Toronto Highway Aerials, Amazing

[Batman Can]

Toronto has some of the most impressive highway infrastructure in the world along with a solid public transit system. So here are some aerials.

DISCLAIMER: These are aerials, the city is not as flat, or as sprawly as these pics would have you beleive so please dont comment on those points. Also some of these arent even Toronto itself but its far outer suburbs so keep that in mind.
http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/on/mississauga/2003/mgh2003_164.jpg
http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/on/toronto/2002/toh2002_131.jpg
http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/on/toronto/2003/toh2003_084.jpg
http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/on/toronto/2003/toh2003_044.jpg
http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/on/toronto/2003/toh2003_053.jpg
http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/on/toronto/2003/toh2003_021.jpg
http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/on/toronto/2003/toh2003_020.jpg
http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/on/toronto/2002/toh2002_251.jpg
http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/on/toronto/2003/toh2003_075.jpg
http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/on/toronto/2003/toh2003_051.jpg
http://www.globalairphotos.com/images/on/mississauga/2003/mgh2003_003.jpg

http://www.gtaa.com/Images/TerminalNewGallery/images/Aerial.jpg

http://www.thekingshighway.ca/PHOTOS/hwy401-62_lg.jpg

http://www.thekingshighway.ca/PHOTOS/hwy401-74_lg.jpg

http://www.thekingshighway.ca/PHOTOS/hwy401-72_lg.jpg

http://www.thekingshighway.ca/PHOTOS/hwy401-115_lg.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v339/drjoe12/401/1.jpg

[unusualfire]

When it comes to repave or rebuild all that. It 's going to cost A TON of money.

[Ðâ®k§k¥]

Amazing pics

[Brett]

To bad there is always so much traffic on the highways! It would have been nice to see a shot of the 401 right beside the airport. The highway has to be a half mile wide there. I always enjoy picking up relatives at the airport from places that do not have such and extensive highway system. When we get out on the 401 they are blown away by the scale.

[Roch5220]

Tolls are inevitable.

I'm always amazed about the amount of highrise apartments along the 427.

[Nick]

Amazing.Some of those roads are so wide

[Nick in Atlanta]

The aerials are nice and I can usually spot the 401 and what I thought was the Don Valley Expressway, but I was clueless as to the others. Could you label the various highways and what part of town they are in?

[DrJoe]

oops

[Hillis]

1 - 427, Etobicoke
2 - 404 (Turns into the DVP), Scarborough
3 - 400, Looks like its in Vaughan
4 - 400/407, same areas as last pic
5 - 401/400 entrance, Etobicoke
6 - 407/400, loooks like Markham, not sure on this one though
7 - 401, Edge of Toronto/Mississauga (Airport)
8 - 401, Scarborough
9 - 401, Etobicoke/York area
10 - 400/407 Etobicoke
11 - 401 (403 going south), Mississauga
12 - Airport
13 - 401, Etobicoke/York area
14 - 401, Etobicoke
15 - 401/400, Etobicoke
16 - 401/Allen Road, Yorkdale Mall
17 - No clue

[touraccuracy]

:puke: :puke: :puke:

[Yardmaster]

I don't want this sort of stuff in my city. Great photos, Great destruction. God help you.

[DrJoe]

^ May I ask how people get around in Melbourne?? The Toronto metro nearly has double the transit ridership that Melbourne has and it certainly doesnt have double the population. And judging by your reaction you dont have large highways, so what gives??

[Roch5220]

I don't want this sort of stuff in my city. Great photos, Great destruction. God help you.

I agree that highways suck, but don't forget that they are no located downtwon, except 1 elevated that is by the waterfront, which swings north after the main downtown area (hence, not cut through the downtown area, though, some say it creates a barrier to the waterfront even though I would say the rail lines do the same thing even if you got rid of the highway).

Don't forget that you do need cities to export import goods and services.

[unusualfire]

It seems That Toronto has just about one through highway. If the major cities in the states had just one highways going through the city. The highway would be just as big and maybe even more congested.

[Hillis]

401:
- It includes North America's busiest multi-structure bridge @ Hoggs Hollow (4 structures for both sets of Collector & Express lanes).
- The worlds longest 12-lane or more span of Highway (Mississauga to Brock Road, Pickering)
- The worlds busiest trucking route.
- Carries more than 40% of all of Canada's trade with the US.
- Carries 4% of the all of the US's trade with Canada.
- 401 & QEW carry so much US Trade to Canada that they are considered the most important strategic infrastructure in Canada by the US Intelligence Committee.
- The longest non-toll freeway under a single highway authority in North America.
- 401/400 interchange is the busiest interchange in North America with a total of 26 lanes of combined traffic

[Substructure]

How much of those highways are public ?

