Reduce the speed limit rather than fence for elk
Re: Elk on the Cowichan Lake highway
I have driven this highway for, I’m going to say, 45 years — mostly recreationally in summer and have recently moved up to the area and love it. The only thing I see here that has changed drastically is the amount of wildlife I’ve seen on this road is very cool, if I can use this term. I’ve seen deer, bear, eagles, coyote — or wolves, not sure. But very nice to see them.
Now traveling in a motor home or truck and trailer or towing a boat at 100 kilometers an hour is kinda crazy at my age, not to mention a logging truck doing the same thing. Now people wanting to put up an elk or deer fence up along the whole highway would cost millions, and may not even work.
Why not start with lowering the speed down to 80 kilometers not 100 and not 90 if there are elk accidents on average every two weeks. It’s a cheap and easy solution. But not perfect. But somebody might walk away at 80 km instead of 100 km.
I’ve talked to a lot of people that work in Cowichan Lake. They travel from the Cowichan Valley to work in Cowichan Lake and have to drive the highway in the dark this time of year when large animals are hard to see. Sorry, but wild animals don’t have reflectors.
But mostly, who doesn’t want to see there loved ones come home safe? So let’s drop the speed to 80 kilometers — no brainer, just a cheaper thought.
Brad Thomas
Lake Cowichan