Roads: Gardiner Expressway

[ksun]

You mean to say that people take views on issues primarily based on their own self-interest?

the point is, most Torontonians don't care how the waterfront looks like, or what downtown looks like in general, or what greater use the land could be of if the expressway is removed, or the cost-benefit of the two options. For a typical suburbanite, all they care about is whether they can get to somewhere downtown faster - if it costs taxpayers $1b more to save them 5 minutes of driving, so be it.

 

[Eug]

I posted the wrong numbers. It was 24-21 in favour of hybrid for part 1 of the final motion. 28-17 was something else, the motion to look at tunneling.

 

[Adjei]

the point is, most Torontonians don't care how the waterfront looks like, or what downtown looks like in general, or what greater use the land could be of if the expressway is removed, or the cost-benefit of the two options. For a typical suburbanite, all they care about is whether they can get to somewhere downtown faster - if it costs taxpayers $1b more to save them 5 minutes of driving, so be it.

Frankly I don't think Torontoians care what the whole city looks like.

 

[DarnDirtyApe]

I posted the wrong numbers. It was 24-21 in favour of hybrid for part 1 of the final motion. 28-17 was something else, the motion to look at tunneling.

Too bad, 28-17 would have been a less polarizing result.

 

[torontologist]

Upload?

Motion to upload to the province just passed, 27-18. This will be interesting.

 

[Amare]

Disappointing to see so-called environmentalist De Baeremaeker vote for the hybrid.

De Baeremaeker is a joke, I dont even think he himself really knows what he wants.

Personally i'm glad that the hybrid option was passed. Although I dont think it's the best option for the city, I believe it's better then the boulevard. Now there were many motions that were voted on during this session, among them were:

-Voting in favor to look at the feasibility to add tolls on the Gardiner
-Voting in favor to look at the feasibility to add tolls on the Gardiner for non-Toronto residents only
-Voting in favor to ask the Province to upload the cost of the Gardiner
-Voting in favor to have a feasibility report looking into tunneling the entire Gardiner route
-Voting in favor to have a feasibility report on the sale/leasing options for the Gardiner

I don't have the exact numbers on each vote, so maybe someone else can provide us with an update on this.

 

[picard102]

So the Gardiner Hybrid passes and I'm still alive and the city isn't burning to the ground. Guess it wasn't so monumental.

 

[cplchanb]

Toronto is afraid of change. Look how much controversy LRT which people in this city were't used to caused. The politicians and people here aren't capable of thinking outside of the box. Only one way thinking.

Regardless of opinion, the council has spoken and voted. Its now time to move forward and ensure that whatever is decided gets implemented within the next decade. The last thing that should happen is to loop around and
sue or revote. I can honestly care less now what the decision is; I want to see progress so that I can at least enjoy the fruits of my taxes before I retire

 

[salsa]

And here's why the hybrid won. Because mayor Tory's motion also included:

 

[ssiguy2]

Motion to upload to the province just passed, 27-18. This will be interesting.

Only Toronto could have the gall to even consider asking for an upload. When Harris downloaded the highways in the 90s Toronto got away nearly scott-free compared to the rest of the province. Rural areas got massive amounts of roads downloaded to them with little population to support it.

Anyway now that this is , at least temporarily, decided, has there been any talk of what the hybrid people intend to do with Lakeshore and the ugly underbelly of the Gardiner? There are still great examples around the world of how areas under elevated structures can become an urban oasis and this is even more true in colder cities.

 

[salsa]

So the Gardiner Hybrid passes and I'm still alive and the city isn't burning to the ground. Guess it wasn't so monumental.

Strange comment. It will be several more years before any construction even begins. Today is just the beginning.

 

[TonyV]

So John Tory now becomes the anti-urban mayor.

Tory will be wise not to call this a victory for himself; if he has anything going on upstairs he will know immediately that he has furthered the suburban-urban divide in this city, and he'll have lost a significant number of support in the central city. Not smart at all.

Need we add that this "solution" also represents a half billion dollars that won't be spent on transit. Foolish all around. Need we add that he's gone in the face of all good advice on this issue, too -- all the good brains instructed Tory otherwise.

The very divisive breakdown of this vote tells the whole story. I hope John Tory savours his little moment of victory for himself because he's just made a pile of enemies - and this issue ain't over.

 

[Eug]

So John Tory now becomes the anti-urban mayor.

Tory will be wise not to call this a victory for himself; if he has anything going on upstairs he will know immediately that he has furthered the suburban-urban divide in this city, and he'll have lost a significant number of support in the central city. Not smart at all.

Need we add that this "solution" also represents a half billion dollars that won't be spent on transit. Foolish all around. Need we add that he's gone in the face of all good advice on this issue, too -- all the good brains instructed Tory otherwise.

The very divisive breakdown of this vote tells the whole story. I hope John Tory savours his little moment of victory for himself because he's just made a pile of enemies - and this issue ain't over.

Strange argument. Given that the split amongst Toronto residents was 46% in favour of hybrid and 42% in favour of boulevard, either way there would have been a lot of unhappy customers. However, he came out on the side with more support amongst Toronto residents.

 

[Tulse]

Amalgamation is the gift that keeps on giving.

 

[DarnDirtyApe]

And guess what, those who were most vocally opposed to him on this issue were probably Chow/NDP supporters who would never vote for him anyway.