Editor:
Where is traffic control or monitoring?
Having lived here in New Westminster for several years, my wife and I enjoy the small-city feeling and the fact that - hills not withstanding - we are pretty well able to walk to most places for shopping, appointments and just to get out and get some fresh air and enjoy the sights and scenery.
I am, however, very disappointed and disturbed at the apparent lack of traffic oversight. This includes both vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
We will frequently go down Cumberland Street to cross over Columbia Street E, to walk along the river at Sapperton Park. It is, however, a roulette it seems to get across Columbia at the pedestrian crossing lights.
We have to be constantly aware that even though the traffic signals indicate a walk light, traffic going mainly west on Columbia fails to stop at the red light.
Additionally, many vehicles coming down Cumberland just turn left onto Columbia to go up towards the hospital or, alternatively, go along Brunette to go onto the highway or maybe Coquitlam.
This in spite of a no left turn sign for the Cumberland traffic.
Why do they do this? To cut into the frequent lineup of traffic on Columbia, but also because there is no monitoring of traffic by the authorities.
It is a similar situation when one goes uptown and pedestrians walk across either 6th Street or 6th Avenue, ignoring the “don't walk” signs, stopping traffic from making a right-hand turn onto these two streets.
There are going to be more injuries and accidents because pedestrians feel they have the right-of-way, and someone turning onto one of these two streets just doesn't see a pedestrian walk out in front of their vehicle.
We need to educate both drivers as well pedestrians, and also start to hand out tickets to those who feel the signals are there for someone else.
A severe injury or even a death is preventable if everyone obeys the rules of the road as well as traffic signals, but it might be too late for someone who think they don't have to wait another minute to cross safely with the walk signal.
Lack of enforcement to me is a big concern.
Larry White, New Westminster
