The best tool to address speeding is enforcement which is in the hands of the RCMP. This has been a priority of the City and RCMP however limited resources decreases the time on enforcement. To address the outdated roads in the City it will be in the 100s of millions. We need to look at which roads have the most injury accidents and then prioritize. Sidewalks should be put in areas where there are vulnerable users such as school zones , arterial roads, business areas , and seniors facilities. The City just adopted a new tool to identify these and the information will be available at the next budget cycle. The top priorities I have heard are public safety, affordable housing, keeping spending and taxation under control, and medical care.

speeding is an issue in some neighborhoods and is a safety concern. Enforcement is crucial. I’m not sure is should be designated a top priority of council but it definitely should be addressed.

Agreed. We have a Master Transportation Plan that puts Pedestrians at the top of the pyramid and cars at the bottom. However in reality it’s opposite. City Council members are constantly getting complaints about cars traveling too fast on roads and unsafe infrastructure for pedestrians and other forms of active transportation. We have a lot of work to do to make sure that everyone in the city is able to safely travel in the mode that they choose to use. It’s the cities responsibility to provide infrastructure to everyone.

First let’s remove the cars from downtown for a people friendly space without breathing deadly car emissions.we do not have enough electricity to supply everyone with an electric car..cars TAKE TOO MUCH SPACE.cars speed all the time put speed clocks on the major roads

I believe in smart street design and support active transport infrastructure such as sidewalks and bike paths. We should identify areas where sidewalks are needed and reduce the speed limit until they are built.

Speeding is illegal and should always be enforced because it is dangerous to basic safety.

Nanaimo’s roads are adequate. I query spending significant sums of City money on projects without good cause. My business is off Front Street, and a number of the changes made to the road were unnecessary and are unused.

Top priority is addressing the crime issue.

Our wide spread faulty road repairs (mostly by the gas utility cutting our roads and doing shabby repairs) need major improvement. The City must require anyone improperly “repairing the roads they cut” to redo the repairs to proper standards.

The provision of roads, other infrastructure, services is the primary mandate of Cities and towns. Maintaining and improving them will always be a priority, especially during the period of rapid growth in population that we are witnessing.

Pedestrian safety and mobility should always be a top concern, however road networks are prioritized by multiple factors and data to support the traffic/road/engineering departments with their decision making prior to coming to Council. Some municipalities have moved to a 30 km speed limit in neighbourhoods and I am supportive of vehicles slowing down on these streets.

Speeding is illegal and should be enforced. Neighbourhoods that require traffic calming measures should have those implemented as part of other street improvements such as water and sewer upgrades or road resurfacing.

Taking care of the infrastructure is the work of the council. We need to keep the roads safe, repaired and underground utilities in good working order for everyone.

I thought speeding and outdated roads were worlds apart?? Speeding is addressed by enforcement. Roads are addressed by public works and ministry of transportation. I see the bigger concern is the breakdown of roads emanating from minor road defects that aren’t addressed, such as pot hole, that create not only further breakdown of the road surface, but potential damage to vehicles as well.

Safety safety safety first

Yes smart & efficient traffic and road management is very much needed.

There are many other more important priorities than speeding on our roads.

I have often heard it said that 90 km/h is too low of a maximum speed permitted on the Parkway. It is true that many people travel at speeds in excess of this. This is a result of the Parkway’s inherently flawed design. The Parkway should have been a true Highway with Overpasses and not the half-highway / half-major street with Intersections it has been for decades.

This is why as a member of Council I would push the Provincial Government to set aside funds for the construction of proper Overpasses along the Parkway and to begin preparation for adding additional lanes. 99% of people in Nanaimo drive. People like the convenience and independence of their own vehicles. Government’s role is to make that easier and more convenient and more efficient for people, not to dictate some Progressive, Environmental ideology that will push people onto bikes or Regional Transit.

Nanaimo is on route to becoming a large city like Victoria, and as Victoria has done, so must Nanaimo. A true highway with Overpasses should be the future Nanaimo is preparing for with the Parkway.

