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Wednesday October 2, 2024

October 2, 2024 by Graeme MacKay

Doug Ford’s proposal to build a tunnel under the 401 is an impractical, costly distraction that would worsen traffic congestion instead of solving it, diverting attention from more effective solutions like public transit investments.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday October 2, 2024 (also published in the Toronto Star)

Animated making-of clip here!

Doug Ford’s 401 Tunnel: A Far-Fetched Fantasy That Deserves to Be Shut Down

Political blame games and distractions from leaders like Justin Trudeau and Doug Ford are stalling any real progress on Canada's housing crisis, which requires bold government intervention rather than market-driven tweaks.

September 27, 2024

Premier Doug Ford has once again put forward a grandiose idea, this time proposing a tunnel beneath Highway 401 to address Toronto’s infamous traffic congestion. On paper, it may sound like a bold, out-of-the-box solution. But let’s not kid ourselves — this tunnel plan is nothing more than a fantasy. It should be stopped in its tracks before any serious time, money, or energy is wasted on what would inevitably become Ontario’s most expensive and disruptive boondoggle.

Traffic congestion in and around Toronto is undeniably a major problem. Every day, commuters spend countless hours crawling through the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), their lives eaten away by the city’s overwhelming gridlock. And yes, solutions are desperately needed to tackle this growing crisis. But a 50-kilometre tunnel under one of the busiest highways in North America is not the solution — in fact, it’s a laughable idea.

Globe & Mail Editorial: Doug Ford is driving Ontario down the wrong road

May 12, 2022

Let’s start with the basics. Shutting down the 401, even temporarily, would create a logistical nightmare. This isn’t just a highway — it’s the main artery of Ontario’s road system, carrying millions of vehicles every week. Any construction work, let alone digging a multi-billion-dollar tunnel beneath it, would cause absolute chaos. Traffic would be forced onto already congested side roads and highways, exacerbating an already dire situation. And for what? A project that, even if completed, would likely create more problems than it solves.

The reality is that this tunnel wouldn’t alleviate congestion; it would induce more traffic. It’s simple economics — add more road space, and more cars will come. We’ve seen this happen time and again. From the Gardiner Expressway to the Don Valley Parkway, expanding capacity doesn’t ease traffic; it encourages more drivers to hit the road, creating more gridlock in the long run. This tunnel would do the same, all while bleeding the province of billions of taxpayer dollars.

October 30, 2001

Even if Ford could magically snap his fingers and build the tunnel overnight, it still wouldn’t address the core issue: Toronto’s over-reliance on cars. More cars on more roads won’t solve the problem. What we need are smarter, more sustainable solutions that focus on reducing the number of vehicles on the road, not increasing them.
There are countless alternatives Ford could pursue that don’t involve digging a tunnel beneath the 401. Investing in better public transit, for one, would have a far more meaningful impact. Expanding and modernizing the transit system — projects like the Eglinton East LRT or the Waterfront East LRT — could move thousands of people more efficiently, easing road congestion without the need for more highways. These are real, tangible solutions with existing business cases that simply need funding.

Toronto Star Editorial: Doug Ford’s tunnel fantasy gives politics a bad name

May 30, 2003

Ford could also consider measures like road tolls, congestion pricing, or policies that incentivize fewer cars on the road. These ideas may be less flashy than a massive tunnel, but they are effective. Major cities around the world, from London to Singapore, have seen significant reductions in traffic thanks to congestion pricing. Toronto could follow suit, but that would require serious, hard work — something Ford’s tunnel fantasy allows him to sidestep.

More frustratingly, Ford’s tunnel proposal is a massive distraction from the other pressing issues Ontario faces. While the premier was out selling this fantastical idea, the province’s healthcare system continues to suffer from severe underfunding, hallway medicine persists, and students are stuck in crumbling schools. Housing is increasingly unaffordable, and social services are stretched to their limits. Yet instead of addressing these crises, Ford is focused on selling us a tunnel to nowhere.

At best, Ford’s tunnel plan is a misguided attempt to appeal to voters frustrated by traffic. At worst, it’s a cynical distraction — a shiny object meant to pull focus away from his government’s failures in health, education, housing, and the environment. Either way, this tunnel must never be allowed to leave the drawing board.

