The Gardiner gridlock has become a horror show, the city has the data to prove it

Content of the article

The numbers back up what everyone felt – the Gardiner gridlock was a horror show.

Content of the article

New data released Thursday by Geotab Intelligent Transportations Systems confirmed that travel times have skyrocketed since construction closures began.

Journeys now take up to 250% longer during the morning rush hour than before construction. The afternoon rush hour takes 230% longer. Commercial drivers spend 80% more time on the road. And travel times increased by 43% on the main parallel routes.

These numbers are staggering, but unfortunately not surprising.

For many commuters who have no other options, this means losing precious time with loved ones. Literally hours of the day that disappear and are completely exhausted when you finally get home.

As a city councilor, I have been inundated with stories from people sharing their frustration and anger at the lax approach to Gardiner construction.

Content of the article

Content of the article

I heard from a new mother who returned to work after maternity leave and her commute times doubled. Now she finds herself spending an extra two hours each day stuck in traffic instead of staying at home with her one-year-old.

I spoke with an owner-operator of a logistics company who indicated that his costs have increased and margins have decreased, consuming more fuel and losing hours due to congestion.

This is not just an inconvenience; it has a profound impact on the productivity and lives of ordinary people who have to earn a living.

The only thing slower than the traffic is City Hall’s glacial response to fixing this mess.

Two weeks ago, the council passed my motion to take action to expedite the rebuilding of the Gardiner.

Content of the article

But there has been radio silence from the mayor since that council meeting. Meetings with international technical experts were promised, but did anything materialize? Meanwhile, we have GTA-based telematics firm Geotab right next door, which could provide traffic management with data, useful information and recommendations to increase efficiency – but the city seems content to wait.

We are not seeing any progress or action to try to expedite this work and fix the issues. Delays continue, problems worsen and commuters continue to suffer.

We can no longer afford to accept apologies. It’s time for the city to stop making promises and start acting.

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

We apologize, but this video did not load.

Play video

In order to expedite the rebuilding of the Gardiner, we must explore all available options. My motion called for 24/7 construction and to look at technologies like prefab, off-site assembly and other approaches that can help speed up that process.

Content of the article

We should use every tool possible to minimize disruption, reduce delays and get the job done faster.

This includes looking at opening parallel routes that have now been completely overwhelmed by additional demand and reduced capacity.

With a mayor who has taken a no-holds-barred approach to traffic management, Torontonians are suffering as the city continues with lane restrictions and major construction on Lake Shore, King, Adelaide and Queen at the same time as the Gardiner rebuild gets underway. It makes east-west travel through the city center impossible.

It’s not just people who are blocked every day. It is also about our economy. Congestion costs Toronto more than $11 billion every year and this is only adding to it. Trucks full of goods are stuck on the freeway and our economic productivity decreases with so much time wasted commuting.

Content of the article

Every day that construction delays continue, we see lost productivity, increased emissions and a decline in the overall quality of life for Torontonians.

We can’t say we don’t know about the problem. This new data makes everything clear, and we should use this data, AI and whatever analytics we can find to make decisive decisions and move forward with the speed and urgency this problem requires.

For too many people, it feels like the city has given up. The prevailing attitude among elected officials is that construction is painful and you should just hurry up and wait. I do not accept this and believe that – given the stakes for our economy and the impact on quality of life – every step must be taken to speed up timelines, improve coordination, restore road capacity and minimize downtown chaos. No more excuses and delays.

Let’s hold the city accountable, demand action, and work together to accelerate the rebuilding of the Gardiner. Goods and services have to move – and so do you.

— Bradford is the city councilor for Ward 19 (Beaches–East York).

Content of the article