Politically the Highway 7 project is a huge deal and it's already well underway.
I feel like these discussions assume that politicians ignore the effect of induced demand, but in the case of a highway like this one, I think it's part of the point. Not the sprawl in between necessarily, but the increased travel between KW and Guelph is very much the point. It's viewed as an improvement to the local economy through increased economic connections and access.
Personally I'd like to see a local iXpress-style route along the current Highway 7 from Kitchener to Guelph to build demand and connect some of the employment areas and the downtowns. This would be a more local service to complement the eventual intercity transit by GO/VIA. But if the demand is there, and car traffic has the option of a new Highway 7, the Victoria/Highway 7/Woodlawn corridor can easily spare the space for an interurban LRT.
I feel like these discussions assume that politicians ignore the effect of induced demand, but in the case of a highway like this one, I think it's part of the point. Not the sprawl in between necessarily, but the increased travel between KW and Guelph is very much the point. It's viewed as an improvement to the local economy through increased economic connections and access.
Personally I'd like to see a local iXpress-style route along the current Highway 7 from Kitchener to Guelph to build demand and connect some of the employment areas and the downtowns. This would be a more local service to complement the eventual intercity transit by GO/VIA. But if the demand is there, and car traffic has the option of a new Highway 7, the Victoria/Highway 7/Woodlawn corridor can easily spare the space for an interurban LRT.