49 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

This week, the engineer that the community brought to the table and is paying, will be meeting with staff at the District to formally present the committee’s ideas. This individual, I believe, has also been formally retained by the District so the District is expected to fund the engineer’s services moving forward. Via the Chamber, Sooke businesses allocated $10,000 towards the engineer.

The citizens committee includes two sitting councillors, one of whom is seeking the opinion of the provincial NDP (Dana Lajeunesse) and Kevin Pearson. Also on the committee is Herb Haldene (former councillor), who will be running in the same riding on behalf of the United.

[Victoria Watcher]

Maybe Sooke should try this radical program.

Enter into a deal with BCT where they latter guarantees more direct (non-transfer) routes with a little bit of increased frequency, and the former subsidizes monthly passes by 50% like the (mostly government) employers can opt into now. But Sooke offers it to all residents.

If a direct bus left Sooke every 15 minutes, transit would be a nice option.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 July 2024 - 08:22 AM.

[Mike K.]

Transit can’t keep up with its existing schedule. The best thing they could do is to bring back double deckers for the rush but that’s also not happening because they need them on the Blink, which they’re going to be expanding.

I brought up the District investing into better rush hour services but was told transit cannot accommodate much.

[Victoria Watcher]

If Sooke was just to admit they get a good deal on the $2.50 fare, get over that hurdle, maybe there is room for some innovation.

In the 80’s once you crossed into the Colwood strip the extra fare zone would come into effect.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 July 2024 - 08:37 AM.

[GaryOak]

Isn't the whole reason why Sooke is cheap is because traffic is **** to get in and out

[Victoria Watcher]

I’m not sure what the two or three zone fare was in the 80’s, but I’ll guess it was higher than $2.50 even in non-adjusted dollars.

Sooke does get a deal now. Admit that, and propose changes for the benefit of all.


There is a simple way to set transit fares. Make it a fixed percentage of the BC minimum wage. Then for those that rely on it most - workers - can see it adjusted as their wages increase. Right now, the minimum wage has increased sharply, but transit fares have not.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 July 2024 - 09:05 AM.

[Mike K.]

If Sooke was just to admit they get a good deal on the $2.50 fare, get over that hurdle, maybe there is room for some innovation.

In the 80’s once you crossed into the Colwood strip the extra fare zone would come into effect.

Dude. Have you not been on a bus lately? A lot of people getting on in Victoria pay zero.

Sooke residents already subsidize BC Transit very heavily relative to the transit service hours they receive, the lowest of any BC community its size.

[Victoria Watcher]

Maybe. But fare compliance from Sooke into town is probably highest in the entire system.

Thus BCT should be interested in talks towards something innovative.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 July 2024 - 09:45 AM.

[Mike K.]

Maybe. But fare compliance from Sooke into town is probably highest in the entire system.

Thus BCT should be interested in talks towards something innovative.

Right, but innovation is not a strong suit here. We’ve innovated out of double deckers after 23 years of service, and ended the route in Langford, after generations of direct service to Victoria.

[Victoria Watcher]

Right. Well, talks must involve improved service.

Sooke promises more users (revenue), and BCT promises better service. It’s not rocket science.


On both sides, action is only taken, or is reviewed, as they see the promises fulfilled. It’s not hard.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 July 2024 - 09:59 AM.

[Mike K.]

It’s difficult to get people onto transit. It’s a tremendously negative trade-off without 100% grade separation that far outpaces driving.

So even with the worst traffic in BC, commuter ridership is only 22%. 2-3x higher than most communities outside of Metro Van.

[Mike K.]

The biggest thing that could be done is for the province and Feds to allow their employees who work along Highway 14 to work from home. Until the road is improve meaningfully.

[lanforod]

I suspect that 90%+ that bus from Sooke are doing it solely to save money. They are sacrificing time.

[Mike K.]

i mean, can you show us a transit option in the CRD that doesn’t sacrifice time?

[lanforod]

Nope, I can't . The problem here though is far too much time is sacrificed.

[Mike K.]

What I hear, is people would rather do something else on the bus, than to be stuck in traffic, unable to do anything other than play with their pedals.

The crazy thing is, there is the Galloping Goose Regional Trail that a bus could use to overtake a massive portion of that congestion, and still be just feet away from the highway. The Goose parallels Highway 14 right where the congestion is the worst.

There’s plenty of right-of-way for both cyclists and pedestrians, and the bus, but it would require building out the road bed for commuter buses.

[Victoria Watcher]

You can’t drive a bus down a trail. That’s just not going to happen.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 July 2024 - 07:44 AM.

[Mike K.]

Here’s what I mean. The blue is the Goose, red is a road the bus could use to return to the highway, as the Goose veers north towards the potholes. The span there is 2.5 km from the entry point of where the bus can enter the Goose from Highway 14 (the Goose crosses the highway at that point) then bypass 2.5km of congestion.

In fact, I should suggest that BC Transit ought to replace its bus stop during rush hours along the Edward Milne school frontage to a stop along the EM frontage road. That would save a little bit of time.

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[Mike K.]

You can’t drive a bus down a trail. That’s just not going to happen.

Like I said, you have to build the road for the bus. There is a ton of right of way.

[splashflash]

Like I said, you have to build the road for the bus. There is a ton of right of way.

For what it is worth, a guided busway conserves on roadway allowance. It also inhibits cars from using the concrete strips.