Yikes, we think road rage against nasty cyclists who take up pavement space is bad here. Didn’t realize that anyone who got in the way of cars, i.e. light rail or streetcars, might be next on the list.
Watch out, people in crosswalks! Your days may be numbered.
Rob Ford’s mayoral victory in Toronto represented a seismic shift in North American urban politics, signaling potential backlash against the progressive transportation policies that cities like Vancouver had been implementing throughout the 2000s. Ford’s declaration that “Transit City is dead” went far beyond typical political rhetoric—it represented a fundamental rejection of decades of urban planning consensus that prioritized public transit, cycling infrastructure, and pedestrian-friendly streetscapes over automobile accommodation.
The “Transit City” plan Ford targeted was Toronto’s ambitious $15-billion light rail network designed to serve suburban communities with rapid transit connections. The plan represented exactly the kind of transit-oriented development that planning experts considered essential for sustainable urban growth in car-dependent North American cities. Ford’s opposition suggested that suburban voters increasingly viewed public transit as urban elite impositions rather than beneficial infrastructure investments.
Ford’s broader war on streetcars proved particularly revealing about his transportation philosophy. Toronto’s streetcar network represented one of North America’s most extensive urban rail systems, moving hundreds of thousands of passengers daily through the city’s densest neighborhoods. Attacking streetcars as traffic impediments demonstrated commitment to automobile priority that went beyond mere fiscal conservatism into ideological opposition to alternative transportation modes.
The implications for Vancouver proved concerning given the cities’ similar progressive reputations and transportation policies. If Toronto voters could elect a mayor dedicated to dismantling sustainable transportation infrastructure, Vancouver’s cycling lanes, transit investments, and pedestrian improvements might face similar political vulnerability. Ford’s success suggested that car-centric suburban voters could overwhelm urban progressives when they organized effectively around transportation grievances.
The humorous reference to crosswalks highlighted the logical extreme of Ford’s automobile-first philosophy. If cyclists and streetcars represented unacceptable impediments to vehicle movement, pedestrian infrastructure that slowed traffic might eventually face similar opposition from politicians prioritizing driving convenience over all other urban considerations.
Ford’s victory demonstrated how transportation policy could become powerful wedge issues in municipal politics, potentially reversing years of sustainable urban development progress if progressive politicians failed to maintain public support for alternative transportation investments.
