Motorists travelling the Pelmewash Parkway this month may have noticed a traffic pattern change at the site of a rockslide that closed the main artery in February.
The District of Lake Country announced the change May 3 and since then, motorists have expressed varying opinions online.
In efforts to create more of a catchment area at the rock face, around 15 parking spots along the lake have been removed to allow for the installation of jersey barriers seemingly narrowing the lanes.
While some have compared the change to a ‘game of chicken,’ public works manager Scott Unser said there have been no formal complaints.
“Usually, in general, that means we’re doing OK,” he said. “If people have real concerns, they’re not shy to phone us and let us know.”
As for the seemingly narrow lanes, Unser said the change was speed tested and approved by engineers and the appropriate signage is in place.
“If you’re travelling the speed limit, it’s not an issue,” he said.
The loss of parking along the popular multi-use path may have some concerned, but Unser said there’s plenty of parking available, plus it wasn’t an ideal place to park anyway with the frequency rocks were coming loose.
Most recently, area resident Malcolm Hett had stopped to clear some rocks that had fallen on Feb. 3, but before the job was done, a second slide occurred blasting his van with “baseball-sized rocks” and spooking his Aussie shepherd, Ghoulie.
“The whole side started sliding towards us,” he said.
Rocks dumped onto the roadway, denting and dinging his van. Luckily, Hett was able to drive away from the scene an hour or so later, after crews cleared some of the debris.
The district will continue to monitor the situation and adjust or add signage as needed.
READ MORE: ‘The whole side started sliding towards us,’: Lake Country man says of rockslide
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