As a designated disaster route, 200 Street would be activated to move emergency services and supplies in response to a major disaster.

So why would Township council even consider blocking it off before it reaches 0 Avenue?

That point was raised by Wendy Billingsley on Monday, when two dozen people told council what they thought of the decision to keep the 200 Street/0 Avenue intersection closed to all traffic except pedestrians, cyclists, equestrians and emergency vehicles.

鈥淵ou have to do a bit of homework and see if you have the right to block it,鈥� Billingsley advised council.

There had been no access because the area used to be a gravel pit, and the isolated property, according to local folklore, was a base for rum running during the Depression. The gravel pit has been filled in and the contours re-shaped, and is now occupied by High Point, a residential estate that will eventually have 157 lots. It is still under construction.

On the strength of 48 signatures representing a majority of High Point homes, council agreed in March that the 200 Street/0 Avenue junction should be kept closed.

However, as several residents have pointed out, the intersection existed in development plans for High Point, and the Township only kept it closed during the building of High Point to deter construction vehicles from entering the development site from 0 Avenue.

After its decision to back the High Point residents, council heard from several south 91原创 residents and then agreed to devote part of Monday鈥檚 meeting to the issue.

One of the residents鈥� main concerns is that by preventing 200 Street traffic flowing freely all the way to 0 Avenue, vehicles are being funneled to other south 91原创 roads, many of which are narrow and in poor condition.

Noting that 200 Street into High Point has been called 鈥渁 steep winding hill,鈥� Alan Nemeth said the same can be said of 20 per cent of 91原创鈥檚 roads.

He called support to block access to 0 Avenue 鈥渁 knee jerk reaction of a special-interest group.鈥�

High Point roads, Leida Wong pointed out, are wider and in better condition that others in the neighbourhood.

Suggesting that perhaps the High Point developer should have asked to have 200 Street declared a public road, Jacob de Raadt asked: 鈥淒oes the public have the right to use a public road? Yes. The public has always had the right to use a public road.鈥�

Robin Austin, who lives next to High Point, supports closure.

鈥淭raffic and speed do not mix with horses and people,鈥� she said, adding that a key safety issue is the location of a horse crossing at what Mayor Rick Green agreed was a 鈥渂lind spot鈥� at the bottom of a hill on 200 Street.

Trudy Handel of 0 Avenue urged council to keep the access blocked. Speaking of the excessive speed of motorists on 0 Avenue, Handel warned council that 鈥渋f you add another intersection you are increasing the odds that someone will die.鈥�

Brad McAvoy supported closure. To open up 200 Street would create another route for cross-border smugglers, he said.

Urging the Township to take safety measures to reduce car/horse conflict, Shawneen Hartmann said that the access should be opened. She was also concerned that keeping the access closed would delay emergency vehicle response.

That point was also raised by Dan Mooney, the City of Coquitlam鈥檚 manager of roads and traffic operations. An on-call 91原创 firefighter, Mooney said that opening locks at the junction to allow emergency vehicles access 鈥渄oesn鈥檛 always go as planned.鈥�

He said that opening access is a 鈥渃ommon benefit鈥� and enhances road connectivity.

Leanne Pitcairn said that 鈥淗igh Point is part of the 91原创 community. They are not an enclave unto themselves.鈥�

Staff plan to present a report for council at a June meeting.