I live in Ontario and a substantial part of the Trans Canada Highway runs through this province. It runs around the northern side of Lake Superior and some of the most spectacular scenery in the world!! (and many who have travelled this route will agree). Then from Lake Superior it runs over another 400 miles to Manitoba. The problem is that we have many accidents due to heavy truck traffic on a 2 LANE ROAD!! up and down hills and curves with winter weather conditions that often force the complete closer of the highway. And all stoppage of traffic. We have been lobbying for decades to take the example of the interstate highway and apply it to this primary transportation route in Canada, to no avail. Many people perish every year on this road trying to pass, or being passed by transport trucks, on curves, hills, icy and snowy, or foggy conditions. About all I can think of is that if American tourists and users of this road complain to our government, they probably would perk up and listen. It only gets more expensive to build a divided highway each year they hem and haw about the budget. It gives me great peace of mind (and my family too) to travel on the U.S. designed interstate highway in comfort and safety (not to mention decent speeds). And the excellent rest facilities spaced evenly down the highway allow for decent breaks from the long journey. Our rest areas consist mostly of and outhouse (sometimes filthy) and a garbage can. Most of them in Northern Ontario have been closed for years to "save money". We have an ever increasing volume of heavy truck traffic on this road and at night the "convoys" are very hard to pass (and dangerous). We also have many transport to transport accidents that are mostly fatal to both drivers (rock cuts are brutal!) If any of you have travelled on this "Trans Canada" road, air your feelings to the Ontario or Canadian government. Thanks.

 

I know what you mean. Here in New Brunswick where the trans Can runs from Riviere Du Loup Quebec, to Edmunston, NB, it is about 60 miles of white knuckled driving. A single lane with all drivers speeding and trying to pass. I have nearly gotten into 3 headon collisions because of someone trying to pass when they shouldn't. Just a month ago my neighbor and his coworker got killed on this section as well.
And we do not have nearly the traffic that you guys have in Ontario. I drove up there last summer, it was interesting...
At least we have the new 2 lane from Moncton to Fredericton complete now. This was another 120 mile stretch that was really dangerous. Now the RCMP are having a field day catching speeders. Avg speed for the first week was something like 140KMPH, with a few clocked at over 200KMPH.

 

So blame the government, or the idiots trying to pass...dont blame the damn truckers who are just trying to do their jobs.

 

If they are looking for ways to cut costs, it tells me that for what you are asking, either a toll road or higher use-taxes would come with it. It also seems to me that it is much more expensive to maintain roads the freeze and thaw a lot.

Like tree-roots, when water gets into any small crack in pavement and freezes - it expands, and breaks up the roadway. So keeping it up must be a chore.

I wish all problems had simple answers, but there are no silver bullets, and there is no magic wand to wave and fix it.

Granted, I few extra voices added to the call for better roads may be helpful. But I can't honestly do that unless I have driven on it myself, which I have not.

Still, can you identify the offices and legislative member who should recieve E-Mail about it, or letters, and post them here?

That will at least provide some points of contact, and you may consider putting together a web-page about the problem.

`Wolf

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 12-Jan-02 AT 08:12 PM (EST)]Wolf, The Federal and Provincial governments account for at least 40% of the price of Fuel.
Whether it be for Auto gasoline,diesel fuel,AV Gas,Jet Fuel,Home heating oil.etc
MANY years ago it was adopted(legislated) that 9cents/litre for province and 15cents/litre Federally would go to Road Building and Road improvement.This was ADDED to the Revenue from already implemented policy of Money coming from Registration Fees,Special Permits,etc.

We ARE being taken advantage of and because or how OUR governments are set up, They Keep taking advantage of us by putting All the money into GENERAL REVENUE instead of allocating this special money to where it is SUPPOSED to go.

Like I said in the post about you (I think) going to Alaska through Canada ans I said then OUR National TRANS-CANADA Highway is a Bloody JOKE.

Truckers *Detest* Going through Calgary and other cities and the Provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan with Having so MANY traffic lights to stop for and the highway being only 2-lane in high risk areas for so MANY miles.



Dennis

Oh....Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough Questions As:
"I'm Saving Up MY Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's"






78 F-150 429CJ C6 ,Silver w/Explorer Pkge
641/2 Mustang,Pre-World's Fair Car #8092
64 Fairlane S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang.Sunlit Gold 80,000 miles

 

I'm not familiar with how the Canadian Government goes about things.

