To the editor:
I am a resident on Horizon Drive in West Kelowna.
This street has become a speedway, with only a few people driving at the posted speed of 50 kilometres per hour and 30 km/h at the Shaleridge corner.
Someone is going to be killed, so seriously hurt, the only question is when?
Several vehicles have crashed and many have had difficulty coming down Horizon Drive and making it around the corner at Shaleridge because of excessive speed.
Residents and I have watched school buses, yes school buses, screech to a halt to let off school kids at the stop near Shaleridge, and others round the corner nearly on two wheels (yes, I am exaggerating, but not by much). It is obvious they are not doing the posted speed of 30 km/h.
Parents have taken to driving their kids to school because it is unsafe for them to walk. And, we have “no” sidewalks on Horizon Drive between Covington Crescent and the Rose Valley School.
I have personally requested cautionary speed bumps on both sides of Shaleridge, or a four-way stop at Horizon Drive and Covington Cresent, or both, anything to slow down drivers. These requests have gone ignored and nothing has been done. But during the construction phase of the new wine trail at least six or seven caution bumps/speed bumps were placed through the detour route in the residential area bypassing construction area. How and why is this different?
We also have a blind intersection at Horizon Drive and Westview Way. Not sure if the city of West Kelowna’s way of addressing that intersection was placing a Trucks Turning sign before it. Or, if someone else placed this sign? If it was the City of West Kelowna, it is pretty Mickey Mouse.
The other day a speed information sign appeared on the downhill part of Horizon Drive between Covington Cres and Westview Way. In front of the residence at 2090 Horizon Drive. To sit and watch the numbers spin out of control as vehicles pass is scary, 65, 70, 75, and 82 km/h were seen. The only thing that I saw slowing the traffic was its location, as it was placed partly on the sidewalk and partly in the downhill lane. Yes, I seen vehicles slowing while swerving around this visual sign, not because of the speed it was posting.
This is one more serious and potential danger being ignored by the West Kelowna city council.
I have to wonder what it will take to get any action from them?
David Kuhn
West Kelowna