A petitioner wants to see a new four-way stop on 224th Street in downtown Maple Ridge.
Anyone who has tried to cross 224th from Selkirk into the Haney Place Mall parking might agree with Narissa Vence.
“224th and Selkirk has always been a busy intersection. With the population growing, and an ever-busy Wal-mart, it is absolutely necessary to have a four-way stop sign put in place,” she said in her Change.org petition.
“The crosswalk is always full of pedestrians, and the heavy north and southbound traffic on 224th make it near impossible to turn in any direction.
“This is a huge safety concern for pedestrians and drivers alike, and implementing a four-way stop sign would allow for safety and traffic efficiency. If you have encountered frustration at this crosswalk, please sign this petition for the good of our community.”
Vence, a longtime Maple Ridge resident, hopes to present the petition to city council.
City spokesman Fred Armstrong said the intersection has been looked at in the past by the city engineering department. He said a four-way stop would be complicated by the proximity of Lougheed Highway just to the south. Traffic northbound on 224th has the potential to back up all the way to the highway if stopped at Selkirk Avenue.
Dedicated turn lanes and pedestrian traffic are other factors that must be considered, he said.
Armstrong, who lives downtown, acknowledged it is difficult for traffic on Selkirk to proceed east-west across 224th, or to make a left-hand turn. He said people who live in the area plan their travel by more expedient routes.
Thus far, he said, no changes to traffic controls have been suggested by city hall staff for that intersection, and any requests would likely be referred to the city’s traffic committee.
ncorbett@mapleridgenews.com
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