09-24-2015, 04:14 PM
(09-24-2015, 03:40 PM)GtwoK Wrote: Hwy 85: does the MTO plan to widen this anytime soon? Every time I drive down there between 11am – 6pm, traffic is near stand-still until around Lancaster. It's been that way for some years. They've got all the space in the median for expansion, so I don't understand why they haven't used it, unless there are other plans for the area (it doesn't go as far as the new Hwy 7, so that couldn't be it I don't think).
I presume you are talking about the stretch between King and Lancaster exits. I drive that twice a day, so I have at least frequent anecdotal evidence.
Northbound traffic is slow in the mornings, though not usually terrible. Southbound is pretty backed up (stop-and-go level) during the afternoon rush hour. The opposite direction usually moves quite well. Everything was recently repaved, and the bridges are being repaired at current width, so I don't expect to see widening anytime in the next 5-10 years. There is space to widen, but there is still a cost -- roughly $4M per lane kilometre, so doing it up to Northfield (the natural narrowing spot) would probably cost about $60M.