On the emerging election issue of a subway to UBC, we have a few diverging opinions — within the same big tent. I suppose it’s healthy, but it does seem to be less a matter of opinion and more a matter of missing homework.
Then we have Bowinn Ma, MLA, P. Eng., schooling the twitterverse on transportation’s immutable law of induced demand, and its vicious circle of negative effects on city-building. Ms. Ma is BC NDP North Van-Lonsdale MLA. Parliamentary Secretary for TransLink.
Leading to the corollary, as I see it: “When you build it, build something that’s space-efficient, and takes large volumes of cars off the road.”
Thank you Bowinn Ma for this oft-repeated truth, which so often also falls on the deaf ears of certain political candidates.
Agreed, there are far too many areas within the City of Vancouver zoned for low density residential use.
Upzoning those areas (beyond mere duplexes) would go a long way to reducing the need of many to commute long distances.
Duplexing is just a temporary measure – in 20 years you’ll see the duplexes demolished for 4-6 storey apartment buildings (and demolition is not enviro-friendly) – do it right the first time.
(i.e. there’s a townhouse complex on Cambie St. near 45th Ave. (practically across from Oakridge) built in the 1990s, I think – I fully expect that complex to be bought out and densified under the Cambie Corridor plans).