Transportation, Let's Listen so Together we can Roll and Stroll!
Transportation is about more than bike lanes and reducing car traffic.
Transportation is one of the issues that affects our daily lives most directly. It shapes how we get to work, take our children to school, visit friends, access services, support local businesses and enjoy everything Saanich has to offer.
Yet conversations about transportation can sometimes focus too narrowly on just a few pieces of the puzzle, particularly bike lanes or reducing car traffic. While cycling infrastructure and reducing car congestion are important parts of the discussion, transportation planning must look at the bigger picture. It is about creating a community where people can get where they need to go safely, affordably, and efficiently, no matter how they travel.
My approach to transportation starts with a simple principle: our transportation network should work for the people who use it.
One community, many ways of getting around.
Saanich is a diverse municipality with urban centres, established neighbourhoods, rural areas, busy corridors and quiet residential streets. The transportation needs of someone living near a frequent transit route may differ greatly from those of someone in a rural neighbourhood who relies on a vehicle to get to work, buy groceries, or take their children to activities.
Some residents walk to nearby shops and services. Others cycle to work, take the bus to school, drive to appointments or combine several modes of transportation throughout the day. Many people depend on a vehicle because of where they live, their work schedules, mobility needs or family responsibilities.
Good transportation planning recognizes these differences rather than assuming one solution will work for everyone.
We need to consider the entire transportation network and how its different parts work together. That means supporting walking and cycling where appropriate, improving transit connections, maintaining our roads and sidewalks, and ensuring that people who need to drive can continue to do so.
The goal should not be to force everyone to travel the same way. It should be to give people practical, safe and accessible options wherever possible.
Safety must come first
Every resident should be able to move around Saanich with confidence.
For pedestrians, that means well-maintained sidewalks, safe crossings, appropriate lighting and routes that connect people to schools, parks, shops and transit stops. For cyclists, it means infrastructure that helps reduce conflicts with vehicles and makes cycling a realistic option for people of different ages and abilities.
For drivers, it means well maintained roads, intersections designed with safety in mind, and clear, predictable traffic movements.
Safety also matters for people who use mobility aids, parents pushing strollers, older adults and children walking to school. A route that works for a confident adult may not be safe or comfortable for someone with different mobility needs.
We should consider collision risks, visibility, traffic speeds, and the experiences of residents who use these routes every day. Evidence and local conditions should guide improvements, with particular attention to locations where people are most vulnerable.
Transportation infrastructure should help prevent conflicts between road users, not simply move traffic through an area as quickly as possible.
Accessibility means designing for everyone
Accessibility is about more than meeting minimum design requirements. It is about whether people can realistically get where they need to go.
Can someone using a wheelchair navigate the sidewalk and cross the street safely? Can an older adult reach a bus stop without encountering barriers? Can a child walk to school along a route that feels safe? Can someone with limited mobility access the services and amenities they need without having to rely entirely on another person?
These practical questions should be part of transportation planning from the start.
We also need to think about the gaps between different modes of travel. A bus route may be available, but if the sidewalk leading to the stop is missing or difficult to navigate, that service may not be accessible in practice. A cycling route may exist, but if it ends abruptly at a busy intersection, it may be limited in use.
A connected transportation network must work for people with different abilities, ages, incomes and circumstances.
Affordability is part of the conversation
Transportation costs place a real burden on household budgets. The cost of owning and maintaining a vehicle, buying fuel, paying for insurance and parking can add up quickly. Transit fares also matter, particularly for families, students, seniors and people who rely on public transportation every day.
Providing more practical transportation options can help households manage these costs. Convenient walking and cycling routes, reliable transit and better connections between neighbourhoods can make it easier for people to choose alternatives to driving when those alternatives meet their needs.
At the same time, we must recognize that not everyone can walk, cycle or take transit for every trip. Some residents need a vehicle for work, caregiving, mobility, or travel between destinations not well served by transit.
A fair transportation strategy acknowledges these realities. It should expand choices without dismissing the needs of people who depend on their cars.
Connectivity matters as much as individual projects
A transportation network is only as useful as its connections.
A new sidewalk is less effective if it ends before reaching a bus stop. A cycling route is less useful if it does not connect to destinations or other safe routes. A frequent bus service offers less value if it poorly connects to surrounding neighbourhoods.
That is why I believe transportation planning must look beyond individual projects and consider how the entire network functions.
Council should focus on connecting neighbourhoods with schools, community centres, shopping areas, employment hubs, parks and transit. It should also work with neighbouring municipalities and regional partners because people don't stop travelling at a municipal boundary.
For Saanich, this means coordinating local transportation improvements with regional transit services, major commuting routes and connections to Victoria and other neighbouring communities.
It also means ensuring new development is supported by transportation infrastructure that reflects residents' needs, both today and in the future.
Planning for growth without losing sight of neighbourhoods
As Saanich grows and changes, transportation planning will become increasingly important. More homes mean more people travelling to work, school, appointments, shops and recreational activities.
We need to plan ahead so growth doesn't simply translate into more congestion, more safety concerns, and greater pressure on existing infrastructure.
That requires coordinating land use and transportation decisions. Where homes are built, where services are located, and how people can reach them all influence how many trips people need to make and how long they are.
It also requires listening to residents. A transportation improvement that makes sense along a busy corridor may not fit a quiet residential street. Local knowledge matters, and decisions should reflect the character, needs, and safety concerns of the affected neighbourhoods.
We should evaluate proposed investments carefully, consider their costs and benefits, and prioritize improvements that address demonstrated needs. We also need to be transparent about trade-offs, because road space and public resources are limited.
Council will not always agree on every project. But residents like you deserve a clear explanation of why decisions are being made, what problems they are intended to solve and how their effectiveness will be measured.
A balanced approach to transportation
For me, transportation planning is not about choosing sides between cyclists and drivers, or between transit users and pedestrians. It is about recognizing that all of these people are part of the same community.
We need safe streets, accessible sidewalks, useful cycling routes, reliable transit, well-maintained roads and sensible connections between them. We need to make decisions based on local needs, safety, affordability and long-term value rather than treating any single mode of transportation as the answer to every problem.
Most importantly, we need to remember that transportation infrastructure is not an end in itself. It exists to help people live their lives.
When we get transportation planning right, children can get to school more safely, seniors can remain independent, workers can reach their jobs, families can manage their household budgets, and local businesses can remain connected to the communities they serve.
That is the kind of practical, balanced approach I want to bring to Saanich.
Your turn: What would improve transportation in your neighbourhood?
I want to hear from residents about their everyday experiences getting around Saanich.
Where do you feel safe walking or cycling, and where are the gaps? What would make transit more useful for you? Are there intersections, sidewalks, roads or connections that need attention? How can we improve transportation choices while respecting the different needs of your neighbourhood and Saanich's neighbourhoods?
Transportation is about more than bike lanes and reducing vehicle traffic. It is about making Saanich safer, more connected and more accessible for everyone.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on what is working, what needs to change and what you want transportation in Saanich to look like in the years ahead.
Always learning,
Kathleen
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