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How different is a modern city in 2011 from one in 1911? It'll be at least that much different in 2111.

   

Different demographics and a noticable absence of horse drawn carriages?

   

That's exactly my point. In 100 years, "the city" has adapted to the automobile. 100 years from now it will have adapted to no longer having cars. I don't disagree with a lot of what Ford's planning to do in terms of cost-cutting. But his declaration that "the war against the automobile in Toronto is over" is galactically short-sighted.

   

Well, to be fair, that adaptation only took about 10-12 years.
Without an outright ban, I just don't foresee the day cities are free of personal mechanized transportation.

   

It only took 10 years to adapt to automobiles?


We shall see, but whatever that method of conveyance is, it won't be cars. To make cities MORE accomodating to automobile traffic is foolish.

   

You're extremely optimistic, to put it bluntly. So far, automobiles, trucks, and other modes of private motorized transporation are extremely important for workers, business owners, etc. Just jumping to the conclusion that cities will adapt to "no longer having cars" is a bit of a stretch, especially since horse drawn carriages and carts were in service for a few hundred years.


If you want to use the same logic over the switch from horse drawn carriages to motorized transportation, cars are just in their infancy of their utilization by the masses.

Oh, and even if you are right, that doesn't change the current reality that cars are dominating now. Trying to change how many people get around, by providing poor services to motorized transport is a galactic sized mistake as well, since hoping for some alternative 50 or 100 years from now doesn't change current realities.

   

The current reality that cars are dominating is leading to way long commutes.

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/transportation/article/787400--toronto-commuting-times-worst-of-19-major-cities-study-says Is that really working out that well?

(wiki) You really have room for all those extra cars those people will need if you continue to focus on cars for transportation?

I know, I know, if you could just get rid of the streetcars and bikes, everything would be golden.

   

Ahh, that's right. There's a problem with cars in the cities? Just ban them! No more traffic!

Guess what? So far, there is no major alternative for private transport except the automobile. Banning cars because the city won't cope with infrastructure changes is just...rather silly, no?

   

Arguing is easy if you just make shit up - where did I write about banning cars?

The city won't cope with infrastructure changes? Won't? Just holding it's breath til it turns blue? You have some scheme how to accomodate ever more cars in the same space, genius? You should let cities across the world know about it, since they all struggle with this question. You'd win a prize for sure.


Toronto’s Traffic Time Bomb http://www.torontolife.com/features/monster-jam/

Traffic jams cost Toronto $3.3B per year: OECD http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2009/11/10/oecd-traffic.html

   

works for you, so turn about seems to be fair play.

   

I put that bit in just for you!

   

Time to wake up.

This is Canada. It snows. It's cold in the winter.

It makes no sense to build infrastructure for a tiny group of people who can only use that infrastructure for 6 months out of the year. Sure, be bike friendly, make trails but stop closing down car lanes for bike lanes.

Creating transit is a great idea. Street cars are a bad idea, regardless of how you spin it or if you call it "Light Rail".

Toronto is an old City with congested roads and the amount of cars is only going to INCREASE. Removing lanes for bikes and using another for street cars just doesn't make sense.

   

To think that cars won't be around in 100 years is naive at best, considering the business and transport use alone. I think we will see an end to gasoline based vehicles during that time but the car will be far from gone.

The Greater Toronto Area is bursting at the seams. We can't move people from Durham or Mississauga to Toronto fast enough with transit so many take the car.

Unless the GTA adopts some massive transit plans over the next 20 years, the roads are only going to get worse as areas outside the GTA expand and there's no transit to serve them.

   

I agree with OTI. Losing lanes to bikes is silly. As he pointed out, 4-5 months of the year the weather is totally shite. Toronto should have built a decent underground decades ago but didn't. When I go into TO, I use the Go Train which is quick and semi-convenient. Driving is a pain in the arse but it is in any large city. Such is life.

Ford's 'end of the war on the car' is the right way to go. For far too long the city has been led by the lefty elite espousing wind farms, solar power and bike lanes. None of which are either economically prudent or a good use of scant resources.


It's the same mantra with the provincial Liberals and their 'green' energy plan which entails giving Samsung billions of tax payers money and jacking up all our hydro bills.

Ford is closing down a hobby farm, looking and cuts to services we can no longer afford or fund. Dozens of 'special' interest groups will have their funding cut, the free ride some have been on for years is over.

   

Maybe they need bike tunnels!

   

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