But again, some points of contact would be very useful.

I would be wiling to state that I have been warned to avoid the drive and so have foregone plans concerning it because it is reputed to be extremely dangerous. But where to send such a message?

 

Dangerous only if the person driving take foolish chances.
And there seems to be a lot of that now.
That's why I suggested to take the Interstate across the US and proceed up through Calgary on 4-lane divided highway for quite a ways.

The politicians just don't seem to be in TUNE with what Canadians
really want and need.
Especially our Famous *Crime Minister* Jean Chretien,
He's an arrogant DWEEB.


Dennis

Oh....Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough Questions As:
"I'm Saving Up MY Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's"






78 F-150 429CJ C6 ,Silver w/Explorer Pkge
641/2 Mustang,Pre-World's Fair Car #8092
64 Fairlane S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang.Sunlit Gold 80,000 miles

 

Ok fellas, here is an email address for the premier of Ontario and the Minister of Transportation (Hon. Brad Clark), if you wish to voice your opinions (as I do) of these single lane "trans-Canada" highways. Cheers,

kw

webprem@gov.on.ca

 

I think the complaining to Govt officials in Canada eventually works albeit slow . The same 2 or even worse 3 lane Hwys exist in Ns . There have been more head on collisions & fatal crashes on the 101 that goes from Halifax to Yarmouth in the last 10 yrs than you can count . They have 4 lane divided from Halifax to Mt Uniacke & are working on extending it further west , but it really needs to go the whole distance simply because of the traffic increases . Its a shame for what folks in Canada pay for taxes that they dont at least have descent roads that can handle the traffic . I know the road I take off the 101 Hwy to go to my dads house hadnt been repaved for 25 yrs , it had grass & weeds growing up thru the cracks & it was more like being on choppy water than driving on a road . I emailed , called repeadetly the minister in charge for almost a yr before they finally repaved it last yr . I guess if enough people complain someone does something .

 

>So blame the government, or the idiots trying to pass...dont
>blame the damn truckers who are just trying to do their
>jobs.

What about the idiots that are also truckers?

Seriously, often it's the truck drivers trying to pass that ends up causing the accidents - been there, seen that, don't want to see it again. Also, I think it would be a good idea if both the U.S. and Canada fully adopted the "road hog" law - where if you get over a certain number of vehicles behind you on a 2-lane road, you are required by law to pull over and let them pass. I've seen this in Colorado, but I'm not sure how many other states do it.

LK

 

>What about the idiots that are also truckers?

True, they are out there too....

>Also, I think it would be a good idea
>if both the U.S. and Canada fully adopted the "road hog" law
>- where if you get over a certain number of vehicles behind
>you on a 2-lane road, you are required by law to pull over
>and let them pass. I've seen this in Colorado, but I'm not
>sure how many other states do it.

It's a law here in Washington also, but isn't enforced from
what I've seen...specificly you get some Q-Tip blazing along
at 20mph under the speed limit, and hasn't looked in the rear
view for an hour...


Steve & the Rockette

 

>If they are looking for ways to cut costs, it tells me that
>for what you are asking, either a toll road or higher
>use-taxes would come with it. It also seems to me that it is
>much more expensive to maintain roads the freeze and thaw a
>lot.
>
>Like tree-roots, when water gets into any small crack in
>pavement and freezes - it expands, and breaks up the
>roadway. So keeping it up must be a chore.
>
>I wish all problems had simple answers, but there are no
>silver bullets, and there is no magic wand to wave and fix
>it.
>
>Granted, I few extra voices added to the call for better
>roads may be helpful. But I can't honestly do that unless I
>have driven on it myself, which I have not.
>
>Still, can you identify the offices and legislative member
>who should recieve E-Mail about it, or letters, and post
>them here?
>
>That will at least provide some points of contact, and you
>may consider putting together a web-page about the problem.
>
>`Wolf


GreyWolf,

I don't know what you pay for fuel taxes where you are but here in Nova Scotia, the taxes on feul (gasoline) amount to about 65% of the total price. With those kind of taxes, we should have roads paved with GOLD.

RCC