Hello Everyone
It has been a little bit, but this has not been forgotten. I have recently emailed the following:
- Squamish Council & all members
- RMOW & all members
- Pemberton Council & all members
- West Vancouver Council & all members
- North Vancouver Council & all members
- Squamish Nation
- Lil'wat Nation
- Tsleil Watauth Nation
- MLAs Jordan Sturdy, Nicolas Simmons, Karin Kirkpatrick, Bowinn Ma, Susie Chant
- MPs Patrick Weiler, Jonathan Wilkinson, Terry Beech, Rachel Blaney
This email series was sent for support as we build towards the Ministry of Transportation. You will be kept updated with responses.
The letters are as follows
Nations
I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this. My name is Matthew Paugh, and I am a resident of Squamish, with long economic ties to the Sea to Sky Region, and a concerned citizen with a vested interest in the safety of the Sea to Sky Highway. I understand and submit that I am on unceded lands of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh. I am in the Tourism Industry, having spent years travelling this corridor and showcasing it and its people to thousands of visitors. I am also an Admin of the Sea to Sky Road Conditions Group on Facebook, which has nearly 60 000 members. They are constantly communicating and sharing updates along this corridor. As such I have a very unique viewpoint on the challenges inherent with this highway. I am contacting you, as the original inhabitants of these lands, to aid me in preserving it and its residents. The highway passes through the territories of multiple nations, thus many are affected.
With the recent rash of accidents in mind, but knowing of the history of the highway, I initiated a petition with proposed changes to how the highway is managed from a safety and law enforcement point of view. The details of which can be found HERE
The long term goal is to increase the reliability and safety of the highway for all of those travelling it. This would be through a number of methods outlined in the link above, but the primary method would be through the introduction of Average Speed, or Point to Point Speed Cameras. For whatever reason, there is a lack of policing coverage from a number of detachments along the entire route. This has led to a Wild West of sorts with all kinds of people travelling at high speed on a highway that was not designed for much more than the posted limits. When an incident occurs, people on all sides of it are affected. If there is a fatality, those affected are in a far more dire state, not just the families and friends of those deceased, but also everyone else as the investigation transpires. A camera system such as this would operate all the time, and provides a safety net when staffing is minimal. It also provides drivers more flexibility as it won’t penalize them for a brief transgression when entering a different speed zone. However, it will penalize those who willfully ignore the posted limits, putting themselves and others at risk. To summarize their operation, Camera A is triggered when a vehicle passes it. If that vehicle passes Camera B at the other end of the highway too soon, a ticket is issued. The known is the length of the road between A and B, as well as the posted speed. This would lead to an expected window for the vehicle to pass Camera B. If it is too soon you can extrapolate the average speed during the trip. If that is too short, it means they were exceeding the limits. A range of expected times gives drivers flexibility to pass on areas where they may be temporarily exceeding that limit without fear of undue punishment. This system has been used throughout Australia and the UK with great success. An overview in the UK can be found HERE after its implementation in 2017.
As well, I am hoping to have increased communication during the times of an incident. The current system is woefully slow in providing updates. There are too few Variable Message Signs along the route, being too rarely updated. These should be located more strategically in U Turn Locations to allow vehicles to safely turn away when an incident is occurring and the road is expected to be shut for long periods of time. During one recent incident, traffic was halted from passing Britannia Beach from 9PM until 3AM. People were stranded needing water, food, medication and were unable to get reliable communication for a timeline, and they were unable to safely turn around. This leads to people driving on the wrong side of the highway attempting to get out. On previous occasions this has led to ancillary incidents. This signage should also constantly be educating drivers on the protocols and etiquette in case there is an incident as well as the traffic conditions. For example, reminding drivers where to pull over and how to do so to allow Emergency Vehicles to safely bypass the traffic and reach the incident. This could also mean a more reliable fast response system to create U Turn sections with the removal of barriers on a per incident basis. This call seems to be currently made too late and after heavy back ups.
Lastly, local authorities need to have more resources available to quickly investigate an incident, and those resources need to be available locally. Awaiting a team from the lower mainland is too slow. This needs to be rectified to allow a faster reopening without compromising the safety and efficiency of an investigation.
I am asking for the support of the Nations whose lands encompass the highway in supporting this petition as we pass it along (ultimately) to the Ministry Of Transportation in British Columbia. A shutdown in one section of the highway has an effect on all the communities and economies in the corridor. The lack of perceived/actual change is increasingly frustrating for those inconvenienced, and devastating for those affected. These proposals will not be popular among some aspects of the population, as many tend to overestimate their skills behind the wheel. This allows for flexibility with a firm grip. These proposals require both political, and financial support from all Nations and levels of government as it crosses many. Tourism alone is already in a dire strait after COVID 19. Delays further affect the thousands of people living, working and visiting the corridor daily. Many industries are affected as well and the list could go on.