Doug Ford may pride himself on being a man of big ideas, but sometimes the biggest ideas are also the worst. And this 401 tunnel is one of the worst. Instead of wasting time and resources on a pipe dream that would lead to more traffic and more problems, Ford should focus on real, actionable solutions that benefit everyone, not just drivers. Let’s hope this tunnel gets buried before it ever gets dug. (AI)

 

Posted in: Ontario Tagged: 2024-18, 401, animated, buzz lightyear, cars, congestion, Doug Ford, highway, Jules verne, Ontario, science fiction, traffic, Transit, transportation, tunnel

Thursday November 29, 2018

December 6, 2018 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday November 29, 2018

A global shift toward electric vehicles is well underway, experts say

When General Motors cited plans to pivot toward electric and autonomous vehicle production as a key reason it had decided to mothball its Oshawa assembly plant, the company was talking about a future that many Canadians didn’t recognize.

August 4, 2017

But experts say the auto industry’s seismic shift away from the traditional internal combustion engine is already well underway.

“Pretty much every manufacturer’s making some decision and financial commitment to what the vehicle of the future is going to look like,” said David Adams, president and CEO of Global Automakers of Canada, an umbrella industry association that represents BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche, and Volkswagen.

“Our members, all of them look at … decarbonized transportation as what the future is going to be.”

In a news release Monday, GM said it would cease current operations in Oshawa, as well as four plants in the U.S., by the end of 2019. The company said the decision would save it $6 billion, and enable it to double investment in its electric and autonomous vehicle programs in the next two years.

July 17, 2009

According to Adams full automation of vehicles is likely still “decades away.”

But electric vehicles — either battery electric or plug-in hybrids — make up a small but rapidly growing share of the market. As of December, 1.4 per cent of all vehicles sold in Canada were electric, according to FleetCarma, a technology consultant firm, and there were just under 50,000 of the vehicles on Canada’s roads.

However, the number of electric vehicles sold last year increased 68 per cent compared to the year before. The 18,560 plug-in vehicles that drivers bought in 2017 represented a fivefold increase compared to sales in 2013.

The GM-made Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid, was the hottest seller in Canada last year, followed by the Chevrolet Bolt, a battery electric vehicle. GM announced this week it would discontinue the Volt as the company prioritizes battery electric vehicles. (Source: Toronto Star) 

 

Posted in: International, Ontario Tagged: autos, cars, clean, dirty, electric, energy, fossil fuels, gas, gasoline, GM, innovation, Ontario, transportation

Tuesday November 27, 2018

December 4, 2018 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday November 27, 2018

USMCA not to blame for GM plant closures, but it’s killing all hope of exporting from North America

U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policies were likely just one factor among many that contributed to General Motors’ decision to shutter multiple plants in the U.S. and one in Oshawa in Ontario, analysts say.

April 29, 2009

But the closures will undoubtedly sharpen scrutiny of the White House’s “America First” trade agenda — a strategy aimed at preserving jobs in traditional industries through controversial measures including steel and aluminum tariffs that have ultimately squeezed automakers, analysts say.

“Only a few months ago GM said that the Trump tariffs were costing a billion dollars but they were going to wait until after the mid-term elections to take action,” said Dennis DesRosiers, president of DesRosiersAutomotive Consultants. “It is now past the elections and they are taking action. Partial blame for this goes to Trump and his isolationist policies. It is much bigger than U.S. politics, but it certainly is part of the issue.”

January 13, 2009

GM will shutter its factory in Oshawa as part of a global restructuring as the company shifts to manufacturing electric and autonomous vehicles. The move will see 2,973 jobs cut by the end of 2019 at the Oshawa plant, which has been in operation since 1953. The Detroit firm will also slash a total of 6,705 jobs at plants located in Warren, Ohio; White Marsh, Md; and two facilities in Michigan.

Other Canadian manufacturing facilities in St. Catharines and Ingersoll, Ont. will not be affected.

“Trade headwinds” and, in particular, Trump’s tariffs of 25 per cent on imported steel and 10 per cent on aluminum, have also been identified as a key business challenge by more than one automaker as they attempt to make difficult transitions in their product lines and operations. In September, executives at Ford Motor Co. blamed the tariffs for taking US$1 billion out of company profits. (Source: Financial Post)


“I honestly don’t think Trump devotees will mind that autoworkers are losing their jobs.”

