Toronto's Waterfront: For Cars or People?

"Instead of rivers, we have roads. Rather than water, there's traffic. As a result, 21st century Toronto is being turned into a city of islands, a series of barely connected neighbourhoods separated by multi-lane urban highways.

We talk a lot about building a city for people, not cars, but when it comes to the details – road width, traffic lights, block lengths, speed limits and the like – it's clear our vehicular addiction is strong.

[W]e have embarked on an ambitious multi-billion dollar project to revitalize Toronto's waterfront. Again and again, planners have told us that access is key, especially north/south access. No one would disagree, but how is that compatible with what's unfolding?

And so we'll have to make hard decisions: Should the waterfront be for cars or people? The answer may be obvious, but that won't make getting there any easier."