Advertise Here
  1. Highway 8
    Reconstruction and Widening: Grand River to 401
    Public Information Centre: PDF (Pages 27-30)

    2. #1
    UrbanWaterloo
    03-01-2010 07:51 PM
  2. Member Since Jul 2010 | 1,322 Posts
    #61
    12-06-2011 12:15 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by DHLawrence
    I hate driving in the rain at night, especially with streetlights around. Those just make it worse because they make the wet road shine. You REALLY can't see the lines then!
    Sunday night was as bad as I ever seen it. I was turning to University from King at night under the rain and I had to stop half way through the turn to carefully scan for the line markings.
  3. Matt2727's Avatar
    From Kitchener | Member Since Jul 2010 | 60 Posts
    #62
    12-15-2011 03:57 PM
    They have 3 lanes open now going into Kitchener. No more 5 o'clock slow downs for me!

  4. This Member Says Thank You:
    Waterlooer

  5. Member Since Dec 2011 | 1 Posts
    #63
    12-20-2011 09:14 AM
    No kidding.

    I've literally gained one hour of free time per week.

    Big gain as this was one of my most annoying slowdowns from Leslie/401 to 8/85 daily.
  6. Member Since Oct 2011 | 28 Posts
    #64
    05-21-2012 10:56 AM
    Over the past few weeks, they've paved the final lane of the original bridge and removed the concrete barriers. Doesn't seem to be much left to do until they can open up the 4th lane coming into Kitchener. They've also patched up the section by the King Street on ramp where the centre lane did a nice dip which wasn't for the easily-nauseous.
  7. From Waterloo, ON | Member Since Jan 2010 | 1,977 Posts
    #65
    05-21-2012 11:33 AM
    Anyone else find there to be a scary moment on Highway 8 westbound in the bend before the bridge? Especially at night, the current lane markings are less visible than the old lane markings, and some of the cars seem to follow one and some seem to follow the other. I won't be surprised if there is a multi-car pile-up in this area.

    I really don't get why the lane markings in this province (country?) are so poorly visible.
  8. Member Since Dec 2009 | 502 Posts
    #66
    05-21-2012 01:27 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by mpd618
    Anyone else find there to be a scary moment on Highway 8 westbound in the bend before the bridge? Especially at night, the current lane markings are less visible than the old lane markings, and some of the cars seem to follow one and some seem to follow the other. I won't be surprised if there is a multi-car pile-up in this area.

    I really don't get why the lane markings in this province (country?) are so poorly visible.
    Plenty of invisible lane markings in California too. But yes, now that you mention it, that particular spot does have invisible lane markings. I was thinking that they would fix them eventually, but maybe they don't plan to.
  9. From Kitchener | Member Since May 2010 | 121 Posts
    #67
    05-21-2012 03:39 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by mpd618
    Anyone else find there to be a scary moment on Highway 8 westbound in the bend before the bridge? Especially at night, the current lane markings are less visible than the old lane markings, and some of the cars seem to follow one and some seem to follow the other. I won't be surprised if there is a multi-car pile-up in this area.

    I really don't get why the lane markings in this province (country?) are so poorly visible.
    I've been meaning to bring this up too. I had a pretty crappy experience driving it a couple weeks ago during a torrential downpour. I had to guess at where the lanes were. For some reason, the scraped up lines do seem to be more visible at night than the current painted lines. I'd hate to be driving that stretch for the first time during poor visibility at night. At least my familiarity with the road helped me but a poor shmuck driving it for the first time wouldn't have much help in that stretch.

    I drive this area every day for my commute and the other thing I've noticed is that nearly no one abides by the temporary 80 KM/Hr limit. I have trouble keeping up to the traffic sometimes at 110-115. The region could make a killing in that area if they ever set up some sort of trap.
  10. Duck's Avatar
    From Kitchener | Member Since Dec 2011 | 89 Posts
    #68
    05-21-2012 04:23 PM
    +1 on the lane markings on 8 West @ the bridge. They are horrible!

    I've seen in other cities that not only are white lines painted on, but black marks, too - so that in all sorts of weather conditions, at least one kind of mark is still visible. I really wish we had those sunken reflectors - those work wonders. There used to be a section of 403 outside of Hamilton that had them a few years back (I think they've been removed); they were so bright!

    I wonder about that 80 km/h limit. If you look at each sign that indicates 80 km/h, some part of it is blocked with black bags - either the "Maximum" above the number, or the "km/h" below it. That makes me think that, legally, they cannot reduce the limit - and it's just a "suggestion", and by blocking off parts of it, it could be argued that they are not legally binding signs. I'm just speculating, of course - but why else would they cover certain words on those signs, and leave the rest exposed?

