Are new highways the on ramp to reelection for the Conservatives?

Guest: Robert Benzie, The Star’s Queen’s Park bureau chief

It seems like the Progressive Conservatives believe the road to next year’s election will be paved with new highways. Recently, Premier Doug Ford announced the province would fund the Bradford Bypass, a new 16 km road that would connect Highways 400 and 404. As well, the Ontario government has proposed plans to build Highway 413, a new 60 km freeway that would connect Milton to Vaughan, despite opposition from the municipalities that it would affect. There are a lot of questions about the specifics of these new roads, but also about some of the motivations behind them. Is this the kind of wedge issue that the PCs hope will propel them to re-election? Or is this a road to nowhere?