The headline re: the Saanichton intersection should have been “Council Proposes to Waste $37,000- Gas Tax Reserve Money.”
Their plan more than misses the mark, it will increase driver frustration, add an additional load to the nearby intersections and not improve the intersection for pedestrians. Considerable effort must have been extended to find the worst solution. The prime motivation for the plan appears to be ICBC will contribute an additional $13,000 to waste.
Fewer lanes will increase the driver frustration as they wait their turn to run down a pedestrian. Nothing will be done to aid pedestrians crossing Mt. Newton.
The intersection is not wide enough to need pedestrian refuges, unless the plan is to provide places for pedestrians to cower while an endless stream of cars pass through the intersection, denying the pedestrian an opportunity to complete the crossing.
Numerous other solutions have been proposed but none appear to have received any consideration.
The prime problem with the intersection is far too many drivers are unwilling to comply with the rules of the road.
A simple solution that would cost far less than $37,000 — have the police enforce the traffic acts at the intersection on a regular basis.
Norm Ryder, Central Saanich