Time to fix Cowichan’s roads
Dear Cowichan south end regional area directors:
Please prioritize repaving and repairing of stretches of roads in your growing, respective areas as soon as possible.
As a seasoned driver for Cobble Hill Taxi, mainly serving Cowichan’s south end, I am constantly appalled and worried about road dangers to our passengers, visitors, pedestrians, and residents due to the cracked, crumbling, patched and potholed roads we ride and walk upon.
My blacktop fears are combined with bad motorists (some drunk or stoned), missing signs, geographic curves, and wandering animals — all of which we obviously have no control.
Amid our bad roads are numerous, confusing, split roads — for example, Deloume, Wilmot, and Mile End — that should be renamed for visitor and first-responder safety.
Additionally, many south-end houses have no or non-visible house numbers that, according to local fire chiefs, renders those homeowners’ house insurance null and void.
I realize many of my concerns comprise country driving, but safety is still utmost.
Just some specific road-trouble areas are: stretches of Renfrew Road; old Cobble Hill Road; the potholed t-bone intersection at Mason’s Beach and Shawnigan Lake Road; Mill Bay Road approaching the Malahat Reserve; Aros Road (that has seen recent gravel grading); stretches of Shawnigan Lake between Cobble Hill village and Mason’s Beach; part of Shawnigan Lake Road between the village and St. Joseph’s School; parts of West Shawnigan Lake Road; spots along Koksilah Road approaching the HUB; many bad lengths of Telegraph Road between Bench School and Kilmalu Road; spots along Cowichan Bay Road between the village and the Robert Service Cairn; back roads of Cowichan Bay along the reserve lands; stretches of Cherry Point Road; lengths of Sylvester and Deloume roads; dangerous Thrush and Dundas roads near Shawnigan Village; atrocious Hipwood Road near Mason’s Beach, Shawnigan; and many rough spots along Kingburne Road.
Please note I am not formally speaking for Cobble Hill Taxi but as a driver and long-time Cowichan taxpayer.
Thanks in advance for your kind consideration and budgetary action.
Peter W. Rusland
Duncan
