Re: Sooke’s traffic problems ‘far beyond what anyone could have anticipated’ (News, March 31)
Growth in Sooke and the need for a traffic congestion solution are on the minds of most residents. The road is not the problem. In off-peak hours, a trip from Langford can take 15 minutes.
The need for a solution revolves around peak commuter hours. The three km/h crawl has commuters, transit, school buses and commercial traffic all wanting access during peak times. The $85-million Highway 14 fix will not be the fix hoped for.
Sooke has four large apartment complexes coming to market and the sizeable Wadam Way subdivision. The 1,200 builds already approved under existing zoning will add more cars to the commuter congestion.
Bold, creative solutions are necessary to halt this madness. The Capital Regional District has stated that road construction is not the answer. TNT (Time Negotiated Travel) is now our only option, given the geological barriers and climate emission problems unique to Sooke.
There is only one road in and out, and we must learn to share it to make it an effective transportation corridor. Incentives and restrictions on peak hour traffic must be used to deliver an affordable, equitable, and climate-first solution, given Sooke council’s desire for continued rapid growth.
William Wallace
Sooke
editor@sookenewsmirror.com
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