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The Squamish Trails Society (STS) has raised safety concerns over potential traffic hazards along the Discovery Trail by the Squamish Business Park.
Members of STS are concerned that intersections at both Industrial Way and Commercial Way could put trail users at risk. Lighted intersections are being constructed in the area, and could cause an increase in traffic across the access to the trail.
"Considering the safety risks of Discovery Trail crossing Commercial Way, the Squamish Trails Society, feels strongly that full activation, adding left-in, left-out, of the light at Commercial Way and Hwy 99 would be a serious accident waiting to happen," said Bob Brant, president of STS.
Brant noted that despite increased traffic brought to the area by Home Depot and Wal-Mart completing the intersection may not be necessary in the immediate future. "We are not in favor of full activation and wonder whether it is needed at this time, when the other Commercial Way businesses are not even built and there are numerous other entrance routes to the area," said Brant. "At the very least this intersection ought not to be fully activated until a safe crossing solution of Commercial Way by the Discovery Trail is constructed and operational."
According to Mayor Ian Sutherland ,the district is taking the potential safety concerns in the area seriously.
"Of course we're not going to go ahead with anything that would put any of our residents at risk," said Sutherland. "We are looking at our options in the area."
Sutherland said that while having the intersection be pedestrian-controlled is one possibility, an overpass for trail users would be unlikely.
"That would be a considerable expense for the district to bear alone," said Sutherland. "The time to be talking about that was two or three years ago when the zoning and building permits were being done."
The district could have negotiated with Home Depot and Wal-Mart to assist with building an overpass at the time, said Sutherland."It's not their responsibility. It's ours."
Brant feels that whatever solution is created, the traditional route of the Discovery Trail should be maintained as much as possible.
"The Discovery Trail is the only currently existing commuter trail. We feel its original route - directly across Commercial Way, where it first went - must be honoured," said Brant.
"STS would like to see the straight-line route of the Discovery Trail continue safely across Commercial Way. We feel the users who may be considered most at risk - school children (through their parents) - must be consulted as to the solution necessary."
