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Regional transportation service makes sense for Greater Victoria

Adding blacktop solutions to handle more vehicles not the answer, reader writes
10178791_web1_VNE-RegionalTraffic
Morning traffic moves down Highway 1, just before the Helmcken Road overpass. Dealing with traffic flowing along this corridor, including transit service, would be among the focuses of a proposed regional transportation authority. Don Denton/Black Press

Re: Regional transportation authority has mayors at odds (vicnews.com, Jan. 11)

Langford Mayor Stew Young has convinced me that a Capital Regional District transportation service is a good idea.

He suggests that ‘experts’ in the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) should make decisions for the region. But this ministry has been paving over everything to make room for more and more cars for half a century. Yes, the NDP and Greens are now in control, but only a superhero could reverse half a century of ingrained culture overnight. NDP Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Claire Trevena seems good, but I have not seen any super powers yet.

If things had changed at MoTI, the much-delayed Douglas Street/Highway 1 bus lanes to the 6 Mile Pub area would be approved by now. The CRD must push the province to fund transit rather than more blacktop boondoggles, as the CRD Regional Transportation Plan calls for. And the CRD’s directors must act now rather than waiting until their new transportation service is set up.

Eric Doherty

Victoria