February 20, 2025
The Honourable Mike Farnworth
Minister of Transportation and Transit
Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC V8V 1X4
Dear Minister Farnworth,
We write to you on behalf of the residents of Elphinstone (SCRD Area E), the community in which, on December 6, 2024, another pedestrian was struck and killed by a motorist while attempting to cross Highway 101 west of Gibsons.
The section of 101 adjacent to Woodcreek Park and The Poplars has been the site of at least three similar fatalities, one of a 12-year-old child. The residents of these two densely populated developments on the south side of 101 have been pleading for a safe crossing to the west bound bus stop for years. Many have concluded that using public transit is too risky, creating a Catch-22 reality in which ridership is too low for the transit authority to justify bus stop redesign.
In our view, a reduction to the speed limit on this section of road will not, by itself, be adequate. Observations of motorist behaviour shared with us suggest a widespread belief that using the shoulder or bus stop on the north side of 101 to pass left turning vehicles is both legal and appropriate to maintain the flow of traffic. This belief is also commonly expressed by a subset of local motorists on social media.
We believe that a reduction in speed must be accompanied by additional traffic calming measures such as a well-lighted pedestrian-controlled crosswalk. The residents most affected by this deadly crossing have experienced too much loss and waited much too long for their safety to be addressed. We urge you to support a solution that will finally result in safety for this community.
Yours truly,
Board of Directors, Elphinstone Community Association
