The idea of turning a busy important transportation corridor into a side street is an idiotic idea on many levels. How many taxis, delivery trucks, soccer moms, and commuters travel on that road every day? The new McKenzie Avenue bike lane network, which doesn't inconvenience anyone, is practically empty 90% of the time. Will this be the same with 'guaranteed' bus lanes, which will inconvenience thousands? Or will this 'evaporate' traffic?
"Traffic evaporation" is a term that keeps getting thrown around, as though it has some merit. It does not. It is a made-up term by those who want to ban cars everywhere.
What about handyDart transporting seniors who don't drive anyway? I, who use Mackenzie Avenue on a daily basis, usually taking my elderly mother to appointments, will not give up my car even if the lanes are lessened. I am sure there are legions who feel the same. All that will happen is the lineups will go on endlessly, people will be frustrated and angry, and unintended consequences will follow.
Reducing driving lanes to fight climate change is a baseless argument. Making driving harder will hurt those who drive electric cars too. How are they hurting the climate? This conspiracy to de-car our community is absurd. There is evidence that the majority of drivers in a short period of time will switch to electric cars. Does it make sense to deprive them of a decent driving experience?
What about the Shelbourne corridor? That 'experiment' isn't even done yet, and we have no idea what kind of problems will develop with that 'improvement'. Shouldn't we wait and see what happens THERE first, before we go disrupting one of the most important arteries in Saanich?
Please, stop pandering to the 2% when 98% (taxpayers) are the ones who will have to pay for this and get inconvenienced by it.
Leave Mackenzie alone!
Craig Cottrell
Saanich
