Solving the transportation woes on the lower island is going to require some review and discussion. That's the latest from BC Premier John Horgan who was on CFAX 1070 this morning.
Horgan says the most recent closure of the Malahat, and the constant bottlenecks for drivers trying to get into Greater Victoria, will require varying approaches -- but exactly which one remains up in the air.
Last week Horgan revived talk of a bridge to the Saanich Peninsula as alternate route to the Malahat -- but now?
" If we were going to put a bridge, which is extremely expensive, and I don't want people to get all worked up that I'm advocating for a bridge. What I'm asking the minister of transportation to do is pull that report off the shelf, update it as quickly as we can, not spend a lot of money on reviewing this again because there's a mountain of work that's been done. And let's talk to the public in the lower island about what's the best way to go forward."
But he says all options come with issues:
"There was a review done by the provincial government back in 2007. It had a range of options -- a near west option, and far west option going through Sooke, which then creates more complications on highway 14."
Horgan also addressed quashing a plan to revive trains on the E & N rail line, saying it would be better used as a bus corridor since trains would have to stop at Vic West -- forcing passengers onto some other sort of transport to get downtown.
" Since the Johnson Street bridge has been finished without a train track on it the closest you can get to town is Vic West. And study and after study shows with transportation issues if people have to transfer more than once they are more likely to stay in their car, so if we're going to use public transit on the E & N corridor into town we have to make sure that it's flexible and people will use it."
The premier says the public will be asked for their ideas on what's the best way forward.