[EdZed]

How much of those highways are public ?

If you mean public as in no tolls. All are public except the 407.

[KGB]

"When it comes to repave or rebuild all that. It 's going to cost A TON of money."


It's all constantly being rebuilt/repaved.








"I don't want this sort of stuff in my city. Great photos, Great destruction. God help you."



Well, any large metropilis has to have a highway system. Toronto's is fairly well designed for the various purposes they muct perform. Mostly, they haven't ruined the old inner-city, which is a plus....the through/ring design works pretty well. They can get pretty crowded though...but I guess that's the problem with all of them.

With the exception of the 407 ETR, all roadways in Ontario have no tolls. Although I can see that changing.






KGB

[rt_0891]

It seems That Toronto has just about one through highway. If the major cities in the states had just one highways going through the city. The highway would be just as big and maybe even more congested.

2 and a half actually. Highway 401, 407 ETR, Gardiner + QEW (terminates at DVP).

Given that America is even more car friendly than Canada, more congestion is expected. :)

[Roch5220]

^I think he means through the central/downtown city.

[Paneco]

Canada looks like the USA's sister!!!

[LtBk]

Why do you retards oppose highways for? They do bring some advantages you know.

[BHK25]

Nice pictures.

[sonysnob]

6 - 407/400, loooks like Markham, not sure on this one though.

This is actually looking at the 401/427/27 interchange. Eglinton Avenue (ill-fated Richview Expressway is the main thoroughfare running vertically through the picture

17 - No clue

401/404/DVP interchange. 404/DVP running vertically through the picture.

Cheers

[sonysnob]

401:
- The worlds longest 12-lane or more span of Highway (Mississauga to Brock Road, Pickering)

It probably is the longest 12-lane span of freeway in the world. But it only extends from Etobicoke to Pickering, not Mississauga


- The longest non-toll freeway under a single highway authority in North America.

At one point, yes, but this record has been surpassed at least once. Afterall, everything is bigger in Texas.


- 401/400 interchange is the busiest interchange in North America with a total of 26 lanes of combined traffic

This one is just funny ... the 400/401 interchange isn't even the busiest in Ontario, let along North America.

Wikipedia strikes again ...

Cheers!

[PotatoGuy]

Whoa, thats great, i love how there's trees and empty space everywhere. I thought toronto was a lot more dense, it's very sprawly, i like it though

[Booyashako]

It probably is the longest 12-lane span of freeway in the world. But it only extends from Etobicoke to Pickering, not Mississauga



It does extend to Mississauga...12+ lanes beginning/ending at the 401/403 interchange.

[sonysnob]

It does extend to Mississauga...12+ lanes beginning/ending at the 401/403 interchange.

The 401 from the 403/410 to the 427 interchange has a 16-18 lane configuration. The C-D ends at the 427 interchange, where the 401 has a 8 lane configuration. From then on the 401 is 10 lanes to the 409, and then east of the 409 the 401 once again has a 12+ lane C/D system. There is a 12-lane configuration in Mississauaga, but it is not connected (and therefore not continuous) with the mainline section in Toronto.

Cheers

[Skybean]

I wish they would update the crappy global air photos.

[Brett]

Whoa, thats great, i love how there's trees and empty space everywhere. I thought toronto was a lot more dense, it's very sprawly, i like it though


I live in the far west of the Greater Toronto Area and one of my buddies moved to Dana Point for a few years (ill be there on the 20th of next month), and he said the exact same thing when he came home. Wow, space and Trees!

[James Saito]

Yeah, it looks sprawly and spacious, yet you see a lot of highrise apartments here and there... very interesting.

[Jaye101]

Woooooooo!, DVP not in Scarborough Hillis.

[Nic]

Reminds me of any large American city. Looks nice, though.

[centralized pandemonium]

Fucking awesome :nuts:.

[Cabman]

Why do you retards oppose highways for? They do bring some advantages you know.


You are obviously suffering the effects of exhaust fumes if you can't work out why many people around the globe oppose these enormous roads.

[sonysnob]

You are obviously suffering the effects of exhaust fumes if you can't work out why many people around the globe oppose these enormous roads.

Freeflowing highways actually are a good way to minimize exhaust polution from vehicles. Idling vehicles (like they would idle at a traffic signal on a major arterial) cause much more polution then a vehicle traveling at highway speeds on a freeway.

