Toronto the Road Crack Addict: I just need one more line and I'll be OK ... promise .. just one more ... I won't ask again .. promise .. just one more .... JUST ONE MORE MAN ... YOU GOTTA HELP ME OUT MAN!!!!
I mean Kitchener to Montreal is something close to 700-800km even if we had high speed trains that would still take about 4 hours if they average 200km/h, and they still have to make stops on the way.
But having more trains running would be a good start at least.
Why we keep trying to build more highways to alleviate congestion is beyond me.
Its an idea that has been consistently and thoroughly debunked since the 80s. No one who studies traffic has ever suggested highway upsizing to decrease congestion as anything more than a very temporary stop gap. Single or dual occupancy vehicles cannot continue to be the primary way we commute to work in a dense area like Toronto. It simply will not work, full stop. We can fight against the idea, but we're wasting our time and money.
We need high density solutions. TTC line 1 was built in the 50s. Line 2 in the 60s, which comprise 64km of the current 70km in use. Line 3 was added in the 80s, but has been decommissioned due to maintenance costs and poor performance, but even that was only 6km. Why have we barely expanded the system since the city consisted of 30% of the current population?
We used to have more rail lines running throughout the province, mostly privately owned. They have since been discontinued with the advent of trucking. Why have we not reintroduced rail service? Canada as a whole is low population density, but the Niagara-Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal corridor has more than enough people to justify a regular rail line.
The Bradford Bypass and Highway 413 are an estimated 8-10$ billion, on the low end. Combine with his current proposed cuts to transit funding of ~$150 million, and it paints a clear picture of his priorities.
Roads are like computers - it doesn't matter how much speed, memory or disk space you have - you'll eventually consume it all as the Operating System bloats and the ability to create massive files increases.
Given that #bigoil needs consumers of their product, I'd be really surprised if the 'we need more roads' #government 'solution' goes away any time soon. 😞
A Conservative government building a proper metro system? The only things certain in this world are death and trying to make the 401 bigger in a desperate attempt to relieve traffic by inducing more traffic.
TBF, the GTA is seeing the biggest transit expansion in their history, and by far the biggest expansion in North America. TTC has the Ontario Line, Line 5, and Line 6 under construction. GO Expansion is making huge improvements, from more frequent service to electrification to a lot of smaller projects that will improve travel time and reduce conflicts. Then there's projects outside the core like the LRT projects in Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton, and Kitchener-Waterloo.
At the same time, the Ford government seems to want to have it both ways with the 413, cutting tolls, eliminating registration fees, etc.
Bike infrastructure isn't great. City started having some bike lanes but they aren't all over the place, and a lot of cars and trucks are still disrespecting those lanes.
Not good. I used to bike everywhere but a portion of motorists have become so openly hostile and vindictive that it is unsafe anyplace infra isn't fully separated. I've been run off the road enough times and I rarely do it anymore, despite that it was one of my favourite things once.