Editor:
Re: Burnaby council rejects connector from McBride to Highway 1, NOW News
I am not for more highways, but let me explain what went wrong with the new Pattullo Bridge.
1. TransLink and Ministry of Transportation never consulted Burnaby City Council. Consulting with staff does not count.
2. Burnaby council still has an approved 1995 Transportation Plan. Staff proposed new Transportation Plan is about a year away. Yes, staff and some councillors are against the connector, but it makes sense similar to the Cassiar Connector.
3. The Lower Mainland needs a proper plan (southern Vancouver Island got a plan from MOTI in Sept. 2020.
4. In addition to the Stormont-McBride Connector, there was a proposal for the North Fraser Perimeter Connector from the Pattullo Bridge to the Brunette Interchange, which goes mostly through industrial areas. Maybe this connector should be built first.
5. Traffic will not decrease even with more people not using cars. The one to two million extra people moving to the Lower Mainland over the next 30 to 40 years will mean more commercial traffic and small increase in car traffic, therefore we need a proper plan for the short, medium and long term.
6. There are a few missing links in our major highways that cause increase in GHG. By planning ahead, we can decrease GHG as proposed by CleanBC. Electrification would help but TransLink is four years behind other major cities.
Nathan Davidowicz