I believe Metral Drive has decreased the safety for road users. People who live on Metral have to look for pedestrians, then cyclists, then look around trees, and then find an opening when both lanes are clear as they need to back into both lanes. Emergency service personnel have stated it has hurt response times as there is no place for vehicles to move over. I think the road should have been wider which would have addressed theses issues. Traffic is backed up for longer distances and frustration has increased. I believe the separated bike lanes and sidewalk will make users feel safer but as stated I am concerned drivers will get impatient and accidents will occur. I believe we need to take into account all road users, neighborhoods, and businesses when we design these new roads. I think the bike lanes and sidewalks on Metral were needed but we did not need to put in the boulevard area which decreased the lane width for vehicular traffic.

I have mixed feelings on this topic. On one hand I feel it was a very good idea. The idea however didn’t unfold as planned, unfortunately while being a good idea its lack of proper research, management oversight has allowed Metral Dr. specifically, to be particularly frustrating to local residents and businesses. Consultations were to some, misleading. Some areas were left uncompleted causing excessive delays because of faulty research by the contractor/s. I could go on but I think you get the idea. As a result of these issues, delays and cost overruns give those me a big bunch of mixed feelings.

Absolutely and we get compliments on these new infrastructures both by email and by talking with members of the public. yes there are those who don’t like to see this type of transportation and want it gone but the city is for everyone in the city. Not just a vocal minority.

Yes, as they addressed genuine transportation needs without require an increase in taxes to fund them.

Too much traffic. Don’t you realize that climate change is causing the planet to burn. Everyone does not need a car. Really good efficient transit for no stress happy travelers

A green future for Nanaimo will mean fewer cars on the road. We need to make active transportation networks to achieve this.

Safe active transportation routes connecting the major employment centers of a community, known as a minimum grid, are basic infrastructure for any modern city. The linkages of this minimum grid are most economically completed when upgrades to underground servicing are undertaken, such as with Metral Drive. Although the new infrastructure can feel like a disruptive change for some, they are needed for the improved safety of all road users. In cities that have undertaken the necessary upgrades, the benefits of improved access, mobility and economic opportunity are experienced, and the pains of the adjustment period pass quickly.

No.

I am in favor of bike lane infrastructure but this was very poor execution of tax payers dollars. We could of had ten times the bike infrastructure built with what was spent on Metral Drive and Downtown and also not lost lanes of vehicle traffic to ease congestion.

Metral is absolutely experiencing some challenges which we are watching and weighing in light of the project not yet being complete. I’ve supported every active transportation project at the Council table with the exception of one.

At the end of the day, whether it was fully supported or not fully supported, we have dedicated bike lanes which now exist and which will be used by residents in the future. By itself – if what we have left is dedicated bike lanes – that is not a wholly bad end outcome. Its legacy will be positive. Perhaps, I consider, the priorities could have been aligned a bit differently – but on the whole, the decision was made and I think – in an overall sense – that future residents of the city will benefit from it.

Controversial maybe, but they bring new impetus to renewal and much improved appearance.

Safety of cyclists and pedestrians on roadways is critical to help address climate issues as well as health and fitness.

Anytime I use these areas I am seeing more people walking and on bikes, pushing strollers etc. Moreover I think of the future and the use of E bikes. With the cost of gasoline and the easy use of E bikes can see this being utilized even more in future.

It’s important to have streets designed for the safety of all users including pedestrians, cyclists, people using mobility devices such as wheelchairs and scooters, people using transit and people driving vehicles. The City of Nanaimo has done a good job of accessing funds from the federal and provincial governments for street upgrades. Provincial grants for active transportation paid for $1 million of the $1.2 million cost for the bicycle lanes on Metral Drive and federal grants paid the costs for bike lanes on Front St.

It also makes sense to do these kinds of active transportation improvements when the streets also need upgrades to sewer, water, paving, lighting and sidewalks as was the case with Metral Drive which added bike lanes as part of a major upgrade.

