Changing Lanes

Q: Rumor has it, that city planners and engineers come from all over North America to our city to learn what NOT to do as far as traffic planning is concerned. I am a certified Defensive Driving Instructor in our city and believe me I have questions coming at me right, left and center. When I took my instructors certificate, my instructor from Vancouver stated that this was the only city in the province that allowed a vehicle to change lanes in the middle of an intersection, and the road lineage permitted it. (North bound on Gordon at High).

A:I have never heard the rumor that you have written about. In the past there was no consultation with the local police traffic services on what would make a safe roadway or intersection prior to designing or building a new roadway or intersection. It has been identified that it makes sense to ask the people responsible for enforcement and attending collisions on what could be done to improve a potential roadway or intersection.

Part of the Road Safety Vision 2010, the police traffic services across Canada have been making recommendations to the respective jurisdictions on roadway changes in order to make a roadway or intersection safer. Given the costs of some required for some recommendations, it is not a process which moves at a fast pace, but it is working.

Constable R.A.(Richard) ASELTON
Central Okanagan Traffic Services - Media Liaison
Kelowna R.C.M.P. Detachment

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