Category: In The News

Bus-lane extension to speed commute to West Shore
Lindsay Kines / Times Colonist
March 8, 2018

Transit riders can expect a slightly faster commute to the West Shore this fall once work concludes to extend the northbound rapid bus lane on Douglas Street.

B.C. Transportation Minister Claire Trevena announced Wednesday that Jacob Bros. Construction Inc. of Surrey won the contract to build a priority bus lane from Tolmie Avenue to the Burnside Bridge, where Burnside and Interurban roads cross under the Trans-Canada Highway. Continue reading “Better Transit Alliance on front page of Times Colonist”

Times Colonist Letters to Editor
February 25, 2018

Re: “For now, the Crawl lives on,” column, Feb. 16.

It’s good news that the provincial government is proceeding with the next section of bus lane on Douglas Street in Saanich. The Better Transit Alliance also agrees with columnist Jack Knox that “continuous, dedicated transit lanes between downtown and the West Shore, allowing buses to blow past the Crawl” is a practical way to provide congestion relief. Continue reading “Finish bus lanes to West Shore – Better Transit Alliance Letter to TC”

Adding blacktop solutions to handle more vehicles not the answer, reader writes
Jan. 14, 2018

Re: Regional transportation authority has mayors at odds (vicnews.com, Jan. 11)  Langford Mayor Stew Young has convinced me that a Capital Regional District transportation service is a good idea.

He suggests that ‘experts’ in the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) should make decisions for the region. Continue reading “Victoria BTA member’s letter pushes CRD to defend CRD Transport Plan”

Eric Doherty of the Better Transit Alliance is interviewed by Jack Etkinon the November 22 2017 Citizen’s Forum show on Shaw. Discussion includes Douglas / Highway 1 bus lanes, and the federal-provincial climate agreement. Click here to watch https://youtu.be/RK0vEm10gpA?t=14m33s

Have you written a letter to the editor about transit this month? How about writing a quick one right now, short and to the point is usually best!

Build efficient transit system now!

Re: “Trans-Canada congestion is a climate crime,” letter, Nov. 18.

I agree with the writer of the letter. I think it’s time that a lot more effort was put into transit, including dedicated transit-only lanes all along the Pat Bay Highway. Continue reading “Great Letter by Brentwood Bay BTA member!”

Check out this great letter to the editor from Better Transit Alliance member Cathy Willander of Colwood. (How about writing your own letter to the editor today?)

Trans-Canada congestion is a climate crime
Times Colonist – November 18, 2017

I have just moved to Colwood from South Delta, and the Colwood Crawl is much worse than getting through the Massey Tunnel, commonly referred to as the worst traffic jam in B.C. Continue reading “Colwood BTA member’s letter to editor re bus lanes”

Bids solicited for extension of Douglas Street bus lanes
Lindsay Kines / Times Colonist
November 15, 2017

Bids for the next phase of the Douglas Street bus lanes — designed to speed bus travel along the busy Douglas corridor — have been reopened.

The B.C. government and City of Victoria have reopened bidding on construction contracts to lengthen the priority bus lanes on Douglas Street. The Ministry of Transportation issued a call for bids Tuesday to extend the northbound lane from Tolmie Avenue to the Burnside Bridge, where Burnside and Interurban roads cross under the Trans-Canada Highway. Continue reading “BTA gets Commitment for Emergency Meeting if Bus Lanes Over Budget”

 

Letter to the editor by  Better Transit Alliance member Eric Doherty:

Bus lanes already under construction

Times Colonist, October 27, 2017

Re: “Run electric buses on E&N corridor: firm,” Oct. 24. Why is so much time being wasted talking about bus lanes on the E&N corridor when bus lanes on the Douglas Street/Trans-Canada Highway corridor are already under construction? Continue reading “Another Letter to Editor!”

More bus lanes should be a priority

Times Colonist – October 8, 2017

Re: “Residents call for more affordable transit,” Oct. 3.

The new Vital Signs report has a lot of good information on what people in Greater Victoria want, beyond lower transit fares. The report shows that people are tired of transit riders getting stuck in traffic, and think we should reduce our reliance on cars. It also says we should “take urgent action to combat climate change.” Continue reading “Better Transit Alliance letter to editor in Times Colonist”

A Look at Transit in the South Island

by Sue Stroud, citizen reporter

Last spring Saanich Peninsula Green Drinks hosted a presentation by Eric Doherty of the Better Transit Alliance of Greater Victoria around transit options for the region. The evening, hosted by Central Saanich Councillor Alicia Holman included a slide show followed by a lively discussion.

Doherty’s presentation held the position that a community can’t build its way out of traffic congestion – growth supersedes road building and road building facilitates further growth. He suggested that, in the Southern Vancouver Island region, this was demonstrated by the road ‘improvements’ that took place to eliminate what is lovingly referred to as the Colwood Crawl – the traffic stand-still/crawl that happens on Hwy #1 and roads parallel to it heading into Victoria in the morning, and out again in the late afternoon . . .

Read full article www.saanichvoiceonline.ca/2017/07/04/moving-into-the-future/