Langley Township Councillor Charlie Fox hopes the intersection at the corner of 264 Street and Robertson Crescent could get the green light for the addition of a left-turn bay — something he says will make the intersection much safer for motorists.
“We recently had a fatal accident there, but I’ve also witnessed many, many other instances in that corner when you’re going northbound,” said Fox during Monday evening’s council meeting.
“There is no left-turn bay there, so what happens is when a car stops with their blinker to turn left onto Robertson Crescent from 264 Street, often cars and trucks — and you can see it very evidently from the marks on the gravel — will pull around, making it a very dangerous situation.”
Councillor Fox put forth a motion to council to send a letter to the Ministry of Transportation requesting a left-turn bay lane northbound at the intersection, as a measure of traffic safety.
The motion was seconded by Councillor Kim Richter, who also noted the area is not well-lit.
“I agree 100 per cent with Councillor Fox that this is a clenched-fist intersection and part of the problem is that the lights are way back where the trees block it — that’s something to be considered as well.”
Councillor David Davis suggested that, in addition to a letter being sent to the Ministry of Transportation, one also one should be prepared for the Transportation Safety Committee — an amendment to Fox’s motion that was unanimously carried.
At least four people were sent to the hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries after a two-car crash occurred at the intersection earlier last month. In December, 2012, an 87-year-old man was killed and his wife seriously injured along with a 44-year-old Langley woman in another vehicle at the intersection of Robertson Crescent and 264 Street.
Since that time, Langley Township council has been looking at improvements to the intersection.