An "intimidating" intersection for pedestrians in the centre of Coquitlam's commercial district will likely get a traffic light next year.
Dan Mooney, the city's manager of roads and traffic operations, said consultants have recommended a light at Anson Avenue and Ponderosa Street, located east of The Keg and Save-On-Foods and west of Safeway.
The consultants also suggested the light be installed before the Evergreen Line opens on nearby Pinetree Way to make the busy junction safer for pedestrians; the rapid transit line is expected to open in the summer of 2016.
The consultants' report, which was released at Monday's council-in-committee meeting, came after Port Coquitlam resident Lynn Chappell complained to the city's engineering committee last June. Chappell, who walks with a cane, said she is intimated of crossing the four-way stop and is tired of being "target practice" for drivers there.
In their review, which cost the city and ICBC $18,000 to conduct, Opus International Consultants said while there haven't been any collisions with pedestrians in the past five years, a number of conflicts between pedestrians and commuters exist, namely:
multiple-lane approaches;
rolling stops and jumping priority;
long-crossing distances;
on-street parking on the northside of Anson Avenue;
and poor demarkation.
As well, during two afternoon studies, Opus representatives witnessed 26 traffic conflicts and near misses, including two involving pedestrians.
Opus recommended a number of improvements to the city including a traffic light or roundabout; however, city staff ruled out the circle because of high cost and excessive number of delivery trucks in the area.
This summer, the city plans to spend $5,000 on several intersection upgrades - i.e., crosswalk and letdown improvements, line painting and additional parking restrictions - before it undertakes a more detailed design for the traffic light; that design work would cost around $25,000, Mooney said.
