A stretch of road that has Tsawwassen residents concerned about safety could be getting a traffic signal - but probably not.
Council on Monday discussed an engineering department recommendation to look at improvements at the 12th Avenue and Ferguson Road intersection following a 174-name petition submitted by residents.
This summer, resident Doug Massey raised concerns about the intersection, saying a left-turn signal needs to be installed for those attempting to turn left from Ferguson Road onto 12th Avenue before a serious injury or death occurs.
He gathered the petition and met with engineering staff.
“Sometimes in order to turn left safely at this intersection one has to get out of their vehicles and push the pedestrian signal as well as block the pedestrian crossing on Ferguson to be able to see oncoming traffic heading West from 12th Ave. Surely we do not have to wait until a serious accident occurs at this intersection before action is taken to improve it,” Massey recently wrote to council.
A report to council notes that according to ICBC records, eight crashed have occurred there since 2000. The report also notes that in late 1991, a pedestrian signal was installed by Delta at the crosswalk between Ferguson Road and Hunter Road. To this day, this crosswalk serves pedestrians from both side streets and is frequently used by adjacent residents in order to cross 12 Avenue to the downtown core. A full traffic signal is not warranted at the intersection in question, the report notes.
“On receipt of the petition, staff assessed the pedestrian signal as well as the wait times of motorists exiting from both Ferguson and Hunter Roads. Traffic exiting from Ferguson Road is predominantly left turning and that from Hunter Road is predominantly right turning. Given the close proximity of the two side streets they interact as one large intersection with offset north-south legs. Given the frequency of pedestrian traffic and vehicular traffic in the summer, there is sufficient gaps in the traffic on 12 Avenue for turning movements from the side streets. When activated, the current pedestrian signal helps to facilitate left turns from Ferguson Road but hinders right turns from Hunter Road, while keeping the delay to vehicular traffic on 12 Avenue to a minimum,” the report explains.
The recommendations approved by council includes improving the markings and driver sightline, as well as reassess if a full traffic signal is required once the Southlands is fully developed. Council also agreed to discuss funding the $30,000 cost at their next budget workshop rather than wait until the 2019 budget workshop.
