The Editor,
Re. “Speed bumps and an uneven playing field” (The Tri-City News, Sept. 23).
One of too few cycle routes in the Tri-Cities area, Gatensbury Street from Port Moody to Foster Avenue is clearly and frequently marked 30 km/h MAXIMUM. Very few, if any, drivers, however, do less than 50 km/h.
While cycling recently, we spoke with Speed Watch volunteers set up on the route. They told us most cars cruise by at 50 km/h or more at least to Como Lake, then some ease up on the throttle to perhaps 40 or 45 km/h.
We regularly walk around Como Lake. During evening rush hour especially, cars fly through at full speed heading north. We’ve pointed this out to municipal officials but they responded that because it’s a secondary thoroughfare, traffic calming is not allowed.
We pointed out several similar situations, such as 116th Avenue and Millar Road in Surrey, which is traffic calmed even though the fire department uses it as a main route to the Surrey docks, yet Gatensbury remains a tragedy waiting to happen.
Twice this past year, we’ve witnessed near fatalities at Smith. Each happened to be an older woman with a toddler in a stroller.
Blood will surely be on someone’s hands if cars do not slow down and it will be no accident as folks are free to drive stupidly and carelessly at whatever reckless speed they choose when there are no speed bumps.
S.E. Cooper, Coquitlam
