Highway 401 Transit and Auto Tunnel

[chrisw]

Buying the 407 back is just as big of a waste of money that could be invested in a ton of transit.

 

[J Bacon]

Buying back an existing piece of infrastructure at a (most likely) inflated price would not benefit the taxpayer.

 

[generalcanada]

Ontario is considering buying back Highway 407, Ford says

The Ontario Premier is also doubling down on his idea to build an expressway tunnel underneath Highway 401 across the GTA

www.theglobeandmail.com

some places picked up this quote as saying hes considering buying the 407.
It more of leans toward him never actually counting out buying the 407.
Hes considering both options, both the tunnel and the 407

 

[Allandale25]

Given the ravines, it'll be interesting to see what the study recommends. I wonder if the media or someone will do an elevation diagram of the 401 from the 427 to the Rouge.

 

[afransen]

I have to wonder if buying the 407 to eliminate tolls would actually be popular with users. Hopefully most of those folks are smart enough to realize that eliminating the tolls would lead to a severe degradation of the speed (and condition) of that highway. Logically, the current users are all people who find it worth the high toll rates to have the current fast and relatively well-maintained highway. Eliminating the tolls removes the option to pay for fast trips when desired. Many people have built their lives around the 407 enabling fast cross-region driving. Folks living and working on opposite ends of the GTA will find that impossible when the 407 is degraded to 401 levels of service.

I, selfishly, would find it very useful to have the segment of the 407 between the 401 and the 403 be untolled. I imagine that would remove a lot of N-S traffic on arterials in Mississauga. Of course, when that happens, the 407 will usually be no faster than the arterials, at least at peak.

 

[gabe]

I have to wonder if buying the 407 to eliminate tolls would actually be popular with users. Hopefully most of those folks are smart enough to realize that eliminating the tolls would lead to a severe degradation of the speed (and condition) of that highway. Logically, the current users are all people who find it worth the high toll rates to have the current fast and relatively well-maintained highway. Eliminating the tolls removes the option to pay for fast trips when desired. Many people have built their lives around the 407 enabling fast cross-region driving. Folks living and working on opposite ends of the GTA will find that impossible when the 407 is degraded to 401 levels of service.

I, selfishly, would find it very useful to have the segment of the 407 between the 401 and the 403 be untolled. I imagine that would remove a lot of N-S traffic on arterials in Mississauga. Of course, when that happens, the 407 will usually be no faster than the arterials, at least at peak.

My boss would hate it. He spends about 400 a month on the 407. He's on it all the time. He says the 407 saves time and you don't have to deal with the " riffraff" like on the 401.

I agree, I would like to see segment of the 407 either untolled or lower tolls during rush hour.

 

[jje1000]

My boss would hate it. He spends about 400 a month on the 407. He's on it all the time. He says the 407 saves time and you don't have to deal with the " riffraff" like on the 401.

I agree, I would like to see segment of the 407 either untolled or lower tolls during rush hour.

It would be interesting to see how free or cheap usage of the highway during certain periods of time would change travel patterns and behaviour.

 

[Dan416]

Maybe they should make the 407 free for a trial period to see how bad it would get if it were permanently toll-free. Would it actually free up space on the 401? Would 407 approach 401 levels of congestion? Would they kind of even out between them? It's hard to speculate the way things are now with the extreme pricing on the 407 currently.

 

[Haljackey]

I, selfishly, would find it very useful to have the segment of the 407 between the 401 and the 403 be untolled. I imagine that would remove a lot of N-S traffic on arterials in Mississauga. Of course, when that happens, the 407 will usually be no faster than the arterials, at least at peak.

The entire 407 south of the 401 has lots of extra capacity. If they made this part free it would certainly help with the congestion on the co-signed 403/QEW stretch. You could even sign this as the 413 if you wanted to.

Douggie said no new tolls ya but this is an existing highway. Guess we will wait and see what happens. Seems like every day in Ontario recently there's some popcorn-ready drama- often on the highways front. Are they trying to outshine the US election stuff?

 

[PL1]

The entire 407 south of the 401 has lots of extra capacity. If they made this part free it would certainly help with the congestion on the co-signed 403/QEW stretch. You could even sign this as the 413 if you wanted to.

Douggie said no new tolls ya but this is an existing highway. Guess we will wait and see what happens. Seems like every day in Ontario recently there's some popcorn-ready drama- often on the highways front. Are they trying to outshine the US election stuff?

They can't just remove tolls. The Ontario government would either have to pay the tolls, or purchase the highway. Either way would cost a lot.

I think it's a foolish use of public funds

 

[txlseries4]

They can't just remove tolls. The Ontario government would either have to pay the tolls, or purchase the highway. Either way would cost a lot.

I think it's a foolish use of public funds

Agree with foolish, but I also think it would be incredibly popular. I don't know about others here but so many times over the years I've heard friends or coworkers from all political stripes complain about how expensive it is and that the government never should have sold it. Most people don't think about how $50 billion (or whatever the cost) could have been spent on so many other things; anything anywhere close to and over $1b loses all context... I believe a lot of people will think 'wow, this is awesome, the government bought it back and is looking out for me and now I won't have to spend $60+ just to drive 15 km'

 

[innsertnamehere]

I use the 407 maybe 10 times a year and would be pissed it was untolled. It's honestly amazing to have the option to avoid GTA traffic if need be. Eliminating tolls on it would open up surprisingly little capacity at peak hour and would remove that ability.

I do think there are potentially ways to better utilize the highway outside of peak hours though, particularly on weekends.

 

[rdaner]

So now Ford is musing they might just remove tolls for trucks which I think is a good idea.

 

[afransen]

Agree with foolish, but I also think it would be incredibly popular. I don't know about others here but so many times over the years I've heard friends or coworkers from all political stripes complain about how expensive it is and that the government never should have sold it. Most people don't think about how $50 billion (or whatever the cost) could have been spent on so many other things; anything anywhere close to and over $1b loses all context... I believe a lot of people will think 'wow, this is awesome, the government bought it back and is looking out for me and now I won't have to spend $60+ just to drive 15 km'

Until they start grumbling about how slow it is because it is so congested.

 

[jje1000]

So now Ford is musing they might just remove tolls for trucks which I think is a good idea.

I think this is an interesting idea too, but I wonder how it’ll be done? I guess the cameras at the ramps stop tolling trucks?

I think that this act would then need to also be accompanied by a ban on truck traffic on the 401.