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15 · Thursday, February 25, 2010 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com Elgar says building roads will bring traffic Continued from page 14 plain about seeing empty buses plying local streets. However, determining what's a good cost-recovery ratio for a transit system can lead to broader discussions around council tables about other programs offered by municipalities, such as recreation and leisure programs. The construction and maintenance of non-growth related roads in the region is almost fully subsidized by property taxes. While road tolls were recently discussed by members of Halton's planning and public works committee, the discussion didn't lead to any recommendations. Even with the amount local governments plan to spend on roads, Elgar said money won't solve traffic jams. "The more roads they build, it doesn't mean the congestion will be less," Elgar said. If the Region achieves its 20 per cent transit target, automobile trips would increase about 28 per cent by 2031 from 2006, according to statistics from the Region's transportation consultant. By reaching only a 10 per cent peak period transit split, automobile trips would increase 60 per cent over that time span. Based on existing trends, on top of the $1.1 billion Halton Region has budgeted for transportation projects between now and 2021, it could expect to pay an additional $787 million between 2021 and 2031, the vast majority on roads, according to presentation to council given by the Region's transportation consultant. An enhanced transit plan, based on the 20 per cent transit target, would cost $812 million over the same time period, with a greater percentage spent on transit though the majority would continue to go to roads. A fiscal sustainability study for ROPA 38 and its 20 per cent transit target, released late last year by the Region, assumes that approximately 40 additional "Enhanced Service" buses would be added annually across Halton between 2021 and 2031 to handle trips within the region and to Peel and Hamilton. The study states there would be $266 million in capital costs for new buses and $43 million in annual operating costs by 2031, but it assumes the Province would help pay for the improvements. Without any Provincial assistance, this would result in a cumulative 12 per cent tax increase in Halton by 2031, in comparison with the 2021 base, according to a subsequent report from Halton's treasurer to council. In response to that information, the Region included provisions in ROPA 38 that, if upheld at any possible legal challenge, would allow the Region to limit growth until it is sure it will collect from upper levels of government or developers the amount of money it estimates will be needed to provide those hundreds of new buses. The public information centre for the Region's transportation master plan, The Road to Change, is schedule in Oakville for Wednesday, March 31. The drop-in begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by presentation at 7 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Halton Regional Centre, Auditorium, 1151 Bronte Rd. Glen Oaks Memorial Gardens is pleased to announce VINCE FARANO has joined the team as a Family Sales Counsellor We invite you to contact Vince with any questions you have about cemetery and funeral arrangements. Please call 905-257-1100 or 905-466-3944 or email: vfarano@glenoaks.ca g MARCH 5-7, 2010 Coming to the NEW Careport Centre C in Hamilton at the C il h Corner of Aberdeen Ave. & Longwood Rd. FREE PARKING · 3 ACRES OF EXHIBITORS 15 MINUTES FROM EVERYTHING! Save 25% on advance tickets purchased online Visit us at idealhomeandgarden.ca