JOHNSON – Intersection at Highway 5 and East Shuswap Road needs a fix

JUNE’S HOT TAKES:

 A traffic light – We all know it: The corner of Highway 5 and East Shuswap Road, where the Petrocan, Tim Hortons, and the entrance is to the Pow-wow grounds and the Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc administration and the residential school are … not to mention the only access and egress from the growing Sun Rivers community.

Today, with the addition of the Swelaps Market, a new Starbucks and a flurry of new stores … a traffic situation has slowly grown, and will likely be exacerbated when the rest of the enterprising buildup is done by the First Nation behind the Petrocan.

The problem is, in this case it’s not just a traffic tie-up and a city failing to fix it … this involves many levels of government.  But first the reality.

Lately, during the daytime the traffic lineup to turn left from Shuswap Rd onto Highway 5 southbound has often been seen to stretch all the way back to the new roundabout where Sun Rivers Road meets Shuswap.

On that stretch, there is just one lane the entire way with a thin and poor gravel shoulder, which people are trying to use to turn right, northbound on Highway 5.  As well, once this left turn lineup gets close to the intersection, you can veer off and carry on straight across the intersection to the Swelaps store complex.

So regardless of which way you are going, to downtown Kamloops, Highway 5 northbound or across to Swelaps, it’s one lane. And that’s all there is. If you’re caught in this mini rush hour,  it will take six to eight lights to get through it.

It is time for this corner to be rebuilt to suit the traffic growth that has happened in this area. Widen it to two full lanes to turn left onto the highway (the right of which can do double duty to go straight), PLUS one long lane to turn right up the highway.

While they are at it, put in a light at Powwow Trail by Timmies onto Shuswap, so people coming out of there actually have a shot at succeeding sometime today.

The problem is; who pays for it?  Highway 5 is all Province, but Shuswap and everything else is Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc … which they won’t want to pay for, so will need to hit up the Feds … aaaand the sound of bureaucracy shuddering to a stop is deafening.

I’m saying its needed … not that its gonna happen in my lifetime.

It was interesting that the recent B.C. Province Transportation Network survey mostly to do with the awful and daft suggestion of making the Red Bridge a pedestrian only crossing, also included a question about ‘improvements to Highway 5 N (Yellowhead) at East Shuswap Road’.

If you’re so inclined to fill this survey out about this intersection, or about the Red Bridge debacle … because there are just so many bikers, strollers, wheelchairs and walkers, lined up to head over this bridge to get to an industrial zone in the middle of nowhere. /s

Go here, do that:

https://feedback.engage.gov.bc.ca/129516/lang/en/newtest/Y

Moving on.

——–

Ask yourself what the difference is between a speed sign in the city, with a number that is printed on a white signboard,  and a number printed on a yellow signboard.

That’s it. Go ahead, we’ll wait.

Let’s look at one particular local spot where there seems to be an obvious divergence between how it actually works, and what many people actually do, but this is not the only spot around town people do this.  They are literally everywhere.

Northbound on Tranquille, at Leigh Road right after the bridge overpass, there is a white 50km sign.  Then, starting at about the 100 block Tranquille, there is a single yellow sign that reads 40km.

The volume of car drivers who slow to 40km or less … and continue at that speed to Surplus Herbies, Mackenzie or even North Hills Mall … is stunning.

So here we go, let’s see if you answered the above question right:

A white speed sign is an enforceable speed sign signifying the limit one may converse.  Traveling faster that that could result in a ticket by a member of our local constabulary … everyone knows this … well … most of us.

A yellow sign with a speed km number on it … is NOT an enforceable speed limit indicator. It is a ‘driver advisory’ or a ‘safety Recommendation’, usually intended to inform drivers who are operating large or heavy vehicles like buses and semi trucks, that there is a potential hazard up ahead and the consideration of additional caution may be warranted. If another large truck or bus is heading the other way, one of them will have to likely wait and take turns around that corner.  Not a problem, that’s what the yellow signs are for.

This yellow speed sign is NOT enforceable, no speed infringement ticket will be given, and it is not designed to require aunty to drive her Yaris all the way to North Hills at 30km.

Legally, under the law, and detailed in section 146 of the B.C. Motor Vehicle Act … a yellow advisory sign does not legally “limit the rate of speed” or create a statutory maximum cap.

That said, an officer can write a ticket if the person is driving dangerously or beyond required caution for local conditions.  The middle of summer does not require a drop in speed here.

The speed limit from Leigh Road to North Hills, (school zone excepting) is 50km … the entire way.

Obviously, if you come across a yellow speed sign out on the open highway, you should not ignore it.  Take the notification seriously, slow down and be aware of upcoming road hazards. Safety first.

That is not Tranquille road.

Please drive the speed limit. It’s safer and the law is clear.  If you are so nervous that you need to react to yellow signage like this, in this way … then its not the road, perhaps another conversation should happen.

——–

Oh, and quickly?  New B.C. legislation requiring webcams in commercial vehicles was just voted for in the Ledge.  World first, kinda cool.  A bill introduced by local MLA Ward Stamer after a string of collisions involving commercial vehicles on Highway 5 North.

All I’ve got to add is that a whole bunch of good commercial drivers are saying ‘about time’.  Up to 86 percent of all accidents that involve commercial vehicles were caused by the other vehicle … often a passenger vehicle.  Cite; Transport Canada’s National Collision Database.

Today many commercial drivers don’t have webcams, but they want them.  Because of the way ICBC and driving violations and accidents affect driver standing, which affects employment … the more facts we know about an accident, the better off it will be for the good commercial drivers on the road.

But often the company won’t pay for cameras to be installed. Now they don’t have a choice.

And at the same time obviously, this might weed out some of those commercial drivers who shouldn’t be on the road.  That’s a good thing as well.  Good commercial drivers don’t want them on the road either.

One thing to be seen in this law is who will have access to the cameras, after what kind of situation, and how are driver’s right to privacy to be entangled in this.

I wonder what this bill, soon to be law, will actually say.

David Johnson is a Kamloops resident, community volunteer and self described maven of all things Canadian.