[gweed123]

The tolls need to apply at a lower rate during off peak hours as well, and any toll on the Gardiner should also apply on Lake Shore east of the Humber River. Everyone knows that traffic jams on the Gardiner and the DVP occur outside rush hour. Also several of the 400 series highways ought to be included in the scheme if the province will allow it, particularly the 401 between the 427 and DVP/404 which has very severe traffic congestion.

I disagree with tolling outside of peak. The purpose of tolling only peak is as follows: It encourages transit use for commuting purposes. The secondary benefit is that some people would shift their work hours to either starting earlier or starting later, spreading out the load. If you toll outside of peak as well, that second benefit is gone.

The goal of tolls however should not be to eliminate congestion, it should be to raise enough revenue to help pay for enough transit expansion to make it a viable alternative.

And the reason why I suggested the DVP and Gardiner is because they are both city-owned roads, and they wouldn't need the Province in on it.

As for tolling the 401, again I agree that it should be tolled during peak periods, but it should still be free during off-peak periods. If people don't want to sit in traffic, they can pay for the 407.

 

[Rainforest]

The purpose of tolling only peak is as follows: It encourages transit use for commuting purposes. The secondary benefit is that some people would shift their work hours to either starting earlier or starting later, spreading out the load.

Good idea; however, it might also require some insentives for employers to encorage flex hours. Many employers are reluctant to offer flex hours, even for employees that are not dealing with customers or working a shift; just because telling everyone to come at the same time requires less thinking.

 

[k10ery]

I think you guys are beating a dead horse.

You should be more respectful of His Worship.

I believe you are thinking of a particular part of that horse's anatomy but are too polite to say.

 

[k10ery]

gweed:

Personally I'd prefer the city highways tolled at rush hour only. Not sure how much that'd net though.

A consumption tax would be a good way to raise money, though it would have some nasty consequences if not implemented at a region wide level (think cross-border shopping).

AoD

With the HST in place a regional consumption tax would be an administrative nightmare. And a political one too -- the Feds would have to agree to it. Actually an income tax surcharge for GTA residents (not GTA workers) would work better.

 

[ssiguy2]

Except for NEW infastructure, I don't agree with tolls and I never will.
Here in the Surrey area we got the new Golden Ears Bridge which is tolled. I don't like tolls but can tolerate them on new infrastructure. The problem is that the replacement of the current TCH Port Mann bridge is also going to be tolled which essentially means we are paying for road maintenace.
Tolls are a very unfair tax. It is unfair and counter productive to tax someone because they live along a tolled route. Why should someone how maybe uses the DVP or Gardiner for a scant 1 km have to pay a toll but somone going across the city 10 times in one day that doesn't bring him near those 2 highways not pay a cent?
The only fair method is general gas taxes. It's simple to implement and is fair to all..........the more you drive and the bigger your car {which ussually means it also has higher emisions} then the more you pay.

 

[k10ery]

^ That's true but a gas tax cannot be targetted at the time and place congestion is happening. A toll would make people pay to take up space on the expressways and slow other people down, when they could be taking GO. That seems completely fair to me.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

No one has to travel on a highway considering the alternative of using city roads. And the toll can be adjusted according to distance travelled on the expressway, as per 407.

gweed:

Any reasonable amount of tolling won't eliminate congestion anyways - the capacity is oversubscribed.

Keep in mind all this talk about additional revenue at a regional scale necessitates some kind of supra-regional governance structure, which is a huge problem.

AoD

 

[nfitz]

Keep in mind all this talk about additional revenue at a regional scale necessitates some kind of supra-regional governance structure, which is a huge problem.

Why? It already exists. Metrolinx.

And their plan to fund future projects includes the concept of "fair and equitable full-cost transportation pricing"

If Toronto doesn't utilize their recently won right of road tolling soon, I expect they will lose the opportunity.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

nfitz:

No authority to raise revenues, creature of the province, etc. It's not a supra-regional governance body - it toes the line from Queen's Park.

AoD

 

[k10ery]

Why? It already exists. Metrolinx.

And their plan to fund future projects includes the concept of "fair and equitable full-cost transportation pricing"

If Toronto doesn't utilize their recently won right of road tolling soon, I expect they will lose the opportunity.

Metrolinx is studying it but they don't have the political chops impose new taxes. Translink is set up better for this.

Toronto cannot impose a road toll without Queens Park signing off.

 

[nfitz]

Metrolinx is studying it but they don't have the political chops impose new taxes. Translink is set up better for this.

No, it would require an amendment to the Metrolinx Act

Toronto cannot impose a road toll without Queens Park signing off.

True ... well cabinet at least, wouldn't have to go through the legislatures. McGuinty went to a lot of trouble to put the enabling legislation for Toronto road tolling in the City of Toronto Act. It's not like they haven't been thinking about it.

 

[W. K. Lis]

From the TTC's website, at this link, if it doesn't disappear soon:

February 2010

The draft Environmental Assessment study for the Etobicoke-Finch West LRT project was approved by the Commission last December.

The study recommends the preferred alignment for the 17.2-km route from Finch Station on the Yonge-University-Spadina Subway to Hwy. 27 (Humber College). The LRT includes 30 stops, including two subway connections.

“The alignment goes from Finch Station, down the centre of Finch to Hwy. 27, where it turns south and into the area of Humber College Boulevard and enters Humber College,†said Rick Holli, Project Manager – Finch.

The Final Environment Project Report is scheduled to be completed and submitted to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) on March 23. There will be a 30-day public comment period, followed by a 35-day MOE review and decision period. The Ministry is scheduled to complete its assessment on May 31. If approved, construction would start in 2011.

Full funding for the Etobicoke-Finch West LRT was announced by Premier Dalton McGuinty on April 1, 2009

The construction for the Etobicoke-Finch West LRT could have started by the end of 2011. Instead, we got service reductions cross the entire network in the spring of 2011 by an anti-transit mayor and his henchmen & henchwomen, who still wants reductions in transit service.

 

[k10ery]

True ... well cabinet at least, wouldn't have to go through the legislatures. McGuinty went to a lot of trouble to put the enabling legislation for Toronto road tolling in the City of Toronto Act. It's not like they haven't been thinking about it.

Good point. But I guess he also took the trouble to make sure the Premier controls it through regulations. For example, how likely is it they'd approve Josh Matlow's idea of a road toll for non-residents only? Not likely (thank goodness).

 

[gweed123]

No, it would require an amendment to the Metrolinx Act

I wouldn't be surprised if this amendment were to be slipped in if McGuinty happens to win a majority (slim chance, looking most likely now like a minority). 5 years until the next election is forever in politics. If road tolls are implemented in the first couple of years, it'll be very hard for people to stay mad, especially if signifcant GO improvements happen during that time.

True ... well cabinet at least, wouldn't have to go through the legislatures. McGuinty went to a lot of trouble to put the enabling legislation for Toronto road tolling in the City of Toronto Act. It's not like they haven't been thinking about it.

At this point I think it's been politics. I know Metrolinx was looking at it in 2009 when they were looking at sources of funding. They decided to delay the talks for a couple years. If we get a stable (ie a majority) Liberal government, I'd expect it would be the politically optimal opportunity to open that discussion, because the fear of political reprisal would be lowest.

 

[MetroMan]

The momentum is building to resume Transit City. I say "resume" because it was never officially cancelled.

Councillor Augimeri rides the Finch bus to make a case for the Finch LRT. "It's time" she says.

[video=youtube;bDn4SStsKvA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDn4SStsKvA[/video]