I think the work on Metral Dr was over the top. Why did both sides have to be done? One side would have been enough and the cost would have been reduced. The road is so narrow now that I doubt two buses or two service vehicles, (fire trucks) could pass each other. It feels dangerous and I’ve been told that people are afraid to drive it. While I like the idea of building more areas with sidewalks and bike lanes, lets do as many as we can when we’re doing underground utility work and where we are building new subdivisions and still leave enough roadway that drivers feel safe.
Front St is confusing, busy and again too much going on in a narrow area. It doesn’t feel safe for drivers or pedestrians. Overall, I think the VIU area connector is good.

Just ask the people and businesses on those roads…which was never really done in the first place – besides an open house. There are things like designing for improvement and over-designing. Ask anyone which prevailed on Metral or Downtown. We’re missing some “common sense” when implementing these projects!! If the plan is to (which is reflected in the Official Community Plan) slowly constrict vehicular movement in the community plan, then they are succeeding. But they are following models for other parts of the world that are totally different than ours!

The majority of people dislike the addition of bike lanes BECAUSE it took a space for cars. I know the hope is to have less cars but it’s wrong. Until we have an addition efficient way of transportation (subway, train), we cannot escape that Nanaimo is spread out and most people prefer driving to work on a rainy day.

Biggest public cry is Metral Dr

My opinion is that these projects may have improved the opportunity for active transportation. But they have come at the cost of narrowing streets for vehicle traffic to the point that they are now unsafe. There are more cars on our roads than ever before, and we are not recognizing that fact in our current transportation plan. Only 1% of trips are made by cyclists, while 88% are by car. So what should be our priority? I think it needs to be to recognize reality: Nanaimo is an auto-centric city and always will be. We need to build infrastructure to support that, not ignore it.

I do agree with the upgrades of roads and the additions of bike lanes to appropriate roads. However Eliminating turning lanes and merge lanes is not in the best interest of motor vehicles.

Metral Drive was an OVER BUDGET, disruptive for Residents and Businesses fiasco. In the interest of a Progressive, Green Agenda that serves the purposes of the Elites at the Unelected World Economic Forum (WEF), Metral Drive cost Nanaimo Tax Payers Millions of Dollars more than was necessary to create an Independent Bike Lane on either side of the road to service the 1% of the Population that regularly rides a bike to travel across the City. This is NOT an effective use of Tax Payer’s funds!

This is why I encourage mightily Nanaimo Citizens to push Council, irrespective of my becoming a Councilor, to create a “My Tax Money Nanaimo” Smartphone App / Website, so Nanaimo Residents can clearly see how much a Project costs and will likely result in an increase to their Property Taxes.

Why couldn’t Metral Drive have simple “White Lines for the Bike Section” of the road? Why did Metral drive need landscaping on both sides of the road? The goal of Smart Cities is make them more Walkable, Bike Friendly, Transit Friendly, and easier to Surveil and Control the population. Vehicles give Citizens independence and fast freedom of movement. Elites who seek control oppose that.

Improved traffic flow will help with carbon emissions, thus helping with climate change. I do not see improving traffic flow impacting the challenges we face with public safety, housing, and Dr shortage.

Smooth traffic flow is always a plus plus.

Connectivity is key to building a prosperous and vibrant city. people being able to walk, cycle, transit or drive a car through the city. People prefer to live in a neighbourhood where all the amenities they need are within walking distance. The move to Urban Centres with excellent transit between those centres will create a vibrant city that people will want to live in.

Cars do not need to go through the town core keep them outside if you all walked more you would be healthier. I recommend green lanes for SKATEBOARDS ROLLER BLADES SCOOTERS and electric WHEELCHAIRS come on people ditch the machine be human go green

Keeping faster travel on designated roads rather than side roads improves safety.

Improving traffic flow and connectivity through the city for all transportation users does have positive effects on the livability of the city.

