91原创 City Mayor and Council,
On Canada Day this year, we were awoken at about 5:45 a.m. by the sound of a vehicle screaming down the 208th Street hill followed by a loud crash. We immediately called 9-1-1, got dressed, grabbed some safety gear, and ran to the intersection of 48th Avenue and 208th Street where a pickup truck had crossed the median and spun around, its large utility trailer flipped on its side, and another vehicle had crashed through a hedge after crossing the sidewalk.
Many people living within a block of that intersection helped ensure everyone was safe, directed traffic, and helped with the recovery, while waiting for emergency services. And we discussed how frequently such events occur. The 208th Street hill between 45th and 48th Avenues is dangerous for drivers, pedestrians, and residents.
On B.C. Day, we decided to write a letter and find common cause with our neighbours to alert you to these dangers. We printed 240 copies and hand-delivered them to everyone between 207th and 209th Streets and 45th and 48th Avenues. We posted a link to our letter on a 91原创 community Facebook page.
Over the past four weeks, we鈥檝e had multiple conversations with residents in this area, either when we delivered this letter to them or when they delivered their signed copy to us. Many of these residents have lived here for over 20 years, and a number have been here for over 40 years.
We heard many stories of crashes through fences and road racing. We heard from parents who tell their children to walk as far away from the road as possible when having to use the sidewalk and be ready to run. Parents feel they cannot safely send their children to school when they have to walk along 208th Street or cross it. Other solutions were suggested as well, such as a traffic circle at Grade Crescent and 208th, narrowing lanes, or adding separated bicycle lanes.
Many have reported to us that they have brought these issues to the attention of City councillors, staff, and police over the decades, and were frustrated by the answers. We were thanked many times for taking the initiative to gather signatories for a joint letter.
And so we present to you the letter on the following pages with 86 signatures. We would welcome an invitation to present this letter and our concerns to a meeting of council. Many signatories have provided us with their email addresses as well, so we can keep them informed of the progress of council on addressing these concerns.
Arnold & Valerie Sikkema, 91原创 City
CC:
Hon. Andrew Mercier, MLA, andrew.mercier.MLA@leg.bc.ca
Hon. John Aldag, MP John.Aldag@parl.gc.ca
Hon. Rob Fleming, BC Minister of Transportation Minister.Transportation@gov.bc.ca
David Wong, CEO of ICBC C/O Brent Shearer Brent.Shearer@icbc.com)
Kevin Quinn, CEO of Translink C/O media@translink.ca
Eric Woodward, Mayor of 91原创 Township, mayorcouncil@tol.ca
Superintendent Adrian Marsden, RCMP 91原创 Detachment Officer in Charge langleyrcmp@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Roxanne Hooper, Editor of 91原创 Advance Times, editor@langleyadvancetimes.com
.
鈥� READ MORE: LETTER: 91原创 City resident on bandwagon over 208th Street traffic problems
鈥� READ MORE: LETTER: Quiet 91原创 street feels like Indy 500 track
.
August 2023 submission to 91原创 City
31 August 2023
A Public Appeal Regarding Concerns About 208 Street Hill in the City of 91原创
To 91原创 City Mayor Nathan Pachal & Council,
We are residents of 91原创 City who live near the 208 St hill (between 207 and 209 St and between 45 and 48 Avenues as shown in this map), or are residents of the nearby area who cross or use this portion of 208 St frequently. We are writing to you to express safety concerns about the 208 St hill and request your action to resolve these concerns.
