Roads: GTA West Corridor—Highway 413

[CMQSD402F9011]

You said "to expand and fund public transport like Rail". That's more than an operating subsidy!

Lack of an operating subsidy for TTC isn't a recent issue - it goes back decades. But hasn't the Ford government increased operating subsidies for GO's rail service, with the service expansions, and lower fare for shorter distances? And isn't the funding of inter-agency transfers also increased subsidies?

There's a lot to criticize Ford for - but transit?

I'm not sure the highway expansion is particularly higher under Ford. After 7 years, there aren't a lot of shovels in the ground yet - unlike transit. The McGuinty/Wynne Liberal government gave us the start of not only a 65-km extension of the 407, but the new 10-km Highway 412 and the new almost 10 km Highway 418. That's 85 km alone. Then there's the 15-km 404 extension - 100 km. Along with extensions of the 417 westards, and converting Highway 7 to 400-series standards towards Carleton Place.

In the meantime, the Bradford Bypass is only 16-km long. And the 413 is about 55 km long.

The Ford government is still playing catch-up to the urban sprawl that the Liberals enabled.

Ford government seems to be more pro-transit and less pro-highway than the Liberals,, to me.

(and then there's the 400/11 work ... too much work tountangle, but I think many governments have been equally keen on that; though how Liberals hadn't at least started all the 400 to Sudbury work after 15 years in office I don't know)

And what about expanding Rail Passenger services to areas like Thunder Bay or relay the tracks on the old CP Rail Chalk River sub in the Ottawa Valley? Ford has no plans for that to my knowledge.

 

[robmausser]

Which roads? Mayfield maybe?

It's too far north to help Bovaird or Queen St.

This is wishful thinking.



Exactly. This is the main reason for this highway. To increase property values for the future developments along the route. It has very little to do with helping to move traffic in the GTA. Their own traffic studies have shown that.

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This happens with everything in government. Its a given.

The Spadina Line extension was pushed through by MP Greg Sorbara.

Who happens to be part of the Sorbara family, owning Sobara Group housing.

Who just happened to own the land where the VMC end stop of the Spadina Line was planned.

 

[nfitz]

And what about expanding Rail Passenger services to areas like Thunder Bay or relay the tracks on the old CP Rail Chalk River sub in the Ottawa Valley? Ford has no plans for that to my knowledge.

Nor should he. The cost-benefit ratio would be near infinite, and the riders few and far between. This would be better served with bus. Much better served, as the bus can stop in every little town on demand, while that's difficult on a train.

I think Thunder Bay is stretching GTA-West corridor a bit!