Editor:
I saw a letter about drivers making illegal left turns onto Columbia from Cumberland and Alberta Street and I wanted to write a response as a resident of that exact neighbourhood.
I live on Sapper Street and for those of us who live between Cumberland and Alberta below the cemetery (Miner, Sapper, Debeck and Strand), the problem is the diversion at Alberta. Before this was installed, we could safely make a left-hand turn onto Columbia to head northbound towards Coquitlam or access to the freeway.
After the diversion, the only legal way to get north on Columbia (without a circuitous detour) is to turn left at the foot of Strand.
The problem is that this is very dangerous because it is almost directly across from the right-hand turn from Brunette onto Columbia. From Strand, it is impossible to see cars coming from Brunette until the last second due to the elevation difference. And cars coming from Brunette are only looking for traffic coming along Columbia from the Columbia/Brunette intersection. The right-turn lane from Brunette only has a yield sign.
Multiple times I've had this scenario play out. I stop at the bottom of Strand to make a left at Columbia. Traffic is clear so I proceed to make a left turn, but suddenly a car (that was completely out of my line of sight) comes around the corner from Brunette after I've committed to the turn.
That driver isn't doing anything wrong, as they see clear traffic on Columbia and can't see me trying to make a left ahead of them. Now I have to slam on the brakes in the middle of Columbia to avoid a crash. Luckily, I've only had near-misses at the intersections and I've seen others in the same situation.
Because of this, I've stopped using Strand and now use Alberta to make an illegal left turn every time I need to get from my home to head north on Columbia. There is simply not another safe, reasonable alternative.
If I get a ticket or two, oh well. It's still less expensive than the increase to my insurance from the inevitable crash at Strand and Columbia.
I'm assuming the city's goal with the diversion on Alberta was to improve safety. From my perspective, it's just making it more dangerous. In fact, the city's own report on traffic flow improvements for Sapperton recommended removing the Alberta diversion, yet the city chose to re-install it after the sewer main work.
I've written the city about this with no response. Maybe the Record can take a look and get something done. And maybe a solution that will make everybody happy is to remove the south half of the diversion, thereby allowing safe left turns north onto Columbia.
Robert Boyle, New Westminster
