Venting about Ontario highway "system"

[ZBBM]

Forgive me for being an obnoxious Yank, but I have to express my bafflement at the layout of Ontario's roads.  My wife and daughters are going to a music camp in Lakefield, near Peterborough, tomorrow.  They drive from here thru Da Soo and then around Georgian Bay to Parry Sound.  So far, so good.  But then there seems to be no possible way to get from Parry Sound to Lakefield.... huh??

OK, I jest, but I have looked at my ON road map for 2 days now and there's no obvious route: lots of jaggedy jogging and so forth.  Cripes, here in Michigan if we want a road from A to B, we build the mofo, in a straight line, and anything in its way be damned.

Also, why do so many roads in southern ON run at a weird 45-degree angle?  A whole bunch northwest of Kitchener like that.  Come on people, God intended roads to run in a grid aligned with the 4 cardinal directions.  Somebody PM me with the premier's cell number so I can get to the bottom of this.

8)

 

[bustaheims]

Who we gonna build a road for? Moose and Squirrel? That would be the emptiest highway in the history of highways.

 

[mc]

How about we improve the bloody traffic on the bloody 401 first!!!! Sorry, I spent a good one and half going from Victoria Park to Islington today on 401 West.

 

[bustaheims]

How about we improve the bloody traffic on the bloody 401 first!!!! Sorry, I spent a good one and half going from Victoria Park to Islington today on 401 West.

What? You mean, you don't enjoy driving on what is the busiest stretch of highway in North America?

 

[Kin]

I'll be honest, when I opened this thread I didn't expect it to be in regards to the pressing need to speed things up between Parry Sound and Lakefield. Is Lakefield even a real place? It sounds like something that should be in the Game of Thrones opening sequence.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Wouldn't it be easier to drive longer in Michigan before crossing into Ontario?  Might be an hour longer, but if you crossed at Sarnia it might be a more straightforward drive.

 

[princedpw]

I was just about to write a post about Canada's many problems.  Number 2 on the list was the shocking inaccessibility of Lakefield and, more generally, the difficulties of inter-music-camp transit.

Edit:  Z -- you aren't also one of those Americans threatening to leave the US for Canada to avoid the obvious death spiral/enslavement that is universal healthcare?

 

[hockeyfan1]

I liked the proposal of making the 407 a free highway, so that those hefty 4-plus wheelers can start using it, thus freeing up the 401 at least.  The way it stands now many trucking firms simply do not frequent the 407, for the explicit reason it being expensive.

The crappy Harris government of those years should not have sold the 407.  If the Ontario government had run it, the province could have reaped plenty  of $ off of it, at the same time keeping rates low.  Imagine how it could have helped Ontario's finances, adding $ to the province's coffers.  Too bad.

 

[Manson]

I was just about to write a post about Canada's many problems.  Number 2 on the list was the shocking inaccessibility of Lakefield and, more generally, the difficulties of inter-music-camp transit.

Edit:  Z -- you aren't also one of those Americans threatening to leave the US for Canada to avoid the obvious death spiral/enslavement that is universal healthcare?

;D x2

 

[moon111]

What Michigan calls a lake, we call a puddle.  You could take a more direct route,

but only if you take the right vehicle.

 

[TML fan]

If you ever manage to get to Lakefield, be sure to ask both residents to sign the petition to have your highway built.

 

[ZBBM]

Who we gonna build a road for? Moose and Squirrel? That would be the emptiest highway in the history of highways.

Are you saying Canada is underpopulated?  We can assist with that.  You can start by annexing Alabama.

(I'll answer some of these in order.... and thanks to all who posted.)

 

[ZBBM]

I'll be honest, when I opened this thread I didn't expect it to be in regards to the pressing need to speed things up between Parry Sound and Lakefield. Is Lakefield even a real place? It sounds like something that should be in the Game of Thrones opening sequence.

Ever read "Hockey Towns" by Bill ... I forget his last name.  Good book about smalltown hockey in Canada.  Whatever his name is, he's from Lakefield.  And there's some sort of prep school there I think.

