The Editor,
I am writing to implore my fellow Tri-City drivers to slow down when driving on Shaughnessy Street in Port Coquitlam. This road connects the Mary Hill Bypass with Pitt River road and downtown PoCo but it is largely a residential street between the bypass and Pitt River Road.
I regularly encounter drivers who appear to be doing 80 km/h along this stretch and overtaking on the right vehicles that are adhering to the 50 km/h speed limit.
This area has a small greenbelt between Nacht Drive and Stafford Avenue that seems to be the worst area for such behaviours. Unfortunately, this is also where it is residential and has children walking to school, seniors out for walks and people like myself — new parents with their children and pets — trying to walk around.
It has gotten to the point that I don’t feel safe to walk along this road any longer; I now feel my safest option is to pack up my child and dog and drive to a trail where I know we won’t encounter vehicle traffic. This option upsets me greatly; I shouldn’t have to leave my residential area every time I need to take the dog out. Additionally, I am not sure exactly how much safer this option is when I am driving the speed limit and someone overtakes me on the right or zooms up behind me going 30 km/h faster than I am.
My request is this: Please slow down when you are driving along Shaughnessy in order to protect yourself and those around you.
Jessica Adaszynski,
Port Coquitlam
