Ontario to the Maritime Provinces

stevem · 07-04-2012, 04:24 PM

ive done this trip probably 30 times over the last 30 years and i have my favourite route, its fast, low stress and avoids heavy traffic

the big key is to drive through montreal in the middle of the night, its the only sane and safe way. montreal traffic makes toronto look like a walk in the park

time your trip so that you arrive at the quebec/ontario border around midnight, for us in sarnia thats 7 hours so we leave home at around 5pm

daylight hours is a suicide mission

there is a rest stop about an hour past montreal on hwy 20 for well deserved sleep

after the que/ont border take hwy 20 east until you reach hwy 540 north, take hwy 540 north to hwy 40 east(15 -20 minutes), continue on hwy 40 east through montreal to the lafontainne tunnel which rejoins hwy 20 and on to rivierre du loup

if you miss the exit to the tunnel, thats ok, stay on hwy 40 east to quebec city and cross the st lawrence there instead, same distance same time

avoiding montreal during daylight is the key, its a nightmare of crazy traffic and nightmarish drivers, far far worse than toronto

just thought id pass that along

miatared · 07-04-2012, 04:58 PM

With all due respect, while this was true a while ago, I think TO has reached another level, way passed Montreal. It is now VERY crazy in Toronto. Tailgating at 120kph is the norm, is only one example or the thousands of immigrants who just got their permit...

Now in TO for over 20 years, I am from Montreal originally and go back many times each year. Yes they have not improved, but TO is now even more dangerous.

Ask any LD truck driver, they will confirm.

By the way you can by-pass the heart of the city (Metropolitan Blvd and/or the 20) by going North on the 640. Soon HW 30 will be fully open, that will offer another option on the South shore.

My 2 cents.

stevem · 07-05-2012, 04:06 AM

toronto isnt easy either i agree, but the elevated section of hwy 40 has virtually no shoulders, just three rather narrow lanes, scary in bumper to bumper stuff at 110 plus

a southern route around montreal would be a great bonus

caper · 07-05-2012, 07:59 AM

I take the southern route around Montreal now have been doing this for the past 11 years. Cannot wait till the build the new bridge and complete Hwy 30.

stevem · 07-05-2012, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caper

I take the southern route around Montreal now have been doing this for the past 11 years. Cannot wait till the build the new bridge and complete Hwy 30.

so what is your southern route around montreal?

hwy 20 becomes a city street past the 540 interchange going east

and where is hwy 30 going?

it would be nice to avoid that elevated hwy 40 especially during daylight hours!!

caper · 07-05-2012, 04:53 PM

Hwy 30 is on the south shore and crosses Hwy 20 just pass the Tunnel. At the present time you have to go through several small town before you reach Hwy 30. It still beats going through Montreal. Several years ago I got stuck in the parking lot between Hwy 40 and the tunnel. A car stalled out where 3 lanes become 2 and the driver would not let anyone push her car on to the shoulder. It took us 1 and 1/2 hours to cover the short distance.

boubou · 07-23-2012, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caper

Hwy 30 is on the south shore and crosses Hwy 20 just pass the Tunnel. At the present time you have to go through several small town before you reach Hwy 30. It still beats going through Montreal. Several years ago I got stuck in the parking lot between Hwy 40 and the tunnel. A car stalled out where 3 lanes become 2 and the driver would not let anyone push her car on to the shoulder. It took us 1 and 1/2 hours to cover the short distance.

so that is the way I want to go down east. 5W says it's 143 inches high in brochure (and wonder how to trust that)
Would much prefer going through Salabery de Valleyfied but the clearance on all bridges and the one tunnel call for 4'3" ( so 5th wheel is 3.632) should I worry about the 26 inches clearance?
I cannot wait for 30 to be done!!!! last time I went through, there was an overpass going to nowhere built lol ( last month)

boubou · 07-23-2012, 04:59 PM

22 inches clearance is what we have according to the Beauharnois tunnel 4.2 meters. I also looked at the 2 other bridges and they have similar clearances.
enough?

