A pedestrian overpass across the Trans-Canada Highway close to where the new Cowichan Secondary School on the Cowichan Place site is being constructed is under consideration.
Over the years, safety concerns have been raised about students crossing the highway at lunchtime from the current Cowichan Secondary School on James Street to fast-food restaurants on the other side of the TCH where there are no crosswalks.
Some remedies have been suggested, including using a chain-link fence to deter students from crossing the TCH in that area and building a pedestrian overpass but, to date, nothing has been done.
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However, a pedestrian overpass in the area is recommended in the City of Duncan’s and the Municipality of North Cowichan’s Trans-Canada Highway Corridor Management Plan, and the subject was raised at a special joint council meeting between the two councils on July 5.
North Cowichan Mayor Al Siebring said that with the new approximately $86-million high school under construction on University Way, the area is going to become increasingly busy with pedestrians and a safe crossing place will likely become even more necessary.
North Cowichan Coun. Rob Douglas said that the management plan had called for a pedestrian crossing from the skateboard park area near University Way to the area near where Boston Pizza is located on the other side of the TCH.
He asked North Cowichan’s engineering director David Conway what the status of the overpass currently is.
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“Could the construction of the new high school result in us getting that pedestrian overpass?” Douglas asked Conway.
Conway said a study of the potential of a pedestrian overpass is currently being conducted by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure for the area around University Way.
“As of the last meeting we had with [MOTI] a few months ago, the ministry had not chosen a touch-down point for either terminal of an overpass, but they are continuing with that investigation through a consultant,” Conway said.
The Trans-Canada Highway Corridor Management Plan, prepared by Stantec Engineering Services in 2014 for Duncan, North Cowichan and MOTI, stated that conditions could be appropriate for a pedestrian overpass between University Way and James Street/York Road should plans for the Vancouver Island University expansion or the Cowichan Secondary School relocation to Cowichan Place follow through.
“Currently there are many pedestrians who choose to cross the TCH at uncontrolled locations which poses a serious safety risk,” the report said.
“These are due to large pedestrian-generating areas and pedestrian destination areas being separated by the TCH with inadequate crossing facilities. Students report having to wait long times during the lunch hour rush to cross the highway at intersections to reach the fast-food restaurants on the other side.”
robert.barron@cowichanvalleycitizen.com
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