Food for thought.

Cheers.

[Haber]

Freeflowing highways actually are a good way to minimize exhaust polution from vehicles. Idling vehicles (like they would idle at a traffic signal on a major arterial) cause much more polution then a vehicle traveling at highway speeds on a freeway.

Food for thought.

Cheers.

Are you kidding? The 401 is like the largest parking lot in Canada!

[oceanmdx]

It probably is the longest 12-lane span of freeway in the world. But it only extends from Etobicoke to Pickering, not Mississauga


At one point, yes, but this record has been surpassed at least once. Afterall, everything is bigger in Texas.


This one is just funny ... the 400/401 interchange isn't even the busiest in Ontario, let along North America.

Wikipedia strikes again ...

Cheers!

Actually according to Wikipedia, everything you said is wrong, and the earlier claims are correct.

[crazyjoeda]

Im glad we won't ever have that in Vancouver, thats probably one reason Toronto gets so much smog. Toronto does have amazing highways, great photos.

[Jaye101]

Most of the smog comes from America. Toronto's highways are underbuilt (Good thing or bad thing depending on your view), I love the way the 401 looks.

[addisonwesley]

LOL - the largest parking lot in Canada - wow. Hahaha yeah, most of our smog comes from the US and the Nanticoke Power Plant somewhere in south-western Ontario. How are the highways in Vancouver? People there use PT anyway, right?

[sonysnob]

Are you kidding? The 401 is like the largest parking lot in Canada!

This is true. But just imagine how much worse Toronto arterials would be if there was no 401? Toronto would certainly be more of a parking lot on the whole without the 401.

[sonysnob]

Actually according to Wikipedia, everything you said is wrong, and the earlier claims are correct.

I realize what Wikipedia says, but believe it or not, Wikipedia is dead wrong. This is why I put 'Wikipedia strikes again' in my earlier post, as yet again, false information has been shown as facts on the wikipedia site ... pitty.

Cheers

[JayT]

Interesting - had no idea Toronto was so spread out. Looks like LA.

[algonquin]

just a little disclaimer here....

the 401 isn't soley a Toronto highway. It is the backbone of trade and transportation of Southern and Eastern Ontario, an area of about 10 million people. It handles a large percentage of Canada's trade with the US.

When it was built in the 60's, it more or less bypassed Toronto. Now, it does serve as a commuter highway as well (thus the multitude of lanes).... only because Toronto never built many commuter highways, unlike other NA cities. Toronto has the highest percentile transit ridership in NA (or something to that effect).

Just wanted to add that, since pictures don't tell the whole story.

[waustralia]

My god that is ugly. Impressive, but so ugly! You definitely dont find this sort of stuff in Australia.

[Skybean]

Hwy 401/Allen Rd circa 1967
http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/547/2507hwy401-20_lg.jpg

[TO_Joe]

I still remember that some urban geographer commented that Toronto is "Vienna surrounded by Phoenix". Slight exaggeration, though not that far the mark.

Most of the areas south of the 401 in Toronto (like the shots that have the CN tower and the Lake Ontario on the top) and some of the transit corridors (notably Yonge Street north of the 401 in North York) are fairly dense, compact, walkable -- even the old single family dwellings are closely bunched together but hidden under a canopy of trees that make Toronto so lovely in the summer.

But the suburban areas do sprawl like LA. Milton (North West of Toronto) to Oshawa (Far East of Toronto) is more than 100 km along the 401 (calculated from the distance-marked exits) and it is pretty much continuous sprawl, as is Stoney Creek to Toronto (over 60 km) and even northwards on the 400 (Maple) or 404 (Richmond Hill) over 50 km to the lake.

They are trying to contain it with a greenbelt / farmland initiative, particularly to the north of the city (Oakridge Moraine) where the headwaters of the rivers to Lake Ontario are. But I don't understand how much fine print and loop holes there are, and there is always opposition from the developers and the farmers who want to make money off land speculation.

The area ain't virgin forest -- it has been long settled -- but it is some of the most fertile farmland in Canada and unique microclimates (e.g., Niagara escarpment) that enable crops like peaches to grow (the so-called Carolinian forest -- you don't find that for another 700 miles down further south until you reach Georgia).

The interesting part is that you do get to choose between living in Vienna and Phoenix.

[The Cebuano Exultor]

About Toronto's urban sprawl, though, is it more sprawling than L.A.?

[JARdan]

About Toronto's urban sprawl, though, is it more sprawling than L.A.?
I think LA is denser overall.

