Drive home

[Hodgey1]

We weren't able to get on the road back home from Kipawa until 10:30a Saturday morning. The drive back was pretty painless until getting off the 407 at around Hamilton. It was around 3:30ish and the traffic bcame horrendous...... I know, I know, deal with it right?

I've been looking at the map and wondering if for next year, I could take  the 407 to 403 to 8 to 20 all the way back to the boarder and bypass the craziness of the QEW? Anyone try it/know that route, thoughts? Even if it didn't save any time, as long as it was moving and not 80mph to dead stop, crawl for 20 minutes then 80 to dead stop again......

[T-Bone]

Same here Hodgey....we were 2-hours in front of you and the same deal. That stretch of the QEW has been a total CF for as long back as I can remember. I have no idea why as there's rarely an accident (wasn't this year either), or even a car pulled-over/breakdown, or any disruptive construction. Just starts and stops for no reason at all.

Anyone with experience or knowledge that lives in that area may provide some insights, but like you....there's got to be a better way around that. Lost at least 1.5 hours between Hamilton and St. Catherines....it's like 30 miles...took almost 2-hours.

[Hodgey1]

I thought it was maybe due to the time of day, but what you described is exactly what we dealt with.

Like I wrote before, if rt 20 was a viable option, I'd rather move along at slow steady pace than what I experienced on the way home. We had to have added an additional hour or 2 more to our trip on the QEW. I must say, well worth it if that's the dues to pay for a week at Kipawa    but if I could eliminate that 

[RoK]

Hi Guys

I live in St. Catharines and work in Hamilton and inlaws live in Hamilton, so do that commute daily and some weekends too. Usually not bad, some slow downs. But afternoons on weekends in the summer are the worst time heading Niagara direction on the QEW. Tourists heading to Niagara and U.S.  if it was last weekend, that's a Saturday afternoon of a long weekend which is the very worst time all year. You could not pick a worse time if you tried, LOL.  And everybody is in a hurry getting nowhere, so you see some stupid things at times.

407 > 403 > 8 - the  problem is from the 403, 8 is a main street going through Hamilton, I would not recommend it, not going  to save you any time to get to 20. Do not take the service roads that run parallel  to QEW, major delays at each intersection.

This may not save you time but will save your brakes and stress levels. I would get off QEW at Fruitland Rd, turn right (south) on Fruitland and go to Hwy 8. Head west on 8, its a small 2 lane country hwy, not fast but much more relaxing. Some stops in a few small towns. At Vineland take 24 south to 20 and head east on 20 to QEW in Niagara Falls. Also, you may want to check border wait times, often if you take 420 to Rainbow bridge its faster than Peace bridge and Lewiston/Queenston. Plus perfect view of the both falls.

My inlaws live close to hwy 8, and if I have to head home during that period I take 8 all the way to St. Catharines, probably in the end I'd get home the same time, but I get home relaxed and enjoy the country drive.

I dont think there is a faster alternative, just a more relaxing alternative.

One more option now that I think of it, get off at Centennial Pkwy (20), its a city street there so a little slow at first, head to either 8 east or continue south until you turn east for 20 heading east. This saves you from the worst party of the QEW traffic jam which is between Nicola Tesla (formerly Burlington Street) and the merger from the Red Hill valley parkway which is just before Fruitland rd. As with the above option, probably not faster, but you are moving.

[SgtCrabby]

Thank you @RoK;  that is the information that I was wondering about. I like your answers with alternative routing.

[Hodgey1]

Great information Rok! I think I will try one of your routes coming back next year on a Saturday afternoon.

[RoK]

One other suggestion, if you have nothing  to do on a Saturday afternoon of a long weekend. Sat Sept 2 is the last long weekend of the summer. Try Google maps/traffic, you will see with live traffic conditions how long alternative routes are.  Who knows, maybe Hwy 403 to 8 or something entirely different is faster. As least it eliminates guessing.

p.s.  I did the 407 QEW to St. Catharines drive yesterday (Sunday) afternoon coming home form the cottage. that stretch of hwy = 30 minutes. Toronto bound was a parking lot with all the tourists heading back.

