The project would install additional signage around our local school zone. The intersection that is targeted by this campaign experiences high pedestrian and cyclist volume, as well as high traffic volumes. Many drivers use this intersection as a shortcut through the community when travelling Highway 1, and there are many incidences of traffic violations, damage to public and private property, and near misses. Another major concern is a long, steep slope leading to the start of the east entrance to the school zone. Many groups have observed speeds in excess of 40km/h over the posted limits, and adding radar signage in conjunction with increased enforcement was recommended by both RCMP and ICBC to prevent tragedies in that area.

The focus of the project would be around a school zone that encompasses a four way stop and a long steep slope leading to the area. The four way stop is also within one block of a major highway on two of its four sides. We have had many near miss incidents on the hill and at the intersection and it has been consistently identified by Council, the public, RCMP, and the Ministry of Transportation as an issue. Many suggestions have been made, but the proper solutions would cost hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars to fix, and we are a community of just under 1000 and the costs would be impossible to recover from our tax base without serious consequences. To put this in perspective, our Municipal budget is approximately $1.6 million per year. Staff looked at innovative ways to combat this problem location; speed radar signage, larger school zones, more visible signage locations, changing school zones to permanent 30km/h speed limits, larger signage, and blinking LED lights for stop signs in problem directions. We believe that these changes would impact driver behavior and create a safer way for our K-12 students to get to school everyday. Members of the public often say their concern with their children walking to school is this intersection so they end up driving their children to school.