[TO_Joe]

About Toronto's urban sprawl, though, is it more sprawling than L.A.?


LA is far bigger and more sprawling -- with about 18 Million people and about 3000 square miles in the Los Angeles Basin.

Toronto (GTA) has about 6 Million though I am not sure of the exact urbanized area (I think the official definition of the GTA puts it roughly the same size, though most of it is still rural with some forested sections -- the concept of the GTA was created in part to coordinate growth and maintain green belts).

LA's sprawl is denser -- Toronto's sprawl is continuous only along the major traffic corridors and there patches of undeveloped areas in between. Still, it is easy to rack up 50 to 80 km distances from one place to another (for business meetings, deliveries, etc.).

[Harkeb]

Wish my city had highways like Toronto's!

[JARdan]

LA is far bigger and more sprawling -- with about 18 Million people and about 3000 square miles in the Los Angeles Basin.

Toronto (GTA) has about 6 Million though I am not sure of the exact urbanized area (I think the official definition of the GTA puts it roughly the same size, though most of it is still rural with some forested sections -- the concept of the GTA was created in part to coordinate growth and maintain green belts).

LA's sprawl is denser -- Toronto's sprawl is continuous only along the major traffic corridors and there patches of undeveloped areas in between. Still, it is easy to rack up 50 to 80 km distances from one place to another (for business meetings, deliveries, etc.).
Actually. I believe the actual "Greater LA" sprawls those 18 million people over an area of 87 000sq km (34 000sq miles).

Toronto's GTA sprawls 5.5 million people over 7 000sq km (4 300 sq miles).
The Golden Horseshoe sprawls 8 million people over an area much larger.

If you used LA's size, the comparable GTA would be more like 10 million.

[KingWest]

My god that is ugly. Impressive, but so ugly! You definitely dont find this sort of stuff in Australia.

What is an Australia?

[West@East_Coast]

Well Toronto is Canada's heart when it comes to the body of canada. All must come to Toronto before goods are shipped to the rest of the country. When stuff comes from Asia it goes to Vancouver the port of Vancouver then to Toronto where it is sent to the rest of the country ie. back to BC Albtera and so on. The same thing happens when it come from Europe and the US. Blood pumps threw the Heart before it can reach the body! That is why toronto needs these crazy roads, however that doesn't justify that nasty sprawl, I hope the city can get its act together on this one.

It is similar to Chicago, they have CRAZY ROADS!

[jer4893]

Where did you get that information? That doesn't seem true at all.

[Jaye101]

hmmmmmmm, I can't say its not true, though I doubt it, because i dunno.

[West@East_Coast]

oops

[West@East_Coast]

Okay I will give you an example that was a cunty thing I did. Sorry.

In the case of the Gap all there cloths are shipped to Vancouver from Asia. Not all the Gap clothes are made in Asia but lots are.They come into Vancouver and then get sent to Toronto, were they are then repackaged and then sent across the country to the different stores.

The reason stuff is shipped this way is because most of the head offices of Canada are in Toronto as well most of the manufacturing. Look on the pack of the next thousand canadian products you buy and most will say made in the Toronto Area ie one of Toronto's crapy towns near by.

I take economics at the University of Toronto and many of the courses I have taken were on trade. I can get out my books if you want me to, but keep in mind its the summer and school though great doesn't need to enter my thought right now.

[addisonwesley]

"I hope the city can get its act together on this one." - you should have told them when they started in the 1950s. Plus, it's not only Toronto that's sprawled - I would assume it's pretty much stopped since the city is already bound all all its sides.

"here did you get that information? That doesn't seem true at all." - why would manufacturers from asia ship their cargo all the way through the panama canal, up the eastern seaboard, down through the St. Lawrence seaway into lake Ontario, and to Toronto? It's, er- common sense, the west coast should be handling shipments from asia.

[West@East_Coast]

"here did you get that information? That doesn't seem true at all." - why would manufacturers from asia ship their cargo all the way through the panama canal, up the eastern seaboard, down through the St. Lawrence seaway into lake Ontario, and to Toronto? It's, er- common sense, the west coast should be handling shipments from asia.

Goods are shipped into Vancouver's port and then are sent to Toronto. Then from Toronto the goods travel to the rest of the country where they are sold. What takes place in Toronto is many different things from product evaluation to repacking into proper packaging and sometimes short term storage. Similar things happen when stuff comes from Europe and the US. The point I am trying to make is that lot of what comes into Canada and is made in Canada must go threw the greater Toronto Area. Hence why they need the massive roads, much like in the case of chicago. I am sorry if I wasn't clear.

