Without getting into the specifics of this
50 Billion Dollar proposal I would just like to say that
I HOPE that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past. Years ago the Ontario government spent over $100 Billion to acquire the land underneath Highway 407. The Ontario Government then spent another $1.6 Billion to build the Highway. After spending
$102 BILLION to construct Hwy 407 the Province of Ontario (Mike Harris) sold (leased for 99 years) highway 407 to a Spanish consortium for $3.1 Billion - i.e. for about
3 Cents on the Dollar !! (source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/407_Express_Toll_Route). There are many implications of this CRIMINAL act.. one of which is the fact that the 407 is and always will be under-utilized. Most of the people who actually paid for Hwy 407 cannot afford to drive on it. As a consequence most people favor the 401 to get across the city. As a result the Province must now spend Millions (perhaps Billions) to widen Hwy 401 (and other parallel roads)
Today I read in the Toronto Star :
"The plan, released today by Metrolinx, includes no recommendations for road tolls or other taxes to pay for the transit improvements that are being called the most ambitions of our life time.
The experience of the other cities shows it is best to offer transportation alternatives before asking people to pay new fees, Metrolix chair Rob MacIsaac said.""
It looks like history is about to repeat itself again