Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall says the recent crash data from ICBC will be used as a resource to better improve traffic patterns in the city.
Nine of the top ten crash intersections in the north-central region are located in Prince George.
Between 2017-2021, the intersection of Ferry Avenue and Highway 16 West saw the most vehicle crashes at 219 followed by Domano Boulevard/Highway 16 West and Tyner Boulevard at 202.
Rounding out the top six include:
- HWY 16 and 97 and turning lane – 190 crashes
- 15th Avenue and Central Street – 143 crashes
- Cowart Road/Highway 16 and Vance Road – 135 crashes
- Massey Drive and Westwood Drive – 121 crashes
Hall told MyPGNow.com that the traffic spike is due to both population and resource development growth.
“We have seen a drastic increase in road traffic over the last four or five years particularly on Highway 16 West and Highway 97 and that is as a result of what we are seeing from increased development in the resource sector.”
He added subtle improvements along Highways 16 and 97 that have made life easier for motorists despite the high-traffic volumes.
“There were also left turn lanes added at a couple of intersections as well, which was something that was badly needed. Left turn lanes are an important piece of the traffic flow and we are seeing those two intersections that were done along Highway 16 for a much smoother traffic pattern.”
In 2016, a protected turning light came to the intersection of Vance / Cowart Roads and Highway 16.
This followed the death of a 15-year-old girl who was killed at the Vance Road crossing when the SUV she was driving in was t-boned by a pickup truck. A petition was launched the day after the accident calling for changes, attracting over 8,000 signatures.
In addition, new traffic lights have also come to Tyner Boulevard as well as the intersection of Highway 16 at Bear Road and Kimball Road.
Hall added the city continues to place a high priority on pedestrian crossings, most notably around schools, citing upgrades along Southridge as a good example.
“We just keep looking at where we can improve crosswalks, where we can improve lighting for intersections, left turn lanes, and where the high traffic is and that is where I go back and say that this data is a good tool for us to use as a reference.”
Unfortunately, the northern capital has seen its fair share of vehicle/pedestrian incidents recently.
Of those that come to mind, was a November file along 1st Avenue and Quebec Street that claimed a life.
Three weeks later (November 29th), a pair of pedestrians were struck along Hart Highway; with one of them sent to Vancouver for medical treatment.
This was followed by a December fatal along Highway 97 that was investigated by the BC Highway Patrol near Widdis Road in the Woodpecker area, 45 km south of Prince George.
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