Better Transit Alliances Eric Doherty says decision shows transit and transit riders are not considered that important
A Transit advocacy group says the next phase of the Douglas Street Bus Lanes has been shelved because bids came in 30% higher than budgeted.
Eric Doherty, with the Better Transit Alliance, says a report going to the Transit Commission Thursday blames the higher costs on the high construction activity in the area.
Doerty says however a lot of projects in the region have come in high, but governments have made them a high priority and put in extra money.
"Like every other construction project in this region the bids have been coming in high. However a lot of other projects governments have just been bacically sucking it up, deciding they are a high priority, they need to be done quickly, and putting in extra money. In this case the decision was made to delay".
Doherty says that reflects a problem in this region, that transit and transit riders are not considered that important, and that it's not that urgent that transit riders get better service.
He'll be making a presentation to the transit commission arguing that they should make completing the Douglas/Highway 1 bus lanes the top transportation infrastructure priority for the region, adding bus lanes would be a huge improvement for a large number of the population and could be completed to the 6-Mile Pub area within 24 months with political will and adequate funding.