Removing Vancouver Viaducts a Bad Thing for the DTES

Having lived in the Eastside for the past few years has given me a good understanding of the local residents and of it being a vulnerable demographic. So when I heard that the city's been planning to remove the Dunsmuir and Georgia Street viaducts I was immensely concerned. I wondered if the city took any time at all to consider how this decision may negatively affect the DTES community. Does the city realize the dangers of removing these thorough-ways? That's why I figured I'd write this manifesto.

I’m quite pleased that the province has stepped in and halted the City’s plans in its tracks. Further consultation is indeed needed.

Hastings Street would be the likely alternate root into the city's downtown for many commuter. It already is under constant traffic disruptions caused by the disproportionate amount of emergency vehicles that block lanes. The three block length between Main and Abbott Streets is in a continual state of disarray from building demolition and construction activity. Additional traffic would only serve to aggravate drivers to take bigger risks along this stretch. Traffic jams will be a daily occurrence. This area should be subjected to traffic calming measures rather than increased amounts of traffic.

Remember that we will be dealing with a new onslaught of frustrated and distracted drivers and that are going to rip through our streets. Affected individuals would include our elderly people attempting to cross. We also have our fair share of mobility challenged individuals, they too will be subject to vehicular collisions. Then there’s the intoxicated crowd who cross wherever whenever they are inclined. Eastsiders are chronic jaywalkers to boot, in fact, jaywalking may have been invented right here along Hastings.

Is it the City’s intention of letting us get plowed over even more and then blame us for being ourselves?

B.C. Transportation Minister Todd Stone Minister points out a few additional concerns that the City has neglected to address including ones that affect Aboriginal rights, access restrictions to BC Place and various concerns raised by condominium owners in the affected areas.

The city needs to rethink their long term plans for the Eastside.

B.C. Transportation Minister says the City of Vancouver's plan to remove the viaducts is not a done deal.

My Webmaster World profile

I just dug out my old Wemasterworld profile in order to look through some of my old articles for a new writing I'm working on. I didn't know that I posted over 150 times in the search engine optimization forums using my online pseudonym canadafred.