David Chadwick wants to ramp up his efforts to get some more traffic control on Trunk Road by the Duncan Christian School school zone.
“I live in a school zone between Day Road and Beech Avenue and for eight years I’ve been posting signs to get people to slow down,” he said.
At first Chadwick put up the free signs from the local insurance companies and then he progressed to having signs made.
“It has made a difference but on Trunk Road here, there’s a lot of people that drive too fast.”
Chadwick was pleased to see a new set of crosswalk light signals at the Beech Avenue and Trunk Road intersection to alert people of a crosswalk.
“About 50 feet around the corner they put another flashing light and the sign says ‘crosswalk ahead’ and that light flashes when somebody touches the button on the crosswalk. It’s a good thing.”
His biggest complaint, however, is how people drive on the road.
“People don’t slow down. It’s horrific. I’ve got in battles with the city. The city works guys do what they can but they say it’s an RCMP thing. I have yet to see RCMP down here with a radar check.”
Chadwick said police did tell him, though, that 5,400 cars a day get to Trunk Road via Lakes and Tzouhalem Roads in the eight-hour period between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m
“Some people slow down but some people don’t. They just won’t,” he said. “My fear is that somebody’s going to get killed out here. People drive way too fast on this road.”
Chadwick noted that there’s a lack of speed limit signage on Trunk Road between the highway and the Lakes Road intersection and he feels that doesn’t help the situation overall.
“I’ve talked to my neighbours and we’re going to mount a petition and then I’m going to talk to people about Trunk Road,” he said. “Everybody’s concerned about it.”
Chadwick’s school zone concerns are not unique.
In early October Cowichan Bay director Lori Iannidinardo met with the Bench School Parent Advisory Group to talk about safety on the roads.
She calls it “a constant struggle”.
Iannidinardo’s been active with Community Policing for years about the issue along Cherry Point Road, seeking Speed Watch volunteers and solutions.
It hasn’t been easy.
“With the limited volunteers we currently have tried to hit up all the school zones in #79 at least once for the month of September. We have a couple more to do,” said Community Policing manager Carol-Ann Rolls. “That’s why we are encouraging PAC volunteers from the schools to get involved.”
Rolls said the Bench PAC took them up on their offer.
“The more often the reader board can be out in school zones (or in any area) the more effective it is in changing driver habits and education, especially when we can couple it with police enforcement from time to time.”
Iannidinardo has also been in regular contact with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
“I spoke to Minister [Claire] Travena at UBCM again on Cowichan Bay’s behalf for more consideration of off-road walking trails like the one we have on Wilmot Road,” she confirmed. “It seems that they may be listening so I am encouraged that the old way of looking at our roads just for vehicle transportation is changing.”