Pickering Angels

Doug Ford proposes tunneling under the 401 to create an underground freeway to relieve 401 congestion

oil&gas

Well-known member
Apr 16, 2002
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Ghawar
I imagine Trudeau's ICE vehicle ban (if it is for real) would render riding
a bike to downtown Toronto the viable alternative to driving eventually.
 

Insidious Von

My head is my home
Sep 12, 2007
39,774
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I suppose the province can buy the 407 operators out of the lease / buy back the highway.. that would cost an astronomical figure.The 407 contract agreed to by Harris is probably the worse contract (financial and in terms of foresight for municipal needs) ever signed for the citizens of Toronto and Ontario. Also be wary of politicians who push "common sense" as part of their agenda.
Currently the 407 ETR is part of the national safety net, the majority owner is the CPP. As such I don't mind using it when necessary. If President Smith doesn't loot it to subsidize the Oil Sands, the CPP will surpass the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund by 2031.


As of the second quarter of 2024, the CPP Investment Board is worth $646 Billion. As for Premiere Ford's plan to build a tunnel under the 401...

.
 
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mandrill

Well-known member
Aug 23, 2001
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I guess he must've just heard about Boston's Big Dig, which went massively over budget and time...Actually, its sort of similar to the Eglinton LRT....
Except - as Annie points out - the Boston Big Dick was only a couple of km.

A tunnel under the 401 would be twice the size of the fucking Channel Tunnel between Britain and France!! 🤪 :geek:🤔
 

boobtoucher

Well-known member
May 25, 2021
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Just ask working parents who have a couple kids in school and in sports how realistic it is to walk or ride a bike to get them everywhere they need to go, especially during winter months.
While you're at it, ask people who physically can't walk far or ride a bike.

Not everyone lives in downtown Toronto or wants to.
"I UNDERSTAND OPTION 2 IS NOT FOR EVERYONE"

This attitude of "we can't try anything different because I can think of a case where it doesn't work" is so myopic. THINK for a minute. Of my 4 grandparents, who raised 7 kids between them, only 1 had a license. HSR was functional enough between 1940 and 1990 that they didn't need a car.

If there were an option for people who don't need or want a suburban/two car lifestyle, there would be more homes available for those that do. If there were an option for people who don't want to commute, there would be more room on the roads for those that do.

It's the whole "We shouldn't have electric cars because I don't like them". Good news boys: The more people in electric cars, the more and cheaper gas there is for the rest of us.

This suburbs-and-highways plan traps people in poverty. I'd prefer that my tax dollars go to improving peoples lives, rather than lining the pockets of the oligarchs.
 

silentkisser

Master of Disaster
Jun 10, 2008
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Except - as Annie points out - the Boston Big Dick was only a couple of km.

A tunnel under the 401 would be twice the size of the fucking Channel Tunnel between Britain and France!! 🤪 :geek:🤔
It's insane and a non-starter. Lord knows why he thinks this is a good idea. He's like Trump about the border wall....it sounds impressive, but would be technically challenging and expensive to do, and would likely be a slight improvement...
 

Frankfooter

dangling member
Apr 10, 2015
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It's insane and a non-starter. Lord knows why he thinks this is a good idea. He's like Trump about the border wall....it sounds impressive, but would be technically challenging and expensive to do, and would likely be a slight improvement...
It could be a dead cat move, a way to stop discussion about the Science Centre, Ontario Place, Greenbelt, 413, privatizing health care, defunding education and creating 200,000 homeless people.
 

silentkisser

Master of Disaster
Jun 10, 2008
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It could be a dead cat move, a way to stop discussion about the Science Centre, Ontario Place, Greenbelt, 413, privatizing health care, defunding education and creating 200,000 homeless people.
True....I would love to see them put that money towards healthcare, education and affordable housing -- as well as a viable transit plan.

The Mike Harris government screwed this province when they sold the 407 for peanuts AND a 99 year lease. That highway was supposed to alleviate traffic on the 401 through Toronto....and it would've worked. Truckers were all for it...until they saw the cost of the tolls...

But, at least the Canada Pension Plan is getting money from it....that'll help pay for our government pensions....
 
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Frankfooter

dangling member
Apr 10, 2015
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True....I would love to see them put that money towards healthcare, education and affordable housing -- as well as a viable transit plan.

The Mike Harris government screwed this province when they sold the 407 for peanuts AND a 99 year lease. That highway was supposed to alleviate traffic on the 401 through Toronto....and it would've worked. Truckers were all for it...until they saw the cost of the tolls...

But, at least the Canada Pension Plan is getting money from it....that'll help pay for our government pensions....
Yup, the last conservative premiers screwed up the 407 and DoFo will make it 10x worse instead the easy fix if it means more contracts for his donors.
 
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shack

Nitpicker Extraordinaire
Oct 2, 2001
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Toronto
It's insane and a non-starter. Lord knows why he thinks this is a good idea. He's like Trump about the border wall....it sounds impressive, but would be technically challenging and expensive to do, and would likely be a slight improvement...
Mexico will pay for the tunnel.
 

mandrill

Well-known member
Aug 23, 2001
75,850
85,218
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"I UNDERSTAND OPTION 2 IS NOT FOR EVERYONE"

This attitude of "we can't try anything different because I can think of a case where it doesn't work" is so myopic. THINK for a minute. Of my 4 grandparents, who raised 7 kids between them, only 1 had a license. HSR was functional enough between 1940 and 1990 that they didn't need a car.

If there were an option for people who don't need or want a suburban/two car lifestyle, there would be more homes available for those that do. If there were an option for people who don't want to commute, there would be more room on the roads for those that do.

It's the whole "We shouldn't have electric cars because I don't like them". Good news boys: The more people in electric cars, the more and cheaper gas there is for the rest of us.

This suburbs-and-highways plan traps people in poverty. I'd prefer that my tax dollars go to improving peoples lives, rather than lining the pockets of the oligarchs.
Here is your problem....

If your suggestion were implemented starting in 1955, we'd be in great shape. We'd live in something like London, England with no suburbs and lots of surface rail and subways. Don Mills, Scarborough, Richmond Hill, Brampton, Mississauga and Oakville wouldn't exist. And everyone would take train or subway to wherever they wanted to go.

Just like your grands did.... because there were no burbs back then. My grands didn't drive either. But they lived in the UK in smaller size cities.

It's a little late to go back to 1955.
 

NotADcotor

His most imperial galactic atheistic majesty.
Mar 8, 2017
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It's insane and a non-starter. Lord knows why he thinks this is a good idea. He's like Trump about the border wall....it sounds impressive, but would be technically challenging and expensive to do, and would likely be a slight improvement...
A lot of political ideas and government policy is like that

A great idea, with the best of intentions. What can possibly go wrong.

Well a lot actually.
 

Phil C. McNasty

Go Jays Go
Dec 27, 2010
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Second, de-toll the 407. You can void that dumb contract with an act of the legislature. Once that highway is de-tolled, people will use it
No you can't void that dumb contract.

Ontario signed a deal for 99 years with that Spanish company, and if they break that contract the Spanish company will take Ontario govt to international court in The Hague, and they will win
 
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jimidean2011

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Sep 1, 2011
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Ontario signed a deal for 99 years with that Spanish company, and if they break that contract the Spanish company will take Ontario govt to international court in The Hague, and they will win
What a crazy thing to agree to. 99 years is retarded. Is there no legal loophole at all what so ever?
 
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Phil C. McNasty

Go Jays Go
Dec 27, 2010
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Cost of a tunnel underneath 401 would be about $55 billion.
If you make the tunnel a toll highway for $5 in each direction, it could possibly work
 
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