Integrating Transportation and Planning by Jane Weixl

(Posted with permission of Author - A letter to the Editor originally published in Daily Courier on June 29 Waiting to be published in Morningstar)

An Alternative to More Roads

Vernon is experiencing increased traffic congestion. If you have been driving on local roads lately, you have probably experienced delays and have come to the realization that things are going to get a lot worse over time. Since Vernon is about to revise its Official Community Plan, I think this is an excellent opportunity for everyone in Vernon to decide how we, as a community, want to deal with traffic in the future. I am convinced that Transportation Demand Management would benefit everyone in Vernon. In the past, the focus has been on continually supplying new roads, freeways and parking to accommodate vehicles. There is a growing realization that it is no longer possible, or even acceptable, to totally meet the increasing demand for road infrastructure. Few taxpayers are interested in paying the rising costs of road works and even fewer are keen to have Vernon’s agricultural land, scenic vistas and hillsides paved over. Building more roads, or increasing road capacity, meets with very limited long-term success. Many cities that have tried that approach now realize that as capacity is increased, demand increases at a similar, if not more rapid rate. As more and more people drive, the air becomes more polluted and noise pollution increases. Transportation Demand Management (TDM) focuses on reducing the demand for roads. TDM aims to encourage more public transit, cycling and walking. We can only be sure that we will not be totally dependent on the automobile if our land use policies and zoning bylaws are supportive of public transit, cycling and pedestrian pathways. We need to say no to urban sprawl developments far from the downtown core. I would like to see our new Official Community Plan direct growth into existing urban areas first. Developments with huge homes on huge lots have so few residents living in them that they can not support public transit or shops. Without transit or shops residents must continually drive their private automobile back and forth to town for work, shopping, recreation, entertainment, etc. Vernon residents should discuss how much density they are willing to have in any new development. As density increases, per capita hours and miles of automobile travel decline. As density increases, public transit, cycling and walking increase. There should be enough people living in new developments to support public transit and shops. I feel residents should consider what land use mix they would like to see as well. When a development contains a mix of land uses (e.g. neighborhood scale retail shops, residential, open space, schools, and office space) less people drive and more people walk, cycle and use transit. Housing should meet the needs of the whole community: students, single working people, young couples, families of various sizes and seniors. TDM is cost effective and benefits the entire community in many ways. I hope residents attend the OCP public input sessions to discuss TDM and other ideas that may be of interest to them. What made you move to Vernon? What would you like Vernon to look like in 20 years? What is your vision?