Dear Editor:
So a traffic accident makes the national news: Ontario, 11 killed. Well, we’re going to have one here, unless corrective measures are taken.
The intersection of Arkell Road and Thornber Street with Highway 97 in the Trout Creek area is a traffic time bomb.
Thornber Street was originally Highway 97.
Now the northbound traffic looms over Thornber as our outside curve is designated 90 kilometres an hour. There is no barrier.
Local traffic, trying to cross at that intersection or trying to enter Highway 97 left, north or south, has to contend with four lanes of traffic at 90 km/h and often I’m sure, faster than legal.
There should be a large amber flashing light, north and south facing. And, most important, the speed limit should be reduced to 60 km/h.
This one of the major traffic densities in B.C. at, what, 16,000 daily vehicles. But concentrated between 8 a.m. and forenoon, and 4 p.m to 7 p.m., six hours for 12,000 units, or say 6,000. That’s 1,000 per hour, averaging a vehicle every one or two seconds.
If strung out evenly, entry would be impossible. But traffic will cluster, with two opposing lanes, the traffic is often an impenetrable stream. Breaks, when they occur, are not in co-ordination between north and south streams.
I have known vehicles to wait 15 to 20 minutes to enter or cross. Usually, the highway traffic ignores that. If a driver dares to scoot across a blast of horn gives response to such an intrusion.
I’ve some four million miles behind me. That’s the most frightening intersection in all that experience.
C. Alfred Kohlhauser
Summerland