How to Fix our Congestion Crisis - Toronto has some of the worst congestion on the continent, Coun. Brad Bradford writes. Fixing it requires common sense and better planning and prioritization at the top.

Toronto has one of the world’s best film festivals but as stars like Will Ferrell pointed out, we also have some of the world’s worst traffic. He joins a long list of international celebrities, professional athletes and musicians that have echoed the concerns of thousands of residents forced to do battle with Toronto’s gridlock everyday.

- By Brad Bradford

Toronto has one of the world’s best film festivals but as stars like Will Ferrell pointed out, we also have some of the world’s worst traffic. He joins a long list of international celebrities, professional athletes and musicians that have echoed the concerns of thousands of residents forced to do battle with Toronto’s gridlock everyday.

While some may try to hand-wave the problem away, or tell people that fewer car lanes and more people on buses is the right way forward, it ignores the reality of how many people need to get around the city. It would be nice if everyone could get around the city by bike or transit but that’s just not the reality of how our city was built or reflective of where Toronto is today. City hall cannot let idealism trump the reality that many Torontonians drive.

Ensuring that residents have efficient options to navigate the city is table stakes for local government. It should be viewed as a core competency for anyone who wants the job of mayor in Canada’s largest city. Unfortunately, objective analysis of the data over the past year would indicate things are getting worse, not better.

As city staff prepare to report back with an update to the city’s congestion management plan, there are three major aspects that need to be addressed.