According to CBC reports, the "underground tunnel of Highway 401" concept strongly promoted by Ontario Premier Doug Ford is taking a substantial step forward.

This governor, who has repeatedly emphasized that "traffic jams must be ended," officially launched a feasibility study after first proposing the plan last fall. Despite external doubts about this mega-project, which may cost hundreds of billions of Canadian dollars, Ford still vows to "build it at all costs."

Ford stated, "The reason we are conducting a feasibility study is to determine the length. If they tell me that 30 kilometers is X cost, 40 kilometers is Y cost, and 60 or 70 kilometers is another number, we will have to weigh it. But remember my words — the tunnel must be built!"

Ontario has now released a Request for Proposals (RFP) requiring a study to evaluate not only the tunnel option but also elevated highways, additional lanes, and truck-only lanes. The document clearly states: if neither the tunnel nor the elevated solution is feasible, other congestion relief options must be proposed.

"If no feasible capacity expansion solutions are determined, a congestion relief solution as an alternative to expansion must be identified," the RFP informs potential bidders.

The study will be completed by February 2027.

The document also points out that the study should examine how other jurisdictions alleviate congestion, including an assessment of high-occupancy vehicle lanes, bus-only lanes, and truck-only lanes.

The RFP requires the study to conduct a long-term evaluation of major options (including tunnels), with a complete report submitted by February 2027. The study scope needs to look ahead to long-term traffic demand through 2051.

Experts say that the plan to build a tunnel under Highway 401 could cost up to 100 billion Canadian dollars. It might be the most expensive promise in Ontario's elections over the past decade.

However, the opposition leader implied that this tunnel would never actually be built and called it a "stupid" idea.

"His top priority is to finish this stupid tunnel under the 401 highway — the feasibility study for this imagined tunnel. In my view, he hasn't kept the priorities of Ontario residents in mind," said Marit Stiles, leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), on Tuesday.

But Ford countered that the losses caused by traffic jams on Highway 401 far outweigh the investment.

Ontario Seeks Best Practices Review

As part of the feasibility study, the provincial government also requested a review of best practices from similar projects, including a four-lane traffic tunnel proposal in Ottawa's downtown area that was never implemented.

The feasibility study cost 750,000 Canadian dollars, finding that building a 3.4-kilometer tunnel across Ottawa's downtown in 2016 would exceed 2 billion Canadian dollars. However, the tunnel remains unbuilt.

Ford stated that this time he hopes to consider building a tunnel from Brampton and Mississauga to Scarborough and Markham.

The tender document notes that the study should also consider shorter tunnel lengths, such as connection points at Highways 410, 427, and 404. The total tunnel length could reach up to 55 kilometers.

"Tunnel/elevated options should at least consider (based on tunnel/elevated length) connections with Highways 410, 427, 409, 400, and 404," the RFP states.

Ontario also hopes to learn from the construction experiences of the Channel Tunnel (the 50-kilometer underwater rail tunnel connecting the UK and France), two tunnels built in Australia, one in Japan, and two elevated highways in Texas and India.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7499661967993487872/

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