Editor:
There seems to be a lot more traffic around town lately. Seems it’s that time of year. This has me worried again about a stretch of Highway 101 in Sechelt that runs from Wharf at the Petro-Can station to Ti’Ta Way near Tsain-Ko. This section has two lanes, that I think were designed for cars to turn off and access the businesses along the way. More often than not this is used as a passing lane. As a motorist, the jostle and shuffle where the right lane ends has me on guard watching to see which strategies the cars around me use to get into position. It’s very unpredictable. Will cars in the left lane make space to merge? Will someone in the right lane time the light perfectly so they can shoot ahead? Will a tourist miss the lane ending sign and shoot off the shoulder?
Don’t get me wrong, I know the aggravation that comes with being stuck behind slow traffic. It seems to only happen when I’m already late. However, the middle of Sechelt is not the place for a passing lane.
As a year-round cycle commuter, I find the drivers in this town to be very thoughtful and careful, but this section of road is especially terrifying. There have been a number of close calls on my way to work this past year. Clearly this part of the road was not designed to have enough space for one vehicle to overtake another while also leaving space for a bike.
Why does this road continue on in its current form? It’s only a matter of time before somebody is seriously harmed here. As our town grows and we plan for the future of our community, I think it’s time to re-evaluate how we structure our busiest roads.
Peter Metcalfe, Sechelt
