The City of Port Alberni will be looking into safety improvements for a busy intersection after a number of crashes and near-misses.
The city has partnered with ICBC on a Network Screening Study, which will identify collision-prone intersections in the city and propose improvements. This study is scheduled to be completed in July, but in the meantime, the city has already engaged a transportation engineer to look at the intersection of 10th Avenue and Dunbar Street. The engineer will review the lighting, traffic controls, geometry and traffic patterns in the area, including incident data and reports.
READ MORE: City of Port Alberni on way to dubious pedestrian safety record
Director of engineering Rob Dickinson told city council on Monday, May 10 that 10th and Dunbar has already been identified as an “intersection of concern” based on incident data. The intersection was the scene of a cyclist fatality in November 2018.
Two residents of the area also wrote letters to the city expressing concern and offering suggestions for improvements. In April of this year, Cheryl Graham—whose home is at this intersection—had a vehicle careen around a corner, cross a sidewalk and cause damage to two vehicles in her driveway.
“As a property owner and taxpayer I think it is only fair for me to be overly concerned,” wrote Graham. “As it is a matter of time [until] someone will hit my home.”
According to ICBC data, there have been 12 crashes at this intersection in the last five years.
City staff did some survey work at this intersection a couple of weeks ago, said Dickinson.
“[The engineer is] expecting to have some preliminary results or recommendations to us in about two to three weeks,” he told council.
Councillor Debbie Haggard offered a thank you to the members of the public who expressed their concerns.
“When you do send in these concerns, we do take them very seriously and we do look into them,” said Haggard.
elena.rardon@albernivalleynews.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
