POLICYSERIES a Canadian Autobahn
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POLICYP O L I C Y SERIESSFRONTIERE R I E CENTRES FOR PUBLIC POLICY FCPP POLICYFCPP SERIES POLICY NO. 76 SERIES • OCTOBER NO. 76 2009• OCTOBER 2009 P OLICYS ERIES A Canadian Autobahn Creating a World-Class Highway System for the Nation By Wendell Cox 1 © 20O9 A CANADIAN AUTOBAHN FRONTIER CENTRE A CANADIAN AUTOBAHN POLICY SERIES About the Author Wendell Cox is principal of Wendell Cox Consultancy, an international public policy, demographics and transport consulting fi rm. He has developed a leadership role in urban transport and land use and the fi rm maintains three internet websites: www.demographia.com, www.publicpurpose.com and www.rentalcartours.net. Mr. Cox has completed projects in Canada, the United States, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and Africa. He is author of War on the Dream: How Anti-Sprawl Policy Threatens the Quality of Life, and a co-author with Richard Vedder of The Wal-Mart Revolution: How Big- Box Stores Benefi t Consumers, Workers, and the Economy. He was appointed to three terms on the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission which oversaw highways and public transit in the largest county in the United States. He was also appointed to the Amtrak Reform Council. Mr. Cox is visiting professor at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Metiers (a national university) in Paris. The Frontier Centre for Public Policy is an independent, non-profi t organization that undertakes research and education in support of economic growth and social outcomes that will enhance the quality of life in our communities. Through a variety of publications and public forums, the Centre explores policy innovations required to make the prairies region a winner in the open economy. It also provides new insights into solving important issues facing our cities, towns and provinces. These include improving the performance of public expenditures in important areas like local government, education, health and social policy. The author of this study has worked independently and the opinions expressed are therefore their own, and do not necessarily refl ect the opinions of the board of the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. Copyright © 2009 by the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. Date of First Issue: October, 2009. Reproduced here with permission of the author. ISSN 1491-78 MB: 203-2727 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3J 0R2 FRONTIER CENTRE Tel: 204 957-1567 FOR PUBLIC POLICY SK: 2353 McIntyre Street, Regina, Saskatchewan Canada S4P 2S3 www.fcpp.org Tel: 306 352-2915 AB: Ste. 1280–300, 5th Avenue SW Calgary, Alberta Canada T2P 3C4 Tel: 403 230-2435 2 © 20O9 FCPP POLICY SERIES NO. 76 • OCTOBER 2009 FRONTIER CENTRE POLICY SERIES FCPPI POLICYdeas SERIES for NO.a better 76 • OCTOBER tomorrow 2009 FCPP Policy Series No. 76 • October 2009 A Canadian Autobahn Creating a World-Class Highway System for the Nation By Wendell Cox Table of Contents Executive Summary 4 Introduction 5 Infrastructure Proposals 6 Highways in Canada 8 The Canadian Autobahn 10 Transcontinental Route 13 Additional Routes 16 The North: Development and Sovereignty 19 Appendix 20 Endnotes 24 3 © 20O9 A CANADIAN AUTOBAHN FRONTIER CENTRE A CANADIAN AUTOBAHN POLICY SERIES Executive Summary As the worldwide “Great Recession,” (as (Calgary and Edmonton) are not connected characterized by the International Monetary to any other metropolitan area by motor- Fund), has developed, there have been way, and Vancouver is connected only to many proposals to expand transportation Abbotsford. Calgary and Edmonton are infrastructure. One is to build high-speed also the only major metropolitan areas not passenger rail lines in Canada. Another connected to the motorway systems of the alternative is to establish a world-class United States and Mexico. As a result, much highway system of freeways, also known of Canada, one of the three North American as motorways, autobahns or autoroutes in Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners, is other parts of the world. not connected to the motorway systems of Motorways and autoroutes are fully grade the United States and Mexico. separated roadways that permit traffi c to For many trips between metropolitan areas fl ow generally uninterrupted between urban within Canada, it takes less time to travel areas. They do not have at-grade cross through the United States on its motorways. traffi c. The United States, Europe and Japan The principal problem is the long, crowded, have motorway systems that reach virtually slow, two-lane stretch of roadway between all of their major urban areas. China is devel- the Manitoba-Ontario border, between oping a system that will eventually equal the Sudbury and Parry Sound, and much of length of the world’s most extensive system, the route between the Alberta border and which is in the United States. Mexico and Kamloops, B.C. Canada pays an economic Brazil have developed substantial systems. price for this lack of a world-class highway