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Letter to the Editor: RMOW should prioritize bikes, buses

'More people on buses and bikes frees up road space for smoother vehicle traffic'
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Two Whistler locals say the municipality should increase its focus on bikes and buses to help alleviate the resort's traffic woes.

Whistler roads became parking lots again this holiday season... if only there was a solution! After hearing reports of two and a half hours to get from the Day Lots to Alpine Meadows last weekend, we cannot wonder if there are any solutions to these ongoing motor vehicle traffic snarls in Whistler.

Like what if there was a vehicle that could carry 50-plus people while consuming the same road space as two small pickup trucks?

What if there was a mode of transportation that could travel on tiny roads, separated from cars and trucks, that never crashed (in a way that inconveniences other users of that tiny road) and caused no harm to others?

What if these modes of transportation were facilitated and prioritized by our governments?

It’s now 2022, and the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has done little to prioritize either buses or bikes. The solutions have been implemented around the world—even in the Arctic people ride bikes—but the RMOW is too busy planning the next paving projects to improve our mobility.

More people on buses and bikes frees up road space for smoother vehicle traffic.

Despite all the platitudes about encouraging cycling, there is not one inch of Whistler where a bike is the priority.

Despite hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars spent on a highway capacity report, this report has done nothing but collect dust while our elected officials shrug their shoulders; as buses idle in traffic with our town’s employees late for work again.

Rest assured, more electric vehicles on our roads will not speed up traffic.

Oh... and we’re facing a climate emergency.

Happy new (election) year everybody!

Brendan and Amanda Ladner // Whistler