[Hodgey1]

I did the 407 QEW to St. Catharines drive yesterday (Sunday) afternoon coming home form the cottage. that stretch of hwy = 30 minutes. Toronto bound was a parking lot with all the tourists heading back.

So, on a Sunday afternoon, QEW flow from 407 towards Niagara are wasn't bad? Hmm, so is a Saturday afternoon usually the issue heading toward the States? If it is, I'm going to try your Rt 20 or RT 8 option next year.

[RoK]

on a regular summer weekend heading U.S. bound, it's bad Sat mid-morning til eve, and Sun mid-morn & early afternoon, mid Sun afternoon tide changes to Toronto bound. Long weekend, Sun & Sat are same and Mon is like a typical Sun.

Nothing like going from the tranquility of Kipawa to sitting in stop and go traffic on a highway in just a few hours.

[Hodgey1]

Nothing like going from the tranquility of Kipawa to sitting in stop and go traffic on a highway in just a few hours.

Ain't that the truth

Of the options you laid out as alternatives, what is your best suggestion for a bypass of the QEW? 8 to 20?

[SgtCrabby]

I know one thing;   last year for us getting from Barrie to the 407 was a major pain in the rear,  but after that it was easy as can be; all the way to the Peace Bridge border crossing.  It was our easiest year for that end.

Now for " the rest of the story ";   we drove that on Sunday, July 3rd. The last day of a Canadian long weekend (Canada Day weekend), as well as in a long US weekend (4th of July).

I know,  Not a normal day; the 400 and the QEW was all heading towards Toronto and very few of us were heading towards the US.

[Canuckbass]

You guys are making my 2.5 hour drive to Kipawa feel like a walk in the park!!
Great for an overnight trip up, took my dad up for his first trip Saturday, he loved it!

[Hodgey1]

Seemed like 2 hours to go from Hamilton to St Catherine's    a week ago Saturday.

[RoK]

Hi Hodgey

I did a quick check on Google maps. Under normal traffic from the 407 & QEW to Peace Bridge :

Via QEW entire route = 1 h 2 mins
Hwy 8 to hwy 20 to QEW  1 h 49 mins
Hwy 20 to QEW 1 h 39 mins

If as you say it took 2 hours to get to St. Catharines, then another 30+ minutes to peace bridge, total 2.5+ hours, the alternates are quicker and less stressful.

The Hwy 20 route is the quickest, and knowing you have a long drive every minute counts. Here is my recommendation. From Hwy 407 take QEW and exit at Centennial Parkway. If you need a rest stop, there’s gas stations, restaurants & coffee shops all along it until you turn left on Hwy 20 eastbound. From off ramp turn right (southbound) and take Centennial pkwy for about 15 minutes and then you will need to turn left onto Hwy 20 east. See the Google maps hyperlink I added, note the little jog at Thorold down to McLeod Rd to QEW.

There are countless variations but I think keep it simple in an unfamiliar place, so this is about the easiest.

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Queen+Elizabeth+Way+%26+ON-407,+Burlington,+ON/Peace+Bridge,+1+Peace+Bridge,+Buffalo,+NY+14213,+United+States/@43.0645613,-79.5102198,11z/data=!4m29!4m28!1m20!1m1!1s0x882b6201f5ff3133:0x6e0730c19a4d211c!2m2!1d-79.8308136!2d43.3423875!3m4!1m2!1d-79.7569578!2d43.1687972!3s0x882c97f204557e33:0xf4791d26302ec533!3m4!1m2!1d-79.6142685!2d43.1247909!3s0x882cbba77366181f:0x96cdf6bd8fbad2ee!3m4!1m2!1d-79.4072397!2d43.0430443!3s0x882cb4c2464601b3:0x211a14722175a274!1m5!1m1!1s0x89d3130ab7c0d809:0xf8662354cb148c30!2m2!1d-78.9060093!2d42.9069465!3e0

This recommendation is based solely on you returning on a Saturday hitting the area in the afternoon.

Regards, ROK

[Smitty]

This might be totally out of the way for you guys - but why not skip Toronto all together and head to another crossing like the 1000 islands crossing or Ogdensburg - then up thru Ottawa and onto Kipawa - I live near Ottawa and would miss Toronto on a summer weekend any chance I get - the traffic just keeps getting worse and worse there.

Good luck
Smitty