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Ford’s Ambitious Tunnel Highway Plan Faces Scrutiny
Premier Doug Ford’s proposal to construct a tunnelled highway is generating significant concern among experts and advocates due to its anticipated complexity and staggering projected costs, estimated potentially in the tens of billions of dollars.
On Wednesday, Ford introduced a plan to initiate an unspecified feasibility study aimed at determining the viability of building a new expressway beneath the congested lanes of Highway 401. The proposed route could extend from Mississauga and Brampton in the west to Markham and Scarborough in the east.
While the premier emphasized that this feasibility study will outline the project’s potential cost and scope, he assured that he intends to proceed with the project regardless of the study’s findings. This commitment has raised eyebrows, particularly for Jay Goldberg, Ontario director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
“My main concern is that the premier suggests conducting a feasibility study yet indicates a willingness to move forward with the project regardless of its findings,” Goldberg stated. “This approach is troubling for taxpayers.”
The financial implications of the tunnel proposal remain unclear, as the government has not disclosed the cost of the feasibility study pending the awarding of the contract for its execution. Ford claimed that the outcomes of this study would essentially dictate the overall financial requirements of the project.
There are limited directly comparable projects to gauge potential costs. For instance, Boston’s Big Dig, which involved a 2.5-kilometre tunnel, had expenditures nearing $8 billion, while a 3.2-kilometre tunnel in Seattle incurred costs of approximately $2.15 billion.
Insights into Regional Transit Costs
In Ontario, costs for transit infrastructure projects also remain high, regularly reaching hundreds of millions of dollars per kilometre. For example, a recently released report from the Toronto Region Board of Trade indicated that the Ontario Line and the Yonge Subway Extension are projected to cost about $700 million per kilometre, and the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is expected to be around $674 million per kilometre. The Scarborough Subway Extension is similarly anticipated to be priced at $600 million per kilometre.
Goldberg highlighted that the cost for constructing a tunnel under Highway 401 could exceed these estimates significantly. “When looking at comparable subway projects in New York City, for instance, costs are in the range of two to three billion dollars per mile. Given that the proposed Highway 401 tunnel could extend up to 33 miles, we’re potentially looking at expenditures surpassing $50 billion,” he noted.
Despite concerns over costs, some experts affirm that the project is technically feasible. However, the feasibility of a project does not necessarily justify its pursuit. “The reality is that almost any construction project is technically achievable,” stated Matti Siemiatycki, director of the infrastructure institute at the University of Toronto. “The more pressing question is not whether we can execute this project, but whether we should proceed given the potential astronomical costs and limited chances of effectively alleviating congestion.”
The Ford administration’s broader highway funding strategy also remains opaque. An allocation of $28 billion for highway expansions has been suggested, but specific details about how this budget will be distributed are not readily accessible. Ford committed to disclosing the costs related to the controversial Highway 413 project from Milton to Vaughan, with construction expected to commence next year, promising that these expenses would be made public following the awarding of construction contracts.
Goldberg expressed skepticism regarding the government’s track record on transit projects, particularly given recent overspending on initiatives managed by Metrolinx. “With the Ontario Line now 43 percent over budget—amounting to $16 billion—we have little confidence that a tunnelled highway will deliver value for taxpayers,” he remarked.
In a move to counter potential criticism of his plans, Ford portrayed his detractors as pessimists. “I recognize that this is an ambitious undertaking, and some will claim it’s impossible or inadvisable,” he asserted. “Yet, these are the same individuals who oppose every infrastructure effort, be it the expansion of Highway 413, the Bradford Bypass, or increasing our subway capacity.”
Siemiatycki warned of potential pitfalls in large-scale projects, citing instances like the Muskrat Falls hydro dam in Newfoundland, which eventually necessitated federal government intervention. “Projects that appear bold at the outset can deteriorate into costly failures over time,” he cautioned.
Source
globalnews.ca