The provincial government…

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The provincial government should not interfere with the jurisdiction of municipalities to specify their infrastructure. They know best what is locally desired and appropriate. This includes the desire of the province to remove bike lanes and increase motor vehicle capacity.

Most cities do not have the congestion problem that Toronto has. Furthermore, bike infrastructure reduces congestion. It also is proven to make streets safer for all users, for all modalities.

As for expressways, the 413 is another boondoggle project. There are clear and cheaper ways to improve travel.

Firstly, Ontario needs high speed rail, on electrified and autonomous lines. This could reduce the traffic on major highways (401, 400, 404, 403) by 10-30% while making the trip 3 to 6x faster.

The second way to reduce congestion on major Toronto sections is to use tolls, especially at peak usage times. Not only would this help pay for the huge deficits this infrastructure causes, it would help make other modes more competitive. It is simple economics of supply and demand elasticity.