Editor:
The railings on Martin have already proven unsafe as a railing was crashed into and a post on the opposite side broken off. Did planners evaluate if a truck or long vehicle had enough room to turn the corner where the one lane begins? What safety evaluation was done before work commenced ? Zero it appears.
What happens if a bike swerves to avoid a pedestrian and their wheel hits the railing ? Would they not indeed fall over into vehicle traffic? Was any thoughts of safety employed into this ridiculous redundant bike railing ?
What should be done is in the name of safety and traffic flow is to remove all railings and restaurant patios and have Martin a uniform two lane street.
What if someone turns left or right at Nanaimo and pedestrians are crossing —a complete traffic stop? Does it appear planners really have no plan? But get their bad ideas from some magazine with little or no research as to safety or traffic flow? In their failed attempt to improve Penticton they have made it unsafe and a massive waste of the tax payers money.
Whoever came up with this unresearched, unsafe design should be fired. For the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and drivers an immediate stop work order should take place to review safety of the obvious failed attempt at a bike lane.
I am for a simple bike lane but the railings and single lane needs to be immediately rectified before someone gets seriously injured or killed. Whoever designed this disaster should be held accountable for injury or death.
Clifford Martin
Penticton
