Construction work on Hwy 413 has officially commenced, with the premier estimating a reduction of 30 minutes in travel times upon completion.
In a recent announcement, Premier Doug Ford revealed the awarding of two contracts for the construction of Highway 413, a 52-kilometre stretch of road that will connect Highway 401 in Mississauga to Highway 400 in Vaughan. However, details about the contracts, cost, and opening date have yet to be disclosed.
The project, expected to lead travel times up to 30 minutes per trip, has been met with mixed reactions. Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria defended the project, stating that it will enable more workers to get to work quicker and faster. On the other hand, Green Party leader Mike Schreiner criticised the Highway 413 project, arguing that it will only fuel more sprawl and pollution while destroying the wetlands that protect against flooding and the farmland that feeds the population.
The New Democrat Leader, Marit Stiles, suggested removing tolls from Highway 407, but Premier Ford rejected the idea, stating that doing so on the provincially owned eastern leg of the highway has resulted in traffic jams at times. Ford also asserted that the Highway 413 project is essential to boost the economy, reduce gridlock that costs billions of dollars a year in lost productivity, and will 'help us stand up to President Trump' in the trade war with the United States.
However, Ford's statement about President Trump is considered a stretch by some, as it is unclear how the Highway 413 project would help in this regard. The Liberal transportation critic, Andrea Hazell, criticised the lack of information on timelines and the price tag for the Highway 413 project, adding that every major infrastructure project under the current government has gone over budget.
The construction contracts for Highway 413 include the resurfacing of Highway 10 in preparation for a future bridge over Highway 413 and upgrades at the intersection of the Highway 401 and 407 interchanges, where Highway 413 will begin its route to the northeast.
Meanwhile, the Liberal transportation critic has pointed to the Eglinton Crosstown transit line and the ongoing renovation of the Macdonald Block civil service headquarters as examples of projects that have faced challenges under the current government.
In response to questions about the highway's budget and time frame for completion, Transportation Minister Sarkaria evaded providing specific answers, stating that more information will be released in the next few days. The Green Party leader, Mike Schreiner, continues to criticise the Highway 413 project, calling it a reckless and costly plan that will not solve gridlock.
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