Highway 7 - Kitchener to Guelph

[Canard]

That interchange is just totally bonkers. I can't wait to see it come together. I'm always in awe looking through the glass roof on our car when driving under the huge stacks on 407 in Toronto.

[Pheidippides]

From the CBC article on how Shirley Ave widening:
Approximately 160,400 vehicles travel Highway 7 every day.

What is the source of this data point? Most traffic volume data I have seen for this stretch is in the 32,000 range.

http://www.raqsb.mto.gov.on.ca/techpubs/...Form&Seq=3
http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/gettin...df#page=41

[innsertnamehere]

probably all traffic across the entire province on Highway 7.

[tomh009]

MTO data shows 23K between Woolwich and Guelph. Section inside Kitchener (effectively Victoria St) is not listed by MTO but the region's data shows 30-40K vehicles/day on Victoria past the expressway. Maybe CBC got the decimal point wrong?

[jeffster]

That interchange is just totally bonkers.  I can't wait to see it come together.  I'm always in awe looking through the glass roof on our car when driving under the huge stacks on 407 in Toronto.

Look like someone tossed cooked spaghetti on top of the existing map and said "there ya go!".

This is going to be huge for the Greater Kitchener/Guelph area. Trying to vision what our cities are going to look like 20 years from now, between this and the ION.

[ijmorlan]

That interchange is just totally bonkers.  I can't wait to see it come together.  I'm always in awe looking through the glass roof on our car when driving under the huge stacks on 407 in Toronto.

Look like someone tossed cooked spaghetti on top of the existing map and said "there ya go!".

This is going to be huge for the Greater Kitchener/Guelph area.  Trying to vision what our cities are going to look like 20 years from now, between this and the ION.

Everybody is going to be wondering why we didn’t just build an interurban LRT line between Kitchener and Guelph instead of blowing the money on another highway.

[nms]

Given the ~50+ lag between when the 401/7/8 Interchange arrived in Waterloo Region and when regular GO train service arrived, my guess is we'll be lucky to get something more frequent between Guelph and Waterloo in another 50 years.

[JCnb]

Construction is now in full swing at the end of Wellington with ramp re-configuration work underway. I haven't ventured out to the Shirley end of things but imagine the whole project has mobilized.

[Smore]

Construction is now in full swing at the end of Wellington with ramp re-configuration work underway. I haven't ventured out to the Shirley end of things but imagine the whole project has mobilized.

most of the action is at the end of Wellington...some grading on the Shirley side,but there is massive amounts of fill needed so this could take some time...

[Masala]

Meanwhile, at the Guelph end of the future highway, there have been few signs of progress.  I've only noticed:

- The lanes and ramps where it will meet Line 86 were staked through farm fields in the spring.  
- A house and barn on the east side of Line 86 were removed through demolition/recycling this summer
- The Sittler Demolition signs and fences have recently been installed at the former garden center at the intersection of the new highway with the Hanlon

And the MTO has three more houses to be removed, preferably by sale and re-location rather than demolition.
cbc.ca article

Given that those homes need to be removed by end-2017, I would assume we won't be seeing much if any substantial construction before then.

[C Plus]

Look like someone tossed cooked spaghetti on top of the existing map and said "there ya go!".

This is going to be huge for the Greater Kitchener/Guelph area.  Trying to vision what our cities are going to look like 20 years from now, between this and the ION.

Everybody is going to be wondering why we didn’t just build an interurban LRT line between Kitchener and Guelph instead of blowing the money on another highway.

They have already done all the environmental assessments, land acquisition and design. Plus this project will provide another link for the region to the 401 corridor via the Hanlon (which I believe is to be converted to limited access highway). I don't think this money is blown. I wonder what the cost would be to run an lrt line into Guelph's core. Also I wonder what route they would take.

[Canard]

lready done all the environmental assessments, land acquisition and design. Plus this project will provide another link for the region to the 401 corridor via the Hanlon (which I believe is to be converted to limited access highway). I don't think this money is blown. I wonder what the cost would be to run an lrt line into Guelph's core. Also I wonder what route they would take.

They have been saying this for decades - I wouldn't hold your breath! So far, only two intersections have gotten the interchange treatment.

[Drake]

The Hanlon is the worst

[rangersfan]

On Friday heading on 85 south there were signs stating that the Wellington exit would be closed and to use Lancaster.

[jamincan]

I think it's only at night though?

I wonder what intersections will become interchanges on the Hanlon. I imagine a good portion will simply become overpasses or closed entirely.

My guesses:
Wellington Road 34: probably an interchange
Maltby Road/Concession 4: closed
Downey/Kortright: overpass, or an interchange only to the south - seems too constrained for a full interchange and it's very close to Stone Rd.
Stone Road: interchange - pretty tight still, but I can't see how they would skip it.
College Ave: overpass
Paisley: underpass or close - this is pretty tough with the rail line crossing right near there. Not sure how it would be dealt with.
Willow: overpass
Speedvale: interchange
Woodlawn: interchange