Canada, however, does not have a compre- system, both in terms of manufacturing hensive system and is the largest developed and tourism. nation in the world without a comprehensive It is proposed that a national motorway and intercity motorway system. In addition, pre-motorway be established, the Canadian some nations have built highways to pre- Autobahn. This system would include the motorway standards, which provide superior following improvements: capacity, speed and safety compared to conventional roadways. • All non-motorway segments of the transcontinental route from Halifax Motorways have a signifi cant positive impact through Toronto to Vancouver would be on national and local economies, principally upgraded to motorway standard. These because saving time improves productivity. improvements should be completed within Moreover, motorways are far safer than 10 years and would cost approximately conventional roads, because there are no $28 billion (2009$). grade crossings. • The inclusion of all existing intercity Canada is largely unconnected by motor- motorways and autoroutes ways or autoroutes. On average, the metro- politan areas are connected to less than • Other principal routes would be upgraded one-quarter of the other metropolitan to at least pre-motorway standard. The areas. Two of the nation’s six metropolitan longest of these is the Yellowhead route; areas with more than 1,000,000 people Edmonton and Calgary to the Canada- 4 © 20O9 FCPP POLICY SERIES NO. 76 • OCTOBER 2009 FRONTIER CENTRE POLICY SERIES FCPP POLICY SERIES NO. 76 • OCTOBER 2009 Introduction U.S. border; Ottawa to Sudbury; and Canada is one of the world’s most affl uent across the island of Newfoundland. countries and is served by a generally These improvements should be completed superior transportation infrastructure within 15 years and would cost approxi- system. Its user-fi nanced airport system mately $33.5 billion). provides convenient passenger and freight Moreover, new roads to the North need to connections throughout the nation and to be considered. Less than 300 kilometers the rest of the world. Canada has fi rst-rate remain to complete a link to the port city ports, both ocean and inland. Canada’s of Churchill, Manitoba. Given the concerns freight rail system may have the highest about national sovereignty in the North, market share of surface shipments in the the potential for a road to Nunavut (Rankin developed world. As a result, Canada has Inlet or eventually Iqaluit) deserves a thus far been spared the extreme truck serious review. traffi c congestion that is routine in Europe and Japan, where freight rail has been Because of the importance of tying the relegated to, at best, a marginal share. nation together, it would be appropriate However, with continuing increases in to spend federal and provincial funding on commerce and the importance of “just-in- the Canadian Autobahn. User fees, such as time” delivery, truck traffi c seems likely to a dedicated gasoline tax (as in the United increase substantially. This will put a strain States) or tolls (as in France, China and on Canada’s highway system, which, unlike Mexico) could fi nance it. its air and rail systems, does not measure up to international standards. The principal problems are the long, crowded, slow, two-lane stretch of roadway between the Manitoba-Ontario border, between Sudbury and Parry Sound, “and much of the route between the Alberta border and Kamloops, B.C. Canada pays an economic price for this lack of a world- class highway system... 5 © 20O9 A CANADIAN AUTOBAHN ” FRONTIER CENTRE A CANADIAN AUTOBAHN POLICY SERIES It has been estimated that in its fi rst 40 years (1956 to 1996), the U.S. interstate highway system reduced “traffi c fatalities by 187,000... INFRASTRUCTURE PROPOSALS As the present worldwide “Great Recession” Motorways and the Economy (as characterized by the International Motorways are associated with improved Monetary Fund) has developed, there has ” economic performance. The principal been considerable discussion about improv- reason is that motorways reduce the time ing infrastructure to spur economic growth. it takes for commercial and personal travel One suggestion is high-speed rail. However, (such as commuting to work), which inher- it could be a higher priority to tie the entire ently improves productivity. nation together with a world-class highway system. The old adage “time is money” holds true.1 For example, a synthesis of research by the WORLD-CLASS HIGHWAYS American Association of State Highway and Nearly all of the world’s developed nations Transportation Offi cials (AASHTO) noted have comprehensive intercity motorway the positive impact of the U.S. motorway 2 systems. Motorways facilitate higher levels system. of commerce and tourism. Canada has an The Interstate Highway System represent- extensive roadway system, with the most ed an investment in a new, higher speed, important segments designated as the safer, lower cost per mile technology which Trans-Canada Highway. However, much of fundamentally altered relationships between the Trans-Canada is only two lanes.