EDIT: Found it, Bill Boyd.  It's a good read, lots of fun stuff about oldtimers from the Prairies etc.

 

[ZBBM]

Wouldn't it be easier to drive longer in Michigan before crossing into Ontario?  Might be an hour longer, but if you crossed at Sarnia it might be a more straightforward drive.

True.  But starting from where we are it's definitely shorter through the Soo.  And there's no question it's more scenic.  They just called from Parry Sound, said the drive down from the Sudbury turnoff was even pretty than the 17 along the North Channel.  They had to book a motel in PS after we couldn't book a campite at ANY Ontario Provincial Park in the region for tonite.

Apparently it's a holiday or something over there.    :-*  That fact seemed to have escaped me until a few days ago.....  8)  

 

[ZBBM]

I was just about to write a post about Canada's many problems.  Number 2 on the list was the shocking inaccessibility of Lakefield and, more generally, the difficulties of inter-music-camp transit.

Edit:  Z -- you aren't also one of those Americans threatening to leave the US for Canada to avoid the obvious death spiral/enslavement that is universal healthcare?

That would be Tim Thomas. 

I still have my Obama 08 bumper sticker on the badassssss 1998 Forester with a hole in the tail light.  I was partying down on Thursday when our Solomon in Chief came out with his oh-so-finessed legal ruling.

 

[ZBBM]

What Michigan calls a lake, we call a puddle.  You could take a more direct route,

but only if you take the right vehicle.

Hey ... how'd you get the pic of my wife (center) and my 2 daughters??

 

[ZBBM]

If you ever manage to get to Lakefield, be sure to ask both residents to sign the petition to have your highway built.

;D

You people are cru-ell.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Wouldn't it be easier to drive longer in Michigan before crossing into Ontario?  Might be an hour longer, but if you crossed at Sarnia it might be a more straightforward drive.

True.  But starting from where we are it's definitely shorter through the Soo.  And there's no question it's more scenic.  They just called from Parry Sound, said the drive down from the Sudbury turnoff was even pretty than the 17 along the North Channel.  They had to book a motel in PS after we couldn't book a campite at ANY Ontario Provincial Park in the region for tonite.

Apparently it's a holiday or something over there.    :-*  That fact seemed to have escaped me until a few days ago.....  8)

If you want a scenic drive, you should drive the north shore of Lake Superior, from the Sault towards Thunder Bay.  It's gorgeous.

 

[moon111]

Wouldn't it be easier to drive longer in Michigan before crossing into Ontario?  Might be an hour longer, but if you crossed at Sarnia it might be a more straightforward drive.

True.  But starting from where we are it's definitely shorter through the Soo.  And there's no question it's more scenic.  They just called from Parry Sound, said the drive down from the Sudbury turnoff was even pretty than the 17 along the North Channel.  They had to book a motel in PS after we couldn't book a campite at ANY Ontario Provincial Park in the region for tonite.

Apparently it's a holiday or something over there.    :-*  That fact seemed to have escaped me until a few days ago.....  8)

If you want a scenic drive, you should drive the north shore of Lake Superior, from the Sault towards Thunder Bay.  It's gorgeous.

Just be prepared for the worst.  There's nothing.  Breakdown and don't be surprised to be waiting 24 hours for a common part to come in.  Don't be surprised not to have a place to stay.  We finally got an alternator in, fixed it and drove down the road just to be stopped by a forest fire.  Our baby was dehydrating and sick.  Was a terrible time.  36 hours from TB to Toronto.

 

[princedpw]

I was just about to write a post about Canada's many problems.  Number 2 on the list was the shocking inaccessibility of Lakefield and, more generally, the difficulties of inter-music-camp transit.

Edit:  Z -- you aren't also one of those Americans threatening to leave the US for Canada to avoid the obvious death spiral/enslavement that is universal healthcare?

That would be Tim Thomas. 

I still have my Obama 08 bumper sticker on the badassssss 1998 Forester with a hole in the tail light.  I was partying down on Thursday when our Solomon in Chief came out with his oh-so-finessed legal ruling.

Excellent.  (said as a Canadian living in the US)