A White Rock resident whose Oxford Street home was the site of a dramatic car crash earlier this month has taken his concerns about traffic in his neighbourhood to city council.
Bob Berger spoke to council at Monday’s meeting, following an early-morning crash June 3 that left a car upside down in his driveway, resting against his home.
A young female driver was airlifted to hospital following the crash. A dog that was in her vehicle at the time was treated for its injuries and was expected to be OK.
It was the second time in three years a vehicle has crashed into Berger’s house; in October 2012, a BMW driven by a then-23-year-old smashed through one of the walls of Berger’s home, causing extensive damage.
Berger presented council with a variety of speed-reduction options for Buena Vista Avenue, in a presentation that included photos of previous crashes and the steep hills leading down to the intersection near his home.
Among the suggestions made by Berger was the addition of speed humps and rumble strips, or the installation a roundabout at the bottom of Oxford hill.
“It would effectively slow the traffic through Oxford at Buena Vista, particularly if there were speed humps prior to getting there,” he said.
Berger pointed out that construction underway for a commercial/residential development at Oxford and Marine will only increase the traffic woes in the area.
He urged council to commission a traffic-management study to “find an effective way of slowing the traffic before the momentum of the vehicles increase in such a way that they become missiles striking our houses.”
Berger also presented council with a petition signed by 127 residents in favour of speed-reduction measures taking place.
Last week, he told Peace Arch News that he has encountered nothing but support in his endeavour to slow traffic in the neighbourhood.
“I haven’t had anyone who doesn’t think that action should be taken,” he said.
Council voted unanimously to refer to staff for a report on the issue.
White Rock RCMP continue to investigate the June 3 crash; the driver has been released from hospital and is recovering from undisclosed injuries, RCMP said Tuesday.
