[EYorker]

They have redirected westbound traffic on the 401 at the new Tremaine Rd. overpass to new lanes as of this morning with traffic entirely shifted off of the original lanes. It's almost like it's being set up with an express-collector configuration despite the Hwy 25 overpass not being configured for that and not having the space for it. Does anyone have any drawings for what the planned configuration in the area will ultimately be?

While I haven't seen any drawings for the area, the recent PIC #1 materials for that stretch seem to indicate it will ultimately be a 4+1 HOV configuration in each direction.

 

[Morriston1986]

I hope they do something going west on 401 right there at hwy 25 in Milton, that bottle neck from 5 lanes to 3 creates gridlock for almost the entire 9-5 day, cant believe how bad the flow is there. Perhaps they are working a new configuration to improve it

 

[Dan416]

I think the worst bottleneck in the system is actually where 410 loses 2 lanes from Queen to Bovaird. Doesn’t matter what time of day it’s always backed up there.

 

[EYorker]

I hope they do something going west on 401 right there at hwy 25 in Milton, that bottle neck from 5 lanes to 3 creates gridlock for almost the entire 9-5 day, cant believe how bad the flow is there. Perhaps they are working a new configuration to improve it

The study is in progress as we speak. http://highway401milton.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2030-23-00_H401Milton_PIC1_2025-05-28-1.pdf

Unfortunately, I don't see this getting fixed any time soon. The soonest I could see shovels in the ground is 2027 if they can speed up the detailed design, engineering and procurement. This project also doesn't have any known funding at the moment either.

This is still way better than the days of pre-expansion between the 410 and Hwy 25. A good alternate most of the time is to exit at James Snow, and follow that and Campbellville Rd. WB to Guelph Line and rejoin the 401 there.

 

[qubyte]

They are shifting the westbound lanes for construction staging, detours for the North West and South West ramp construction. I reviewed the tender for the construction of the interchange and identified the following construction staging as mentioned above for Years 2 and 3.

Year 1:

Year 2 (2024/2025):

Year 3 (2025/2026):

Year 4:

Link to RFT where that can be found: Construction of Tremaine Road (Reg.Rd.22)/Highway 401 Interchange Main Contract, in the Town of Milton

 

[darth_freeman]

They have redirected westbound traffic on the 401 at the new Tremaine Rd. overpass to new lanes as of this morning with traffic entirely shifted off of the original lanes. It's almost like it's being set up with an express-collector configuration despite the Hwy 25 overpass not being configured for that and not having the space for it. Does anyone have any drawings for what the planned configuration in the area will ultimately be?

The detour is temporary to partially replace an existing culvert under the Highway 401 westbound lanes that is in very poor condition. The culvert partial replacement was added to the Halton Region Tremaine Road interchange project as it was urgent, otherwise it would have waited for the MTO project currently in preliminary design which is expected to widen 401 and extend the HOV lanes even further westerly past RR25.

 

[ericmacm]

Ontario's 2025 Highways Program is out. There have been some changes since the last update, most notably the following.

South-West:

• Addition of Highway 3/4 expansion/twinning in Elgin County, starting 2025
• Addition of Highway 401 expansion between Townline Road and Wellington Road 32 in Cambridge, starting 2026
• Delay of Grand River Bridges in Kitchener, formerly 2025 now starting 2027-2028
• No changes to anything previously listed as "Upcoming Expansion"

South-Central:

• Addition of Highway 413/401/407 interchange grading in Milton, starting 2025
• Addition of Bradford Bypass 10th Sideroad advance work, starting 2025
• Acceleration of Bradford Bypass Highway 400 to County Road 4 segment construction, formerly 2026-2027 now starting 2026
• Addition of Highway 413 Boivard Drive and Hurontario Street underpass construction, starting 2026
• Delay of Highway 5/6 interchange in Waterdown, formerly 2025 now starting 2026
• Addition of Bradford Bypass County Road 4 to Yonge Street segment construction, starting 2027-2028
• Acceleration of Bradford Bypass Yonge Street to Highway 404 segment construction, formerly Upcoming Expansion now starting 2027-2028
• Delay of Garden City Skyway Phase 1, formerly 2026-2027 now starting 2027-2028
• Addition of Highway 7 expansion/widening in Pickering, indicated as Upcoming Expansion

South-East:

• No changes

North:

• Delay of Highway 69 expansion/twinning from Highway 529 to Britt, formerly 2026-2027 now 2027-2028
• Delay of Highway 69 expansion/twinning from Highway 559 to Nobel, formerly 2026-2027 now Upcoming Expansion
• Acceleration of Highway 11/17 expansion/twinning from Pearl Lake to Ouimet, formerly 2026-2027 now starting 2026
• Delay of Highway 11/17 expansion/twinning from McGuire Lake Road to Red Rock, formerly 2025 now starting 2026
• Delay of Highway 17 expansion/twinning from Highway 673 eastward, formerly 2025 now starting 2026, but length has been expanded from 9.0 km to 11.0 km
• No changes to anything previously listed as "Upcoming Expansion"

I distinctly recall during the last election, there was a campaign promise to deploy reserve funding to accelerate some highway projects. It seems like more have been delayed than accelerated.

 

[Dan416]

Disappointing not to see any widening of 410 planned between Queen and Mayfield.

 

[Haljackey]

I distinctly recall during the last election, there was a campaign promise to deploy reserve funding to accelerate some highway projects. It seems like more have been delayed than accelerated.

