North America is primarily designed for cars rather than pedestrians. Sidewalks are often interrupted by highways, and there are many areas dominated by fast food chains where people can easily park, purchase items, and return to their vehicles to enjoy a bite.
The high number of cars on the road leads to significant traffic congestion, such as the notorious Thanksgiving and Christmas jams on the Los Angeles freeways and similar situations across North America. Another example is an overwhelming 18-lane highway in Ontario, Canada, which is infamous for its miles-long lines. The proposed solution to this congestion is to build more highways with a twist: This time, they’ll go underground.
Highway 401. Highway 401 is a 514.5-mile-long highway stretching from Windsor, a Canadian city across from Detroit, to just outside Montreal. It passes through major cities like Toronto and close to Ottawa. Additionally, it’s considered the busiest highway in North America.
Traffic jam. The highway is essential for the work and business lives of Canadians and Americans. Some sections of the highway see an average of nearly half a million vehicles per day, making it busier than the Santa Monica Freeway. In fact, it’s fair to say that Highway 401 is Canada’s main transportation artery.
At one point in Toronto, the road expands to 18 lanes. As shown in the image below, 18 lanes are quite a lot. Despite efforts to address the issue, such as extending the highway in the Toronto metropolitan area and increasing the speed limit, sections of Highway 401 still face traffic jams daily. Canadian authorities have yet to find a permanent solution.
The widest point of the road.
A section of the road with fewer lanes.
The solution? Although there are planned construction sections, the Canadian government has proposed an alternative to further widen the road: creating a subway system alongside it. Ontario Premier Doug Ford recently introduced the idea, suggesting the construction of a tunnel for both drivers and public transport under the highway. According to Ford, this is expected to alleviate traffic congestion.
“This tunnel and expressway will cut gridlock, support economic growth, and help get people moving faster,” Ford said during a press conference in September. He also mentioned that a feasibility study is currently being conducted to determine the optimal length of the project based on cost. He added, “If they’re telling me 30 kilometers is X, 40 kilometers is Y, and 70 kilometers or 60 kilometers is another cost, let’s take a look at it. But we’re going to get the job done, mark my words.”
Digging tunnels. Ford’s comments about the project are intriguing. “Once a feasibility study comes back, then we’ll move it forward. I always believe, never take the tunneling machines out of the ground–just keep tunneling,” he said. During the press conference, the premier also used the opportunity to criticize the opposition, accusing them of trying to obstruct his plans.
If the tunnel is constructed, it’ll likely span 34 miles, making it one of the longest in the world. It’ll connect to other main roads in the Mississauga-Scarborough section and won’t have tolls. In September, Ford promised transparency regarding costs, although some have pointed out that this wasn’t the case with some of his previous projects.
Fierce criticism. “I know this is an ambitious idea and that some people will say it can’t be done or that we shouldn’t even try, but these are the same people who oppose every project... Every proposal to get people out of gridlock and get our province moving, they say no,” Ford said. In fact, the opposition has referred to the tunnel as “a fairy tale tunnel” and believes it will be costly for taxpayers.
Ford’s opponents have pointed to Boston’s Big Dig, which took 25 years to complete and faced delays and cost overruns, becoming the most expensive highway project in the U.S. When asked about this, Ford emphasized that the Ontario project won’t face the same issues, stating, “That’s not going to happen here. We’re experts at tunneling.”
Will this tunnel megaproject work? Time will tell. For now, the authorities’ determination to build more roads or widen existing ones with additional lanes is already causing concern among the Americans who use it. The Los Angeles Times questioned the logic of solving traffic jams by simply adding more lanes when the current lanes are already congested.
It’s well-known that adding more lanes often leads to more traffic jams. The Los Angeles Times delves into the complexities of this issue. On one hand, politicians are under pressure to address the traffic problem, while on the other hand, there are pressures from unions and construction companies that rely on these large-scale road projects to sustain jobs.
Ultimately, it’s a multifaceted issue. Moreover, it’s important to acknowledge that the desire for larger vehicles, despite their protective benefits for occupants, has consequences that negatively impact others.
Image | Dan Gold | Clashmaker| AlbertaScrambler
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