(09-29-2016, 10:20 AM)clasher Wrote: [ -> ]I rode through there a couple weeks ago and it's pretty rough in some spots, you can see the potholes and crappy patch job on streetview if you're curious.
I think the high bids are because of the increased cost of dealing with sensitive wetlands and building the bridge. Seems like the kind of project that bidding close would just result in a contractor taking a bath.
The wetlands and such are certainly a factor, but staff should have accounted for that during their estimates, but in 2013 when the estimates were being formed, it would have been hard to foresee the spike in construction costs.
The road surface can be repaired without widening the road though. I would hope the city wouldn't be widening unless there were serious capacity issues.
I think there will be more traffic once the subdivisions farther west along Columbia are all built out. I don't drive up in that part of town but it'd be nice to have bike lanes along that stretch finally.
A few questions about Weber:
1) What is the delay in finishing that
little triangle between the tracks, Weber, and Louisa? Also, what is the metal frame for? It looks like an unfinished illuminated sign.
2) I've always been curious why, when NB, the speed limit increases from 50 to 60 as you approach the Erb/Bridgeport section as that is where you are most likely to encounter non-automotive users. What is the criteria for setting the speed limits?
(10-06-2016, 03:48 PM)Pheidippides Wrote: [ -> ]A few questions about Weber:
1) What is the delay in finishing that little triangle between the tracks, Weber, and Louisa? Also, what is the metal frame for? It looks like an unfinished illuminated sign.
2) I've always been curious why, when NB, the speed limit increases from 50 to 60 as you approach the Erb/Bridgeport section as that is where you are most likely to encounter non-automotive users. What is the criteria for setting the speed limits?
For 2 it could be a change from regional/city road or from city to city are common reasons.
For 1 see delay on finishing bridge railing or putting up any sign to mark the mut
Things are still moving for the Ottawa South roundabouts - the Rona garden centre is being downsized and the retaining wall moved back.
The ramp from 8 South* to 401 East was even more of a mess than usual, yesterday; overnight, crews moved the merge point even further back, creating chaos.
I really can't wait for those two ramp lanes to just go straight through!
Progress on the 401 widening itself seems to be mostly happening near the slight curve by the Kinsmen/Kinnette building/Riverside Park at the bottom of the hill on the South side. This is such a massive project, but the progress looks so slow when compared to how fast the Light Rail system is coming together!
* - Sorry, I can't ever picture this as being East/West with a near-perpendicular meetup with 401!
Fischer/Hallman between Ottawa and Bleams now has all its new lanes open. This project was done very quickly.
(10-15-2016, 09:32 AM)Canard Wrote: [ -> ]The ramp from 8 South* to 401 East was even more of a mess than usual, yesterday; overnight, crews moved the merge point even further back, creating chaos.
Taking King St E instead, to avoid the on-ramp, seems like a better and better choice.
(10-15-2016, 09:32 AM)Canard Wrote: [ -> ]The ramp from 8 South* to 401 East was even more of a mess than usual, yesterday; overnight, crews moved the merge point even further back, creating chaos.
That's wonderful! It is all merging down to a single lane regardless, so it should force the merge early enough so that the traffic backlog quickly reaches an alternative exit, and people naturally re-route upon seeing congestion. As it was, the highway accumulated way too many captive cars.
(10-17-2016, 09:58 AM)tomh009 Wrote: [ -> ]Taking King St E instead, to avoid the on-ramp, seems like a better and better choice.
If you use Google GPS navigation, it will suggest that route quite often, as it knows it is faster as certain times.
Yeah, I sometimes do that, but depending on my mood it's just easier to sit there and inch forward on the highway chilling out rather than deal with the insanity of King St. E at that time of day. People drive like maniacs there. It's a 60 but everyone drives like 80 and it's awful.
The Southeast ramp onto Wellington is shutting down this week, and the new ramp entrance / exit is opening on the Northeast side. The shut down of the SE ramp will probably be permanent, seeing as that's where the new Hwy 7 overpass is scheduled to go.
I think the merge point has been returned to the original point. It seems like the change was just temporary over the weekend.
Was some work going on at the Weber underpass today, the East lane was closed off. Not sure if that means they're putting on the wooden rails finally. But I'm also not sure why the lane would need to be closed off for that.
(10-19-2016, 04:41 PM)GtwoK Wrote: [ -> ]Was some work going on at the Weber underpass today, the East lane was closed off. Not sure if that means they're putting on the wooden rails finally. But I'm also not sure why the lane would need to be closed off for that.
It's this:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/tomjgalloway14">@tomjgalloway14</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RegionWaterloo">@RegionWaterloo</a> Still no wood & now the concrete has been torn up. What is going on? Cc: <a href="https://twitter.com/570NEWS">@570NEWS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CTVKitchener">@CTVKitchener</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/WR_Record">@WR_Record</a> <a href="https://t.co/cvEfHhAaO7">pic.twitter.com/cvEfHhAaO7</a></p>— iain (@Canardiain) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canardiain/status/788866343919497217">October 19, 2016</a></blockquote>
There's also a lot of work on the sidewalks (completely torn up!) just North of there, too.
Lots more discussion about the railings and the underpass itself,
here.