Drivers will soon no longer be able to get onto Highway 97 North from Westwood Drive as part of changes in store to make crossing the highway in that area safer for pedestrians.
The northbound lane leading to 22nd Avenue is to be closed by mid to late January, according to a city staff report detailing further changes planned for the area following the death of a College of New Caledonia student this past summer.
Drivers will still be able to reach Highway 97 northbound by heading east on Massey Drive and then turning onto the onramp just past the overpass.
Those who want to get onto Highway 97 southbound will still be able to use the turning lane connection at Westwood and the highway south of the intersection.
And the southbound access to Westwood will remain unaffected.
Changes to the way traffic signals for traffic coming from 22nd Avenue will work will make the closure necessary, staff said.
At it stands, right-turn, left-turn and through traffic and pedestrians can all proceed at the same time.
With the changes, drivers turning left will get an advanced green light allowing them to pass through before walkers are given the go-ahead to cross the highway via the crosswalk on the north side.
"With through traffic idle while the left-turning traffic advances, Westwood northbound traffic will not be able to advance and long queues will develop creating traffic congestion and traffic backing up towards Massey Drive," staff say in the report.
A second phase green light will allow through traffic and drivers turning right to pass through at the same time pedestrians are crossing. The signal for pedestrians will also include a countdown feature.
Information signs will be posted to give drivers the heads up.
Several measures have been taken in the wake of the June 6 death of Sandeep Kaur, who was struck and killed while trying to cross the highway at a spot between 18th and 22nd Avenues, a few hundred metres north of the intersection.
The works have included removing the sidewalk from the CNC campus to a decommissioned bus stop, putting up signs on the CNC campus directing pedestrians to the intersection, installing concrete barriers on the west side of East Central at 20th Avenue, also with signs pointing to the intersection, and building a sidewalk from the same spot to the intersection and installing fence along the highway's median from 22nd Avenue to 18th Avenue.
In early October, charges against Michelle Denise Dac, the driver accused of running into Kaur, were reduced from impaired driving causing death and causing an accident resulting in death to dangerous driving, driving while impaired and driving with a blood-alcohol level over .08. Her case remains before the court.
The full staff report and accompanying slide presentation is posted with this story at www.princegeorgecitizen.com.
