Thinking outside the car is the way of the future

By Lethbridge Herald on January 23, 2025.

Dear Editor,

In response to Ms. Pulido-Guzman’s ”point of view” article of Jan 8, 2025 in which the title asks ”Is there a better way the City can help navigate Westsiders home?” I can unequivocally answer: yes there is!

In her article, Ms. Pulido-Guzman expresses her stress and uncertainty when traffic on the two river-crossings are blocked due to motor-vehicle collisions. It is fair to say that many others in the community also feel this anxiety. My husband and myself moved to the South side of Lethbridge after 15 years in the west in part to avoid the very issues brought forth in the article.

However, there are things the City can do, if so empowered by the citizens, to mitigate traffic concerns and ease these situations in future.

The first step is to fully fund a robust, frequent, and easy-to-use public transit system and build more multi-modal infrastructure (bike lanes!). With the advent of e-scooters and e-bikes, multimodal transportation is swiftly becoming a favourite alternative to the expense and maintenance of owning a personal vehicle. By elevating alternative modes of transportation in the community, the City has an opportunity to entice some (admittedly not all) drivers out of their personal vehicles and into other modes of transportation, lessening the pressure of traffic on our current routes.

Since funding for a third crossing, particularly in its planned location, is non-existent from outside parties like the provincial or federal government, and any plans for construction have been pushed to 2065 according to some city documents, this seems like it would be the preferred option to help facilitate those living across the river getting home quickly and with minimal stress. A robust public transit system that services the city with frequent stops (15 minute service, rather than the current 30 minute) and broader catchment would provide a viable alternative to those seeking to leave their expensive personal vehicles at home, and ease pressure on our developed road systems.

Thinking outside the car is the way of the future. Returning to more traditional means of transportation (bring back the street cars is even a viable option for the downtown grid-layout) or start investigating an Light Rail Transit option for Lethbridge would be a cheaper alternative to more car-centric infrastructure in the long run. This would allow our fine citizens to reserve their personal vehicle use for trips out of town, and save them heaps of gas money in the long run. Mass transportation is the only viable solution to today’s traffic problems, which will only grow as our city continues to expand into the suburbs and exurbs. I urge folks to think of the bus, the bike, the scooter, and walking as additional viable models of their transportation and ease the burden of traffic on our streets.

Regards,

Kel Baird

Lethbridge