Editor:
The public meeting Oct. 7 came to the right conclusions - reject the widening and the left turn lane, improve safety by slowing traffic and providing for pedestrians to cross the highway at several places, and preserve the existing amenities of the sea walk.
It did not answer the question Sechelt council had asked, but staff handled it well at an irate meeting last Thursday.
The public was asked to address details in a suggested walkway extension, which assumes Highways goes ahead with the widening for a left turn lane. The public raised serious questions about its feasibility.
Can it be designed and finished, within the budget, by March 31? The engineering of a structure to survive winter storms must be finished before applying for the environmental permit, needed before walkway construction can start. What if the new walkway costs too much? What if the permit is not issued? What if the walkway is damaged and unsafe for pedestrians after a winter or two?
Is Davis Bay Road the right place for a left turn lane? Some accidents that would have been prevented by a left turn lane at Davis Bay Road were at that intersection, but most were not. Many of the accidents were caused by drivers rear-ending someone who stopped for a pedestrian. Over the next 20 years, there will be more pedestrians, older and slower and more frail.
To slow the traffic, put traffic or pedestrian lights at both ends of Davis Bay, one at Bay Road where the more serious accidents have occurred and one near the Chapman Creek bridge where there will be more parkland and waterfront amenities. Install more marked crosswalks, for the safety of the increasing volume of people on foot or using wheelchairs, scooters or strollers.
Henry HightowerSechelt