I'd assume this funding would be going towards the 413 and Bradford Bypass. The Highway 3 freeway to St Thomas is also going to eat up a decent chunk of change as well.

 

[innsertnamehere]

I'd assume this funding would be going towards the 413 and Bradford Bypass. The Highway 3 freeway to St Thomas is also going to eat up a decent chunk of change as well.

St Thomas freeway is already out to tender and should be starting any day now.

The 410 widening had its EA done last year, and it’s not the kind of EA MTO would do without planning to move to construction.

I wonder what happened to the Highway 6 twinning to Hamilton airport, the province announced that as proceeding to construction in what, 2021? They did the EA and it’s been quiet on it for a bit now..

Ford did increase MTO’s capital budget in the 2025 budget for the first time this year, I suspect with most of that extra cash going to the Bradford Bypass and 413. A lot of it right now is likely going to land purchases but will eventually translate to construction.

To deliver all their highway promises they will need even more though. I do suspect the Carney government will start contributing federal cash again though after about a decade of the federal liberals providing basically 0 federal funds to roads.

 

[drum118]

St Thomas freeway is already out to tender and should be starting any day now.

The 410 widening had its EA done last year, and it’s not the kind of EA MTO would do without planning to move to construction.

I wonder what happened to the Highway 6 twinning to Hamilton airport, the province announced that as proceeding to construction in what, 2021? They did the EA and it’s been quiet on it for a bit now..

Ford did increase MTO’s capital budget in the 2025 budget for the first time this year, I suspect with most of that extra cash going to the Bradford Bypass and 413. A lot of it right now is likely going to land purchases but will eventually translate to construction.

To deliver all their highway promises they will need even more though. I do suspect the Carney government will start contributing federal cash again though after about a decade of the federal liberals providing basically 0 federal funds to roads.

How can construction start any day if the tender is still open and no contract awarded?? Even if it close tomorrow, you are looking at 30-90 days before any work is started after the contract is awarded. Contracts are not handed out in 24 hours after tenders close..

The more you widen roads, more congested they will become and there has to be pinch points when roads have to be narrow down as well ended. 410 has to be narrow to meet the 4 lanes of Hwy 10 at some point.

 

[Dan416]

How can construction start any day if the tender is still open and no contract awarded?? Even if it close tomorrow, you are looking at 30-90 days before any work is started after the contract is awarded. Contracts are not handed out in 24 hours after tenders close..

The more you widen roads, more congested they will become and there has to be pinch points when roads have to be narrow down as well ended. 410 has to be narrow to meet the 4 lanes of Hwy 10 at some point.

410 is continuing up to Old School Road to meet the 413, so narrowing to Highway 10 is irrelevant now. I assume that section will just become an overbuilt offramp when 410 gets extended north.

 

[Haljackey]

The more you widen roads, more congested they will become and there has to be pinch points when roads have to be narrow down as well ended. 410 has to be narrow to meet the 4 lanes of Hwy 10 at some point.

You gotta stagger the transition. Compare a longneck beer bottle to a stubby. Both have the same sized opening and bottom, but one is much more gradual than the other

Many Ontario freeways suffer from the stubby problem. Most wide stretches end where one lane exits and another ends around the same area. You lose 2 lanes in a very short stretch which snarls traffic. The 410 is an excellent example of this. Another is the recently completed 401 widening in Milton. You've got another on the 401 at Salem, which to me seems dumb as it could have been fixed somewhat during the 412 construction but nope.

These all end the way they do because they are planned to be widened further at a later date, making it more work if you built a more staggered narrowing because you'd have to work on this stretch again.

Throwing HOVs ending near these merge points adds even more pain, as it pretty much reduces the capacity for single occupant cars, trucks, etc by another lane. Maybe it's best to have the HOVs become a general lane an interchange before the merge point?

For an example of a 'longneck' bottle solution- I'll use the recently widened 401 in Milton. Have the HOV become a general lane at James Snow. Lose a lane either in the mainline or a dedicated exit at Martin Street. Have a 4th lane continue to the next interchange (Tremaine not done yet so let's use Guelph Line) where the final lane ending would be a dedicated exit or merge. That gives traffic more space to slowly transition form 12 to 6 lanes, rather than have a big crunch like the 10 to 6 lane narrowing just west of Martin Street currently.

The only place where I think it's ok to have 2+ lanes end in short succession is at a major freeway to freeway interchange- as these can be used as dedicated exit lanes. Minor junctions are not the place for them.

 

[Dan416]

Not sure if anyone posted the slides from the consultation last year for the 410 widening ETA, but they are here: https://hwy410queentobovaird.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/PIC-Slides-May-2024.pdf

I'm disappointed they chose Alternative 4 and not 4A, because it doesn't include any widening from Williams Pkwy to Bovaird. I hope that they're making the right call with that decision.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Not sure if anyone posted the slides from the consultation last year for the 410 widening ETA, but they are here: https://hwy410queentobovaird.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/PIC-Slides-May-2024.pdf

I'm disappointed they chose Alternative 4 and not 4A, because it doesn't include any widening from Williams Pkwy to Bovaird. I hope that they're making the right call with that decision.

The plan I have on record has the HOVs extended northwards to Bovaird and a new GP SB lane through that stretch as well.

Basically the plan is:

Clark to Williams: 4+1 NB / 4+1 SB
Williams to Bovaird: 3+1 NB / 4+1 SB
Bovaird to Sandalwood: 3 NB + 3 SB