The Provincial Government…

The Provincial Government needs to stay in its own lane and leave the planning of local transportation to the residents, municipal politicians, local transportation experts of Toronto. This is a anti-democratic case of governmental over-reach.

Ripping out bike lanes that have the support of residents and business owners will not reduce congestion. Induced demand means that opening up space on a roadway induces more people to drive. We need is to efficiently use the road space available while ensuring everyone — pedestrians, drivers, delivery workers and cyclists — can get to their destination safely and sustainably. This requires the consideration of complex needs and contexts: the climate emergency, the lack of funding for public transit, delays to major transit projects, endless construction projects blocking lanes, the lack of access to safe cycling routes, and, finally, the lack of disincentives for people to drive into the downtown core (often one person per car) instead of taking transit.

Instead of ripping out bike lanes or digging an enormous money pit (aka a tunnel under the 401 for an estimated cost of $55 billion), here are some alternative ideas:

open the Eglinton LRT and Finch LRT

introduce a congestion charge for people driving into the downtown core during peak hours

incentivize car-pooling

reduce transit fares

zero-rate the tolls for all truck traffic that uses the 407 and negotiate a bulk payment deal with the 407’s owners by way of compensation OR negotiate with the owners of the 407 to buy out the lease once and for all.

build more east-west transit service north of the 401, e.g., new express GO bus service, or a rapid transit corridor situated in the vast hydro corridor that runs alongside the 407.