Traffic concerns reflected in draft OCP change
An addition to the draft Official Community Plan (OCP) represents “the biggest commitment to address traffic concerns in Whitehorse in at least a decade,” says city councillor Ted Laking.
An addition to the draft Official Community Plan (OCP) represents “the biggest commitment to address traffic concerns in Whitehorse in at least a decade,” says city councillor Ted Laking.
Proposed changes to the draft OCP were reviewed by council on Oct. 11.
Based on a proposed amendment by Laking, the city would collaborate with the Yukon government and other land owners to prioritize the planning and implementation of upgrades to the Whitehorse north transportation corridor.
That includes Quartz and Copper roads and Mountainview Drive.
“The vast majority of the city’s growth over the last 10 years has occurred in Whitehorse North, and unfortunately, our infrastructure hasn’t kept pace with this growth, so that’s why it was so important to have this addition made to the OCP,” Laking told the Star.
Yukon Bureau of Statistics data indicate the population of Whistle Bend was 527 in March 2017 and rose to 2,503 by the past March.
Plans for future expansions of Whistle Bend and Porter Creek include upwards of 1,100 additional lots to the two subdivisions over the next several years.
When Whistle Bend was first proposed, planners spoke of as many as 10,000 people living there after its long-term completion.
The statistics bureau data also note the population of Porter Creek was 3,693 in March 2017 and 4,740 by March 2022.
When Whistle Bend was on the drawing board, there was virtually no public discussion by municipal or territorial politicians of the effects of the significant traffic increases on surrounding areas, particularly the Quartz-Copper-Mountainview corridor.
Morning traffic, especially during dark, snowy conditions such as today, can back up from the top of the Mountainview Drive hill, near Hickory Street, clear down to the Quartz-Second Avenue intersection.
Congestion is also problematic during the afternoon commute, both for Whistle Bend and Porter Creek-bound traffic and for motorists attempting to enter downtown.
A solid line of downtown-bound traffic can extend from the Quartz-Second Avenue intersection clear back to Copper Road’s midway point.
Mountainview Drive was completed in the mid-1980s as a handy link between downtown and a smaller Porter Creek.
“Mountainview Drive was built at a time when Whistle Bend didn’t exist and Porter Creek was much smaller, so it is critical to the flow of the traffic that we keep pace with this growth,” Laking said.
“Getting this work started now is critical as going from planning, to design, to shovels in the ground can take a number of years.”
Another public hearing for OCP changes is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 14.
“After that, work will be done to finalize the OCP and start implementing it,” said Laking.
As for how quickly the city could see improvements, Laking said, “The first step is getting this prioritized through the Official Community Plan and then once it’s clear that this is a priority for the future, then it will be up to us to continue moving the ball down the field and to push other levels of government to step up and help address the massive growth we are seeing in the north of the city.”
Comments (11)
Up 0 Down 0
Josey Wales on Oct 30, 2022 at 10:13 am
Hmmm...me thinks our OCP is drawn out on a Etch a Sketch by folks that think like children.
Seems daily that OCP gets rapidly shook in a semi vertical movement, to have the “old” blown out and new seeds planted, plan “redrawn” does it not?
What else gets jerked often and rapidly ALWAY$ in a vertical or RI$ING moment, depleting it’s load too?
The Whitehorse civic taxpayers, and the majority of the citizens that call it home.
Given the striving for perfection history, this winter should be entertaining.
Glad I have a full size four wheel drive truck, and I practice socialist distancing like never before.
Up 13 Down 1
Anie on Oct 27, 2022 at 3:45 pm
To "Trust us we're the government " I lived in Whitehorse through all of the activities you described in your post and my memory is that everything in your post is accurate. How sad that legitimate concerns have been ignored by so many councils - mostly because they chose to accept the assurances of some city staff with their own agendas ('cars bad, bikes good") many of them who remain there today. The saddest thing, though, is that where previous councils were unreasonably focussed on protecting downtown business, current council has totally abandoned all of the downtown. There was a time when we considered buying downtown because we wanted less reliance on a car. Daily I thank goodness we did not. My sympathy to those poor people who did invest in downtown
Up 28 Down 0
Long Memory on Oct 26, 2022 at 8:45 am
Unfortunately many of the planning dept staffers with big city aspirations who were part of the original Whistlebend planning, telling us back then they will encourage people to not use or buy cars by making streets without parking (YES this was said if you watch the city hall old videos) , and increasing transit and other misguided southern based environmentalist dreams (for our TINY population and tax base which can't support their misguided ideas), are just higher ranking in the same dept. now!
