[van-announce] 2nd organizing meeting against freeway expansion - Oct 27

[Eric Doherty]

*Invitation to form a coalition against the #1 Freeway Expansion project*

*What:* 2nd organizing meeting to form a coalition to stop the planned 
#1 Freeway expansion.

*When:* 7pm, Wednesday October 27th 2004.

*Who is invited:* Organizations and individuals who are interested in 
forming a coalition to oppose the #1 Freeway expansion project.

*Where:* SPEC Building - 2150 Maple St, Vancouver BC.

*What’s on the Agenda:* Selecting a name, approving a mission statement, 
and forming working groups to get on with organizing public meetings and 
other organizing.

*Why:* The Provincial Government has announced plans to expand the #1 
freeway from Langley to Vancouver. The plan is to widen the freeway to 
at least eight lanes from First Avenue in Vancouver to 200 Street in 
Langley. This would likely include some 10-12 lane sections and major 
expansions of several freeway interchanges.

The Greater Vancouver Regional District passed a motion in August asking 
Victoria to delay moving ahead with the freeway expansion until its 
impact has been assessed. Yet, Minister of transportation Kevin Falcon 
continues to push the project forward without meaningful consultation or 
study. Liberal MLA Dave Hayer (Surrey-Tynehead) complained about city 
administrations interfering with "a project they have no jurisdiction 
over," even though the freeway dissects several Greater Vancouver 
municipalities.
*
If this freeway expansion goes ahead it will:*
- Greatly increase traffic congestion, noise and air pollution in 
neighbourhoods near the freeway and roads that connect to the freeway.
- Divert needed funds from public transit, walking and cycling 
infrastructure.
- Increase the health damage from air pollution throughout the region. 
This would be particularly severe in the Fraser Valley from Surrey to Hope.
- Damage agriculture in the Fraser Valley. Air pollution (particularly 
ozone) causes losses of around 10% to many crops at present levels.
- Increase automobile dependent sprawl onto agricultural land and 
increase pressure to remove more land from the Agricultural Land Reserve.
- Increase the greenhouse gas pollution which is disrupting our planet’s 
climatic stability.
- Doom the GVRD’s Livable Region Strategic Plan, and lead us towards an 
unlivable region characterized by LA style traffic jams and increasing smog.

*What would it do to your community?*

*How do I get there without a car?*
The Society Promoting Environmental Conservation is located at the 
corner of 6th and Maple (2 blocks West of Burrard St.) it can be 
conveniently accessed by a number of bus routes (#4, #7, #9, #17, #16) 
and 2 bike routes (Cypress and 7th Avenue). From the 99B line, transfer 
to the #9 or #16 at Granville or walk five blocks west to Maple from 
Granville.

*For further information please contact:*
Eric Doherty (Society Promoting Environmental Conservation) H. 604 877 
1223 edoherty at uniserve.com
Richard Campbell (Better Environmentally Sound Transportation) W. 604 
669 2860
H. 604 733 1764 richard at best.bc.ca

Further details on the freeway expansion are available from 
http://sevenoaksmag.com/features/32_feat2.html