TORONTO

Two councillors from opposite ends of the political spectrum are calling for tolls to help the city repair the Gardiner Expy.

Councillor Doug Ford suggested adding new toll lanes (on top of the existing non-toll lanes) to the crumbling Gardiner Expy. could help fix it up while Councillor Adam Vaughan said slap tolls on the existing highway to hit the gas on repairs.

The two councillors made the comments Friday in the wake of a new report that warns the deterioration of the downtown elevated highway is a lot worse than the city believed.

The report by IBI Group is an independent assessment of the current city practices in the management of the highway which was in the spotlight this year as several pieces of concrete fell from the raised road.

“Potential concrete spalls (chips or splinters) present a significant hazard to public safety,” the report notes. “There is no procedure or methodology that can definitively identify an imminent spalling threat.

“In order to provide protection and reduced risk, a physical barrier is required to contain spalled concrete.”

The engineering firm also notes the deck repair/replacement program the city is undertaking isn’t based on engineering needs.

“The deck repair/replacement program, as presented in the background material supplied to IBI, appears to be based on a general progression of the works from east to west based on yearly budgets rather than engineering priorities,” the report notes “This is clearly not in the best interest of the public.”

Public works chairman Denzil Minnan-Wong acknowledged the report on the Gardiner raises some “significant concerns”.

“While there is no immediate threat to safety, the recommendations indicate we need to do a lot more to make it safe,” he said.

Minnan-Wong estimated the city will need to spend an extra $20 million a year on Gardiner repairs — an increase from the current $15 million a year the city spends to $35 million a year.

Councillor Ford said the city should look to the private sector to help speed up and fund repairs. “I’ve said right from the beginning, you’ve got to look at a (public-private partnership),” Ford said. “If they get a toll road — it has to be separate (new lanes) — but I’d pay the $5 to get downtown every day.”

Ford — who said he drives on the Gardiner everyday — said the toll lanes couldn’t replace the existing lanes on the Gardiner.

“You either get a freebie or a toll,” he said.

The Ward 2-Etobicoke North councillor wouldn’t rule out asking the provincial or federal government to help fix the expressway.

“But that’s our road and we have to take the responsibility of it,” he said.

Councillor Vaughan said the Gardiner isn’t a local road.

“It’s a regional road and if it is not uploaded to the province and if Ottawa and Queen’s Park aren’t prepared to pay the repair bill for the infrastructure they paid to build, the only solution to this is to put a road toll on it,” Vaughan said. “(A road toll) would make sure everyone who uses it pays for it, not just Toronto taxpayers. This is a critical piece of provincial infrastructure and it shouldn’t be left to the taxpayers of Toronto to foot the bill.”