Making it easier for people to get around in their community impacts all areas of their life. Whether that’s by car, foot, bus or bike, improved connectivity is an important component of any city planning exercise.

It is important but not as pressing as other issues.

Improving traffic flow and connectivity through the City does have a positive effect on other challenges. When we have improved transit systems it encourages people to take transit to get to work or school, removing cars from the road and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Absolutely! Moving traffic well gets people home to their families, to their place of work, to shopping to entertainment and all of the activities that make life joyous. Anytime people are stuck in traffic it creates a crisis for many with family members, work situations and health issues. We must have good traffic flow and connectivity.

OK….but again, we’re going sideways here. On one hand we’re restricting traffic flow. On the other hand, I presume, we’re improving connectivity with bike lanes…if you’re riding a bike…if that is the plan….then no. Just take a count of the utilization of the latest projects. Then divide that into the millions that has been spent on them. The give your head a shake and see if that makes sense.

Ofcourse.

Yes, roads are like arteries of city, they significantly reduce many stress.

Yes I am all in favour of improving traffic flow. That is why the recent changes to Metral, Front Street, etc, are counter-productive. We are also eliminating numerous right-turn lanes which further congests and impedes traffic flow. Again, we need to re-think our transportation master plan.

Nanaimo Residents want to drive. Nanaimo has a LARGE Elderly Population, and most of them like the Freedom and Independence driving gives them. Improving the experience for Drivers in Nanaimo is the City Government giving Nanaimo Residents what they demonstrably want through their clearly expressed behavior.

Improving Traffic Flow cuts down on idling and the amount of time it takes vehicles to get from Point A to B, which reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Improving Traffic Flow cuts down on driver’s frustration and makes for a happier and less stressed population. Improving Traffic Flow makes the City simply more appealing and presents itself as a more mature and sophisticated City to Investors and Visitors.

The Parkway looks like an amateur’s attempt at a Highway. It’s implementation feels like the kind of compromise that a poorer City needs to make. I would want all proposed, potential burdens on the Nanaimo Taxpayer to be laid out in the “My Tax Money Nanaimo” App / Website, but the Parkway needs to prepare for Overpasses and Lane Expansion.

As for Transit, I propose that Shuttles be used to increase the number of Trips along routes with low passenger numbers. More trips, less waiting, faster travel time.

See above answer question 1

indeed, the city has made some positive efforts/ steps to address safety on the roads.

I would say that this is a work in progress. We can make our roads safer by slowing traffic. If we can get the residential zones speed limit to 30k and people drive 30K our roads will be safer without much cost to the tax payers.

What safety most bike lanes don’t go very far Sharing the road is a death wish a d cars never give the right of way they are always in a hurry

We need to identify priority sidewalk needs such as school areas and especially along busier streets used to access schools and other services; identify key sidewalk gaps and high use areas and prioritize them for new sidewalks. On local residential streets, reduce the speed limit to 30kmh until sidewalk is installed.

Over the last four years, the city and council have made efforts to improve roadway connections, pedestrian amenities and safe active transportation routes to improve safety for all users of the roads. Still, much more work is needed, but improvements have been made.

The City did not consult the businesses that significant road changes were performed on such as Downtown or Metral Drive. These businesses employee countless people and were affected and should of been consulted. This was a big failure of the City.

There has been some good work. I know some of it has met some controversy but – in an overall sense, I can point to some positive aspects.

We still have a long way to go to get to modern standards for sidewalks, for example. And with the explosion in numbers of electric bikes, we need to be conscious of safety needs of riders.

The city has made positive steps towards addressing the safety of all users of area roads. More needs to be done but this needs to happen as infrastructure is upgraded (water, sewer, road surfaces etc.) and as new developments take place. Wherever there are new developments the city has required street improvements which are helping to address road safety incrementally.

In some areas with the sidewalks lifted and traffic calming devices, that has made a big difference for the safety of users. I am concerned that narrowing main roads to such a degree is unsafe, such as Metral Dr. and Front St.

