The Livable Blog

The Livable Region Coalition, as you know, is comprised of groups which have been in existence for some time fighting for a better environment (SPEC) and increased transportation choice (BEST) as well as many individuals who are concerned about the direction the region is being taken in.

It would also seem that we are beginning to cause some concern to those who have been claiming that twinning the Port Mann Bridge and widening Highway 1 is an obvious and popular solution to congestion. It seems that the idea is a lot more popular with the BC Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association, the Independent Construction Business Association, and (of course) the BC Trucking Association than the people recently surveyed. The interests of these associations are clear, and may even give rise to the thought "well they would, wouldn't they?" So these same groups are now in the business of creating their very own "grass roots" organization to show how ordinary folks really want to have a much wider freeway with lots more traffic.

They are calling this Get Moving BC which claims to be "Citizens in Support of Solving Traffic NOW". Except that it is not being funded by citizens, it is being funded by the organizations I have cited above. And anyway, what is this about "solving" traffic? Every successful city has traffic, and sometimes it gets more congested than others. The only long term solution so far that appears to work is a combination of road pricing and much better alternatives such as transit. That can be implemented now. The Highway and Bridge solution I'm afraid takes a great deal longer to design and build and lasts ... well, hardly any time at all, actually. It fills up pretty quickly if the experience of every other city that has tried it is anything to go by. Or even our own Alex Fraser Bridge, which had to open it's "extra" third lanes 9 months after it opened.

Of course there are some people who still think that widening a freeway is good idea. And they are entitled to their opinions. But like crop circles and UFOs, there are actually more plausible explanations than little green men.