[addisonwesley]

Hmm, no, we're in agreement.

[jer4893]

"I hope the city can get its act together on this one." - you should have told them when they started in the 1950s. Plus, it's not only Toronto that's sprawled - I would assume it's pretty much stopped since the city is already bound all all its sides.

"here did you get that information? That doesn't seem true at all." - why would manufacturers from asia ship their cargo all the way through the panama canal, up the eastern seaboard, down through the St. Lawrence seaway into lake Ontario, and to Toronto? It's, er- common sense, the west coast should be handling shipments from asia.
The reason why i said that it didnt make sence was because East West said ALL good that come in to Vancouver are sent to Toronto and then back to wherever. Now do you think that makes sence? But since he explained, its understandable.

[West@East_Coast]

The reason why i said that it didnt make sence was because East West said ALL good that come in to Vancouver are sent to Toronto and then back to wherever. Now do you think that makes sence? But since he explained, its understandable.

Good so I made sence.

addisonwesley
Hmm, no, we're in agreement.
I am not sure what you mean, is this dirrected at me?

[Smelser]

Freeflowing highways actually are a good way to minimize exhaust polution from vehicles. Idling vehicles (like they would idle at a traffic signal on a major arterial) cause much more polution then a vehicle traveling at highway speeds on a freeway.

Food for thought.

Cheers.


This point has been disputed recently by some environmentalists who claim that air pollution output is minimized at lower speeds, say 50kmh or so, as opposed to 100kmh or more. Whether or not there's any substance to that I don't know, but the idea has been challenged.

[Smelser]

They are trying to contain it with a greenbelt / farmland initiative, particularly to the north of the city (Oakridge Moraine) where the headwaters of the rivers to Lake Ontario are. But I don't understand how much fine print and loop holes there are, and there is always opposition from the developers and the farmers who want to make money off land speculation.



Unfortunately Ontario doesn't have a Agricultural Land Reserve similar to BC's, which was setup in the 1970s under the NDP Govt of Dave Barrett.

In Ontario, no Liberal or Conservative Govt is going to do anything like that, and because of bad memories, justified or not, of Bob Rae's NDP Govt, there won't be an NDP administration in Ontario again for some time yet, or so say all the experts like Tom Walkom. And that's despite the fact that Rae left the NDP some time ago and is now desperately seeking the National Liberal Leadership.

[LordMandeep]

well the downtown is dense and there is only one highway running through the downtown core. There would have been more highways however this highway building stoped in the 1980d's. Now

And plus these pictures in some of these views are quite outdated.However i have been in a helicopter and i must admit the city looks very sprawled in a helicopter, however on the gorund it doesn't.

[10ROT]

Those pictures don't really do justice.

Toronto looks and feels much bigger than it does from seeing overhead.

[Grey Towers]

This point has been disputed recently by some environmentalists who claim that air pollution output is minimized at lower speeds, say 50kmh or so, as opposed to 100kmh or more. Whether or not there's any substance to that I don't know, but the idea has been challenged.
Actually, to my knowledge, emissions from vehicles are at their lowest when traveling between 80-100 km/h - so, 90 km/h.
Therefore, stop-'n'-go city driving pollutes more, as does ignoring freeway speed limits and driving 140. I always shake my head with ire when I hear people complain about high gas prices, because, when I drive 100 on the 401 (which I always do, not only to save gas, but to do my miniscule part in reducing emissions), without fail, every other vehicle passes me like I'm standing still.

[LordMandeep]

the 401 is a huge highway. It has long route trucks, and then trucks that run locally. Then people travelling in Southern Ontario and Toronto. then People going to Montreal and ottawa and other places east. Then it has lots of commuter traffic from people in the suburbs heading to the city, or people in the city going to another place in the city.

I think however the 427 should be rebuilt from the qew to the lake. That part is really ugly and in disrepair. Actually the whole 427 apart from the airport. However i heard its getting some construction in 2009. However the 409 is another highway in disrepair. The rest are in good shape.

[uv411]

Why do you retards oppose highways for? They do bring some advantages you know.
rofl

[M3_SoutheastMelb]

I don't want this sort of stuff in my city. Great photos, Great destruction. God help you.

I do.

[newyorkrunaway1]

Those are amazing!!!


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[isaidso]

Does anyone have any Don Valley Parkway, East and West Mall near Pearson, QEW near the Ford plant and/or near the CNE, and Gardiner Expressway pics?