Promises made by Ontario Premier Doug Ford to buy Highway 407 and remove the tolls to help ease chronic gridlock have so far come up empty,
Oshawa MPP Jennifer French, the NDP Critic for Infrastructure, Transportation & Highways, called out the government’s inaction on Highway 407 as the region faces some of the “worst traffic worldwide.”
“People deserve a government that gets them where they need to go, safely and efficiently,” said French. “While people are stuck in gridlock across the GTA, the 407 sits half-empty – and this premier isn’t doing anything about it.”
“While people are stuck in gridlock across the GTA, the 407 sits half-empty"
Looks like tolls are actually beneficial to reducing congestion…
Tolls help with choosing other forms of transportation, and reduce gridlock. If individuals had to choose to pay a direct fee (as opposed to a indirect fee) people may choose to drive less and choose to support forms of public transits more. This would ease congestion and promote a need for better more frequent public transportation.
Cities should start implementing a “Congestion Charge” for their downtown cores. Every vehicle should have a transponder so once it enters a specific area in a city centre it gets pinged and tolled. Residents living inside these areas would probably be a exemption to promote more families choosing to live in cities as opposed to commuting in and out everyday.
Looks like tolls are actually beneficial to reducing congestion…
I’d say it has more to do with the fact that over half the 407 leads to empty space, and not directly into/through Toronto.
But yes, I would also support tolls on all roads. In fact, bake it into car insurance, so those who drive more pay a higher “congestion charge”.
My car insurance rewards drivers for not driving! LOL
If we make cars the least attractive option, then people will seek alternatives. Good luck trying to convince Ford to get on board… he’s only about cars.
This is good on the stick side of things, we need the other side solution too like higher frequency transit, transit priority lanes/signals, and free fares to help people switch as well. The amount of money we lose subsiding transit is easily made back by what we save on car infrastructure.
Are you mad? That’s horrible! First they’ll do a congestion charge, then they’ll put bike lanes back, then ban cars altogether and turn downtown into a walkable utopia!
/s in case it’s not obvious
Yes. But the problem is lack of alternate public transportation. Travelling by public transport takes 2-3 times more than by car.
I agree with MPP French on a lot of things, but not this.
If the 407 sits half empty, that means people would rather pay with their time on the 401, than their money on the 407. That’s their decision.
Making the 407 also free will just make both highways size up and probably induce even more traffic.
Making the 407 also free will just make both highways size up and probably induce even more traffic.
FWIW, the 407 in Durham Region just goes through empty space. And it’s a PITA to get to it if you live closer to the 401 (it adds like 20+ minutes at a minimum to your drive).
Make it free to see what happens. I don’t think it would change much of anything. Ford may get more votes out of it, but I don’t think it would ease traffic all that much, just because of how far it is from the city centre.
