For many years Ocean Shores Condominium Development, 169 South Island Highway has been petitioning City Hall to install left-turn lanes for the two driveways into our property.
Somehow they are deemed necessary for the two condominium developments immediately north of us but despite our continued lobbying, we have yet to be blessed with similar safety considerations.
In the past City Hall has argued that the roadway isn’t wide enough to accommodate a turning lane and hasn’t been prepared to spend the money to correct this potentially dangerous situation. Therefore, Ocean Shores residents continue to be forced to barge the centreline in hopes of providing sufficient room for anxious traffic from behind to go around. In doing so, we have to endure the honking of exasperated drivers and continuously be exposed to the risk of being rear-ended or hit by oncoming traffic.
A few weeks ago, this section of road was resurfaced after the new sewer line was installed for Phase 1 of the Island Highway Project. We were even buoyed when it appeared that the new blacktop surface that was installed was wider than the pre-construction roadway. However, a few days ago, the new traffic lines were painted and we were shocked and appalled to see that they did not include left-turn lanes for Ocean Shores. The developments to the north of us have new turning lanes but somehow Ocean Shores has once again “missed the cut.”
What will it take to convince City Hall that the residents of Ocean Shores are just as deserving and needful of appropriate safety turning lanes as similar developments in our immediate neighbourhood? What will it take for City Hall to appreciate that we pay the same (very high) taxes as these other developments? Do we need to start a campaign on social and mainstream media to get this wrong corrected?
Fortunately, there is a quick and simple solution. City Council should simply direct that the lines be repainted to include the additional left-turn lanes. We have waited long enough.
Marv Everett,
Ocean Shores Council,
Strata 979