Posted in: Canada, USA Tagged: auto, automobile, Canada, cars, corporation, Daily Cartoonist, General Motors, GM, MAGA, Make America Great Again, manufacturing, Oshawa, restructuring, USA

Tuesday January 5, 2016

January 4, 2016 by Graeme MacKay
Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Tuesday January 5, 2016 New pedestrian crossover, student crossing rules require drivers to wait New provincial legislation is now in place that will impact you on the road Ñ and on foot. It's now mandatory for drivers and cyclists to stop for the entire time it takes a pedestrian to navigate a crossover or a school crossing with a guard. Drivers could be fined up to $500 for disobeying the new rules, and they could also lose three demerit points. Ontario Provincial Police Sergeant Carolle Dionne said enforcement will be stepped up to make sure the laws are being followed. "We are committed to using the new laws as an enhanced deterrent in reducing pedestrian-related injuries and fatalities," she told CBC News. "We investigate so many of these each year and it's important that we keep our pedestrians safer." Dionne said road safety is a shared responsibility Ñ and pedestrians, drivers and cyclists need to be courteous to each other, and share the road. Pedestrians have a role in making sure the new laws are enforced properly. Dionne said they need to make sure "that, when they do decide to start crossing, they don't start crossing when the lights are flashing, [and] don't walk or cross at a red light. They have a big role to play in their personal safety as well." The new law applies to crossovers and school crossings where there is a guard. Crossovers are not the same as a crosswalks. They are marked by specific signs, overhead lights, and push buttons. (Source: CBC News) http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/pedestrian-crossover-rules-opp-1.3388949 Ontario, safety, road, pedestrian, cars, drivers, transportation, streets, signs, bull, fighting, bullfighting

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday January 5, 2016

New pedestrian crossover, student crossing rules require drivers to wait

New provincial legislation is now in place that will impact you on the road — and on foot.

It’s now mandatory for drivers and cyclists to stop for the entire time it takes a pedestrian to navigate a crossover or a school crossing with a guard.

Thursday, February 27, 2014Drivers could be fined up to $500 for disobeying the new rules, and they could also lose three demerit points.

Ontario Provincial Police Sergeant Carolle Dionne said enforcement will be stepped up to make sure the laws are being followed.

“We are committed to using the new laws as an enhanced deterrent in reducing pedestrian-related injuries and fatalities,” she told CBC News.

“We investigate so many of these each year and it’s important that we keep our pedestrians safer.”

Dionne said road safety is a shared responsibility — and pedestrians, drivers and cyclists need to be courteous to each other, and share the road.

Pedestrians have a role in making sure the new laws are enforced properly. Dionne said they need to make sure “that, when they do decide to start crossing, they don’t start crossing when the lights are flashing, [and] don’t walk or cross at a red light. They have a big role to play in their personal safety as well.”

The new law applies to crossovers and school crossings where there is a guard.

Crossovers are not the same as a crosswalks. They are marked by specific signs, overhead lights, and push buttons. (Source: CBC News)

 

Posted in: Ontario Tagged: bull, bullfighting, cars, drivers, fighting, Ontario, pedestrian, road, safety, signs, streets, transportation

Saturday, December 13, 2014

December 12, 2014 by Graeme MacKay

Saturday, December 13, 2014Councillors want to end bus-only lane now

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday, December 13, 2014

Councillors want to give motorists and merchants an optional bus lane for Christmas.

The city created a three-kilometre dedicated transit lane on King Street more than a year ago to test-drive rapid transit along the busy corridor.

The contentious experiment, slated to end in October, has been prolonged because council won’t get a chance to see detailed results until January — and lane markings can’t be removed until the snow disappears.

But several politicians are ready to effectively kill the unpopular bus-only lane now by ending enforcement against drivers who ignore the vehicle ban.

“I don’t think it’s a stretch to say it appeared to be a colossal failure from the outset,” said Coun. Chad Collins, who urged colleagues Monday to give unhappy King Street merchants an “early Christmas present.”

Collins said he’ll introduce a motion Wednesday at general issues committee to make the bus-only lane “nonenforceable” until council makes a final pronouncement on the experiment in January.

Council would have to formally sign off on the idea next week, but city staff appeared resigned to the possibility.

Public works head Gerry Davis said transportation planners would work with the councillor to explore methods to “safely” allow car traffic back into a lane that will still be marked as bus-only. That could include covering overhead signs and asking police to refrain from enforcing the rules.

Joseph Chatelain, general manager at Papagayo Restaurant, said he’ll cheer any move toward ending the project, particularly if it helps salvage the holiday season.

“I’d like it gone completely, but we’ll take whatever help we can get,” said Chatelain, who ideally would like parking to return along the right-hand lane in front of the long-standing restaurant. “It’s hurt us from Day 1. Our takeout service has gone down to nothing.” (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Posted in: Hamilton Tagged: Bus Lane, cars, gas, Hamilton, HSR, prices, Transit
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