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Community Activists Modify Construction Signs
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by WestCoast TreeHugger | December 18, 2009 at 09:59 am
188 views | 0 Recommendations | 4 comments
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Morning commuters were greeted with new messages along Gateway Program construction routes this morning.
The construction announcement signs had been modified to read "Farms not Freeway", "Peatland not Pavement", "Homes not Highways" and "Transit not Truck Routes."
The action occurred on the last scheduled day of climate talks in Copenhagen. Government reports estimate the Gateway program will increase greenhouse gas emissions by over 160,000 tonnes per year. Independent modelling puts the figure at over 300,000 tonnes.
The signs modified included promises that transportation experts have consistently questioned.
Some sign promise that the project will be "Reducing Congestion." Yet, Gordon Campbell said in 2003 “You cannot build your way out of congestion”.
The signs also promise that the government is "Strengthening the Economy." The Provincial and Federal governments have provided massive investments to the Port in Prince Rupert to develop its container handling abilities. Yet the Prince Rupert port is quiet and being used at less than half of its capacity, while the Provincial Government spends billions to expand DeltaPort and its infrastructure.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (4)
at 14:29 on December 18th, 2009
I can respect that you guys don't give uu but have you given any thought to the fact that the Gateway Project was an election issue and BOTH parties were in favour of it along with the majority of voters in the South Fraser area. You are trying to push a string on this issue. Democracy has spoken.
at 16:14 on December 18th, 2009
Thank you for comment.
Political parties do not represent the views of the majority population on every issue. A 2008 poll found that 69 per cent of Metro Vancouver residents support redirecting money away from road expansion projects toward a better public transit system.
Many of the rights, freedoms and opportunities we enjoy today came into place not because the political parties of the day supported them but because there were protest movements (things like the 40 hour work week, a women's right to vote and civil rights movement).
Democracy should not just speak once every four years when there is an election.
A real democracy should be speak every day.
at 21:51 on December 18th, 2009
I do agree but I would bet my last dollar that the deal is done on this one so why not move on to something you stand a chance of having an effect on? This is just good time wasted after bad. You don't really think that the BC Government is going to reverse their position on this huge project now do you? You must be more politically astute than that.
at 16:40 on December 19th, 2009
Good question! A few points to consider:
- The last time a freeway construction project was stopped in Vancouver it was well after construction had started. In fact, parts of the freeway had already been completed (what is now the Granville/Dunsmuir) viaduct, before the project was abandoned.
- The government could choose to scale back the project but still use some of the infrastructure they are building (a new six lane Port Mann bridge instead of a ten lane one would be a good compromise). Again there is a precedent for this - some of the Highway One infrastructure was built to handle more lanes but then scaled back.
- The government has suggested the possibility of more highway expansion beyond the current program. By opposing highway expansion projects at every step of the way it sends a clear message that we don't want to turn this region into a LA style disaster.