General Road and Highway Discussion

[rangersfan]

River Rd extension is being pushed back again.


http://m.therecord.com/news-story/620588...ayed-again

[KevinL]

Manitou reopened today. Note that the bridge only has two lanes open (the ramparts are not yet on, it's just jersey barriers for now) and much of the roadscape is still incomplete (curbs, sidewalks, signs, etc).

[Spokes]

River Rd extension is being pushed back again.


http://m.therecord.com/news-story/620588...ayed-again

I wonder if they found more salamanders to prevent this from happening.

[Pheidippides]

Can someone explain why the noise barriers on the new 7/8 overpasses (Westmount, etc.) are transparent (acrylic?) and different from the rest of the barriers along the 7/8?

Is it purely for aesthetics? Safety reasons? Better lighting? To allow for greater solar snow melting in winter? Cheaper? Better sound abatement?

Thanks.

[BuildingScout]

Can someone explain why the noise barriers on the new 7/8 overpasses (Westmount, etc.) are transparent (acrylic?) and different from the rest of the barriers along the 7/8?

Is it purely for aesthetics? Safety reasons? Better lighting? To allow for greater solar snow melting in winter? Cheaper? Better sound abatement?

Thanks.

I don't know the reasons but Europe moved to acrylic/plexiglass barriers about ten years ago.

[The85]

Can someone explain why the noise barriers on the new 7/8 overpasses (Westmount, etc.) are transparent (acrylic?) and different from the rest of the barriers along the 7/8?

Is it purely for aesthetics? Safety reasons? Better lighting? To allow for greater solar snow melting in winter? Cheaper? Better sound abatement?

Thanks.

It's for aesthetics. More specifically, it's to help eliminate a 'canyon' effect due to the length of the barrier on both sides of the highway.

The MTO installed similar transparent panels on the QEW a few years ago in St. Catharines: http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/QEW_image..._24x16.jpg
http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/ON/QEW_image...images.htm
https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.1750619,-...312!8i6656

[GtwoK]

I had thought it might be to allow vehicles below to see if there was traffic on the expressway, to help them determine if they should take it or not! It does make it look better for sure, though

[KevinL]

Basically, those are the spots on the barrier where they can make them transparent, so they do.

[Markster]

You're looking at it from the wrong side.

It's to lessen the visual impact of the noise walls on the cross street. Imagine walking up Westmount, and seeing a 2 storey high blank wall on the overpass, vs. a 1 storey high wall, and 1 storey of glass showing the sky above.

[MacBerry]

Can someone explain why the noise barriers on the new 7/8 overpasses (Westmount, etc.) are transparent (acrylic?) and different from the rest of the barriers along the 7/8?

Is it purely for aesthetics? Safety reasons? Better lighting? To allow for greater solar snow melting in winter? Cheaper? Better sound abatement?

Thanks.

I believe it is about keeping "taggers" away. Being visible while tagging means a greater chance of being seen or getting caught. Clear panels also do not give a background to display said "art".  Finally, it is I believe, cheaper to replace a panel would also be a factor.

[MacBerry]

Can someone explain why the noise barriers on the new 7/8 overpasses (Westmount, etc.) are transparent (acrylic?) and different from the rest of the barriers along the 7/8?

Is it purely for aesthetics? Safety reasons? Better lighting? To allow for greater solar snow melting in winter? Cheaper? Better sound abatement?

Thanks.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.1750619,-...312!8i6656

 Are the acrylic/tempered glass panels shown in the above GOOGLE maps link, tethered in for safety or are  they being warmed in the winter? Look at the top of each panel in the sections over the roadway below? 

Something else?  Just for #Ss&Gs? Burgler alarms? 

[DHLawrence]

Probably a lot easier too. Plastic is way lighter than a slab of concrete.

[Canard]

 Are the acrylic/tempered glass panels shown in the above GOOGLE maps link, tethered in for safety or are  they being warmed in the winter? Look at the top of each panel in the sections over the roadway below? 

Something else?  Just for #Ss&Gs? Burgler alarms? 

I think you're seeing the power lines behind the panels and confusing them with something attached to the panels.

[i]Edit - Er, sorry; I see what you're getting at. My guess is those are to prevent fragments of plastic/glass from showering down onto the road below in the event one should break. Lexan is super flexible and virtually impossible to shatter or break, though - In designing automation for 15+ years in which every system uses Lexan for guarding enclosures, I've never seen a panel break, ever. Which leads me to think that the panels in that link are actually glass.

Probably a lot easier too. Plastic is way lighter than a slab of concrete.

Yup - this.

[taylortbb]

I think they might be to prevent them from falling into the roadway in case the mount gives out due to high winds/other factors. I'd guess the mount is designed to fail nondestructively under high wind load, but them blowing across the highway would be bad.

Not sure though, that's personal speculation.

[BuildingScout]

I think they might be to prevent them from falling into the roadway in case the mount gives out due to high winds/other factors.

Also in case they shatter for whatever reason. This is mandated by European regulations and I wouldn't be surprised if similar ones were in place here.