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Vernon  

Stickle solution unpopular

It would seem the only ones who don't want a stop light at the Stickle Road-Highway 97 intersection are Ministry of Transportation officials.

An open house on the contentious intersection drew dozens of people minutes after the doors opened Wednesday.

Castanet talked to several people, and no one approved of the government proposal to put a protected T at the hazardous intersection.

“I think it is too much engineering and not enough common sense,” said John Lainsbury after speaking with a ministry representative.

There were several such ministry types trying to sell the idea to a skeptical crowd.

“It has to be a controlled intersection,” Lainsbury said. “People have to start thinking about it as part of the city and not part of the highway.”

Lainsbury said the area is only going to grow, so controlling the Stickle-Highway 97 intersection is the best option.

Vernon council has been pushing for a stop light since day one, and Mayor Akbal Mund has been a strong proponent for not only a traffic light, but a lower speed limit through that section of road as well.

Murray Tekano, senior project director with the ministry, said a stop light would be more dangerous because people would not expect it on the highway and it is too close to 27th Street and the weigh scales.

Tekano claimed a lower speed limit through the area wouldn't work because people would drive to the comfort level of the road – a four-lane stretch of blacktop – and would likely exceed the speed limit anyway.

Asked if the logic in not lowering speed limits because they would not be followed could be applied to every road in the province, Tekano replied, “Lowering the speed limit will not make people drive slower.” He said the ministry tries to choose speed limits that best suit the particular road.

Bill Hague has lived near the intersection for 35 years, was a shuttle driver for several years and navigated the intersection many times a day.

“There is no reason to have it over 80 (km/h),” said Hague. “I see a need for a light and to slow down traffic.”

Bjorn Meyer had possibly the most creative suggestion of the day – a roundabout.

He said they work well in Europe and there are several in Washington state as well.

Meyer said the roundabouts he has seen in Washington have a lot in common with the Stickle intersection, but he was told there isn't enough room between the train tracks and the frontage road to build a highway roundabout.

Meyer joined the chorus of others calling for a light and lower speed limits as the solution.



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