Editor:
The announcement by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) building “bike lanes” (Coast Reporter Feb. 6) concerns me in a number of ways.
The road improvements are not bike lanes but shoulder widening. Bike lanes are dedicated and marked.
The shoulder widening announced on Highway 101 near Redrooffs Road is not a safety enhancement, as there exists a wide gravel shoulder with no visibility impairment. In fact, the other side of the highway has a very narrow shoulder with asphalt ridging that is a danger to cyclists. Should highway improvements through shoulder widening be done for safety or as a 400-metre statistic for ministry reporting?
MOTI continues to award these highway improvements at a fixed price to Capilano Highways without tender. This may be cost effective to the ministry, but as a taxpayer, I see a lack of transparency. The dollars being spent on these highway improvements are but a rounding error in MOTI’s budget. Is this really worthy of a news release?
Serious safety concerns requiring Capilano Highways to perform basic maintenance are deferred as capital expenditures by MOTI, awaiting future funding approval. I refer to the water-filled pothole at the transit stop on Highway 101 and Selma Park Road. This particular issue has been the subject of numerous complaints by individuals and other government departments since the second quarter of last year. There is no timeline for rectification.
MOTI ignores and defers the safety concerns of the Sunshine Coast Highway.
It’s time to raise our complaints a few more decibels. The status quo is not working.
Joe Vechter, Halfmoon Bay
