Toronto

407ETR are raising tolls differentially to boost revenues and to manage congestion. Toll changes announced today and effective Feb 1 2010 see an increase in the main peak hours premium from 10.3% to 16.3% over off-peak.

Traffic on Canada's big tollroad 407ETR is down 3.8% the first half of this year (2009H1) versus first half of 2008 (2008H1) but a slightly larger increase in toll rates (4.7%) has ensured that revenues are holding. Revenues in 2009H1 were running at an annual $469m (C$524m @$C=90c) based on 292.1k trips/day versus 303.8k in 2008H1, the 3.8% decline. The revenue in 2008H1 was $468m (C$520.2m.)

The eastern extension to the 407-ETR tollroad will be "a tolled highway with the province

The big tollroad in Toronto, 407ETR, reports traffic pretty much flat in the September quarter versus a year ago - average weekday traffic of 391.6k trips 2008Q3 vs 392.4k 2007Q3. That 0.2% decline is offset by a small increase in weekend traffic for total trips in the quarter of 29.79m up 0.7%.

The mayors of Montreal and Toronto may be proposing extensive tolling of now free roads in Canada's two largest metro areas. Montreal mayor Gerald Tremblay is reported to be proposing tolls to finance a 20 year transport improvement plan to be officially released shortly. In Toronto a financial advisory panel has suggested toll concessions in the greater Toronto area as a revenue stream for transport improvements.

The news from Toronto this morning was of a chunk of concrete falling from an old overpass onto the Gardiner Expressway during heavy 7am traffic. The Gardiner is the main - and only - radial expressway into downtown Toronto from the west. It's old. Here's how one report described it:

"Call it a morning miracle.