Coulda, woulda, shoulda. The Toronto City Council sided with Mayor John Tory this week to rebuild an elevated freeway in downtown rather than tearing it down.
"In a 24-21 vote yesterday, the Council opted to rebuild the aging Gardiner with some minor modifications instead of pursuing the “boulevard” option that would have removed a 1.7-kilometer segment of the highway," according to an article Tanya Snyder.
"Replacing the elevated road with a surface street would have cost $137 million less upfront (in Canadian dollars) than rebuilding it, and nearly $500 million less in total costs over the next 100 years," according to Snyder.
Earlier in the week, Jennifer Pagliaro reported that the debate over the fate of the Gardiner Expressway had caused a rift between Mayor John Tory and Toronto chief planner Jennifer Keesmaat (the latter supported removal of the elevated highway). Mayor Tory publically questioned the lengths to which public servants should go in debating elected officials over policy issues. Supporters of Keesmaat launched a #ThankYouJen hashtag to express support for her actions.
FULL STORY: Gardiner East will be a hybrid solution, council votes
Toronto Chief Planner Supports Gardiner Expressway Removal
Chief Planner Jennifer Keesmaat has broken rank from Mayor John Tory on the issue of whether to replace or remove an elevated highway along the city's waterfront. The cost to replace the expressway, $919 million, is more than removing it.
Report Assesses Expressway Removal Options for the Toronto Waterfront
A recently released report makes the case for removing, in part or in full, an elevated span of roadway along the Toronto Waterfront.
Proposed Toronto Highways Raise Environmental Concerns
Opponents of two new planned highways in greater Toronto argue the construction of new roads is 'short-sighted at best' and would threaten the region's greenbelt areas.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.
Savannah Reduces Speed Limits on Almost 100 City Streets
The historic Georgia city is lowering speed limits in an effort to reduce road fatalities.
A Park Reborn: Resilience and Renewal in Fire-Stricken Altadena
Rebuilt in just two months after the devastating Eaton Fire, Loma Alta Park now stands as a symbol of community resilience and renewal, even as some residents hope recovery efforts will continue to support housing stability and long-term equity.
Spain Moves to Ban 66,000 Airbnbs
The national government is requiring the short-term rental operator to remove thousands of illegal listings from its site as part of an effort to stem a growing housing crisis.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions