Pedestrians and cyclists are at risk because motorists aren’t following the rules of the road at a crosswalk near Victoria Hill.
Community members have voiced concerns that motorists travelling westbound along East Columbia Street and making a right turn at McBride Boulevard aren’t yielding to pedestrians and cyclists using the crosswalk.
“I have witnessed people turning right on that red,” said Coun. Lorrie Williams. “They either don’t know or don’t care.”
In response to those concerns, the city installed an additional sign indicator for right-turning vehicles and additional signage. A staff report noted those changes increased driver’s compliance to 65 per cent, which was better than the earlier 43 per cent compliance rate.
“The red phase of the right turn signal is activated only when a pedestrian or cyclist is crossing,” stated the staff report. “It was observed that when the right-turn phase was red, some drivers did not stop and proceeded to turn right. These drivers likely may not see the waiting pedestrians/cyclists until they are already committed to the turning manoeuvre.”
Williams said she’d like to see the New Westminster Police Department do an enforcement blitz at the crossing.
Coun. Betty McIntosh said some people seem oblivious to the right-turn light.
“I agree there needs to be more enforcement at the area,” she said. “It is a difficult corner.”
Coun. Jonathan Cote said motorists don’t seem to realize the red light means there are pedestrians or cyclists using the crossing.
The city hired a traffic consultant, who identified a number of options for the city’s consideration: maintain the status quo; move the crosswalk to the corner; remove part of the Woodlands heritage wall in front of the Victoria Hill site to increase the sight distance; and move the crosswalk to the corner and realign the Central Valley Greenway through an opening in the heritage wall.
Council referred the report to the city’s advisory committee for transit, bicycles and pedestrians, as well as the special services and access committee and the community heritage commission for feedback
