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Congestion can’t be avoided, only managed, Markham conference told

Yorkregion.com
June 2, 2016
By Amanda Persico

There is no solution for congestion.

As the region continues to grow and more people move here, congestion will continue to be an issue.

“If I solved congestion, I wouldn’t be here. I’d be living in a mansion,” said York Region’s roads and traffic operations director Brian Titherington during the region’s first meeting in a the three-part Traffic Beyond the 6ix series.

“Your drive will never be better than today. But we can’t keep building six- and eight-lane roads. Those roads will just fill up, too. Over a 24-hour period, there is plenty of space on our roads. But everyone wants the same three hours.”

Titherington pointed to an oft-quoted industry saying, “Solving congestion by adding lanes is like solving obesity by buying bigger belt.”

Compared to other areas in the GTHA, York is at the top of the congestion list when it comes to how long someone’s commute is. We’re in the middle when it comes to commute distance, he added. Hwy. 404 is also one of the most congested roadways, Titherington said. But that’s not to say there isn’t hope.

“There are no solutions. But we can try to manage it,” he said.

Traffic Beyond the 6ix is an interactive discussion series tackling congestion in the 905 and its impact as well as coming up with creative solutions.

The panel featured leaders with an array of perspectives, including public health, transit and transportation, auto insurance, research and analytics and representatives from the trucking industry.

“Congestion doesn’t stop at Steeles (Avenue),” said CAA South Central Ontario government and community relations manager Elliott Silverstein.

For years, “York Region was at the mercy of decisions made by Toronto,” he said.

“There are many streets that are three lanes coming down to Steeles, but then cut down to two. Then it bottlenecks. People of York Region don’t have many options. But that’s starting to change.”

The region is going through a renaissance when it comes to moving people with an emphasis on rapid transit, the subway extension, two-way all-day rail and cycling infrastructure.

“When a network has more predictability, it becomes more attractive,” noted Angela Iannuzziello, leading transportation and transit expert with AECOM.

Traffic not only impacts where a person chooses to live or work but also their physical and mental health, including being overweight, not eating healthy meals or eating on the run in hopes of missing traffic, lack of physical activity, added stress and lost family time.

“Congestion is more than just counting the minutes in a car,” said leading public sector research consultant, Jodi Shanoff. “Congestion hits at the personal level.”

While frustrating, congestion is a sign of a vibrant and growing community. “When you see lots and lots of trucks, that means the economy is growing,” said Geoffery Wood with the Ontario Trucking Association.