Based upon the impact and outcome – NO. The redesign on Metral and Boxwood have severely hampered delivery access to businesses in the area so much that some delivery services have refused to deliver. Concrete dividers and barriers are compromised, all in the effort of doing their delivery job. I agree that bike lanes have made that aspect safer, but do we need them on both sides accompanied by a green belt?? Really…who thought of that??

I’ve seen safety rails; however I’m sure more needs to be done

No side walks in many communities, no pedestrian crossings in Hammond Bay Road (one example is Stephenson Point Road junction).

For a small minority of users, but not for the majority. See my comments above. Narrowing roads and increasing traffic congestion causes frustration and unsafe conditions.

This question feels like a “loaded one” to me, and one that is perfectly line with the proposed objectives of Smart Cities and the Unelected World Economic Forum (WEF). The goal of Smart Cities is to make them conducive to being “walkable”, “biking friendly”, “public transit” appealing. The goal is to reduce the number of cars on the road.

The WEF has specifically stated it wants to see decreasing “Private Car Ownership” and an increase in “Ride Sharing” (you won’t own your own car), and the beloved walking and biking. Again, Private Ownership walks in lockstep with Freedom and Individual Rights. The WEF is famous for its mantra, “You will own nothing and be happy.” Naturally this won’t apply to the Wealthy Elites who fly to their conferences on Private Jets, and dine on delicacies from around the world, while they make their plans for the little people. Insulting.

With Metral Drive, Front Street, the VIU Connector, Nanaimo has made “progress” towards being a Bikeable, Walkable City, but especially with Metral, at what Cost to the Taxpayers? (Demand the “My Tax Money Nanaimo” App / Website). Especially Metral, with the Independent, Paved, Bike path, when Painted White Lines would have sufficed.

I think this is a question for the citizens. I personally support rail as it is a highly effective way of moving goods and people. It is also more environmentally friendly. When living in the Toronto area I regularly used the Go Train and found it better than the bus as it got me to my destination faster and as a person who gets motion sickness the train did not affect me like the bus.

rail service is important to help move freight and should be definitely considered for use of the tracks but economics plays a big part in having a passenger rail service and unless someone comes forward with a viable plan I just don’t see it as an option

I would like to see this and the City already is on record for supporting rail in our city. The city provides a Permissive Tax Exemption to all the lands in the city owned by the Island Corridor foundation. To the tune of over a $1M (if memory serves me correctly). We also have a representative on ICF. So we are definitely supporting Passenger train service.

This question should be answered by First Nations and the communities along the rail corridor. As a member of the Island Corridor Foundation (ICF) Board, I am pleased that the ICF is now working with the Provincial government to engage with communities and First Nations along the corridor to determine its future.

Oh yes yes I love the train let’s do it

The E&N Rail line is owned by an organization called the Island Corridor Foundation, governed by the 5 Regional Districts and 14 First Nations whose lands the line traverses. Historically, this land was expropriated (taken) from the First Nations by the BC government and given to private ownership to be developed as a rail line. As the line fell into disuse the Island Corridor Foundation took ownership. Given the history, any new line development must be considered through the modern lens of reconciliation. Not only was the land taken from the traditional territories of the First Nations, but in some cases, the rail line crosses through already confined First Nation reserve lands and creates an immediate hazard for community members. There could be great economic and environmental benefits from restoring both passenger and freight usage on the line. There are also possibilities for active transportation uses. Regardless of the possibilities, before any development takes place, proper consultation and negotiations need to happen between First Nations and the Province. This dialogue is needed to resolve historical injustices, safety and community concerns and to explore equitable models of the distribution of any economic benefit the rail line could provide.

The Island Rail Corridor Condition Assessment (March, 2020) suggests that this service would not be financially support. I query some recommendations in the report. However, it is clear that the cost of the project, even if less than suggested, would be significant and result in significantly increased taxes on residents.

I support the work of the Island Corridor Foundation and their Board.

