Last month I suggested to our municipal council that they take action to provide two lanes for traffic coming to Whistler, and two lanes for departures, and this on weekends and perhaps holidays (“Letter: A simple solution for Highway 99 congestion in Whistler,” Pique, Jan. 3). I saw this as a temporary measure, and one to mitigate the increase in carbon output that results from traffic jams. While I have received many positive comments from other Whistlerites, I have had only one comment from a councillor, and that was in the vein of long-term rather than short-term solutions. I received no comments from any other councillors, nor have I heard of any action in the pipeline.
In the meantime, the last weekend saw the same traffic problem reoccurring. Most of the people caught in traffic are not voters in Whistler elections, but the greenhouse gases are being produced here. Council has to provide a response in order to keep their actions consistent with their words, and this suggestion, at least, is low cost, and should be somewhat effective. What is to lose? Vancouverites do it daily on the Lions Gate Bridge.
The long-term solution is probably two years off. In the meantime, if council wants Whistler voters to take climate action seriously then they must take a shot at reducing the carbon problem brought about by ignoring an unnecessary traffic jam, or take another approach.
Al Whitney // Whistler
[Editor’s note: Responsibility for maintenance and infrastructure improvements on Highway 99 ultimately lies with the provincial Ministry of Transportation.]
