Whitehorse mayor takes the bus to work

The mayor of Whitehorse commuted to work by bus this past week following growing complaints about traffic in the city.

Last week, Riverdale commuters complained of congestion in a busy intersection after new lights were installed.

Mayor Dan Curtis says he's been enjoying his ride to work on the bus.

"Quite frankly, this really works for me," he said. "It's much quicker and it's a lot more efficient. I don't have to warm up my car for 20 minutes. I could just have a nice brisk walk for a few minutes and I'm on the bus. And I get dropped off right at City Hall. So I'm loving it. I think it's fantastic."

Curtis is encouraging others to join him on board.

"And it's not all or nothing," he said. "One does not have to take the bus every single day, but maybe take it two or three days a week. Since I've been doing it, I certainly plan further on. I think, OK, what do I need to do? Do I need to do some grocery shopping or pick up dog food? So I'll take the car the day that I have errands to do and my schedule prohibits me from taking a bus." 

Despite Curtis' satisfaction with the bus system, some residents say there's still room for improvement.

Aside from the congestion coming out of Riverdale in the morning, some say there's also not enough buses running.

"Sometimes I find it a bit of a challenge getting to work on time," said Riverdale resident Trevor McOstrich. "The buses don't work as frequently as I like. I have to get to work 30 minutes early or leave 30 minutes late. I have to be very wary of the bus schedule at all times and it really dictates the hours that I work." 

Mayor Dan Curtis says the new lights have been helping the traffic flow not hindering it. But he says the city might tweak the new stop lights to help further reduce congestion.