USE HIGHWAY 407 TO EASE TRAFFIC WOES

Premier Doug Ford raised some eyebrows recently when he talked about highways, and actually made a lot of sense.

That's not what we've become accustomed to hearing from the premier in this area. He seems bound and determined to build new highways wherever he can, no matter the financial cost and environmental consequences.

But when it comes to Highway 407, the underused, mostly private toll route across the northern GTA, Ford hit the bullseye.

"I would never have sold it," he said. "What did they sell it for, $3 billion? And it's worth, what, $20 billion now? So I don't believe in selling off toll roads."

It was a Progressive Conservative government, the one led by Mike Harris, that sold off the highway for what we can now see amounted to a handful of beans.

But never mind. Ford wasn't part of that government and it's a long time ago. The essential point is that even a PC premier can now see the folly of selling a valuable public asset for far below its long-term worth.

Too bad, though, that the premier hasn't made a connection between the problems with Highway 407 and his own plans to build yet another multi-lane route across the northern fringes of the GTA, Highway 413, or as it's formally known, the GTA West Corridor.

There are alternatives to an expensive new highway through farmland and environmentally sensitive areas.

One of the most obvious alternatives is making more efficient use of Highway 407, which is notable for two things — very high tolls and a striking shortage of traffic.

One idea, supported by the advocacy group Transport Action Ontario, is for the government to encourage trucks to use Highway 407 by paying their tolls. The group estimates that would divert up to 21,000 trucks a day, at a cost of some $4 billion over 30 years.

That sounds like a lot, but it's a considerably less than the $10 billion or so the new Highway 413 will cost taxpayers. That's a rough number because the government itself won't even give an estimate of the cost.

A government that had the public interest in mind — especially one that knows the owners of Highway 407 got a very sweet deal — would be prepared to put a lot of pressure on those owners to make better use of their route.

Taxpayers got hosed when Highway 407 was sold off. But it can now be part of a solution that would prevent more billions going on a highway that isn't needed. he can do anything he wants. Syria, Crimea are examples.

I am not being critical of our Western leaders. I have no idea how I would react if I were in their position. Nor do I know how an increasingly isolationist America would react if a NATO nation was attacked. Treaties are made to be broken.

Vladimir thanks for creating so much uncertainty in the world now and in the future. test shot which precedes the blaring five-minute 'show' startles me every time I hear it. The past two years have been wonderful for the residents because there were no fireworks. All winter I look forward to having the windows on my house open during the summer and now I will have to close them just before 10 p.m. to lessen the racket.

The NPC claims they have to maintain a balance between tourism, jobs and the local citizens. Well, where is the balance when the fireworks are blasted off seven days a week? A proper balance would be three or four nights a week. Years ago, the fireworks occurred just on weekends, now it is nightly. People come to Niagara Falls to see the falls, not for the fireworks .... and yes, fireworks are toxic to air, water and soil.