Rocco Rossi’s latest pro-car battle cry: expressway on-ramps installed in 24 hours

Rocco Rossi’s latest pro-car battle cry: expressway on-ramps installed in 24 hours

Rocco Rossi sees quickie bridge repair in Toronto's future (Image: Rocco Rossi)

Rocco Rossi doesn’t just want to send traffic underneath the city—he wants to get it moving more quickly above the city, as well. At an early-morning press conference that took place directly next to an under-repair Gardiner on-ramp (Jameson), Rossi promised to bring “rapid bridge replacement” to Toronto so that repairs to expressway exchanges could be done overnight. And we’re not exaggerating—he wants them done in 24 hours.

How’s this possible? Here’s the Post:

The technique Mr. Rossi is proposing involves building a bridge in an off site location before erecting it to replace a deteriorating overpass. “Raising the bridge into place takes a matter of hours; traffic disruption is minimal,” he said, adding that the process has been used in Hamilton and Ottawa.

“By saving time, we save money.”

Now, before anyone gets too excited about a fast-acting, long-lasting erection, there are apparently some hiccups with this technique. Yes, it has been used before, but it can’t be used everywhere. Moving the pieces of bridge around requires a large marshalling area, so while one area of Ottawa was able to have its bridge replaced in about a day (an example cited by the Rossi camp), a different road in Ottawa’s east end will be closed for over a year because the rapid bridge replacement won’t work there.

We don’t want to knock a potentially good idea; we’re just skeptical that it will dramatically change the motorist hell that is the Gardiner. That said, Rossi’s press conference this morning made his point for him before it even started: the conference was about a half hour late in starting because Rossi’s podium was stuck in traffic.

Irony, thy name is Gardiner.

Rocco Rossi promises ‘rapid bridge replacement technology’ [National Post]
• Rossi suggests rapid bridge replacement technology to speed up construction [680 News]
• Rossi Would Bring 21st Century Bridge Repair Technology to Toronto [Rocco Rossi for Mayor]