So do you REALLY expect new thinking, creative designs, or old issues to be solved correctly?
Just my opinion!
Up 20 Down 5
Oya on Oct 25, 2022 at 4:09 pm
Keep pushing, Mr. Laking. You’re my only hope. Traffic needs to be the priority now.
Up 26 Down 8
Juniper Jackson on Oct 25, 2022 at 12:36 pm
This Mayor and Council has been a pretty big disappointment so far. I suggest voters pester the hell out of the Council to limit the sitting term to 2 years, with maybe 1 person gets 3 years. I sure don't want them to have 4. We can't afford them for the 3 they have now. Traffic? wait until the Games get here, we'll see traffic. I'm going to stock up my pantry like its a disaster and not leave the house, along with a whole lot of other people.
YTG and NWT could help..shift hours from 9: 5:30, or 7: to 4, or ok half hour lunches. That would make lunch hours shorter and later in the day. Most private business closes at 6: That is not a new idea. I don't see how Mountain View can be expanded, blow up the mountain? or just plan another road into town.. so all those cars and trucks can NOT find a place to park.
The entire thing is a mess. Just keep the roads plowed out and sanded and I'll make do for this winter with the traffic.
Up 25 Down 1
Groucho d'North on Oct 25, 2022 at 10:04 am
How far into the future do these planners base their calculations? They seem to miss the mark at every opportunity and underestimate their growth estimates.
Up 23 Down 1
Trust Us We’re The Government on Oct 25, 2022 at 8:37 am
When Whistlebend was announced people asked what the plan was for all the additional traffic that was going to materialize as it was beyond obvious there was going to be a congestion problem. Council as always was desperate for more building lots at any cost and tried to brush off the increased congestion issue by saying that transit and bike lanes of all things would alleviate it. At some point there was talk about building a traffic connector out to the Alaska highway which was already busy with its own traffic, the environmentalists threw a hissy fit about it and that stopped that plan. Going further back into times long since past business was deliberately kept concentrated in the downtown area to protect existing businesses who held a lot of sway instead of letting new companies build out of the downtown core. There was even opposition to Wal-Mart being built at its location as it was going to draw business away from ‘downtown’ and there was absolutely no way it would ever have been allowed to have been constructed say for example along the Alaska highway. Over the decades this attitude has lead to more and more people all being forced to cram into this relatively small area every day to work, shop and conduct business.
That’s the skinny on how in Whitehorse you can look at relatively empty forests stretching off in every direction and yet somehow everyone is crammed in next to each other like sardines and there is both a housing and traffic problem. Basically rather than deal with the various factions it has been easier for politicians to kick the ball down the road for someone else to deal with and here we are.
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Bingo on Oct 24, 2022 at 7:05 pm
Lack of vision…2 mile hill was just re done and it’s still 2 lanes coming down the hill. A 747 could go down that swath. Spending good money after bad…also it’s about time 4th avenue and 2nd avenue become one ways, it couldn’t set up any better and would help traffic flow big time.
Up 66 Down 8
Nathan Living on Oct 24, 2022 at 4:29 pm
Sorry, have zero confidence that mayor and council will address traffic concerns.
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MECC on Oct 24, 2022 at 4:09 pm
Just get it done.
Twin the north and southbound lanes on Quartz, Copper roads and Mountainview by whatever means required.
It's unfathomable that COW planners thought 10,000 people would just sit in the neighborhood without ever having the need to go downtown to work/shop or whatever. It's embarrassing really.
Up 36 Down 5
Wilf Carter on Oct 24, 2022 at 3:56 pm
Great move was supposed to be done 10 years ago.