The failure of senior governments to require the previous rail operators to keep the system in good repair has led to major decay. Expecting taxpayers to cover $100 million upgrade costs is ridiculous.

I am not too familiar with this matter, but if it makes economic sense and if it will benefit the residents, I would be willing to have discussions with the various stakeholders and see what can be done.

While I would like to see restoration of service, I also am aware of the very large costs that it would require to repair track, bridges, signalling, right-of-way security and so on.

Electric rail should strongly be considered to move people and goods between communities

I support not just passenger rail but movement of goods on rail. We could connect with Port Alberni deep port for goods shipped there and railed to Nanaimo Port to be transported to the mainland.

The E&N corridor is very important and measures should be taken to return passenger rail and freight traffic to the line. This will be a very costly endeavour and will also require a process of reconciliation, consultation and partnership with the 14 First Nations that the rail line runs through. The history of the E&N railway is very negative and involves the dispossession of 8,000 sq km of indigenous land and the ignoring of treaties. The railway dissects several First Nations communities (reserves) creating issues of safety, splitting communities and making it difficult for economic development. The Island Corridor Foundation which comprises 5 Regional Districts and 14 First Nations now owns the track. As the population on the island continues to grow, this railway right of way will become more important for the movement of people and goods.

Currently when the Malahat is closed, as it was after last year’s storms, the South Island is cut off from the North Island with only the Mill Bay ferry providing a connection. The E&N railway can provide another route to move freight and commuters, reducing truck and vehicle traffic on the highway and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Oh how I wish it was possible, it would be fabulous but it’s too expensive to consider at this time. Yes, we need some sort of light rail or other mode of travel. I think over the next decade or so we will have new options available. We’re just not there at this time.

It would be a nice and wonderful amenity for our residents and possible working population if it was financially intelligent to do so. Much research has been done and as it turns out, “the devil is in the details”. The largest challenge that appears to me is the renovation of the existing infrastructure that has been left alone for far too long. I’m not sure if it was ever made clear to the public, but a condition of Vancouver Island joining the province of BC was that the province would maintain the E&N Railway. What happened to that? Perhaps a better plan needs to be created.

We need an additional reliable transport service if we want to follow the city plan of reducing cars.

With our projected growth, we need to focus on traffic flow and anything else we can do to ease traffic throughout our city. We need to be cautious of eliminating high-traffic existing roads and continue to advocate for more public transportation. With our potential economic growth, it would become essential for the rail line service to return to transport goods, so it would be a good way to encourage the other levels of government to repair and bring rail back.

Yes, when population around Nanaimo and Victoria is growing, it is wise to push to re-activate this line.

All we can do is advocate, as this is outside city jurisdiction. But I personally support return of some form of passenger train service on the E&N rail line. Increased traffic on island roads needs to be recognized, and transit is not the answer. As in Europe, trains are the long-term solution. I also recognized the value of rail for movement of commercial goods which would take transport trucks off our roads.

Though I do agree the use of a railway could improve the lives of the citizens it would have to be sustainable.

Rail Travel is truly excellent. I’m a Conservative, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about the Environment. It means that I am imminently practical, and very mindful of taxation and expenses. In the case of restoring Passenger Travel on the E&N Rail Line, I think this is a fine idea, and one that I believe will return to Nanaimo as the population increases and more and more people find themselves working in Nanaimo, but needing to live in a more affordable City.

This isn’t pessimism, this is the natural course of a City’s development. It is already a reality for a growing number of Nanaimo Residents who work in Vancouver, but can’t afford the Quality of Home they desire, hence they live in Nanaimo. Eventually Nanaimo will be cost prohibitive to more people and they will work in Nanaimo, but live elsewhere.

A train to commute to Nanaimo would be an inexpensive and Environmentally beneficial means of carrying those workers. Naturally, I would want an Expert Debate, likely several, before money was spent on the project, or even earmarked for it. How would the train affect Traffic Flow at intersections with roads? This is a major concern for example.