This week U of T News continues its discussion on “The Future of Transit” with an interview with Eric Miller sharing his expert opinion on how to unclog the streets and get people moving in the GTA. Professor Miller points to progress being made on projects like the Eglinton Crosstown and new streetcars that will provide congestion relief in the relative short term but believes more could be done. Improvements to the speed and reliability of transit, like signal prioritization, will encourage more people to leave their cars. Walking is also part of the solution; many people both live and work downtown and the City of Toronto’s plan is to develop more mixed-use, walkable communities.
But we need to remember and consider that some people have very long commutes, fewer options and cannot imagine how transit would work for them. We also need to realize that a vibrant, thriving city will always have congestion. With both short term action and longer-term plans we can reduce congestion back to the point where it is tolerable. However, these transit plans require long-term, sensible, stable funding. We pay for everything else we use everyday; we need to have a sensible conversation about paying for transit.