere]

No @innsertnamehere .....no @ericmacm ? Where are all the highway people on this............

I mean my reading of it as a complete non-expert on these types of things is that Environment and Climate Change Canada have concerns about endangered species which MTO is presumably working to address as much as reasonable without compromising the project as @ARG1 already alluded to. It's an internal presentation reviewed without context or knowledge of how MTO may have responded / not responded to it.

Ultimately it's a bureaucrat's presentation as well. It's up to the Minister (Guilbeault) to actually make requests to the province if they feel MTO isn't addressing them, and ultimately, we have legal rulings stating that there isn't much the Federal government *can* do.

 

[innsertnamehere]

PCs announce $15 billion "over three years to speed up key capital projects, including widening the QEW between Burlington and St. Catharines."

Only Doug Ford Has A Plan to Protect Ontario Workers By Investing in Infrastructure

Ontario PCs ready to invest billions more in infrastructure projects to create new jobs, includingby widening the QEW in Niagara Niagara Falls, January 31, 2025 — Today, Doug Ford, leader of the Ontario PCs, announcedthat he will invest an additional $22 billion in the PCs’ nearly $200 billion...

ontariopc.ca

That project would not cost $15 billion, so I'm curious to what else is included. Also - it's notable *over 3 years*. Which means fast.

Assuming it's mostly road projects, $15 billion over three years would roughly triple annual roads spending. Maybe the PCs would actually build all their roads promises.. up until now they always promised roads and promptly barely funded and built any of them.

 

[drum118]

Cross post

Saw a sign on the West Mall north of the Queensway saying starting April 11 that access to the QEW for it as well Evans Ave will be close. This will allow the remaining work on the new QEW off ramp to Dixie Rd as well for the new Dixie Rd on westbound ramp to the QEW.

It is possible that the QEW lanes will be reduce to 2 lanes to all for both on/off rams in both directions. Even after the ramps are built, 2 lanes may remain to allow the building of the new centre barrier to be built.

Expect long traffic backup for most of the summer to fall using the QEW for both directions.

 

[ericmacm]

A piece in the Narwhal today about disputes between the Feds and Ontario over the potential routing of 413:

Canada advised Ontario to reroute Highway 413 | The Narwhal

With an Ontario election called, the two levels of government are still clashing over Highway 413

thenarwhal.ca

As others have said, it’s hard to figure out what any of it necessarily means without any further context. I don’t see these kinds of negotiations being particularly unexpected or even noteworthy either - these are two jurisdictions with different definitions on how they classify species like the Western Chorus Frog (with Ontario classifying as non-threatened and Canada classifying as threatened) and they are working to resolve differences, now that there is some clearly known federal jurisdiction in what is ultimately a project that would otherwise entirely be in the provincial jurisdiction. We simply won’t know the details until they come to an agreement. The comment on rerouting is ultimately just a recommendation, it is simply just ECCC providing a possible alternative to other, more complicated solutions.

I have done some limited work in the past on a project that was affected by SARA legislation. I am not the most familiar with it but I have seen it in practice. There were very strict regulations related to animals, with heavy fines issued to any person on-site if they harmed or even tried to cause distress to an animal. There were dedicated biologists and animal handlers to relocate specific endangered species (rare snakes, in this case), constant surveys being undertaken, measures to reduce impact during construction (wildlife barriers), and efforts to protect new land in lieu of any land that was being disrupted. Ultimately, the SARA can be satisfied (or a permit can be granted if necessary) and construction can happen if there are appropriate plans in place.

My interpretation of the Minister’s emergency order powers under SARA is that they are unlikely to be used in this case. The powers are allowed to be used if a given activity represents a significant threat to their survival or recovery. There were orders issued for the Western Chorus Frog in 2018 to scale back the size of a subdivision to stop a permanent reduction in habitat, and in 2021 to mandate more wildlife crossings under a roadway to lessen impact. These projects were put forth by parties that almost certainly did not formally consult with ECCC beforehand. The province knows that ECCC has the legal ability to do this and are likely now working on the design/plan that will satisfy them. It’s going to take time but I’m sure they will be able to come to an agreement. It’s also possible that the province splits this up into many phases, with the easier sections starting construction first, and anything that would require enhanced SARA considerations later.

 

[Transportfan]

I don't see these little-used regional road numbers surviving in any shape or form. No one knows them now, it would be a simple matter of just removing the Peel Region trailblazer signs, as none of the municipal street signs actually reference them, although the regional signs do.

I'm surprised they're turning the roads over even in Caledon, as it's mostly rural. I thought it was because of them finally realizing urban Mississauga and Brampton don't need them. Even Ottawa kept numbered "City" roads in rural areas post-amalgamation.

 

[Dan416]

I'm surprised they're turning the roads over even in Caledon, as it's mostly rural. I thought it was because of them finally realizing urban Mississauga and Brampton don't need them. Even Ottawa kept numbered "City" roads in rural areas post-amalgamation.

Caledon should just be moved to Dufferin County. It’s not under Peel Police jurisdiction anyway and it is a small town to expect to cover all those regional roads up there. I wonder what Caledonia’s plan for them is. Most of them do have actual names, except Highway 50 I guess…

 

[lenaitch]

I'm surprised they're turning the roads over even in Caledon, as it's mostly rural. I thought it was because of them finally realizing urban Mississauga and Brampton don't need them. Even Ottawa kept numbered "City" roads in rural areas post-amalgamation.

Without disbanding the Region, turning the regional roads in Brampton and Mississauga would have left a rump of a regional department.

Caledon should just be moved to Dufferin County. It’s not under Peel Police jurisdiction anyway and it is a small town to expect to cover all those regional roads up there. I wonder what Caledonia’s plan for them is. Most of them do have actual names, except Highway 50 I guess…

It is assumed that the regional tax portion will be re-structure leaving Caledon more budget space to cover the former regional roads. Policing is only one regional department.

 

[ShonTron]

Without disbanding the Region, turning the regional roads in Brampton and Mississauga would have left a rump of a regional department.


It is assumed that the regional tax portion will be re-structure leaving Caledon more budget space to cover the former regional roads. Policing is only one regional department.

There are counties in Ontario that do not maintain roads anymore. Hastings County, which is a huge area, downloaded all its roads to the local municipalities, which include some relatively remote ones out towards Algonquin Park. Frontenac County did the same. So it's not unprecedented, and Caledon isn't quite the rural municipality it once was. It will do okay.

York Region, in contrast, has gotten more involved in major roads; it controls almost all former concession roads in the southern part of the region now as well as all downloaded provincial highways (with the exception of a small portion of Highway 48 in Markham Village).

I suspect the regional road numbers in Peel will slowly disappear, with the possible exception of 24, 50 and 136. After Hamilton amalgamated, it phased out the regional road numbers with the exception of old highways: 2, 8, 20, 52, 53, 56, 97, and 99 are still numbered and signed with City of Hamilton signage. I could see Caledon doing the same.

 

[christiesplits]

The city is suing WSP over alleged poor repair work on the Gardiner.

City sues engineering firm over Gardiner Expressway repair

The city is seeking $36 million in damages over what it alleges were deficiencies in the design of the project to replace the eastern end of the aging elevated expressway.

www.thestar.com