All highways and arterial roads around Toronto face nearly perpetual congestion. There is great demand and precious little supply. Truly this is a very lucrative cash-cow for its owner. As gridlock engulfs other roads, our threshold for paying tolls will increase. The Highway 407 operator may well be able to increase tolls with impunity, knowing they will always draw some clients wealthy enough to pay the toll.
Fewer vehicles mean lower maintenance and repair costs.
If I was a shareholder, I would demand higher tolls and service charges to reduce traffic and maximize profits. But if I were the average voting motorist stuck in gridlock on the 401 or Highway 7, knowing the wealthy had their ticket to ride on the 407, I would be fuming. Besides, it could raise its already prohibitively expensive service charges. CAA Ontario has no philosophical preference for either the public or the private sector. Each has its strengths.