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Cabbie signals for turn on traffic

Jams disrupt family life, councillors told

SARA ARNATSIAQ

CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE
Mark Hobson holds a one-man protest to draw attention to Iqaluit's public safety and traffic-control problems. (PHOTO BY SARA ARNATSIAQ

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Mark Hobson, a taxi driver in Iqaluit, sent a message to city councillors that public safety and traffic control is an issue that needs to be addressed.

Hobson was directing traffic at the hospital intersection during the lunch hour last week in an attempt to get an even flow of traffic so that community members are provided with a much needed service.

"I can see this during the winter time when it's freezing, and the children are waiting on their stairs for mom or dad to come home and cook a meal, because they're late due to traffic," Hobson said.

"That doesn't make sense. And I think city councillors don't make sense too. Things have got to be taken care of."

Hobson also argues that the city made a mistake in keeping the public transit system, saying that money would have been better spent on sidewalks. "The city has spent $750,000 for a bus system that is not feasible. People are not riding it at all."

"They've spent a lot of money for the road signs, and I don't know why they have the road signs now. Now, if they would've done the sidewalks before the road signs, that would've made people safer on the roads."

Councillor Keith Irving, who is running for mayor in Iqaluit's municipal election, was present while Hobson directed traffic.

"I think Mark is trying to make a point here. He's trying to talk to the council and the future council and to the community that he wants action. And I'm basically here to listen to that," Irving said.

"We've been working on the issue of sidewalks right now in terms of planning for next year. We've had debates about the four corners on several occasions at the council table, and [we're] looking into some study on the issue. I've been a proponent at the table that we should have our bylaw officers out here directing traffic.

"We've got to find a long- term solution," Irving said. "For the short term, it doesn't seem unreasonable that we have bylaw officers or peace officers out ensuring that the area is safe and that there's a smooth movement of traffic at peak times."

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