Great article, Russ
THE CHALLENGE
Analysts expect traffic congestion to intensify (and transportation carbon emissions to rise) unless a trip reduction program is introduced. Urban congestion in BC is already at high levels, and vehicle trips are expected to be increasing due to a perfect storm of factors, including these:
“Transit hesitancy” post-COVID
Cooped-up demand (“revenge travel”)
Increased chauffeuring of students (was 14% of peak hour traffic in some urban areas pre-COVID & growing)
“Induced demand” (from highway/bridge/tunnel widening)
Increased ZEV ownership causes more & longer trips (“rebound effect” from cheaper fuel & feeling “guilt-free”) => increased congestion, road wear (ZEVs are >25% heavier), accident intensity & particulate emissions; while locking in vehicle ownership - instead of encouraging transit and active travel; while also doing nothing for equity and affordability.
AN OPPORTUNITY
A multi-tactic trip reduction program that is mandatory for all of BC's large employers and trip generators could reduce congestion and overall vehicle km travelled by ~15% within 3 years. The BC Government is instead considering offloading this trip-reduction responsibility to individual municipalities – a sure way to NOT be effective, as demonstrated in all other jurisdictions that have tried that route. Let's all urge the BC Government to do this centrally: detailed plans have been submitted for a proposed program launch in 2022.
The other no-brainer opportunity is getting ICBC to introduce a pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) vehicle insurance option. Drivers who select this option typically reduce their vehicle-km-traveled by 10 to 15%. Net cost to ICBC is nil; potential savings to everyone on congestion, pollution, safety, health, time, costs, etc are huge.