An online petition is calling for dedicated left turn only signals at two spots along Highway 16 in Prince George.
In launching the petition on Sunday, Rae-Lynn Olson emphasized Insurance Corporation of British Columbia numbers from 2013, that showed Prince George as home to nine of the 10 most dangerous intersections in north-central B.C.,
"This is unacceptable," Olson said in the petition's preamable at Change.org.
"Crashes at these intersections occur nearly weekly. As the city grows, our traffic patterns must be adjusted."
Specifically, she says installing dedicated signals where Highway 16 intersects with Ferry Avenue and Vance Road "would provide safer passage through these intersections and would result in less accidents."
There are left turn signals at those locations but they're what the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure calls protected-permissive.
They feature a flashing green arrow, showing traffic can proceed to make a left turn through the intersection without oncoming through vehicles entering the intersection. Once the arrow phase is concluded, traffic is still permitted under the solid green to make a left turn but only when it is safe to proceed.
In contrast, what the Ministry calls a "protected only" left-turn signal would allow left-hand turns only when oncoming traffic has been halted by a red light. Otherwise, motorists must wait even if it appears the coast is clear.
In a response, the Ministry said its data shows that a majority of the accidents at the intersections "are not due to the left turn movements, but rather other movements around the intersections, for example, rear-ends."
Adding protected only left turns with solid green arrows could backfire, the Ministry also said.
"This can potentially add to congestion which can create unintended safety consequences in the surrounding area," the Ministry said. "Therefore, the solution that best supports safety in the area is not always as it may seem."
As of Friday morning, nearly 87 people had signed the petition.
To find the petition go to Change.org and type "install left turn only Prince George" into the search field.