caper · 07-23-2012, 05:06 PM

At Salaberry-de-Valleyfield I take the 201 then change to the132. The 132 runs right to the 30. The only place that might be a problem is the tunnel at the hydro plant at Melocheville.

boubou · 07-23-2012, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caper

At Salaberry-de-Valleyfield I take the 201 then change to the132. The 132 runs right to the 30. The only place that might be a problem is the tunnel at the hydro plant at Melocheville.

yea, I get that.
"might be a problem" ? that's the part that scares me...
if the tunnel says hight is 4.2 meters and my 5th wheel says it's 3.6 meters.... my question is... would you go through it? I'm being overcautious obviously...
difference of 22 inches...
not looking to get the A/C scraped off the roof.
other alternative is the tunnel in MTL which doesn't appeal to me with a trailer (no problem with a car, used to it and Montreal traffic, but not so comfortable with trailer)
or,... bridges

Dave_Monica · 07-23-2012, 06:45 PM

It's always a good idea to check the overall height at the highest point yourself to verify. We've be up Hwy 400 upteen times...all the overpasses are all signed at 4.1 M on the inside lane. Our 5W is 12' 8" or 3.86 M and no issues. There's lot of 5W at 13' in height.

Dave

boubou · 08-16-2012, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caper

I take the southern route around Montreal now have been doing this for the past 11 years. Cannot wait till the build the new bridge and complete Hwy 30.

Took this exact route through Valleyfield / beauharnois. I can deal with Montreal traffic any day -used to it - but was not keen towing through it. This is an excellent road and looking forward to 30 being completed.

boubou · 08-16-2012, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave_Monica

It's always a good idea to check the overall height at the highest point yourself to verify. We've be up Hwy 400 upteen times...all the overpasses are all signed at 4.1 M on the inside lane. Our 5W is 12' 8" or 3.86 M and no issues. There's lot of 5W at 13' in height.

Dave

Thanks, did the measurement and all is well.
Put all measurements on paper and taped them in truck for quick reference

stevem · 08-18-2012, 05:44 AM

we just did the ontario to the maritime provinces drive through montreal

reached montreal at 2 am, zero traffic as usual

did the 540/40 highway route and through the tunnel with zero issues except the tunnel was one lane(east bound)

caper · 08-18-2012, 07:57 AM

Glad you had no issues but not everyone likes to drive pulling their trailer at 2 in the morning. When I was young and fullish I also did all night drive. We would leave Brockville at 11 pm and would be at my grandmother house in Glace Bay for dinner. Would drive 17 to 18 hours straight after working an afternoon shift.

boubou · 08-19-2012, 08:29 PM

We left Kingston and drove through Valleyfield and Beauharnois tunmel. No traffic even in the rush hours. Best route. Carried onto 30 then 20. Stopped in Levis then second stop on Woodstock NB.

caper · 08-19-2012, 09:10 PM

That is the reason we always take the Valleyfield route. Cannot wait till the bridge is completed to join 30 to 20.

mkillora · 09-16-2012, 09:50 AM

For the past several years we have visited the Martimes in the fall. We're from the Ottawa area and we take highway 640 to highway 40 east to bypass Montreal on the north side. We follow 40 east all the way to Quebec City and crosss the St. Lawrence there, on our way to parts further east. We encounter only a moderate amount of traffic, even in the middle of the day, with this route. You don't even really come close to Montreal proper.

stevem · 09-16-2012, 02:41 PM

we just got back from the east coast via 20-40-540-20

the exit at the north end of the tunnel at hwy 40 is closed and has a detour around it

just some potentially useful info for anybody heading that way

mTn_biKer65 · 08-26-2013, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boubou

We left Kingston and drove through Valleyfield and Beauharnois tunmel. No traffic even in the rush hours. Best route. Carried onto 30 then 20. Stopped in Levis then second stop on Woodstock NB.

Lol. I could've wrote this post a few weeks ago. We left Kingston and overnighted at the Walmart in Levis. Then off to Woodstock but this time we stayed at the Jellystone park although the Walmart seemed pretty busy.

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