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Editorial: Driving into the 21st Century

Road improvements will make traffic flow better in Sooke

There’s some good news for Sooke. Finally, after years of negotiations and fundng applications work will begin on the much talked about roundabout.

Is it the right place for the roundabout? Some think not, others obviously think it is. Regardless, it will be built this summer and it will disrupt the traffic flow along Hwy. 14 for the duration of the construction. Hopefully we will all see the benefits once it is completed. There are enough roundabouts in the region for people to get used to using them. It is not difficult - you just keep keep driving to the left until you reach your exit off the roundabout. Large trucks will go right over the top of it, so drivers will need to be mindful of that aspect. You wouldn’t win any kind of right-of-way contest with a fully loaded logging truck.

So, it will happen and we might as well embrace the concept and the push into the 21 century.

What will really be appreciated are some nice spanking new sidewalks. Sidewalks that actually follow a straight line and don’t veer off onto the highway. The town core will get the first new sidewalks, which is great, but we need sidewalks everywhere in Sooke. We need to plan for safe travel into Sooke from at least the Prestige hotel. If we want the town to be walkable and tourist friendly, this ought to be the next step in the sidewalk upgrade planning process. Leaving people to walk along side the highway with no curbs or buffers from the traffic is foolhardy and unsafe. It makes one feel very vulnerable and just a moments distraction by a driver could result in an unfortunate incident between a vehicle and a pedestrian.

Sooke is no longer the sleepy little village it once was and we all know the traffic is steadily increasing. Maybe now we will see some improvement in the flow through town. It’s time we got caught up.