Skye Ryan-Evans and Val Brackenridge agree that life is generally good at Countryside Mobile Manor in Salmon Arm – except for the access off Highway 97B — which they fear is a fatality waiting to happen.
Both tenants of the 130-plus unit mobile home park, Ryan-Evans and Brackenridge were compelled to speak up about their concerns following a Jan. 15 two-vehicle collision at the park’s one and only access point off the highway.
According to police, a Jeep was travelling south along the highway when a pickup truck turned across the southbound lane to enter the park. The vehicles collided and the pickup flipped as a result. The pickup truck’s driver, a 77-year-old resident of Countryside, had to be extricated from the vehicle before he was sent to hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
As emergency crews were busy working at the accident scene, a crowd of Countryside residents stood nearby, looking on while discussing their concerns for the highway turn-off.
Ryan-Evans was home the evening of the collision. She said she walked down to the accident scene, concerned a friend she was expecting had been involved.
“I was worried it was these guys trying to get home because they’d been to Kelowna or something… not to be nosey,” said Ryan-Evans. “I was fearful, and I’m not really a fearful person. That’s really the big downside of being here is that fear that the highway is a danger point there… So we’re just trying to find a way to cool it down a bit.”
Brackenridge and Ryan-Evans say accident prevention and driver intimidation are their main concerns for the 90 km/hr stretch of highway that fronts the park’s 90 degree park access that offers no acceleration, deceleration lanes or advanced warning signage.
“Just the other day I was coming from the Vernon way trying to make our turn in,” said Brackenridge. “Three vehicles were passing us (on the shoulder) while we were waiting to cross. You’re supposed to stop behind me until I make my turn, but they make it so you want to get off the road because you can feel the wind passing by you with the vehicles, they’re shoving you into the traffic.”
Ryan-Evans said a similar situation can occur when turning right into the park.
“If they’re coming from Salmon Arm, there’s the shoulder where we shouldn’t be, and they want us off on the shoulder and then it’s difficult for us to turn because you have to pull your nose out to get around because there’s a ditch here. So we’re on the lane where we should be to turn in here and they’re trying to shove us down the highway and passing us before we’ve turned. So they’re putting the pressure on us to make unsafe turns.”
Brackenridge and Ryan-Evans have come up with what they feel are reasonable solutions for the troublesome access. One is a flashing amber warning light at the entrance. Another would be advance warning signage indicating there’s traffic turning on and off the highway. Their third suggestion is reducing the speed for a 300-metre stretch to 50-km/hr.
“We’ve got to come part way too, we don’t expect a million dollar layout – If we all do what’s right and people learn to read the signs,” said Ryan-Evans.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure says it’s aware of the 97B/Countryside access/intersection and appreciate any feedback it receives from the public.
“Intersections like this are reviewed by the ministry to ensure they are operating safely and efficiently,” said MOTI spokesperson Danielle Pope. “Ministry staff have reviewed this location and confirmed that the sight distances are very good in both directions and the number of collisions is low…
“We will continue to monitor this intersection and consider options as needed.”
While they’d appreciate any help from the ministry to address their concerns, Ryan-Evans and Brackenridge agree there’s also an onus on drivers to slow down and be more respectful.
@SalmonArm
lachlan@saobserver.net
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter