Ontario has a road pricing experience with its first toll highway -- 407, which is also the world's first all-electronic toll highway. Highway 407, through its operational and contractual obligations forms a key part of a sustainable transportation plan for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The objective of this paper will be to illustrate how and to what degree the development and privatization of Highway 407 has met the government's expectations for delivering infrastructure in a timely fashion, providing congestion relief and assisting in achieving sustainable transportation. This paper will discuss the tolling mechanism and congestion relief provisions in the contract between the government and Concessionaire 407 ETR, the required actions by 407 ETR to fulfill its obligations, and the role and performance of Highway 407 in the provincial network focusing on how sustainability is being achieved. Operational data will be analyzed to illustrate how Highway 407 contributes to the rationing of travel demand during peak hours as well. Additional discussion will be included on the transitway which has been protected within this corridor, as well as key issues on lessons learned from the 407 experience. For the covering abstract of this conference see ITRD number E216597.
Abstract