Residents in the area surrounding Burnaby Hospital are hoping a petition will be the key to bringing much-needed change to a traffic problem they say is only going to get worse.
The four-way stop at Kincaid Street and Smith Avenue, which is nestled in Burnaby's Cascade-Schou neighbourhood near Burnaby Hospital, is a disaster waiting to happen, according to residents in the area.
Jim Favaro and his wife Karen have lived in the area since 1986 and have watched the population balloon around them. The four-way stop at Kincaid Street and Smith Avenue is no longer sufficient enough to control the amount of traffic that flows in and out of the area, so Favaro is asking that the city install a traffic light in its place.
"We've seen the area go through a lot of change," he says. "Earlier on, the four-way stops were adequate to meet the needs of the community but the community has grown quite a bit, as well as the traffic and the through traffic."
Favaro said Smith Avenue has become a much-used alternative to Boundary Road and the traffic that travels up and down the avenue are in such a hurry that pedestrians really have to hustle to cross safely.
"The pedestrians are dodging the cars and the drivers, they're urgent to get to work and there just isn't enough time," he said. "People will cross and a car will dash right behind them as soon as they're clear."
This is particularly troubling for Favaro. He believes the fast-paced intersection is a danger to pedestrians, especially seniors who need a little extra time crossing the street.
"Our population is aging, the folks with mobility issues, they just can't cross that quickly," he said. "A four-way cross in the past may have been sufficient, however to meet the needs of the community now, we need a traffic light."
Favaro, who uses the crosswalk on a daily basis to walk his son to and from Cascade Heights elementary school, has witnessed several what he calls, near "hits" - but on June 30 the near hit didn't miss.
Favaro's neighbour Mike Bhangu was hit by a car while he was crossing the four-way stop at Kincaid Street and Smith Avenue at about 5:45 p.m. Favaro arrived at the scene shortly after Bhangu was struck and helped other area residents tend to Bhangu and call police and medical personnel.
"This, unfortunately, is not a rare occurrence," he said. "But it was really encouraging to see so many people stopping to help someone who was injured."
Luckily, Bhangu survived without any major injuries but the experience was the final spark needed to prompt Favaro into action.
Later that day Favaro put together an online petition to garner support for the installation of a traffic light at Smith Avenue and Kincaid Street. The petition already has 72 signatures, more than Favaro expected.
On Sept. 2, Favaro and his neighbours will be at the city council meeting to present the results of the petition and officially recommend that Mayor Derek Corrigan and city councillors approve the installation of a traffic light at Smith Avenue and Kincaid Street. Staff told Favaro the issue will be brought by staff to council on July 21 for information only.
"We have to highlight for city hall that the needs is here and ... I think our cause is just and we can defend why we need a light there," Favaro said.
To sign the petition to have a traffic light installed at Kincaid Street and Smith Avenue visit, www.ipetitions.com/petition/smith-and-kincaid-traffic-light. A Facebook group has also been started for discussion on the issue at www.facebook.com/smithkincaidtrafficlight.
