Roads: Ontario/GTA Highways Discussion

[gweed123]

Yes I found it odd that the 412 and 418 were tolled.

The 407 is a toll road, no question thats its purpose. It is an alternative to another highway (401)

But the 412/418 will be like the 427/404, etc in coming years.

That being said im pro-toll for the DVP and Gardiner. But thats due to Toronto being a mega city that has limited space for the density of population. People should be incentivized to take GO into toronto and the money from those tolls should go directly to improving GO.

The 412/418 is a ruralish area, its different.

Agreed completely. Tolls should only be implemented for 3 reasons:

1) To create a congestion-free (or less congested) alternative to an existing route that is experiencing congestion.
2) To help cover the costs of a big-ticket piece of infrastructure (ex: Confederation Bridge).
3) To help shift demand to alternative modes of transportation.

The 407 is clearly #1. Tolls on the DVP & Gardiner would be #3 (which I support).

While the 412 and 418 were by no means cheap, I don't think that rural highways that are each 10-15km long qualify as truly "big ticket items". Removing tolls off those highways would shift traffic from collectors and arterial roads onto the freeway network, which I would say is a good thing.

 

[Haljackey]

Perhaps tolls could come off the 412 and 418 once they are paid for +50 years maintaince costs. That way they would be revenue neutral and the money maker would be 407E for the province.

 

[W. K. Lis]

From link.

The Burlington Skyway opened on Oct. 30, 1958. To defray the $17-million cost of construction, drivers were charged 15 cents per trip, trucks with two axles or cars with trailers, 25 cents, and trucks with three or more axles, 45 cents. An automated system of dropping coins (or a token) into a metal collector bin was abandoned in 1964 because too many drivers were missing the bin. A toll was collected until 1973.

The Garden City Skyway is a major high-level bridge located in St. Catharines and Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, that allows the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) to cross the Welland Canal without the interruption of a lift bridge. Six lanes of traffic are carried across the bridge, which is 2.2 kilometres (1.4 mi)[2] in length and 40 metres (130 ft) at its tallest point. It is the tallest and largest single structure along the entire QEW; the Burlington Bay James N. Allan Skyway, which is also part of the QEW, is actually two separate and smaller four-lane bridge

Construction began in January 1960, with the main span crossing the Welland Canal hoisted into place in July of that same year. The bridge was open to traffic on October 18, 1963. During construction, the bridge was referred to as the Homer Skyway, taking its name from the lift bridge that the new skyway was to replace. Upon dedication, the bridge was officially named the Garden City Skyway, using the nickname of St. Catharines, "Canada's Garden City."

Tolls were charged on the bridge until 1973.

From 1958 to 1973 is 15 years of collecting tolls. Highway 407 opened in 1997. Think it is more than 15 years.

 

[kali]

From link.







From 1958 to 1973 is 15 years of collecting tolls. Highway 407 opened in 1997. Think it is more than 15 years.

And way higher rates than the other highway charged.

 

[innsertnamehere]

And way higher rates than the other highway charged.

They toll was $0.15 in 1958, or $1.36 today with inflation.

As the bridge is about 3km long, that works out to about $0.45 cents per km.

This is significantly higher than the 407 east, and only slightly lower than the 407ETR peak rates.

 

[kali]

They toll was $0.15 in 1958, or $1.36 today with inflation.

As the bridge is about 3km long, that works out to about $0.45 cents per km.

This is significantly higher than the 407 east, and only slightly lower than the 407ETR peak rates.

Ah okay, I knew I would trip over the inflation.

 

[Isotack]

They toll was $0.15 in 1958, or $1.36 today with inflation.

As the bridge is about 3km long, that works out to about $0.45 cents per km.

This is significantly higher than the 407 east, and only slightly lower than the 407ETR peak rates.

You're comparing a toll from 50 years ago ...on a bridge that unless you are completely lost...you would likely pay twice per day? To a highway which is over 100km long? So if you took the highway for a typical trip, and no it's not 3 km...that's your toll justification? Now I've heard everything...lol

 

[Deadpool X]

Aren't bridges lot more costly to construct than highways?

 

[Leo_Chan]

Aren't bridges lot more costly to construct than highways?

I think that was the idea decades ago. However, since land prices have increased, more bridges for elevated (or tunneled) ramps are cheaper than using more land for highways.

 

[Haljackey]

427 extension progress

 

[kamira51]

427 extension progress

Looking great sofar

 

[terag51]

Very exciting news about the Bradford Bypass!:

One year later: Work on the Bradford Bypass project commences

Almost one year after she and Doug Ford made the official announcement on reinstating the Bradford Bypass project, Caroline Mulroney shares an update with our political affairs columnist, Jonathan Scott

www.bradfordtoday.ca

 

[anb]

This might be a dumb question, but do go buses get to ride the 407E for free? I know it isn’t the case for the main private 407 ETR, but the eastern extension is owned by the government so it should be right?

 

[ARG1]

This might be a dumb question, but do go buses get to ride the 407E for free? I know it isn’t the case for the main private 407 ETR, but the eastern extension is owned by the government so it should be right?

Yes, it wouldn't make much sense if a crown corporation had to pay itself to use a highway.

 

[Deadpool X]

I think that was the idea decades ago. However, since land prices have increased, more bridges for elevated (or tunneled) ramps are cheaper than using more land for highways.

I am comparing Skyway and 407 for the purpose of tolls. Wasn't 407 built on virgin land? Per km toll looks a lot more for an open highway like that with only 4-5 big interchanges.