Correspondence regarding Hallowell, Admirals & Aldersmith Traffic - Bill Stavdal & Vicki White

Email from Bill Stavdal to John Rosenberg (December 23, 2016)

From: Bill Stavdal Date: December 23, 2016 at 1:26:25 PM HST To: John Rosenberg jrosenberg@viewroyal.ca Cc: Vicki White Subject: Fwd: Strata: Hallowell, Admirals & Aldersmith Traffic

Hello John:

Below I forward comments by Ms. Vicki White, Chair of the Strata Council for VIS 4580, 118 Aldersmith Place, adding some observations and recommendations of my own. Because safety is an issue I ask that you log these also into the project record for use of traffic planners.

First, I support Ms. White’s remarks. We recognize that this is a large issue with many elements and players. Here are three recommendations, one for action now plus inclusion in the Town’s 1997 capital budget.

The curb beside Scotia Bank, approaching Aldersmith Place, should be repainted immediately against parking or stopping, with signage. Recently a large trailer truck was left there for awhile. It was impossible for this driver, at the foot of Aldersmith, to see what was approaching.
As soon as possible there should be a pedestrian crosswalk linking Aldersmith and Cooper Rd., with button trigger for flashing amber light, as at Old Island Highway and Stormont. In due course there should be traffic lights. Many persons living on the Songees lands must jaywalk to shopping in Admirals Walk. They cannot be blamed much because there is no crosswalk between Glentana and Hallowell.
In liaison with the Songhees First Nation, the exit from Cooper Rd. should get signage instructing drivers to signal left turn, or right. Some, of course, drive straight across, an uncertainty for drivers waiting at the foot of Aldersmith. There is much danger at this intersection. Only a new traffic system will alleviate this, hopefully when Admirals Rd. is rebuilt.

Respectfully to traffic planners I mention the likelihood that Songhees lands will be developed commercially before long.

We wish you a productive 2017, successful in public safety.

Bill Stavdal Unit 32, 118 Aldersmith Place

Forwarded Message from VICKI WHITE (December 22, 2016)

From: VICKI WHITE Subject: Strata: Hallowell, Admirals & Aldersmith Traffic Date: December 22, 2016 at 10:18:15 PM PST To: Bill Stavdal Cc: Shirley Cummins

Hi Bill,

Thanks very much. I totally agree with all your traffic related comments. I was not aware that the Town of View Royal was considering changing the one-way direction of "Outlook Lane" to north.

Are all area residents to be advised of this possible traffic change? Do you know who initiated this & why it's being considered? This change would certainly then direct much more traffic to exit down to the already dangerous intersection of Aldersmith & Admirals Rd.

I also use Thrifty Foods complex to reach Aldersmith when returning from Esquimalt during the afternoon rush, which as you say is using Admirals Walk as a "street".

I have some additional supporting comments & suggestions following. I would appreciate if you could please bring them to the Town's attention.

It is additionally confusing & dangerous, as I believe there's no painted roadway arrow on either lane @ the bottom of Aldersmith Place indicating that drivers can proceed straight across Admirals Rd into the mobile home park. So how do drivers know which of the 2 road lanes they should use to drive straight across?

Additionally, drivers exiting the mobile home park very frequently do not use their signal light to indicate if they are turning right onto Admirals Rd heading north (towards Craigflower). That creates an additional hazard for Aldersmith drivers who are watching both directions of extremely busy Admirals Rd traffic while waiting to turn left towards Craigflower. When I'm @ the bottom of Aldersmith & I see a car across the street waiting to exit out of the mobile park, I can never be sure if they are coming straight across Admirals towards me, or turning right or left, because many of them never use their turn signal.

The drivers along Admirals Rd are frequently speeding excessively, plus there is no crosswalk @ the Aldersmith intersection & I always see pedestrians precariously crossing there. This is even worse in the dark winter rainy weather. There should be a raised crosswalk area @ Aldersmith intersection, with a pedestrian button & flashing lights similar to what they have on the Craigflower bridge, as this is a regular route for the young First Nations kids walking to school. Some type of traffic slowing/calming method is also required on Admirals before someone is seriously injured or killed.

Thanks, VICKI

Email from Bill Stavdal to Vicki White (December 21, 2016)

From: Bill Stavdal To: Vicki White Sent: Wed, 21 Dec 2016 14:04:29 -0700 (MST) Subject: Fwd: Hallowell, Admirals, Aldersmith

Hello Vicki:

I thought you would like to have this information. The whole situation is complex but here I have stuck to traffic.

The TVR engineer has already acknowledged and said that my memo is logged and into their project base.

Regards, Bill

Forwarded Message from Bill Stavdal to John Rosenberg (December 21, 2016)

From: Bill Stavdal Subject: Hallowell, Admirals, Aldersmith Date: December 21, 2016 at 12:41:58 PM PST To: John Rosenberg jrosenberg@viewroyal.ca Cc: Bill Stavdal, Garth Graham, Doug MacKeen, Nancy Walshe, Dianne Gregg, Annette Leroux, Frank Veerkamp, Lisa Benini, Julie Mitchell, Stan&Irene Raynham, Lee Smyth, Blaine&Beverley Maxwell, Gail Rodgers, David & Jean Screech

Hello John:

This is prompted by minutes from a recent meeting between yourself and Hallowell Rd. residents. While my own general stance is unchanged I have an increased awareness of the complexity of the project you are organizing on behalf of the Town.

Here I confine my comment to traffic. As well as the material data (traffic counts) you are sorting out, some anecdotal information is relevant.

I live within 118 Aldersmith Place, 69 strata units atop Aldersmith Hill. While distributing notices I have counted a total of 249 units on the hill above Admirals / Hallowell. The great majority are middle-aged or elderly, including myself.

There are a number of traffic issues. In particular, left-turn access to Admirals from the bottom of Aldersmith is often dangerous. I argue that a traffic light is essential. I have noticed that southbound traffic on Admirals, after being stopped by the light at Glentana, often speeds excessively. Waiting at Aldersmith, looking right and left and back again, it is easy to overlook two adjacent accesses from the Songhees lands which face the same danger.

When I have a Victoria appointment in early morning I exit south down Outlook Lane, then east on Hallowell and onto Admirals north. If Outlook Lane is changed to one-way north I would have to go down Aldersmith, right and through Admirals Walk parking lot to reach Hallowell and its light. There would be no alternative at that time of day. Several stratas face the same situation.

When coming home from Esquimalt along Admirals, in the northbound afternoon crawl, I always turn left at Hallowell and then up though the Admirals Walk parking lot. This takes me right past the entrances / exits of Thrifty’s. While in the northbound line approaching Hallowell I have seen many a car turn out into the oncoming lane and race for Hallowell.

In effect, Admirals Walk is currently being used as a street.

What is the advice from the owners of Admirals Walk? They are heavily involved.

I hope you will find this input positive and useful.

Regards, Bill Stavdal

Annette Leroux: Please forward to Len Boyle and Cindy Miller, and give me their e-mails. Thanks.