Congestion on roads leaving drivers cold

Council weighs in on expanding public transit, motorists’ concerns

Edmonton must risk inconveniencing drivers if it hopes to fight impending congestion problems, Mayor Don Iveson said Monday.

His words came amid a spirited discussion of the city’s transportation planning Tuesday morning, as city council revisited its 10-year strategic goal for transportation.

“The problem is we all lose if we don’t make this shift,” Iveson said. “The traffic gets worse and worse. You can’t get buses down the road, you can’t get goods down the road. And the very commuter we’re worried about here can’t get down the road either.”

Council voted unanimously to revise its old statement, approved in March 2008, turning to administration to provide potential revisions for council discussion at a later date. The previous statement called for a shift to fit Edmonton’s “urban form and enhanced density” while supporting the city’s other goals.

In a wide-ranging discussion, councillors weighed in on expanding public transit, potential burdens placed on motorists and the potential to create winners and losers in a city battle over ta x dollars.

“I think the conversation shouldn’t be about one or the other, it should be about choices,” said Coun. Amarjeet Sohi, citing an Alberta Economic Development Authority study that suggests congestion costs the Alberta economy $7 billion.

Thinking in terms of punishment of drivers and rewards for transit users misses the point, Coun. Ben Henderson.

Some people will always drive, but increased transit could benefit everyone, he said.

“It’s about creating a system which actually makes it easier for the people that can make that choice to get on that bus, get on that LRT, because we can move way more people down the same corridor,” Henderson said.

But Coun. Bryan Anderson suggested some degree of punishment and reward may be inevitable.

“… You reward people by making the transit system really, really good or really, really quick or you do a suite of things that makes it more difficult.”

Given the hefty price tag of LRT expansion, Coun. Scott McKeen asked for itemized data to convince people that increasing congestion costs the city more.

Otherwise, people might think councillors are “just Birkenstock-wearing greenies” who want more LRT “because that will be cool.”

“As a council we need to know that, otherwise I think there are accusations out there,” McKeen said.

City manager Simon Farbrother closed conversation with the suggestion there is no single solution to the transportation woes. The conversation shouldn’t be about a simple ideal, but what is possible.