Smart cities are now recognizing errors of the past, cancelling highway-building plans, and simply tearing freeways down...These include Milwaukee, Seoul, Toronto, Bogata, Chenzhen, and even Los Angeles.
The Livable Region Coalition has formulated a proposal which, for a mere $300-$500 million, would reduce traffic congestion and move more people more efficiently, cleanly and comfortably, than Gateway's $7 billion plan.
There is no single magic remedy for traffic congestion. However, cities around the world are finding innovative solutions which do not center on road expansion. These are always a mixed bag which may include efficient transit systems, road pricing, land use planning, revitalized rail networks, tolling, and incentives for cycling, walking and car-sharing.
Congeston Tolling Works!
Why is Minister Falcon so wedded to "getting on with" the failed US transportation policies of building more roads? Can he find a US city where more roads is reducing congestion (maybe Dallas, LA, Orlando or Seattle)? Why haven't the bright red brake lights of the world's climate scientists caused our Transportation Minister to adopt the successful transportation planning models being implemented in Europe and Asia? Why is Minister Falcon so intent on building more climate damaging roadways (that will take 6+ years to complete) when he could be implementing solutions that will reduce congestion and pollution NEXT YEAR? Stockholm & London experienced a 25% reduction in congestion OVERNIGHT by implementing region wide congestion tolling and mass transportation improvements! Fast Buses, minor queue-jumping road modifications and congestion tolling could get SOV commuters moving again now. Extending electric trains into the valley would increasingly insulate our economy from coming spikes in oil prices. Congestion tolling will further encourage workers to live and work close-by, further reducing our dependency on rising oil prices. Why is the Province "getting on with it" a billion dollar & 7 year boondoggle when Stockholm spent a fraction to get real congestion reduction in 2 years? We could use the savings to make all our communities more enjoyable by building sports and recreation facilities.
Our roads & bridges have more than adequate capacity for commercial delivery trucks, fast commuter buses and all the people with real "errands". It is time for real Provincial Leadership, not the current
following of our southern neighbour's failures. Our economic strengths are in creative innovation, not dogma and inertia. Successful transportation models are becoming a major business opportunity. Is BC going to be stuck in traffic with Mr. Falcon's twinned albatross or is BC business going to be smoothly running on a hydro powered electric transportation system like Stockholm or Ottawa (or recently proposed in Toronto)?
Gateway project
I don't see Toronto tearing up the 401, which is 14 lanes wide? Vancouver is the third major city in Canada with only one 4 lane highway in and out of it. I don't think that the traffic on the number one is all commuters. When the highway was recently closed due to a slide in Hope, the traffic was still backed up over highway seven all the way to Agassiz! You mean people are commuting everyday from the interior, I doubt it. Not all people are going to Vancouver, some may be getting on ferries, going to Whistler etc. Every third vehicle is a semi, they can't put their cargo onto a skytrain. Don't get me wrong, I live out in Harrison and would love to be able to take a skytrain from my place into downtown Vancouver for the very rare time that I need to go there, but I really don't think that would be economical. I have looked at the route of the west coast express and don't understand why it doesn't cross the CPR interchange across the Fraser travel the short distance to the Trans Canada Highway near the Costco in Abbotsford? (All on existing trackage. Than in the future 22 km of new track could be built between the E/W bound lanes of the Trans Canada link up with the CNR right of Way into Chilliwack. Seems easy to me.