There is no doubt Cochrane has grown at a near breakneck pace. In the past decade, the population has nearly doubled and with that has come some challenges.
One of the most obvious of those challenges is the traffic. During peak hours, weekends and holidays, highways 1A and 22 are clogged in every direction.
Obviously, our increasing population has put pressure on the road system, but Cochrane is a victim of more than its own success when it comes to traffic, it is a victim of the province’s success.
While the population here since 2006 might have increased by around 12,000 people, the population in the region surged by more than 230,000 and the province by a half a million.
Cochrane is a bit of a tourist destination and often a launching point for people heading west to the Rockies. With that in mind, it is no surprise traffic has become a mess.
With the population shooting through the 25,000 mark this year, Coun. Morgan Nagel has decided it is time to take action. Earlier this month, he called for a stop to residential development in Cochrane until the province upgrades the roads.
Unfortunately, the ship has sailed when it comes to reducing traffic on the provincial thoroughfares through Cochrane. While a freeze on development in town might prevent the town from adding to our traffic woes, council has no control over provincial growth. Nagel’s motion will also not put a stop to the development that has already been approved.
The only real solution to our traffic problems is the widening of the provincial highways. If the years of lobbying to the deaf ears of the province are any indication, that is a decision Cochrane has zero influence over.
On the bright side, the province has finally listed both highway projects on its sunshine list, which moves them closer to receiving funding. Until the money is actually approved in a budget, we won’t hold our collective breath.
Nagel seems to have his heart in the right place and there are indications on social media and via letters to the editor that some members of the public are backing him, especially those who are tired of the town’s continuous growth.
His notice of motion appeals to the heartstrings of those who miss Cochrane as a small rural community, but will ultimately do nothing to fix our traffic issues and likely little to address future concerns.
We have to question why a community leader would advocate a course of action that would shake investor confidence in our community, limit employment opportunities and reduce the potential customer base for our small businesses. It seems an odd policy in the midst of a recession.
If council wants to do more to address traffic and development concerns in the community, it should focus on parking and preserving the historical character that makes our town unique and a draw to tourism money. Better long-term strategizing and fewer hour-long discussions over multiple meetings on trivial matters such as xeriscaping will also help.
