$100 billion for 7 minutes

[Frankfooter]

No, this isn't about Elon or trump's hobbying.

Doug Ford is going to spend $100 billion of Ontario money to build a tunnel under the 401.
He had his government check it out years ago and they said it would save 7 minutes off the drive across town, cause years of delay and likely collapse.

But DoFo's developer buddies will make bank, so on it goes.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1953109403298652341

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1952778067140628962

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1952752890902167969

 

[SaturnFan]

DoFo points out that there are underground tunnels in the world such as the English Channel 'Chunnel' and railroad tunnels through mountains in Europe. But .... to my knowledge there are no tunnels underneath busy freeways anywhere in the world, which is a new set of circumstances.

A tunnel under the 401 is a bad idea.

 

[SchlongConery]

The scale of the civil works in constructing this tunnel are beyond comprehension. And the decade of chaos with tens of millions of dump trucks dumping the dirt somewhere will snarl traffic and physically destroy roads where they drive to unload ....will make the inconvenience of a few sections of Gardiner bridge deck seem like a car on the side of the road fixing a flat tire for 10 minutes.

And it will fill up to capacity as soon as it opens.

'Induced. demand' is a proven theory that states that increasing road capacity does not reduce congestion as the extra capacity only increases use.

 

[richaceg]

Franky this I will agree with you...this is total bullcrap.

 

[roddermac]

DoFo points out that there are underground tunnels in the world such as the English Channel 'Chunnel' and railroad tunnels through mountains in Europe. But .... to my knowledge there are no tunnels underneath busy freeways anywhere in the world, which is a new set of circumstances.

A tunnel under the 401 is a bad idea.

Spain China and Boston.

 

[optimusprime69]

I feel gross agreeing with you but here we are.....

 

[Frankfooter]

Apparently the company that pitched it also pitched a tunnel under the Gardiner.

How Toronto considered a privately-operated tunnel to alleviate congestion | Globalnews.ca

While the idea was later dropped, former mayor John Tory's office appeared to be seriously weighing the project and suggested it to the federal government.

globalnews.ca

Then DoFo's team looked at the 401 proposal and thought it was stupid so killed it.
Until now.

Ford government started studying Hwy. 401 tunnel after private-sector bids: docs | Globalnews.ca

A slew of internal documents from the Ministry of Transportation reveals how three private-sector bids helped spark Doug Ford's plan to tunnel an expressway under Highway 401.

globalnews.ca

 

[SaturnFan]

The world’s longest highway tunnel is currently the Lærdal Tunnel in Norway at 24.5 km length and took 5 years to build. DoFo’s proposed tunnel is at least twice as long.

 

[opieshuffle]

The world’s longest highway tunnel is currently the Lærdal Tunnel in Norway at 24.5 km length and took 5 years to build. DoFo’s proposed tunnel is at least twice as long.

And based on the Eglinton Crosstown will take until we're all in adult diapers dreaming of our pooning days on this site, to get built! As for some of the examples, go read up on Boston's Big Dig. Seattle getting the boring machine stuck and having to dig a new tunnel to fix it, not to mention the buildings along the waterfront "sinking" due to the hole. Ask how many people are using the tunnel in Vegas or the subway in Los Angeles. (who builds a subway tunnel in a fault zone?!)

Make all trucks use the 407 for free. It'll be 100x cheaper and many of the warehouses they need to access easier. I dunno... just spitballin' here

 

[Frankfooter]

And based on the Eglinton Crosstown will take until we're all in adult diapers dreaming of our pooning days on this site, to get built! As for some of the examples, go read up on Boston's Big Dig. Seattle getting the boring machine stuck and having to dig a new tunnel to fix it, not to mention the buildings along the waterfront "sinking" due to the hole. Ask how many people are using the tunnel in Vegas or the subway in Los Angeles. (who builds a subway tunnel in a fault zone?!)

Make all trucks use the 407 for free. It'll be 100x cheaper and many of the warehouses they need to access easier. I dunno... just spitballin' here

The NDP campaigned on paying truck fees for the 407 during the last election.
That idea came from them.

 

[Zoot Allures]

The scale of the civil works in constructing this tunnel are beyond comprehension. And the decade of chaos with tens of millions of dump trucks dumping the dirt somewhere will snarl traffic and destroy roads where they drive to unload will make the inconvenience of a few sections of Gardiner bridge deck look like a car on the side of the road fixing a flat tire for 10 minutes.

And it will fill up to capacity as soon as it opens.

'Induced. demand' is a proven theory that states that increasing road capacity does not reduce congestion as the extra capacity only increases use.

Baress paradox

why building more roads can slow traffic effect on traffic
Building more roads is often thought to alleviate traffic congestion, but the reality is more complex. The Braess Paradox suggests that adding new roads can actually increase traffic flow by creating shortcuts that drivers take, leading to longer travel times for everyone. This is because drivers are self-interested and may choose the quickest route, which can result in a redistribution of traffic that does not necessarily reduce congestion.
The induced demand effect also plays a role, where the availability of new roads may encourage more people to drive, leading to increased traffic. This effect can be seen in cities like Los Angeles, Honolulu, and San Francisco, which have seen significant traffic congestion despite having extensive road networks.
Moreover, the weakest links in the road network can exacerbate congestion, as new roads may lead more drivers to these areas, causing longer travel times for everyone.
To combat these issues, it is recommended to invest in public transport, promote walking and cycling, and encourage higher density, mixed-use development to reduce congestion and improve overall traffic flow.

As cars get cheaper and cleaner and safer with more entertainment esp if cars become driverless cars will fill up as many streets as are built and it is congestion itself that will stop more cars.

Need more creative ideas than build a tunnel

Find out why people drive cars then offer better ideas

By the time they build those tunnels technology may have solved the problem anyways