Statement By Mike Marcolongo, Associate Director, Environmental Defence
Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat – The new “Transit Over Traffic” report contains recommendations for how the provincial government could unlock public transit’s potential to solve the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area’s growing gridlock, which currently costs the economy and residents $45 billion every year.
This report, authored by Environmental Defence and Transport Action Ontario, makes the case that spending an estimated $80 billion on mega-highways like the Bradford Bypass, Highway 401 and the Highway 401 tunnel will make your commute worse, not better. Decades of experience across North America shows that expanding urban highways (non-tolled) just induces more traffic.
For the same $80 billion price tag, Ontario could build 400 kilometres of new rapid transit. That’s equivalent to building enough light-rail connecting Toronto to Sudbury, or the equivalent of three new light rail transit lines spanning the entire width of the GTHA.
The report makes the case that the best way to reduce gridlock is to reallocate the highway funding to transit builds which would also double transit service so people can “show up and go” without checking schedules. Cities where 30% of rush-hour trips are by public transit, like London, New York, and Singapore, have proven that this approach works to ease road congestion.
The report also uses Highway 413 as a case study – and demonstrates that putting $14 billion (the estimated cost of this highway) towards public transit investment instead of the highway would move more than double the number of commuters per hour.
“At a time where unrealistic boondoggles such as the 401 Highway tunnel are being proposed, this report proposes some hard truths: to solve the congestion problem we need to get people out of their cars. And in order to do so, it requires frequent, reliable, convenient transit service across the entire region.” says Mike Marcolongo, Associate Director with Environmental Defence.
“North America has wasted untold billions of dollars building expressways in urban areas to solve gridlock – with no success. To accommodate its upcoming population growth, the GTHA needs to move in two bold new directions: (a) major transit expansion including new lines and better service, and (b) stopping urban sprawl” says Peter Miasek, President of Transport Action Ontario.
By cancelling wasteful highway projects, investing $80 billion in 400 kilometres of new rapid transit, doubling transit service frequency, stopping urban sprawl and implementing road pricing including a truck toll discount on Highway 407, the report examines how we can finally tackle congestion for today and the future in the GTHA.
ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE (environmentaldefence.ca): Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.
ABOUT TRANSPORT ACTION ONTARIO (ontario.transportaction.ca): Transport Action is a volunteer-driven advocacy group working to improve public transit across Ontario. For 50 years, they’ve advocated for integrated, accessible, car-free mobility through cost-effective, low-risk, and environmentally responsible solutions.
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For more information or to request an interview, please contact:
Karishma Porwal, media@environmentaldefence.ca