    -Iain
  11. Member Since Oct 2011 | 28 Posts
    #69
    05-21-2012 09:42 PM
    My guess it that it'll all be fixed when they pave the final coat, which will probably be next year. If you look at the barriers on the median and right side, you'll see that they still need to add a layer.
  12. metropolis's Avatar
    From Waterloo | Member Since Jan 2010 | 520 Posts
    #70
    05-21-2012 09:48 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by Duck
    +1 on the lane markings on 8 West @ the bridge. They are horrible!

    I've seen in other cities that not only are white lines painted on, but black marks, too - so that in all sorts of weather conditions, at least one kind of mark is still visible. I really wish we had those sunken reflectors - those work wonders. There used to be a section of 403 outside of Hamilton that had them a few years back (I think they've been removed); they were so bright!

    I wonder about that 80 km/h limit. If you look at each sign that indicates 80 km/h, some part of it is blocked with black bags - either the "Maximum" above the number, or the "km/h" below it. That makes me think that, legally, they cannot reduce the limit - and it's just a "suggestion", and by blocking off parts of it, it could be argued that they are not legally binding signs. I'm just speculating, of course - but why else would they cover certain words on those signs, and leave the rest exposed?

    -Iain
    Those were more than likely removed by snow plows. They are a great tool but tend not to last more than a year or two in SW Ontario even though they are sunken. The reason the lanes are hard to fgure out now is due to the removal of the old lanes by cutting into the pavement to put in the newer lane direction with markings. There should be another layer of the balck stuff going down before consutruction is finalized. I recall having the same issue with the the first phase of Hwy 8 construction many many years ago but this was fixed with the final layer of pavement went in.
  13. From Cambridge, Ontario, Canada | Member Since Aug 2010 | 14 Posts
    #71
    05-23-2012 10:25 AM
    Well all 4 lanes were open heading into Kitchener this morning. And it looks like they have redone the lane markings. At least they looked new. The catch basins are still currently raised along the bridge indicating they may actually put down the top lift of asphalt this year. Couldn't imagine they would leave them like that on a major highway for an entire year.
  14. From Cambridge, Ontario, Canada | Member Since Aug 2010 | 14 Posts
    #72
    05-23-2012 12:41 PM
    Was driving out of Kitchener at lunch and they were making saw cuts around all of the catch basins in and out of town. This means they will be raising them in anticipation of the top lift of asphalt being applied. That will be nice.
  15. Member Since Oct 2011 | 28 Posts
    #73
    07-06-2012 05:43 PM
    Looks like they've finished all paving in both directions as of this morning. There's a few random cones left, but there's hope that the speed could be raised back to 100 soon.
  16. Member Since Oct 2011 | 28 Posts
    #74
    08-01-2012 05:27 PM
    Construction signs are gone and speed's back up 100 both ways as of Saturday morning.
  17. Urbanomicon's Avatar
    From Kitchener, Ontario | Member Since Feb 2010 | 981 Posts
    #75
    08-01-2012 11:49 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by timio
    Construction signs are gone and speed's back up 100 both ways as of Saturday morning.
    About time! I guess I can go back to going 100km/h 120 km/h on highway 8 again.
    "Only the insane have the strength enough to prosper. Only those that prosper may truly judge what is sane."
  18. Member Since Jul 2011 | 61 Posts
    #76
    08-02-2012 09:12 PM
    Anyone have any inklng about westbound access to or from 401 in the near future? I am amazed this highway is essentially 50 years old and there is no western link.
  19. Member Since Mar 2010 | 926 Posts
    #77
    08-03-2012 12:19 AM
    It's part of the long-term plans for the 401, along with widening to 8 or even 10 lanes through the area. How long it will take is anyone's guess.
  20. Urbanomicon's Avatar
    From Kitchener, Ontario | Member Since Feb 2010 | 981 Posts
    #78
    08-03-2012 12:26 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by Drake
    Anyone have any inklng about westbound access to or from 401 in the near future? I am amazed this highway is essentially 50 years old and there is no western link.
    The thread for that is here: http://www.wonderfulwaterloo.com/showthread.php?t=64

    If memory serves me, the project is essentially ready to go, they are just waiting for funding to be allocated; however, this project was not listed in MTO's plans for the next (5?) years, so it is likely at least that far out.
    "Only the insane have the strength enough to prosper. Only those that prosper may truly judge what is sane."
  21. From Kitchener | Member Since May 2010 | 308 Posts
    #79
    08-03-2012 01:23 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by DHLawrence
    It's part of the long-term plans for the 401, along with widening to 8 or even 10 lanes through the area. How long it will take is anyone's guess.
    you can find more info here:

    http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/pub...y-2011/SHP.pdf
  22. Member Since Jul 2011 | 61 Posts
    #80
    08-04-2012 06:22 AM
    Well I won't hold my breath but if the thought exists there is cause for hope. Thank you.
of 5