Transforming the Gardiner Expressway- A Vision for Personal Rapid Transit in 2015

The proliferation of automobiles and urban expressways over the past half a century has led to a greater fragmentation within cities and unprecedented traffic growth. Cities around the world are now confronted by the consequences of urban expressways and must begin to rectify their situations. The author documents one of the most congested highways in North America, the Gardiner Expressway in downtown Toronto. Can elevated transportation structures be re-integrated into the city and transformed into catalysts for urban revitalization? This book proposes a ten-year strategy to transform the Gardiner into a responsive transit interface to stimulate new, integrated systems of mobility. The project involves policy planning, urban transit coordination; includes the implementation of an innovative Personal Rapid Transportation [PRT] technology and a 7.5 km elevated bicycle path. PRT offers a hybrid between the convenience of cars and the social and environmental advantages of public transport - being akin to a horizontal elevator. The new Gardiner becomes a highly traveled corridor, a popular attraction, and an urban destination. It is anticipated that the success of this revitalized system will lead other cities to reassess the capabilities of their own urban infrastructures. This research and design proposal will captivate the built environment professional as well as the daily commuter.