401 Service Centres

revrnd · 06-22-2010, 10:18 PM

This is a good news/bad news situation. We were in Michigan for the NASCAR race & it would appear a couple of the western Ontario service centres are close to opening. However the "consortium" has extorted 200 million out of the provincial gov't.

Taxpayers to finance Hwy. 401 service centre makeovers - thestar.com

The eastbound s/c near Newtonville has been levelled. I'm not sure what the status of the 2 centres near Wooler Hill is.

shineysideup · 06-23-2010, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by revrnd

This is a good news/bad news situation. We were in Michigan for the NASCAR race & it would appear a couple of the western Ontario service centres are close to opening. However the "consortium" has extorted 200 million out of the provincial gov't.

Taxpayers to finance Hwy. 401 service centre makeovers - thestar.com

The eastbound s/c near Newtonville has been levelled. I'm not sure what the status of the 2 centres near Wooler Hill is.

I can't get over the shear stupidity of the whole thing. Just about every service center with direct access from the 401 east of Newtonville is leveled, all the way to Quebec. You think that they could have staggered the closings a bit!

old guys · 06-23-2010, 10:10 AM

Yes. Another great deal from the McGuinty crew. We should all give our heads a shake for electing this guy but maybe we are all so busy looking for an easy answer we get what we deserve when it comes to politicians. Old Guys

revrnd · 06-23-2010, 02:01 PM

The Star should've taken the Minister of Transport and a few MPPs on a 401 trip like a lot of us do a year or so ago & exposed them to the vast distances that are involved w/ the closures. Then again, a lot of people think civilization ends @ Steeles Ave.

IMO, these gov't run service centres are a leftover from the 50s. Let the gov't run the rest areas like they do in the US & allow gas stations & truck stops to be built unfettered @ interchanges.

You go into a rest area in the US & it's not a madhouse like the service centres. These new ones won't be any different.

red.jimbo · 06-23-2010, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by revrnd

the "consortium" has extorted 200 million out of the provincial gov't.

Extortion

That's a good way to put it. In the US, we refer to this as a "bailout" or a "stimulus package", but it's all the same.

Mac-5 · 06-24-2010, 08:25 AM

This is great - $200 million from the public purse to help Larry Tanenbaum. I also like the way they staged to process. Most are closed at the same time which is great for tourists.

revrnd · 06-24-2010, 08:31 AM

To those that aren't familiar w/ this situation. Travellers along the 401 (approx' 800 klicks/500 miles from Windsor/Detroit to the Quebec border) have had to endure closed/torn down service centres for the past 2 years.

mTn_biKer65 · 07-13-2010, 08:16 PM

I'm not sure what they were smoking when they made the decision to close them all at once. Just came back from a trip East of Kingston and they're all leveled with no sign of starting construction.

Only positive I can see for me is Canadian Tire will be running the gas pumps. If you use their Advantage gas card .... that's a good thing.

old guys · 07-24-2010, 11:17 PM

We re-entered the country at Cornwall two days ago and I think we saw one of the new centres open on the eastbound side between there and Toronto. At last (I hope)!!!!! Old Guys

revrnd · 07-25-2010, 06:38 AM

My mother was reading something on the weekend that the S/Cs west of Trenton @ Wooler Hill have partially re-opened.

shineysideup · 07-25-2010, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by revrnd

My mother was reading something on the weekend that the S/Cs west of Trenton @ Wooler Hill have partially re-opened.

West bound only, gas and snacks, at least as of this morning!

revrnd · 07-25-2010, 08:03 PM

Did the eastbound S/C have any activity? I was by the Newtonville eastbound S/C about a month ago & I think it's nowheres near opening.

I wonder how many klicks you have to endure eastbound on the 401 if you don't want to deal w/ the cidiots to fill up your RV in the GTA?

revrnd · 07-28-2010, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by revrnd

I wonder how many klicks you have to endure eastbound on the 401 if you don't want to deal w/ the cidiots to fill up your RV in the GTA?

I just remembered that you can fuel up relatively easily in Bowmanville @ the Waverly Rd exit. On the south side (eastbound) there's a Fifth Wheel Truck Stop. On the north side (westbound) the Shell station is fairly "open" & is accessible from Waverly on the west side & Base Line on the north side of the station.

In Oshawa & points west towards T.O., I don't think there any easy gas stations to get into, especially if you're towing a trailer.

Snowyowl · 08-29-2010, 07:24 AM

In July we traveled from Cambridge to Ottawa along 401. There were only two service centres open. Ridiculous decision by some bureaucrat.

miatared · 08-29-2010, 07:31 AM

As of Aug 15 - there are a few semi open: vending machines, pee station and gas.

Has anyone else noticed how small they are ? the restaurant seating area ? Not sure, but it looks like people are going to fight for a seat...

revrnd · 08-29-2010, 10:14 AM

I was looking @ some of the remaining S/Cs on Google Earth this week & came up w/ this question. Why when entering the fueling area, do they have barriers lined up so that you have to turn 90* away from the highway to face you towards the restaurant area? Then you have to make another 90* turn to the left to entering the pump island.

This might be OK if you're in a car, but if you're towing, you've got to deal w/ it.

Quote:

Ridiculous decision by some bureaucrat

Some paper pusher that doesn't get out of his cubicle very often. Drive on the 400 or 401 for even a short distance in the summer & you'll see RVs. Has nobody figured out that those folks need a easy way to get fuel?

I'll post what's open in western Ontario after I get back from Indy.

revrnd · 09-26-2010, 11:00 AM

We stopped @ the eastbound Dutton center for a rest coming home from Indy. The gas station was open as were the rest rooms in the building. The restaurant & picnic area were still closed as of Labour Day. We just parked the TV & TT in the auto parking lot.

kenandterry · 09-28-2010, 06:55 PM

I just hope that the little towns who are benefitting from this foolishness keep their business! they have stepped up to the plate with their hospitality, Colborne actually has Tim Horton's - wouldn't have happened if the service center hadn't closed. I just hope it wasn't a temporary move on their part.

revrnd · 09-28-2010, 07:24 PM

We filled up @ the T/A in Woodstock when we were westbound. Easy to get a TT thru (TV is a gasser) & no crowds.

I was talking to a friend that's a trucker out of North Bay. He was saying 1 of the rest areas requires backing up. I'm not sure if it was entering the parking spot or exiting.

Not 401 related, but an interesting opinion:

Truck News - Rest areas? What rest areas?

caper · 09-28-2010, 09:24 PM

I live in the small village of Mallorytown. The 2 S/C were the major source of work for the people of the area.They have lost their jobs and with the down turn in the economy many are with out jobs and the EI has run out. The local government has passed a bylaw letting the contractors work 24 hour / day. They still have not started work on the east bound and have only started putting up steel work in the last month. I have had people stop an my house looking for gas and a restroom.
The previous gas suppliers would have stayed open longer if the MTO did not charge the rent they wanted. Quebec has the right idea rest areas every 30 mile with gas at exits.

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