It was a close vote, but city council is to be congratulated for deciding against another highway making its way into Guelph (Tribune, Feb. 28).
While city staff, the Guelph Chamber of Commerce and Guelph Tribune are mired in 1950s thinking, council is living in the 21st century.  They recognize that highway building destroys prime farmland and natural areas (including the Niagara Escarpment) while inducing more vehicular travel and emissions.
With more cars funneling onto our local roads, council knows that there will be less chance of success for the city’s Official Plan (including downtown revitalization), the Community Energy Initiative, the Wellness Initiative and the Bicycle Friendly Guelph Master Plan.
Although recent population projections are already below expectations, city staff, the chamber and the media are concerned that congestion will become an issue by 2031.  But what they really see is a chance to build the GTA West highway with money provided by provincial taxpayers rather than themselves.
Is it fair that someone in Cornwall, Windsor or Thunder Bay pays for a new highway that doesn’t benefit them?
A better idea is to work with MTO and adjacent municipalities to “optimize current road networks,” not through widening but through dynamic regional road tolls, congestion charges and parking fees.
These measures, designed to put a price on scarce road space, will shift demand to off-peak times and generate local dollars for a range of modal options, thus making sustainable choices more affordable and competitive.
Implemented correctly, they will reduce transport-related property taxes and help put an end to the spiralling congestion, sprawl, energy, health and infrastructure deficit issues we have been experiencing since the 1950s.
Congratulations to council for putting a stop to the GTA West highway in the northeast of the city.  Now put a stop to the proposed Highway 7 corridor between Kitchener and Guelph for the same reasons.
Martin Collier
Guelph