Concerns around traffic and pedestrian safety at 5th Avenue and 1st Street SE are being addressed by the city.
At its June 10 meeting, Salmon Arm council received two letters from residents relating to traffic and pedestrian safety in their respective neighbourhoods. One pertained to the 5th Avenue and 1st Street SE intersection. The writer explained their family lives downtown, their two small children attend the Shuswap Day Care Centre several times per week and that traffic along 5th is always busy during drop-off and pick-up times.
"My husband and I, with or without daughters in tow, have repeatedly experienced instances when multiple cars driving in either direction do not stop for us to safely cross the crosswalk," reads the letter. "Vehicles often travel too fast along this road and walking across this street is dangerous with the condition of this crossing."
Noting there are two seniors homes in the area, as well as the 5th Avenue 55-Plus Activity Centre and a bus stop, the writer asked the crosswalk be marked with better signage and lights made a priority.
City engineering and public works director Rob Niewenhuizen told council this matter has been looked into and the crosswalk is on staff's list to get painted.
"We’re currently running through all of our crosswalks, so all of the priority ones… obviously the schools, and this is coming up so it will be painted shortly," said Niewenhuizen.
The second letter had to do with the east end of Okanagan Avenue E. The writer said the "almost every home" in the neighbourhood has children who walk to and from school, and that a ridge in the road in front of their home creates a blind spot for drivers.
"What we are finding is cars are going way too fast either to/from the tennis courts or Little Mountain Park and is great cause for concern," reads the letter.
The writer asked that the city consider placing at least two speed bumps on either side of the ridge to help slow vehicle traffic.
Again responding, Niewenhuizen said he and engineering staff have looked at this. He said that section of road is not heavily used and "typically, if they were to install traffic calming measures such as speed bumps or speed humps, we’d need at least 500 vehicles per day that would begin the warrant for that."
Niewenhuizen said staff would reach out to the resident and provide them with signage the city received from ICBC cautioning drivers to slow down and watch out for children.
