Dear Editor:
I have lived in New Westminster for over 40 years. I have to say, this current mayor and council are the most selfish, self-centred, NIMBYs (not in my back yard) as far as the traffic situation is concerned.
They have done, and do, nothing to improve the traffic in the name of keeping non-residents out. Their response to any traffic problem is "how can we impede the flow better."
There is and has not been one thing done in the city to improve traffic flow. It's working as far as city council is concerned, but for the residents we suffer also. The roads receive improvements in all areas except one, the actual road. New road signs are erected, the sidewalks are made wide enough that aircraft can land on them. The continual incessant traffic calming measures march on.
The city is referred to by radio stations as the city of no left turns. This mayor and council have demonstrated that they do not want to work with other cities to improve traffic flow. A prime example is the Bailey bridge. The city of Coquitlam had to go to court to have it reopened.
Mayor Wayne Wright opted out of a TransLink discussion forum because he and the current council are just not interested in seeing anything meaningful done with the Pattullo Bridge.
The mayor and council need to realize that New Westminster is the "crossroads" of the Lower Mainland and traffic is going to pass through the city whether they like it or not.
They're "sticking their heads in the sand" and coming up with more impediments to traffic flow will solve nothing!
I see mayoral candidate Jonathan Cote subscribes to this same philosophy. This current council and Mr. Cote, if elected, will bring nothing new to the table, and the citizens whom they think they are helping will suffer because of it.
Devon Webb, New Westminster
