Premier Doug Ford vows to dig massive tunnel under Highway 401 to address congestion [Video]

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced on Wednesday that his government is exploring the feasibility of a massive tunnelling project under the province’s busy Highway 401 – but in the same breath, then vowed that what he said would be one of the world’s longest tunnels would in fact be built.

Speaking to reporters with the highway roaring behind him, Mr. Ford unveiled plans for a study of new tunnel to expand the congested artery’s capacity, saying that traffic congestion costs the province $11-billion a year and that the Toronto-area’s 400-series highways were expected to be at capacity within a decade.

He said the tunnel would include vehicle traffic and a public transit corridor and would run from Mississauga west of Toronto to Markham. (The 401 does not go to Markham, which is north of Toronto, but does intersect with Markham Road, in Scarborough.)

He dismissed questions about costs as coming …