The End Of The Road: Saying Goodbye To Freeways

[junctionist]

The city could still work urban freeways if the number of cars on the roads was reduced, which better transit and cycling infrastructure, higher density, and higher gas prices can achieve. Trucks and other support vehicles would use wide boulevards.

 

[sixrings]

But in W.K.'s perfect universe there will be no highways or other roads to support vehicular traffic due to the delights of prohibitive gasoline prices or so he fervently hopes.

If he is correct what's left but the subway or possibly a rickshaw?

I think you are assuming the extreme... W.K isnt proposing burying the 401/427/404/dvp... All hes saying is that we need less roads and more local convienences that would cause us to drive less... Think europe where people walk and people bike... I dont know why ppl LOVE to visit Europe but when people suggest the same thing here the word EUROPE becomes dirty... I think the problem is that NO ONE actually believes that we can build such nice walkable communities... And if we can it will take more then a life time to achieve which means we will all be dead anyway.. We need to be more optimistic and look at how liberty village and how the distillary district and other areas of town are changing in signifcantly little time... Queen West anyone King West Anyone? The second reason people think Europe is a dirty word is because they have become use to houses that are 2000 square feet... Someone on another thread said well thats what you NEED if you have kids... Well if I take a look at all the houses build pre 1930 Id say people managed without 2000 square feet. People manage in New York without 2000 square Feet. People manage to live in all sorts of parts of the world without 2000 Square feet... Maybe thats the problem.. People imigrated from other countries so they could HAVE 2000 square feet.. Who knows.. Im just suggesting the only reason ppl look down on walkable communities and the comparison to EUROPE is because they dont actually think it will or can happen, because they are use to 2000 square feet and because ppl HATE change... None of those are good reasons not to change tho.,

 

[sjc]

Places that are walkable and bikeable seem like a nice idea in the summer, but not so much in the winter. I'd like to see more effort put into developing more covered/underground walking routes.

 

[sixrings]

we have enough malls for that... Density arround malls is becoming a big hit because of this very thought.... Its also why Subways are preferred by most torontonians....