December 15, 2006

Roadbuilding

More HOV lanes good for builders, commuters

BRIAN BAKER

staff writer

More High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes are expected over the next year, as Ontario celebrates one year of opening the first provincial HOV lanes, but it is neglecting the poorly under-funded municipal roads.

Rob Bradford, Executive Director, Ontario Road Builders’ Association was enthusiastic about the possibility of more road construction, stressing the need to meet capacity a must, but he was concerned over the lack of funding for municipal infrastructure.

“Obviously we’re putting more lanes on the highway, we’re increasing highway capacity and that’s a good thing,” says Bradford.

A multi-year effort to add HOV lanes on Highway 400, along the entire Barrie-Toronto corridor has been hinted at by Donna Cansfield, Minister of Transportation. Currently new HOV lanes are being built along Highway 404 northbound from the 401 to Hwy. 7. A second project includes 16 kilometres of the QEW from Oakville to Burlington.

Bradford praises Ontario investing $7 billion over five years in road and highway construction, adding the province is neglecting municipalities.

“As important to us these days are municipal roads and how we are going to get some money into that system because that’s the system that is really under-funded,” says Bradford.

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