Editor:
Further to the letter from Alun Woolliams of Transportation Choices Sunshine Coast (“Bike licensing tried, failed,” Aug. 27), whilst we agree about the importance and benefits of active transportation, the reality is that our current “Goat Trail” is not a safe route for cyclists or pedestrians.
And it never can be.
To be truly safe for cyclists and pedestrians, improvements would need to be made to the entire “Goat Trail” – but this is simply impossible in areas such as Selma Park (due to the homes and steep driveways on both sides), Chapman Creek bridge and numerous other sections with private properties abutting the road surface.
We support the long-term goals of reducing car dependency and moving to electric vehicles to help mitigate the effects of climate change.
But these will take many years to implement and will not help with the reality today of ever-increasing traffic volumes and increasing frequency of accidents on our “highway.”
Construction of a state of the art, spectacular scenic highway from Langdale through to West Sechelt would meet the needs of residents, visitors, businesses, transit and first responders, now and in the years to come. Only then can our current road become a safe parkway route for local traffic as well as for cyclists and pedestrians.
Robin Merriott
for Sunshine Coast Highway Society
[email protected]
