ColwoodB次元官网网址檚 new mayor is looking to get the conversation going about a commuter ferry from Royal Bay to Victoria.

Mayor Rob Martin said it was one of his campaign promises and heB次元官网网址檚 making good on it.

B次元官网网址淲e have to start looking at alternative solutions and IB次元官网网址檓 talking about long-term solutions,B次元官网网址� Martin said.

With West Shore communities growing rapidly, Martin said different ways of getting downtown need to be considered, especially when there is limited land to build roads on.

B次元官网网址淲e canB次元官网网址檛 constantly just be building roads, [they] arenB次元官网网址檛 the long-term solution to our transportation issues,B次元官网网址� Martin said. B次元官网网址淣o matter which way we do it we have to move people into public transportation.B次元官网网址�

READ MORE: Colwood to Victoria ferry could be in the works

Martin said he is hoping to create a groundswell from the public so that more discussion and debate about a potential ferry can begin.

He wants to hear public feedback B次元官网网址� both positive and negative B次元官网网址� to see if a ferry could be a viable project.

Martin said the city also needs to look at how financially feasible it would be to build the infrastructure needed for a commuter ferry. He said it will likely be an expensive project that will need to be subsidized by the public and will require the efforts of many groups.

B次元官网网址淭his is not just about the City of Colwood, thereB次元官网网址檚 a huge number of stakeholders we would need to engage,B次元官网网址� Martin said.

Martin said the city would need to see what kind of interest the provincial government has in commuter ferries as well as municipalities like Esquimalt and Victoria.

READ MORE: The B次元官网网址楥olwood CrawlB次元官网网址� doesnB次元官网网址檛 go through Colwood

But Martin said the plus-side to a ferry is that once the infrastructure is built, more ferries can be added down the line to move more people off the highway.

Martin said many people are very frustrated with hour-long commutes into Victoria. He added the McKenzie interchange has also elevated frustrations and doesnB次元官网网址檛 think people will be able to deal with traffic issues long-term.

Regardless of whether or not the ferry idea goes through, Martin said the city needs to start finding other ways to move people around.

B次元官网网址淲e can disagree with how we fix the problem but at least weB次元官网网址檙e all understanding that B次元官网网址� thereB次元官网网址檚 a level of frustration that isnB次元官网网址檛 bearable long-term,B次元官网网址� Martin said. B次元官网网址淧eople are desperate to talk about alternative solutions.B次元官网网址�

shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com

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