This section of roadway has four lanes of automobile traffic, two heading north and two heading south, with sidewalks on the west and east sides that are immediately next to the road with no gap except for a curb. The speed limit is 50 km/h. From time to time in recent years there have been a few automated radar speed signs set up, but these have not lasted due to damage, overhanging branches, or other failure. While there are some cars that drive slower than 60 km/h, a large number of vehicles of all kinds drive at far higher speeds, including many travelling over 80 or even 100 km/h both uphill and downhill, often with roaring engines. We have observed situations including the following:
鈼� drivers spontaneously challenging each other for an uphill road race when the southbound traffic signal at 48 Ave turns green
鈼� collisions and near misses at the intersection of 48 and 208 with excessive downhill speed being the main contributing factor, with vehicles often blowing through sidewalks as a result
鈼� vehicles entering 208 St properly from driveways or from Grade Cres only to be crashed into unexpectedly by vehicles travelling at excessive speeds, 80 to 100 km/h or more
鈼� difficulty of having a conversation outdoors near 208 St due to the roaring traffic
鈼� dangerous U-turns have become common in this stretch of road after the City
introduced barriers preventing left turns onto 208 St (from Grade Cres and from 47 Ave) in an attempt to reduce collisions at that intersection
We have never once observed a police speed trap set up, or any driver being stopped for speeding, on this hill. Speed traps have been set up along 208 St between 48 and 51B Ave, but these do not catch speeders on the hill. In response to earlier expressions of concern, responses by City staff or police officers have included the following:
鈼� It is unsafe for police to enforce speed on the hill.
鈼� Drivers can be excused for having to pick up speed to make it up the hill.
鈼� People going downhill cannot be expected to stop or slow down.
鈼� Vehicles naturally pick up speed when going downhill.
In response, we note the following:
鈼� If it is truly unsafe for police, the sidewalks should be closed to all pedestrians.
鈼� It is entirely possible to drive within the speed limit before and up the hill.
鈼� Vehicles can slow down and stop using brakes.
鈼� Vehicles can control speed using brakes.
Besides the vehicular danger, this stretch of road is unsafe for pedestrians. Residents experience this lack of safety when using bus stops (walking to and from them, waiting for the bus), walking to and from the church at 208 St & 48 Ave, Blacklock, H.D. Stafford, and Uplands schools, Wise Owl Montesorri, the Wind & Tide preschools at Uplands and at the church, City Park, Al Anderson Pool, 91原创 Community Music School, the Dog Off Leash Parks in Uplands and City Park, etc., and just going for a walk on their own or with family and friends and dogs. Crossing 208 St at 48 Ave is risky due to downhill speeders running red lights. Since the next crossing at 45A Ave is 600 metres south of 48 Ave, quite a few pedestrians cross 208 St at Grade Cres / 47 Ave (especially to get to and from H.D. Stafford), despite its risk due to speeders in both directions.
This entire situation is unacceptable, and we humbly request that the City of 91原创 make it a high priority to work with the province, Township, and police to implement a solution promptly. This is particularly urgent as the population grows, and the City is advancing its plan to densify along 208 St with the expectation that more residents will use 208 St for public transit and walking. Furthermore, vehicular traffic is growing as the Township increases residential and commercial development south of the City.
Our suggestions to address this include the following:
鈼� Install a traffic signal at Grade Cres and 208 St. (Some of us have been told this
is not possible or safe. But one has only to look at cities like New Westminster, North Vancouver, and West Vancouver where there are steep hills with safe and effective traffic signals.) This signal would need to be accompanied by new signage and warning lights at the top of the hill.
鈼� Enforce the speed limit along the 208 St hill. This can be done by a police officer operating speed radar from the sidewalk and a team of officers further along the street pulling offenders over.
鈼� Introduce photo radar along this stretch of road.
鈼� Install several new working signs showing both the speed limit and 鈥測our speed鈥�
鈼� Make the right-hand lane a bus-only and right-turn lane, as is done in some
places in the downtown core.
We would like to invite you into a conversation about these matters. You could visit our homes, sit on our porches and patios near the 208 St hill, walk along the hill, and witness these challenges for yourselves. We are confident that you will corroborate our observations and trust that you will act swiftly to resolve this situation.
Thank you for your attention and for your service and leadership in the City of 91原创.
Signed,
Original drafters: Arnold & Valerie Sikkema, 4674 207B St
(84 additional signatories were listed in submission to the City)
