Highway 401 Widening - Hespeler Road to Townline Road

[The85]

Highway 401 Widening & Improvements:

Hespeler Road to Townline Road

Project Website: http://highway401-hespeler-townline.ca/

Detailed Design and Class Environmental Assessment

Image from Project Website (link above)

[The85]

[zanate]

I've seen some of the region's plans as they affect pedestrian/cycling access across the 401.

1. Early this year, the recommendation for Franklin Blvd was for a 4m multi-use trail on the east side of the bridge. That would connect to Region's planned MUTs along Franklin to the south (could be both sides, I think), as well as a planned MUT (single side) into Hespeler (Franklin is, I believe, a city road only north of Holiday Inn Dr.)

2. The province has been pushing to remove all non-vehicular travel on the Hespeler road crossing. This has the potential consequence of pushing all pedestrian and cycling traffic out to either Speedsville or Franklin (a gap of 3.3km). There has been talk about a pedestrian bridge across, near Hespeler. With a cost that could be $2-3M, that's going to be hard to justify. So far I haven't heard of any potential outcome that I like.

[BuildingScout]

There has been talk about a pedestrian bridge across, near Hespeler. With a cost that could be $2-3M, that's going to be hard to justify. So far I haven't heard of any potential outcome that I like.

Is this another case of "special" government pricing? All quotes I can find from other countries peg the cost of a pedestrian bridge at less than one tenth of that.

[Canard]

I'm a daily commuter along this exact area. I feel bad whenever I see a pedestrian or cyclist trying to cross the Franklin St. Bridge over 401 here (technically illegal - signs on both sides of the bridge indicate no pedestrians or cyclists are permitted across it). It will be good to have another connection across the 401 for them.

Excited to see what they come up with - Franklin/Pinebush is a disaster at rush hour so I always get to the office early or stay late to avoid it at all costs. The "weave" when coming off 401 EB to Franklin SB is horrifying. There is much room for improvement.

I would have thought all of this would have been done at the same time as the 10-lane widening; this appears to be a separate scope project.

[zanate]

There has been talk about a pedestrian bridge across, near Hespeler. With a cost that could be $2-3M, that's going to be hard to justify. So far I haven't heard of any potential outcome that I like.

Is this another case of "special" government pricing? All quotes I can find from other countries peg the cost of a pedestrian bridge at less than one tenth of that.

Can't comment on the assumptions behind that number. I can point out that the 401 pedestrian bridge out towards Homer Watson was apparently $1.7M but that this gentleman chronicled how the cost of the bridge grew with each plan revision and with the aesthetic goals.

A bridge across the 401 that would tie, say, the Cambridge SmartCentre to Holiday Inn Dr. here would need about a 90-100m span. Do you have examples from other countries where the price tag comes in a lot lower? It would be useful information.

[BuildingScout]

Can't comment on the assumptions behind that number. I can point out that the 401 pedestrian bridge out towards Homer Watson was apparently $1.7M but that this gentleman chronicled how the cost of the bridge grew with each plan revision and with the aesthetic goals.

A bridge across the 401 that would tie, say, the Cambridge SmartCentre to Holiday Inn Dr. here would need about a 90-100m span. Do you have examples from other countries where the price tag comes in a lot lower? It would be useful information.

I found several places quoting $1,800 per linear foot in the USA or $600,000 for the span you describe above. In other countries the quoted price is even lower using pre-made spans which are used throughout the entire country. This brings the cost down to about $100-200K per bridge.

[JCnb]

Does anyone know anything about the multi-use trail that crosses the 403 at Wayne Gretzky Pkwy in Brantford? Seems like this would be an almost identical copy (and possible solution) of the Hespler situation.

[Canard]

Why are there 2 threads about the 401 widening?

[MacBerry]

Why are there 2 threads about the 401 widening?

First thread is about the Hwy 8 connection to Hwy 401 and only to Hespeler Road.

This second thread is discussion about another phase about 12-18 months behind the almost completed EAS and design/construction phase above.

The new announcement concerns Hwy 401 at Hespeler Road To the Townline Road interchange.

IMO it deserves a separate thread.

[The85]

Why are there 2 threads about the 401 widening?

It is technically a separate project (EA) with a different funding and timeline. That said, the proposed interchange improvements and ramp additions to the Highway 8/401 interchange also deserves it's own thread as that too is a separate project that is behind both of these widening projects and will likely happen after both are complete. If there becomes too many related threads on similar topics, a sub-forum could always be created.

[mpd618]

2. The province has been pushing to remove all non-vehicular travel on the Hespeler road crossing. This has the potential consequence of pushing all pedestrian and cycling traffic out to either Speedsville or Franklin (a gap of 3.3km). There has been talk about a pedestrian bridge across, near Hespeler. With a cost that could be $2-3M, that's going to be hard to justify. So far I haven't heard of any potential outcome that I like.

Removing pedestrians and cyclists from the Hespeler Road crossing is so completely absurd. I just cannot.

[Canard]

It need not be imagined, it is a reality today and has been for many, many years. There is no provision for any non-vehicular crossing at Franklin. It's dangerous to attempt to do so, and people have been killed there. I drive through it daily and shudder when I see someone trying to bike or walk and cross the traffic.