CLOSER LOOK: Let’s talk about Doug Ford’s tunnel vision

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Tonight on Village Media's new daily podcast: We dig a little deeper into Premier Ford's big idea to construct a massive, congestion-easing tunnel underneath Highway 401 in Toronto.

For a story about boring, this one has proven to be anything but.

Premier Doug Ford is determined as ever to dig a massive tunnel underneath Highway 401 in Toronto — telling reporters yesterday that he's spoken with "some tunnelling folks" and has hashed out a realistic plan to ease congestion.

According to Ford's tunnel vision, the finished product will have three levels: one for eastbound traffic, one for westbound traffic, and another for public transit.

The total cost? Nobody knows for sure.

Is a highway tunnel a realistic construction project? How long would it actually take to build? Would it be safe?

Or would the province be more wise to spend some of those billions on other options aimed at mitigating congestion?

We tackle those questions, and many more, on tonight's episode of Village Media's new Closer Look podcast. Our guests are Jessica Smith Cross, editor-in-chief of The Trillium, and Professor Matti Siemiatycki, director of the Infrastructure Institute at the University of Toronto.

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

New episodes of Closer Look drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. across the Village Media network, or wherever you find your favourite podcasts. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

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