The Spadina Expressway

In this video I look at the Spadina Expressway. Arguably the most controversial project in the cities history.
Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
0:29 - Chapter 1: Origins
2:04 - Chapter 2: The Spadina Expressway
7:29 - Chapter 3: Paving With Good Intentions
13:28 - Chapter 4: The Bad Trip
20:12 - Chapter 5: A City for the Car or People?
26:10 - Chapter 6: Bridging the Gap
30:21 - Chapter 7: End of the Road
33:12 - Conclusion
Information and photos from: www.gettorontomoving.ca/allen-...
Ending Video: • Jane Jacobs on urban d...
Maps animated with Adobe After Effects
Video edited with Adobe Premier Pro

[@METRO6]

I wasn't really planning on doing this topic yet, but after I found out June 2 was going to be the 50th Anniversary of the projects cancellation I decided that now would be the best time to cover the topic.

[@laurilahtinen307]

⁰

[@thewheatgreatness]

Bill Davis, the premier who shocked Toronto when he announced the cancellation of the Spadina Expressway has died on August 8 at his home in Brampton at age 92.

[@edwardmiessner6502]

Premier Davis, a Conservative who knew that it was necessary to *conserve cities,* saved Toronto from becoming another Detroit.

[@KardiFan2000]

Highways aren't the reason why Detroit is in the condition it's in though...

[@thepkism]

This comment is idiotic

[@kikastra]

​@@thepkismit's a common comment on videos of this subject matter.

[@user-uo7fw5bo1o]

​@@thepkism Driving highways through cities destroys neighborhoods for the residents, they leave, and often others often much poorer move in.

[@Joeljdwatts]

I was glad to see the nod to Rocco Rossi’s tunnel proposal, as this is the only part of the story I got to hear in real time. 🤣

[@davidreichert9392]

I miss those circular signs on the Allen, DVP and Gardener, along with the skinny overhead lights.

[@peterj.teminski6899]

Your enclosed quotes are so fortelling that I got shivers. Good work.

[@karanvirsingh7227]

I really appreciate how you covered all the little details. Great quality video!

[@DejanOfRadic]

Great job!

[@jayvonnoelsmith8445]

So amazing

[@Jacorywoohoo]

Lovely, I've been waiting for this video for awhile now, glad to see you covered it !!

[@randyblu25]

This is a part of Toronto history all future and current residents need to know. (My ex first told me about this when was new to the city and i asked "why does this road (Allen road) come do a dead end whose crack head idea was that?') and My dad always would complain about city traffic, till one day i got mad and told him to "quit his bitching and accept it" than proceeded to tell the story. Yes Toronto traffic is the worst in north America, anyone who visits is always amazed at the lack of expressways into and out of downtown, New or more express ways would not help. it would make it worse. We are lucky to have had Bill Davis and Jane Jacobs fight for the city we know and love (and sometimes get frustrated with)

[@KardiFan2000]

You do realize that expressways can be built underground too, right? Another great Canadian city (Montreal) has done this, so Toronto should do the same.

[@thepkism]

Expressways would help. My god. Take your head out of your hole.

[@UzumakiNaruto_]

@@KardiFan2000 Expressways certainly can be built underground, but seeing how long it takes to get anything done in Toronto it would cost billions and take forever to construct versus building it street level or below street level. Once started I wish they just finished it instead of leaving it only partially built and have it connect to the Gardiner in some way.

[@KardiFan2000]

@@UzumakiNaruto_ You're dreaming if you think there will be any street level construction of new highways in Toronto. That ship has sailed IMO. One thing that they absolutely could (and should) do is make Black Creek Drive fully controlled-access from the 401 to Eglinton. It would be the fastest construction ever - the roadway is already there 😅...and that's the highway I had in mind to put underground and connect to the Gardiner, especially now since I live in the west end.

[@ErichNolanBertussi]

i wish you had more about the properties along Spadina north of Bloor that were expropriated too... the stretch between dupont and bloor never really fully recovered.

[@HughGordon]

Nice work

[@anonviewerciv]

Some maps, and is that the SimCity 4 soundtrack I'm hearing? 🗺🎵(2:30) 15:10 Allen Road. 🛣(28:45)

[@thewheatgreatness]

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the cancellation of the Spadina Expressway, this Sunday, ActiveTO will close the northbound lanes of the Allen between Eglinton Avenue West and Lawrence Avenue West.

[@bmw803]

Great. Let's create chaos on side roads pumping exhaust fumes dealing with a few dozen of lights and stop signs.

[@1234canadianguy]

Coincidentally, I literally drove along both the current Allen Road and the proposed Spadina Expressway from Dufferin and Finch (where I live) to Bloor and Spadina just a few hours ago on the 50th anniversary of its cancellation by Premier Bill Davis. While had the full Spadina Expressway been built my drive would have been short timewise, nonetheless the speed and convenience would have been far outweighed by the Expressway's many negative effects on Toronto's built form, quality of life and fundamentally its soul as a city. Overall I'm still glad and grateful that this Expressway was never built to its fullest extent despite living within a stone's throw from it.

[@eurosoe]

Great sentiments, Robert!

[@Humulator]

​@PatchesRips having a car infested downtown, that is clogged(induced demand) would be much worse than right now.

[@SnowWhite-hr4ho]

It was cancelled by the rich people whom live in forest hill. Let's be honest.

[@stinkyroadhog1347]

The only time i would ever thank the rich

[@email5023]

That was never a secret.

[@Bencentre]

Toronto really dodged a bullet. Great video.

[@Bencentre]

@PatchesRips Oh yes, Toronto should have built loads of freeways just like Atlanta and Los Angeles did. That would have solved traffic just as it did in those cities. /sarcasm

[@bigdripbobz1072]

As a result of this the gta has one of the worst local traffics in metros with pops. 4 mill to 10 mill. But hey seems like ppl love being stuck on bloor/ danforth, dundas, etc., whats to say

[@nickphilipson7910]

literally, thank the powers that be that the plans didn't go through

[@email5023]

Thank rich homeowners who could afford to fight the gov't.

[@eurosoe]

@@email5023 So true. American cities got highways through racialized and working class neighborhoods. We are much more urban minded in Canada and the rich saved Toronto from that fate.

[@Kishanth.J]

@@eurosoe the same rich that blocked afforable gousing projects and new trasit projects. While I agree that the Spadina Expressway not being biult was a good thing, don't give the rich too much credit.

[@Skyfoogle]

@PatchesRips best move toronto made. it would've been a travesty if toronto turned into a car-dominated ghost town like america's cities. walkability and neighborhood character always takes precedent over the car. suburbanites need jobs closer to home, not freeways.

[@eurosoe]

Great day to talk about this! 50 year anniversary of the cancellation... thank god! 🙏🏽

[@thepkism]

I wish it was built. That part of the city is nothing but a major disaster