Congestion already costs Toronto drivers time and money. Here’s how tolls could help


There are no plans for congestion or tolls in Toronto.

The current Ontario government has made it clear that it will not allow a tax or a new toll on any road in the province, and the city also did not explore the strategy.

But if Toronto takes the resolution of the congestion crisis seriously, which costs the Metropolitan Area of ​​Toronto and Hamilton (GTHA) more than $ 44 billion a year in economic and social value, some experts say that dependent road charges They are an inevitable piece of puzzle.

“The demand continues to increase, but the space to build infrastructure,” said Baher Abdulhai, professor of engineering at the University of Toronto who specializes in smart transport systems.

“Congestion price is a form of ration demand.”

The final part of the three -parts series of CBC Toronto is blocked: the exit explores why congestion prices and tolls are so deeply unpopular in ontarium, despite helping to relieve traffic in other important cities.

Matti Siestycki, director of the Infrastructure Institute of the University of Toronto, says that drivers are already paying for congestion. (Presented by Matti Siestycki)

And drivers can already be paying for congestion in one way or another.

“They are paying him in his time,” said Matti Siestycki, director of the Infrastructure Institute of the University of Toronto.

“They are paying it with frustration, and they are paying it because all the goods and services that we all consume more here due to how long it takes to move and that those goods are delivered.”

Siemiatycki believes that part of the reason why Ontario drivers are against congestion prices is this mentality: I already pay the infrastructure, such as roads, through my taxes, so they don’t charge me again.

Look | Why some experts say that congested prices are inevitable:

Would you pay for less traffic? Some experts say you are already

In the third and last part of the CBC series Toronto Gridlocked: The Way Out, Angelina King of CBC explores the controversial position of congestion and why some experts say it is necessary.

Because of that, and because people see charges as punishments, it makes people overcome these obstacles, according to psychologist Taryn Grianer.

“If it is presented as if it will benefit them in some way, then it can be seen as a punishment less, but that would be difficult to do,” he said.

So how have the congestion price worked in other places?

The mayor of London re -elected after congestion congestion

Mark Watts was a senior transport advisor of the then mayor of London Ken Livingstone when he introduced a congestion charge in the city center in 2003. Livingstone was re -elected in 2004.

Man stopped in front of a mural.
Mark Watts was the former transport advisor of former mayor of London Ken Livingstone when he implemented a congestion charge in the city center in 2003. (Sent by C40)

“The week before the congestion price arrived, more people opposed him who supported him,” Watts said. “Two weeks after it was introduced, flying greatly, two thirds of people thought it was a good idea.”

The reason? Watts says it worked.

Reduced the congestion by 30 percent in the nucleus, he said, and in a few years he led to an increase of almost 40 percent in buse passengers due to the investments that the city had made The bus system in advance.

“Critically, we had spent three years investing in the alternatives,” said Watts, who is now executive director of C-40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, a global network of mayors who works to reduce emissions.

Bus enters the congestion load zone in London.
Watts says that London spent three years making investments in the city’s bus system before implementing a congestion charge in 2003, which made the bus service more reliable. (Alastair Grant/The Associated Press)

“What the position of congestion in itself was to make these bus services work, because before … it was a bad choice to use a bus. He only used it if he had to do it because it was very unreliable.”

Need for attractive public transport

The availability of reliable public transport It is a big difference between Toronto and cities such as London, Stockholm and Singapore, which have been successful with the congestion prices they have had in their place for years.

Man standing on a podium.
Giles Gherson, president of the Board of Commerce of the Toronto region, says that the city needs better traffic options before imposing a congestion price policy. (Commerce Board of the Toronto Region)

“It is very difficult to charge people to drive their cars if they do not have an option,” said Giles Gherson, president of the Toronto Region Board.

“You probably can’t do it until at least the ontarium line is built.”

Until then, there are other short -term solutions to help relieve congestion, he says. CBC Toronto explored those of the second part of this series.

A sign that reads the congestion price is next to a busy road from Manhattan.
The New York City Congestion Price Program to charge drivers to enter the Central Business District in Manhattan below 60 Street began on January 5. (Adam Gray/Reuters)

Earlier this month, New York became the first city of North America to implement congestion prices for vehicles entering the Manhattan Central Business District. It costs most drivers $ 9 USA. To enter the area during peak hours, rates that will be put to improve public transport.

Travel times dropped 7.5 percent compared to the same time last year, according to preliminary data on the first week of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority program.

The province would have to sign at congestion prices

The City Council of Toronto tried to paste the Gardiner Highway and Don Valley Parkway at the end of 2016. But Kathleen Wynne, the Prime Minister of Contario, refused to approve the plan, citing a lack of transit alternatives.

More recently, the City Council considered the possibility of a congestion charge in 2023. But it decided not to pursue it, partly because it would require provincial approval.

When asked if Toronto could visit the idea once again that a better traffic and construction management is instead, its traffic management director said that, as an engineer, he never rules out anything.

“Yes and when that moment comes, we will definitely see it again to see if it makes sense,” said Roger Browne.

Man in suit in front of the screen.
Roger Browne, director of Traffic Management at Toronto, says that he will not rule out the revision of congestion prices in the future after implementing other solutions. (Paul Borkwood/CBC)

In a statement, the Office of the Ontario Transport Minister made it clear that this provincial government would never approve the congestion prices.

“We are still focused on building the critical infrastructure we need, including almost $ 100 billion for new roads and traffic to take people where they need to go every day,” said spokesman Dakota Berda.

Despite not having congestion price plans in the short term, Watts said Toronto should not be afraid of the idea.

“I have seen everyone try other things. The only thing, once their city has reached a certain level of congestion, which can prevent people who do not need to drive lead to the price so that the alternatives become more attractive.”



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