With its narrow lane configurations, hills, inclines and corners that obstruct drivers from seeing oncoming vehicles, a lot of bad accidents have occurred at the intersection of Marine Avenue and Alberni Street over the years.
After years of lobbying by City of Powell River asking BC Ministry of Transportation to do something about it, a new advance left-hand turn signal became operational at the junction on May 31.
The traffic light was installed to increase safety and ease frustration of drivers travelling south on Marine and making the left-hand turn to go up Alberni.
“This started nine years ago,” said mayor Dave Formosa.
The city had to go through two highway superintendents before receiving approval from the ministry due to Marine being a provincially controlled highway.
Drivers in Powell River were faced with some confusion when the new signal was initially turned on. Reactions to the suddenness of the new intersection configuration may have been a result of advance warning signs not being in place on the afternoon of completion, according to city director of infrastructure Tor Birtig.
“It was a slight oversight,” said Birtig, “but they were up the next day.”
Birtig added that the project will come in under its $25,180 budget.
