I sent my letter in support of rail expansion to Stantec Consulting, with cc to Gordon Campbell, the Premier of BC, on Saturday. Yes, it's full of "motherhood" statements, but at least I did write. Did you? Deadline: Monday July 17, 2006.

Malahat Corridor Study <tags:> City, Local stuff
Jul 15 (2 days ago)
From: Yule <yule.heibel@xxxxxl.com>
To: Stantec Consulting <malahat@stantec.com>
Cc: Premier@gov.bc.ca
Date: Jul 15, 2006 4:26 PM
Subject: Malahat Corridor Study

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing in regard to the Malahat Corridor Study, to state that I am not in favour of expanding any highway infrastructure prior to expansion of rail and public transit options. If we keep increasing our dependence on automobile transportation (including trucks to deliver goods into Victoria, as well as passenger vehicles carrying one or two people on their daily commute), we will have to keep degrading our natural environment to build expanding highway infrastructure and to move ever-increasing numbers of individual fossil-fuel burning cars and trucks. If, however, we put some serious money, planning, and effort into rail, LRT, and user-friendly public transit, we will have a better chance both at taking pressure off the highway system and offering choices to residents and consumers. Choice is good. Voters and tax-payers like choice.

It really does seem wrong to put all the money into better highways when we have the chance to develop an excellent rail option, too.

Please mark my vote for rail expansion as a first option, before additional land is claimed for highway expansion.

In addition, to make the Malahat safer, consider increasing the budget for police enforcement of speed and traffic rules.

Sincerely,

Yule Heibel