Re: "Solo drivers clog Victoria roads," Sept. 21.
The CRD's travel survey found that roughly 64 per cent of trips in the region are made by automobile drivers. While work is clearly needed to encourage more people to walk, cycle and use transit, we should put this number into perspective.
Census work-trip data, which provide a way to compare Victoria with other jurisdictions, show that driving accounts for a 64.9 per cent of commuting in our region. However, that share is the third lowest among all metro areas in Canada (after Ottawa and Toronto).
Out of more than 300 metro areas in the United States, only one - New York City - has a lower share of automobile commuters than the Victoria region.
Portland is often held up as an example of a city that is doing everything right when it comes to sustainable transportation, yet 81 per cent of Portland-area commuters drive to work.
While Victoria does have room for improvement, we should realize that we have already achieved more than most North American cities.
Rob Maxwell
Victoria
