As Hollis Hodson continues knocking on doors across the municipality, several consistent themes are emerging.
Transportation is one of the most important issues facing Saanich today.
What concerns me is I am hearing from people that transportation and the infrastructure that supports it is dividing Saanich instead of connecting it. Our transportation network should safely move people where they need to go, regardless of how they choose to travel.
I’ve always believed infrastructure is people:
• It’s the senior who wants to cross the street with confidence.
• The commuter who wants to spend less time in traffic and more time with family.
• The cyclist looking for a safe route.
• The transit rider who needs efficient reliable service to arrive at their destination on time.
• The first responders who depend on transportation networks that allow them to reach emergencies when every second counts.
The current implementation of bike lanes and reduced vehicle lanes impacts first-responders negatively and frightens drivers, who cannot pull over when they hear sirens. Many residents feel Saanich is favouring one mode of transportation over another. The result has been growing frustration, increased congestion, and more conflicts between road users, compounded by unclear rules, signage and changing road designs.
Single-lane and speed limit reductions have affected everyone, including transit users and local delivery businesses that navigate these corridors every day. Professional drivers have shared with me that reduced turning radii on some streets are creating additional safety challenges, forcing their larger vehicles to encroach into opposing lanes to complete turns.
Saanich must provide practical alternatives for all modes of travel. That means investing in sidewalks to get to transit stops and transit that is reliable, frequent, and efficient for everyone including for students, young professionals, and those travelling to work on the Peninsula at 4am in the morning and returning after 1am.
Transportation shouldn’t be about choosing winners and losers. It should be about creating a balanced, connected network that is safe, practical, and works for everyone. This issue is personal to me, as twenty-two years ago, the project that drew me into civic advocacy was about sidewalks to help children walk safely to school, this journey hasn’t stopped.
I offer Saanich citizens deep experience with the public sector, including local government, stakeholder engagement, and project management resulting in cost-effective outcomes that improve how local government and its citizens services are delivered. Running for council is the next step in my journey to continue to give Saanich citizens a voice on council.
Protect What Matters.
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