Good Roads Podcast

In this episode of the Good Roads Podcast , Thomas and Andrew break down the latest transportation and infrastructure stories affecting municipalities across Ontario and Canada. In this episode: 🚧 Yet Another Tragic Case for Rural Road Safety A heartbreaking collision in Mapleton Township has once again highlighted the unique safety challenges facing rural intersections. We discuss why rural road...

This week’s episode explores citizen engagement in road maintenance, ambitious active transportation targets, and an innovative approach to long-term infrastructure funding. 🕳️ When Citizens Take Potholes Into Their Own Hands From crowdsourced pothole mapping in Sault Ste. Marie to volunteers filling highway craters in Alberta, residents are becoming increasingly involved in road maintenance. Whil...

This week’s episode looks at changing traffic safety policies, the growing trend of infrastructure uploading, and concerns over the long-term performance of low-volume road treatments. 🚦 Waterloo Region Wants to Ban Right Turns on Red The Region of Waterloo is launching a pilot project banning right turns on red at several major intersections across Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo. The goal is...

This week’s episode focuses on infrastructure funding, northern highway safety, and how Ontario’s evolving e-bike rules could change transportation for families. 💰 Would You Pay More to Fix Roads? Ottawa is exploring a dedicated infrastructure levy to help close a massive municipal funding gap tied to roads, bridges, and other public assets. City staff estimate a $229 million annual shortfall and...

This week’s episode explores three stories focused on maintenance, regulation, and the long-term cost of infrastructure decisions: 🛠️ A Community Approach to Pothole Repairs A volunteer road maintenance program in Devon, England is attracting attention for its low-cost approach to fixing small infrastructure issues before they become major problems. Residents are trained and equipped to perform ta...

This week’s episode explores three stories shaping the future of enforcement, transportation planning, and vehicle technology: 🔊 The Rise of Noise Cameras As warmer weather returns, so do complaints about loud vehicles and street racing. Toronto is now exploring the possibility of automated noise enforcement using AI-powered camera technology capable of identifying excessively loud vehicles in tr...

This week’s episode explores three stories shaping driver behaviour, urban congestion, and road safety culture: 🚓 Canada Road Safety Week Returns Police services across the country are increasing enforcement efforts as part of Canada Road Safety Week 2026. The campaign targets the “big four” dangerous driving behaviours: impaired driving, distracted driving, speeding, and seatbelt violations. Des...

This week’s episode explores three stories shaping the future of road safety, driver behaviour, and freight transportation: 🚦 Europe’s Road Safety Reality Check The European Union continues to make progress on reducing road fatalities, but not fast enough to meet its ambitious Vision Zero targets. Rural roads remain disproportionately deadly, while vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cy...

This week’s episode explores three evolving approaches to funding, safety, and mobility: 💰 The Return of Tolling Debates Highway tolling is resurfacing as provinces look for ways to fund infrastructure. In Atlantic Canada, proposed tolls targeting out-of-province drivers have sparked debate over fairness, economic impacts, and interprovincial trade. Meanwhile, Quebec is considering tolls to addre...

This week’s episode explores three major shifts in how infrastructure is funded, managed, and regulated: 🛣️ A National Case for Highways 11 & 17 Ontario ministers are urging the federal government to accelerate investment in Highways 11 and 17, highlighting their role as Canada’s only continuous east–west corridor entirely within national borders. Framed as critical to both economic stability and...

This week’s episode covers three stories shaping the future of transportation technology, procurement policy, and road infrastructure: 🤖 Waymo Looks to Test in Toronto Autonomous vehicle company Waymo is preparing to apply for Ontario’s AV pilot program, which would allow it to test vehicles on public roads. While this would be limited to testing—not commercial service—it raises important questio...

This week’s episode explores three big-picture shifts shaping how we plan, measure, and use transportation systems: 🚄 Growing Support for High-Speed Rail Public support is building for Canada’s proposed high-speed rail project connecting Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City. A recent survey shows a majority of Canadians back the idea, signaling growing openness to transformative infrastruct...

This week’s episode explores three critical issues impacting national connectivity, road safety, and the future of public transit funding: 🛣️ Northern Highways Under Pressure Organizations across Northern Ontario are calling on the federal government to designate Highways 11 and 17 as critical national infrastructure. These routes form a vital link in the Trans-Canada corridor, yet closures and sa...

