1. Do you support re-aligning municipal and regional transportation plans and investments to meet the provincial government’s CleanBC target to “reduce distances travelled in light-duty vehicles by 2030 compared to 2020″?
Yes, but the complexities of 13 municipalities and 90+ politicians add to the challenge to meet targets. View Royal is still the pinch-point between Westshore and downtown. Our proposed “density Official Community Plan (OCP)” has not had the benefit of the Active Transportation planning currently underway, nor an update of the old 2016 Transportation Master Plan. We do not know if roads and trails… bikes, car share, transit… has the capacity to avoid significant gridlock (level of service =F). For instance, smart growth along the rapid transit corridor makes a lot of sense. We must ensure that regional goods, services, buses and emergency vehicles can still effectively and efficiently move through and for View Royal and our region.
2. Do you support making the default speed limit 30 km/h for streets without centrelines?
Yes, and I believe that much of View Royal has 30 km/h on these roads. It is time to put a speed limit on the regional trails as well.
3. Do you commit to budgeting sufficient funds to accelerate the draft Active Transportation Network Plan once completed?
As a resident, I have actively participated in the town’s active transportation planning process with surveys and open houses. Like Saanich, I hope ours is a comprehensive plan that promotes and fills the infrastructure gaps for walking, cycling and transit. It should also promote car-share options. If elected, I will assess the action items along with resident input to see what portions are quick hits / essential and needs acceleration. Senior governments must also step up to co-fund regional active transportation networks as an integral part of their housing platform. It is more than funds. It is time to re-instate the resident-based Transportation Advisory Committee to help review, guide, and keep this important plan on track.
4. Do you support using neighbourhood-wide traffic calming to create low traffic neighbourhoods with much lower traffic volume with quick build materials?
Yes, this is even more important in considering what adverse and unintended spinoffs come from draft “density OCP”. Does it push residents and commuters onto side streets to “rat-run” and add excessive traffic in “low volume” neighbourhoods? Residents are most concerned about this. This may have to go beyond “quick build” to costly sidewalks to ensure public safety.
5. How would you support making walking safer and more enjoyable in View Royal?
Safety first for all ages and abilities! With limited budgets, municipalities need to re-think road designs and materials in order to get the most kilometers of pedestrian safety. I feel the CRD Pedestrian and Cycling Master Plan addresses cycling but gives only lip service to pedestrians. The 13 municipalities must work to fill the gaps at their boundaries. The regional trails must include a separate “pedestrian lane” to reduce conflicts and liability. Safety also includes proper lighting, and it is time to phase this onto our regional trials.
6. Do you support building a network of all ages and abilities (“AAA”) bike and roll routes throughout View Royal?
Yes. When you have 800 cars and 600 bikes coming to one short street, the Town should have immediately gone beyond ‘black and white” policy to ensure maximum safety for AAA cyclists up a step hill that is directly connected to the Galloping Goose Trail. Through resident lobbying, the road design now has a bike lane. We also must address a long-standing and significant safety risk: the lack of bike lanes along on our portion of Admirals Road. I will lobby the province to add bike lanes to all of Six Mile Road, and pull back the bridge abutment barriers that narrows and pushes cyclists into traffic.
7. Do you support welcoming people who use wheelchairs and mobility scooters to use all ages and abilities (AAA) bike and roll routes?
Yes, but lets not limit to “bike and roll routes”… sidewalks are also impediments with narrow sections, no curb ramps… or nothing at all. A resident, “Bob” pleaded for charging stations for when and if his mobility scooter battery dies. Excellent idea. Besides toilets and drinking fountains we should also provide charging station infrastructure. Why just for electric cars? There was an opportunity to add one on the Galloping Goose Trail at Burnside and Watkiss intersection but CRD said “no”. Let’s re-think and include this as part of a comprehensive regional active transportation plan.
8. Do you support rapidly completing the 24/7 bus lanes for BC Transit’s proposed RapidBus route along the Highway 1 / Sooke Road corridor, as well as similar measures along all of BC Transit’s proposed RapidBus routes across the CRD?
