The Ottawa Citizen Published: Thursday, August 09, 2007

Another day another road story.

This time politicians are feverishly talking up the extension of Hunt Club Road to intersect Highway 417 in the east end of the city.

Not to totally disparage this project, which has been talked about for years, but it does seem that whenever there is a demand in this community for a widened or extended stretch of tarmac suitable for vehicle traffic, the work often proceeds without a whimper.

But whenever we talk about a comprehensive urban transportation plan, the pace of progress is glacial.

In part, this is the nature of the political process.

Roadwork is relatively easy to comprehend for voters. Build the road and they will drive on it.

For city councillors, a new road is something for which to claim credit.

A citywide transit scheme involves compromises and concessions -- much harder to do, but in the case of this community much more necessary.

The Hunt Club extension will help re-route some truck and car traffic away from the Queensway.

It will address the concerns of east-end residents and their political representatives.

But the real transportation problem in this city is finding a way to get people out of their cars and into public transit, preferably on a light-rail train system.

And sadly that is only delayed by the Hunt Club extension if, or when, it gets built.