Simply put, the proposed closure of Spencer Road at the Trans Canada Highway is a bad idea for Langford and its residents. Currently, we on the west side have five accesses to the TCH – Leigh, Spencer, Peatt, Veterans and the Old Island Highway.
The only truly easy approach is Spencer allowing us simple short access from Goldstream to the TCH without any traffic lights.
The Spencer access also offers other advantages – another short route for emergency vehicles, fewer cars driving past Spencer School to Leigh, a much better route for Transit buses deadheading to Victoria instead of slogging thru Leigh and the current four-way stop, and, by the way, merging from Spencer to the TCH is much safer than from Leigh – totally flat, no slope.
The access is about to be closed by the Highways ministry for only one reason: “Standard procedure in municipalities.”
Leigh Road went in so Spencer comes out, all without any public consultation. Some may see it as merely a “paper-shove” but we can’t accept it.
In discussion with the highway district engineer Mike Pearson about the situation, he seemed surprised at the benefits Spencer provides, but he was quite forthcoming, and implied that if enough energy came forward against this closure then possibly the situation could be revisited.
So it’s time, Langford! Speak up and speak out! Call Mr. Pearson at 250-952-5562 and give him your opinion. Call Langford engineering at 250-478-7882 and give them your opinion.
It’s time to ask Langford to step up again on our behalf and ask Highways to keep this safe access road open. At the very least, let’s hope highways will put this subject on hold until there is further discussion.
Mark Ward, Langford