Why We Oppose the Traffic Solutions We Desperately Need in Cities

“It’s 2 PM on a Thursday, why am I going 10 kph on the highway?!”

It’s a near-universal frustration for residents of Orléans: being stuck in traffic. Most of us have experienced the rush-hour crawl on the 174/417 or the weekend congestion with non-stop road closures due to construction. If you ask any resident what they want for our community, “Less Traffic” is one of the most common entries at the top of the list. Yet, a strange paradox consistently plays out in our civic discourse.

Most people who are slowed down by traffic spend at least some of their extra travel time wondering why the roads are so busy at a seemingly innocuous time of day or day of the week. It’s much rarer to recognize that if you’re in traffic, it’s because you’re part of the traffic and the other people, like you, are just trying to get where they need to go. Fundamentally, car traffic is caused by a lack of other good transportation options, because our transportation network prioritizes private vehicles above all other forms of transportation.

The same people who passionately decry traffic are often the first to oppose the very urban planning policies that would actually lead to reductions in traffic. Some plans, like widening highways or any other roads, will actually inevitable increase traffic and congestion. This article is about deconstructing that paradox and offering a clear, pragmatic path for those of us who genuinely want to reduce traffic and our own reliance on cars.

The Disconnect in Our Thinking

This disconnect isn’t hypocrisy; it’s the logical result of living for a half-century in an environment designed exclusively for the automobile. Our thinking has been shaped by a car-centric world. We see the problem (too many cars) but instinctively reject solutions like new housing or bike lanes because we assume they will only add to the congestion. This cognitive bias is perfectly captured by the adage, “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” In the suburbs, when all you have is a car, everything looks like a drive. The opposition to change comes from a valid fear, but it’s a fear based on a misunderstanding of what actually causes traffic in the first place. We assume more homes must mean more cars, but this is only true if we continue to build exclusively car-dependent places.

The Real Solutions to Traffic

The way to reduce traffic is not to build wider roads, but to give people viable, safe, and convenient alternatives to driving for their daily needs. This requires two fundamental shifts in how we build our community.

First, we need to embrace gentle density and legalize neighbourhood-level retail and commercial services. Allowing for and promoting the creation of duplexes, triplexes, and small apartment buildings throughout our community is a key tool to reduce traffic. This gentle increase in residents creates the population base needed to support local amenities. When we also reform our zoning to allow for low-impact businesses like a corner store or a small café in our neighbourhoods, we empower residents to meet their daily needs without a car, removing thousands of short car trips from our congested roads.

Second, we must build complete streets. Redesigning our major arterial roads like Orléans Boulevard and Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard to be safe for all users is critical. Complete streets with physically separated cycling facilities and wide, comfortable sidewalks transform our roads from car-only corridors into true public spaces. This makes active transportation a practical and safe choice for people of all ages, not just a recreational hobby for the bravest or most foolish among us. Every person who feels safe enough to cycle to a transit station or walk to a local shop is one less car on the road.

How You Can Actually Fight Traffic

Understanding the real solutions is the first step; advocating for them is the second. For residents who are tired of the traffic and want to support these positive changes, here is a simple starter kit for action:

• Support Zoning Reform: Get informed about the city’s ongoing comprehensive zoning by-law review. This is a generational opportunity to advocate for eliminating the most restrictive zones that nitpick gentle density and don’t go far enough to unlock car dependent exclusionary zoning.
• Advocate for Better Streets: Engage with your city councillor and your local community association. Demand that “complete street” principles are applied whenever a road in your area is scheduled for reconstruction. My own advocacy for safer cycling infrastructure on Orleans Boulevard is a direct example of how residents can push for these tangible changes.
• Join Your Community Association: An individual voice can be easy to dismiss, but a collective one is powerful. Joining your local community association, mine is Orleans is the Convent Glen Orleans Wood Community Association, is one of the most effective ways to advocate for a more walkable, bike-able, and less car-dependent neighbourhood.
• Lead by Example: A “Less Car” philosophy is about the power of conscious, incremental choices. Try swapping one or two car trips a week for a walk or a bike ride. This not only reduces traffic directly but also demonstrates the latent public desire for more transportation options, building the political will for change one trip at a time.