I've read a lot of letters and opinion pieces by staff from The Morning Star and I finally decided it was time to speak up about myths created by who I will refer to as Sticklers.
The Sticklers think that everyone wants a light and the faceless bureaucrats aren't listening. What if flaggers were set up at that intersection and stopped every vehicle driving on Hwy 97 past Stickle to ask them if they would like a light put in, what would the 20,000+ vehicles a day say? As one of those daily commuters I say no thank you, you might get stronger words from other users.
Secondly, I read a lot about how a set of lights at Stickle would be the same as the ones at College Way, this is ridiculous.
Consider the median scales and 27th Street onramp in very close proximity to Stickle. I use that onramp every day as do 7,000 vehicles a day in the summer to merge with the near 20,000 vehicles on Hwy 97.
I don't need a traffic engineer to tell me what happens when you merge onto a highway looking beside and behind you as traffic in front is slowing or stopping for a light at the same time commercial traffic is moving into the "fast" lane to make the scales just after the lights and you have people swerving into the "slow" lane to get around them right where 27th needs to merge into before the lights. What could possibly go wrong?
Lastly about the ministry's plan.
My only concern is the environmental impact. I've walked many times on the trail/boardwalk and love having it.
The ministry's plan better include environmental mitigation/improvements to offset this. About the cost, yes $9 million is much more than a light, but includes accel/decel lanes at Stickle in the price and won't cause more accidents on Hwy 97. The 20th Street connection is a good investment that works towards a continuous long term frontage from the city north that should eventually include interchanges to access on/off the highway.
Please Mr. Rolke and other Sticklers, keep in mind you don't speak for the usually quiet majority. You are not entitled to a dangerous set of lights even if you were the majority. Traffic engineering is not a democracy. Stickle Road is not College Way.
Drumming up conspiracy theories about faceless bureaucrats ignoring the masses out of ignorance or spite might sell papers, but open your mind to the obvious safety concerns specific to a set of lights at this intersection.
Open your mind to the fact that the vast majority of highway users didn't go to the open houses and don't bother writing into the echo chamber that is The Morning Star opinion section. Don't be such a Stickler.
J. McLean, Vernon