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12 Independent & Free Press,Thursday, October 6, 2011 Thousands must alter driving habits: Report Continued from pg. 1 "When you get into the details, it's pretty scary if we don't get to 20 per cent," he said of the report. "I don't see the funding and residents supporting increased transit at this time." Elgar said development charges for transit wouldn't increase if Halton's municipalities expand the service (DCs don't cover increases to services that's above the historic 10-year average), leaving taxpayers to pick up the cost. The Region's director of transportation Tim Dennis said without the 20 per cent transit usage there will be increased congestion. "We're not anticipating complete gridlock, but we do believe the road widenings and improvements to accommodate transit will enable us to meet the demand." Burlington Councillor John Taylor asked staff to prepare a presentation on what Halton's roads will look like if the transit goal isn't reached. "Council, in order to make this decision, has to know what the impact is on all the services. Will the taxpayer notice? How noticeable is it and how does it vary per municipality," he asked. While transit is the responsibility of local municipalities, the Region plans to create bus-only rapid transit lanes along Dundas Street (from Brant Street to Trafalgar Road) and along Trafalgar Road (from Speers Road to Steeles Avenue). But transit isn't the only piece in the transportation puzzle. The Region hopes in the future, trips between five and 10 kilometres will be made by walking or cycling, which will require more sidewalks and bike lanes. In order to meet the five per cent active transportation target, 25,000 drivers will have to make the shift. Statistics show 34 per cent of trips made via cars in Halton during afternoon rush hour are less than five kilometres long. Car pooling, a rise in telecommuting (working from home), flexible work hours and more live/work developments will take another three per cent of cars off the road, according to the report. However, curbing car usage in Halton doesn't mean the need for new and expanded roads isn't there. Fifteen regional roads are slated for an expansion, the vast majority of which will grow from four to six lanes. The report sets a six-lane maximum in terms of road width. Five municipal roads are also recommended for expansion, and the report mentions the widening of Hwy. 401 through Milton and Hwy. 7 through Acton. The master plan recommends linking the North Service Road across Bronte Creek with a four-lane roadway and building a new six-lane roadway between Fifth and Sixth Line in Milton (tentatively called 5 1/2 Line) from Steeles Avenue to Britannia Road. The total cost of required regional transportation infrastructure is estimated at $1.13 billion. Kenzie MacDermid, Mortgage Agent FSC0 #M08001440 2011 Readers Choice Award Winner! To find out how you can save on interest and improve your cash flow, call: Representing more than 30 banks to serve our clients better and save them money. Why work with one bank when you can access them all? By using the equity in your home, you may be able to refinance your mortgage and consolidate your debt. Consider a... Current situation Mortgage (@ 5.25%) Balance Payment The MacDermid Group Mortgage Professionals T 905.702.1766 F 905.702.1577 all@macdermidgroup.com www.macdermidgroup.com $ 160,000 $ 953 Car Loan $ 18,000 $ 540 Credit Cards/PLC $ 15,000 $ 450 Penalty to break mortgage Total $ 3,000 $ $ 0 1,943 $ 196,000 Now consider a... New Mortgage Mortgage (@ 2.99%* 3.4%*) Balance Payment $ 196,000 $ 968 Car Loan Paid off ­ Credit Cards/PLC Paid off ­ Penalty to break mortgage Total Paid off $ 196,000 $ ­ 968 926.56 FSCO Lic. M08001440 ©2007, Mortgage Intelligence Inc., all rights reserved. ®Registered trademark of Mortgage Intelligence Inc. *Rate subject to change. OAC. Payments based on 25-year amortization That's a monthly savings of $1,017.00!