Yes, I support the rapid bus lane up Island Highway past the casino towards Colwood. But there are questions. Transit wants to put a traffic light on Atkins at the Intra Tire Centre, half way between Six Mile and Thetis Interchange. This is of three “mobility hubs” planned for a total of 600 park and ride spots along the rapid bus line. We don’t know how many cars will be allocated here. We have not seen any traffic analysis to assess the impacts on Six Mile Road and potential backups onto the TCH in both directions. Wouldn’t the rapid bus also get stuck in gridlock? I still cannot see how ‘rapid bus’ will move along effectively and efficiently through the narrow, congested Goldstream Avenue. The successful community engagement for the handydart facility needs to be replicated for the 100+ residents near this Atkins mobility hub. I would also support installing large bus shelters on both sides of the Helmcken overpass to protect riders from the elements.
9. With the court-imposed deadline of March 14, 2023 to keep the Island Rail Corridor intact, how would you support modern rail service for Vancouver Island?
No. If rail were viable the senior governments would have acted long ago. Regarding the CRD portion, MLA Dean was not convinced years ago, Premier Horgan is not now. I have read the ICF 2022 report and believe the costs go well beyond $740m for just 6 stations ( only one in View Royal). An 1884 map shows the first spike of the E&N was near Thomas Road in the “Esquimalt Village”. Thomas Road will have to be closed and all First Nations traffic come out onto Hallowell Road. The Inslip Wharf at Thetis Cove was ground zero for the Island Rail construction. I expect significant costs associated with outstanding reconciliation and land issues. A 1910 map shows that View Royal probably has an unsignalized intersection to pay for. The Railway Act will require View Royal to build a pedestrian bridge over the tracks to connect the two sections of Portage Park. Like the Lower Mainland, the region must take its share of the huge construction costs and the ongoing maintenance and subsidy. I completely agree with the CRD. The E&N is a vital transportation corridor. I hope that the senior governments will open sincere and respectful dialogues with all impacted First Nations, address the wrongs, and then build a sound economic partnership for an effective, efficient transportation route with not GHGs, including diesel. I have actively promoted the E&N Trail for 22 years and only 4.5 km to go. It goes around the Esquimalt Nation as required. It is not impossible for a viable transportation option to do likewise, as well as move continuously across the bride into the city.
10. Do you support making transit fares more affordable, both by reducing the cost of passes and individual fares and free or discounted passes for youth, seniors, and people living on low incomes?
Yes. But it is not just about low fares. Example: it is great that we now have the #53 bus to link Vic General to Thetis Lake and the 1000+ residents but there are no bus shelters and the service is only every 40 minutes. Let’s not leave transit users out in the cold. Is it time to have a roads and transit tax on all vehicles (oil or otherwise) as incentives to increase transit ridership with a sliding scale of fares?
11. Do you support removing the requirements for off-street vehicle parking from new and infill developments while adding requirements for car share, EV charging, bike and other micromobilty parking, as well as expanding accessible parking?
Victoria is still car centric. There must be fool proof process to ensure that reducing the parking requirements for new developments does not shift all those new residents and their cars to park elsewhere. This leads to clogged up neighbourhoods, reduces pedestrian and cycling safety, requires costly remedial infrastructure. Yes, transit passes, car share, and micromobility. EV charging is still cars and where do you park them if you remove the off-street parking? Define “accessible parking”. A parkade? Where does the protection of the dwindling tree canopy fit in?
12. How would you activate and bring more people into public spaces within View Royal, including sidewalks, public squares, streets and parks?
Work to have a continuous and safe network of sidewalks, trails, bike routes within and between municipalities. We should enable and encourage all residents to shop, recreate and share the wonderful regional variety and diversity it has to offer. No part of the CRD can afford to be completely self sustainable … an island unto itself. The sum is greater than the parts.
13. Do you support adding substantively more accessible public bathrooms across View Royal?
YES! I have lobbied for years to get one in Portage Park and finally its done! We have one in View Royal Park and at Centennial Park as well. This is just one aspect of supporting infrastructure in the active transportation plan! Drinking fountains, benches and charging stations too. I have written to the CRD, strongly suggesting updated economic wayfinding maps showing the locations of what amenities. Lets create a regional smart phone app that shows all these amenity features in relation to the phone’s location. This would be combined with art and culture places, recreation like bike and skateboard parks etc etc .
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