Doug Ford wants a tunnel under Ontario's Highway 401. He could learn something from Boston's 'Big Dig'

Ontario's Premier Doug Ford wants to dig Canada's largest city out of its traffic woes.

Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford wants to dig Canada’s largest city out of its traffic woes.

The pitch is to build an expressway for vehicles, and possibly transit too, under Canada’s busiest throughfare: Highway 401.

Standing roadside speaking to reporters, Ford vowed to make his pitch a reality. “I’ll tell you one thing, we’re getting this tunnel built,” proclaimed Ontario’s Premier as traffic crawled along behind him.

Opposition critics at the provincial legislature are already calling Ford’s plan political pageantry, with Ontario Liberal Leader, Bonnie Crombie, proclaiming, “I really think this is a pipe dream of an idea.”

The tunnel, as it has been proposed, would run from the west end of the Greater Toronto Area in Mississauga to Scarborough in the east -- a distance of about 55 kilometres.

By comparison, the longest tunnel road in the world is in Norway - at 24.5 kilometers - and its only two lanes.

If Ford truly intends to see his tunnel vision through, the “big dig” in Boston, Mass. may give a glimpse into what Ontario can expect.