It seems I need to reiterate that the proposed use of traffic cones and manually operated traffic lights to reduce congestion on Highway 99 on the busy days is only a temporary solution. What might follow that will likely involve transit solutions, and maybe reduced car travel. Last week’s letter on the issue (“How to best optimize usage of Highway 99?” Pique, March 10) needs a contrarian view.
Somebody’s “research” may show that traffic congestion does not increase greenhouse gases, but one merely needs to consider the physics of energy consumption per time, rather than kilometre/litre, to see that, yes, emissions go up with gridlock. We are likely to see an increase in car traffic as EV numbers increase, and may see a decrease in transit, but this does not mitigate or change the argument for an immediate and temporary solution to what is going on now.
We have a two-lane highway through town because a previous council thought this form of social engineering would reduce the number of cars coming to Whistler. One could ask how well this is working. Providing bike lanes and encouraging walking from Function to Whistler for that period when the highway is snow-covered will, in my view, be as ineffective, and I ask if any reader views the bike rider with skis on the side as a way to get the majority of skiers to the hill.
