Heritage House wants flashing pedestrian light

By Lyonel Doherty, Times Chronicle

Heritage House in Oliver is calling for enhanced safety at a nearby crosswalk to address increased traffic concerns.

Town council is reviewing a request by the assisted living facility to install pedestrian flashing lights at the crosswalk on the corner of Salamander Avenue and Meadows Drive. In a letter to council, Heritage House says traffic in the area has increased substantially.

“Often times dump trucks, service trucks and public traffic are driving at high rates of speed and not stopping at this crosswalk,” says the facility’s management.

It adds that residents must cross this busy street to access the full sidewalk on the west side of Meadows Drive.

“We have witnessed numerous incidents where traffic does not stop, and residents have had some close calls in being struck by traffic.”

Heritage House says its residents often use scooters or walkers and are not able to “jump out of the way” from vehicles that don’t stop.

Town staff informed council they can undertake a traffic analysis and determine the cost of a solar panel flashing light.

Councillor Aimee Grice asked if they could conduct traffic studies in other areas of town at the same time.

But Mayor Martin Johansen said he wasn’t in favour of a study in this particular area of Heritage House. He noted that he lives in the neighbourhood and doesn’t view this location as a high-pedestrian area.

Johansen said he has received multiple emails from people calling for enhanced crossings near the hospital and school on Fairview Road where traffic is high. He also mentioned a demand for a crossing at Lion’s Park on Highway 97.

“I don’t see this (crossing at Heritage House) as being a high priority,” the mayor said.

Councillor Petra Veintimilla said they should discuss this in the strategic plan and create a priority crosswalk list.

Fellow Councillor Dave Mattes suggested council determine whether the Heritage House request could utilize funds in the Meadows Drive Improvement Reserve.

Senior town staff member Randy Houle said previous studies on priority crosswalk areas list many locations, but Meadows Drive is not one of them.

Grice asked if the town could use its portable speed sign in this area for a period of time. “Sometimes that’s enough to remind people to slow down,” she said.

But Johansen indicated this sign is currently being used in that location.

In the end, council went with Mattes’ suggestion regarding the possible use of funds in the reserve.