Toronto to study road tolls on Gardiner Expressway, DVP
Mayor John Tory says tolls are not his 'preferred way' to pay for infrastructure fixes
Both drivers and Mayor John Tory don't like the idea of road tolls, but the the City of Toronto is pushing ahead with a plan to study them.
The city has issued a request for proposals to study what road tolling technology would work on the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway.
The winning bidder is expected to lay out who should pay for tolls and what mechanism would work to collect them.
City officials say the move is part of a "broad discussion" around generating revenue that will begin in April when the city manager presents his long-term financial plan.
Toronto is set to spend $2.5 billion to fix the eastern portion of the aging Gardiner, and many have suggested tolls would be a way to pay for that work.
Mayor John Tory, however, disagreed with that idea in a statement released by his office.
"The Mayor does not wish to pre-empt that discussion but his views on road tolls are well documented: it would not be his preferred way to pay for road infrastructure," the statement said.
In September 2015, the city's executive committee had the general manager of transportation services undertake a more detailed study and consultation on tolling and pricing of the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway.
The city's call for proposals runs until April 11.