Build the cheaper Gardiner Boulevard and send savings to transit and cycling

Cycling advocacy group, Cycle TO, and transit advocacy group, TTCriders, are jointly calling for the City to turn the Gardiner East Expressway into a boulevard, and redirect the $458M in savings to increasing public transit

service and improving cycling infrastructure. On June 10, the City will vote on the future of the Gardiner Expressway. John Tory is calling for the Gardiner East Expressway to be maintained and rebuilt. Toronto's chief city planner, Jennifer Keesmat, former city planner, Paul Bedford, Sheldon Levy, Former Mayor Crombie, and many more are calling for the $458 million-cheaper boulevard option, which would replace the Gardiner with a six to eight lane boulevard. Choosing the Gardiner boulevard option and sending the savings to the TTC and cycling will benefit far more people than rebuilding the east section of the Gardiner Expressway, which will save drivers just two to three minutes of time. A record breaking 1.8 million people are sardined into an underfunded TTC every day. In comparison, only 5,200 drivers use the east section of the Gardiner during rush hour. This is similar to peak hour ridership on one busy TTC bus route, like the Dufferin 29 bus. GO & TTC ridership make up 68% of people who travel to the downtown core At the same time as John Tory is advocating for a more expensive Gardiner Expressway option, he is telling the TTC to cut its budget by 2% next year. TAKE ACTION

Tell City Council the best way to truly move people around our great city is to take the boulevard option and invest the $458M in savings in public transit and cycling infrastructure. Call 311 or email them -it's easy! Find out where your councillor stands on the Gardiner issue. Most Scarborough councillors are undecided and getting their support is critical!

Share our infographic with your friends, elected officials, and on twitter #GardinerEast @JohnTory

Quotes

“Now is the time to take the Gardiner down" - David Crombie, Former Mayor of Toronto

"Economically, environmentally and civically, tearing down the Gardiner Expressway is the right thing to do." - Paul Bedford, Former Chief Planner of Toronto & Ken Greenberg, Greenberg Consultants

"This is an opportunity for us to create a grand boulevard that weaves together the waterfront with the rest of the city, and opens up new development parcels, allowing us to create complete communities within walking distance of the downtown core.” Jennifer Keesmaat, Chief Planner of Toronto

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