Academics/Experts on Gateway and Congestion

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I came across the most bizarre quote from another blogger. In response to the statement, "double the Port Mann bridge and you'll get double the traffic within a year or so" he states, "this assertion is utterly false. No responsible expert would state such rubbish."

Why does the Gateway Projet bring out such Orwellian Doublespeak?

In fact the exact opposite is true. Experts almost universally agree with this statement. Here are a few quotes.

Larry Frank, currently the UBC chair of sustainable urban transportation systems:

"Building these highways in the absence of strict growth controls will only result in more congestion and auto dependency.....You cannot build your way out of congestion."

quoted from: http://www.straight.com/article/plan-to-build-city-for-fitness-not-fatness

Bill Rees, UBC professor:

“In our province, we have the ludicrous Gateway project, ...There’ll be more cars, and in about three months, we’ll be jammed up and more cars will be idling than now.”

quoted from Vancouver Sun May, 2007 and http://stephenrees.wordpress.com/2007/05/07/pushing-the-planet-to-its-limit/

Gordon Price, director of SFU’s City Program:
"[the Gateway emissions projection] just doesn't pass the smell test."
http://www.sfu.ca/sfunews/Stories/sfunews09280701.shtml

John Robinson, a professor at UBC's Institute of Resources, Environment and Sustainability,
said the controversial Gateway Program could undermine the premier's climate change goals by creating more car-dependent sprawl rather than more compact communities. He said there has been no serious analysis of the long-term implications of Gateway on climate change.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=7833cf0a-b519-4b51-9a59-b14fcb9a3f51&k=43792

Patrick Condon Professor, UBC Design Centre for Sustainability:
"The Port Mann project is propelled forward by assumptions that are 20 years out of date."
http://thetyee.ca/News/2009/03/25/LightRail/

Mark Jaccard,Simon Fraser University professor
is also critical of the Gateway project
http:www.sierraclub.bc.ca/quick-links/publications/cool_b-c.pdf

Christopher Barrington-Leigh, PhD, Department of Economics, UBC
"These deep problems with the Gateway rationale, its published documents, and its public accountability must be addressed ...."

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