This week’s episode covers three stories shaping the future of transportation, infrastructure technology, and driver behaviour: 🚄 High-Speed Rail Meets Local Resistance Canada’s proposed high-speed rail line between Toronto and Quebec City promises faster travel, economic growth, and a major boost to national connectivity. But residents in eastern Ontario are raising concerns about the project’s...

This week’s episode explores three major issues shaping the future of infrastructure, environmental stewardship, and transportation policy: 🛣️ Ring of Fire Roads Accelerated The Government of Ontario has announced an accelerated timeline to build all-season roads connecting First Nations communities in the Ring of Fire region to the provincial highway network. Construction on the Webequie Supply R...

This week’s episode explores three stories shaping municipal authority, cross-border infrastructure, and the evolving world of autonomous vehicles: 🏗️ Municipalities Challenge Utility “Free Ride” Several Ontario municipalities, led by Guelph, are questioning why Enbridge can use public rights-of-way without paying land-use fees. Cities argue the rules date back to when natural gas was considered a...

This week’s episode covers three major developments affecting road construction, safety outcomes, and municipal funding: 🛣️ Mandatory Municipal Road Standards Proposed The province has posted a proposed regulation that would require municipalities to adopt Ontario Provincial Standards for Municipal Road Construction (OPSS.MUNI) in key areas like asphalt, aggregates, and drainage. Additional standa...

This week’s episode covers three stories that highlight the real-world challenges facing municipalities during winter and beyond: ❄️ When Snow Becomes a Launch Pad Several vehicles have vaulted over guardrails after striking packed snow along Ontario highways, including a dramatic incident linking Highway 427 and Highway 401. While driver error has been cited, Good Roads argues that road design mu...

This week, our hosts discuss three developments shaping roads, transit, and infrastructure funding in Canada and beyond: 🚜 Advocating for Safer Rural Roads Good Roads President and Hornepayne Mayor Cheryl Fort appeared at provincial pre-budget consultations in Thunder Bay, calling for dedicated funding to improve safety on rural and northern roads. With vast road networks, limited tax bases, and...

This week, our hosts dig into three developments that matter to municipalities across Ontario and beyond: 🏗  Buy Ontario Rules: What Municipalities Need to Know New regulations under the Buy Ontario Act could soon require municipalities to prioritize Ontario- and Canadian-made goods in procurement. While intended to support local jobs, these rules raise serious concerns around cost, supplier choic...

Why do so many infrastructure projects—big or small—go over budget, run late, or fall apart? And how can Ontario’s municipalities avoid the same fate? In this episode of the Good Roads Podcast, bestselling author, journalist, and human-behaviour expert Dan Gardner breaks down the real reasons projects fail—and the surprisingly simple principles that can make them succeed. Drawing from his book How...

In this episode of the Good Roads Podcast , Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict joins us for a vital conversation on Indigenous leadership, municipal collaboration, and community development. Chief Benedict represents 133 First Nations across Ontario and brings deep insight into the challenges and opportunities in infrastructure, economic development, and reconciliation. We explore successful pa...

In this powerful episode of the Good Roads Podcast, co-hosts Thomas Barakat and Andrew Blackburn sit down with Eleanor McMahon — founder of the Share the Road Cycling Coalition and a former Ontario Cabinet Minister — to talk about the tragic loss that inspired a movement, and the decades of advocacy that followed. Eleanor shares her personal story of loss, the creation of Share the Road, and the f...

Dr. Wes Marshall, professor of civil engineering and urban planning at the University of Colorado, Denver, joins the Good Roads Podcast to discuss road safety and outdated traffic engineering practices. His book, Killed by a Traffic Engineer, challenges long-held assumptions about road design and its impact on safety. In this episode, he debunks common myths, explains how municipalities can push f...

David Zipper, senior fellow at the MIT Mobility Initiative and transportation policy expert, recently joined Good Roads Podcast hosts Thomas Barakat and Andrew Blackburn. Zipper shared his insights on the future of urban mobility, from changes in U.S. transportation policy to Ontario’s bike lane battles. In this interview, we explore the big-picture shifts Zipper anticipates and the lessons Canadi...