This letter has also been passed to other Nations?Organizations/Governments/Interested Parties in the corridor. It’s time to take action. I am available at any time to meet/discuss this
Respectfully Submitted
Matthew Paugh
Councils
I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this. My name is Matthew Paugh, and I am a resident of Squamish, with long economic ties to the Sea to Sky Region, and a concerned citizen with a vested interest in the safety of the Sea to Sky Highway. I am in the Tourism Industry, having spent years travelling this corridor. I am also an Admin of the Sea to Sky Road Conditions Group on Facebook, which has nearly 60 000 members. They are constantly communicating and sharing updates along this corridor. As such I have a very unique viewpoint on the challenges inherent with this highway.
With the recent rash of accidents in mind, but knowing of the history of the highway, I initiated a petition with proposed changes to how the highway is managed from a safety and law enforcement point of view. The details of which can be found HERE
The long term goal is to increase the reliability and safety of the highway for all of those travelling it. This would be through a number of methods outlined in the link above, but the primary method would be through the introduction of Average Speed, or Point to Point Speed Cameras. For whatever reason, there is a lack of policing coverage from a number of detachments along the entire route. This has led to a Wild West of sorts with all kinds of people travelling at high speed on a highway that was not designed for much more than the posted limits. When an incident occurs, people on all sides of it are affected. If there is a fatality, those affected are in a far more dire state, not just the families and friends of those deceased, but also everyone else as the investigation transpires. A camera system such as this would operate all the time, and provides a safety net when staffing is minimal. It also provides drivers more flexibility as it won’t penalize them for a brief transgression when entering a different speed zone. However, it will penalize those who willfully ignore the posted limits, putting themselves and others at risk. To summarize their operation, Camera A is triggered when a vehicle passes it. If that vehicle passes Camera B at the other end of the highway too soon, a ticket is issued. The known is the length of the road between A and B, as well as the posted speed. This would lead to an expected window for the vehicle to pass Camera B. If it is too soon you can extrapolate the average speed during the trip. If that is too short, it means they were exceeding the limits. A range of expected times gives drivers flexibility to pass on areas where they may be temporarily exceeding that limit without fear of undue punishment. This system has been used throughout Australia and the UK with great success. An overview in the UK can be found HERE after it’s implementation in 2017.
As well, we are hoping to have increased communication during the times of an incident. The current system is woefully slow in providing updates. There are too few Variable Message Signs along the route, being too rarely updated. These should be located more strategically in U Turn Locations to allow vehicles to safely turn away when an incident is occurring and the road is expected to be shut for long periods of time. During one recent incident, traffic was halted from passing Britannia Beach from 9PM until 3AM. People were stranded needing water, food, medication and were unable to get reliable communication for a timeline, and they were unable to safely turn around. This leads to people driving on the wrong side of the highway attempting to get out. On previous occasions this has led to ancillary incidents. This signage should also constantly be educating drivers on the protocols and etiquette in case there is an incident as well as the traffic conditions. For example, reminding drivers where to pull over and how to do so to allow Emergency Vehicles to safely bypass the traffic and reach the incident. This could also mean a more reliable fast response system to create U Turn sections with the removal of barriers on a per incident basis. This call seems to be currently made too late and after heavy back ups.
Lastly, Law Enforcement needs to have more resources available to quickly investigate an incident, and those resources need to be available locally. Awaiting a team from the lower mainland is too slow. This needs to be rectified to allow a faster reopening without compromising the safety and efficiency of an investigation.
I am asking for the support of the Council in promoting this petition as we pass it along (ultimately) to the Ministry Of Transportation. The lack of perceived/actual change is increasingly frustrating for those inconvenienced, and devastating for those affected. These proposals will not be popular among some aspects of the population, as many tend to overestimate their skills behind the wheel. This allows for flexibility with a firm grip.
This letter has also been passed to other Organizations/Governments/Interested Parties in the corridor. It’s time to take action. I am available at any time to meet/discuss this
Respectfully Submitted
Matthew Paugh
MLAs
I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this. My name is Matthew Paugh, and I am a resident of Squamish, with long economic ties to the Sea to Sky Region, and a concerned citizen with a vested interest in the safety of the Sea to Sky Highway. I am in the Tourism Industry, having spent years travelling this corridor. I am also an Admin of the Sea to Sky Road Conditions Group on Facebook, which has nearly 60 000 members. They are constantly communicating and sharing updates along this corridor. As such I have a very unique viewpoint on the challenges inherent with this highway.
I am contacting you, as an MLA of a region that connects to and is affected by issues on the Highway.
With the recent rash of accidents in mind, but knowing of the history of the highway, I initiated a petition with proposed changes to how the highway is managed from a safety and law enforcement point of view. The details of which can be found HERE
The long term goal is to increase the reliability and safety of the highway for all of those travelling it. This would be through a number of methods outlined in the link above, but the primary method would be through the introduction of Average Speed, or Point to Point Speed Cameras. For whatever reason, there is a lack of policing coverage from a number of detachments along the entire route. This has led to a Wild West of sorts with all kinds of people travelling at high speed on a highway that was not designed for much more than the posted limits. When an incident occurs, people on all sides of it are affected. If there is a fatality, those affected are in a far more dire state, not just the families and friends of those deceased, but also everyone else as the investigation transpires. A camera system such as this would operate all the time, and provides a safety net when staffing is minimal. It also provides drivers more flexibility as it won’t penalize them for a brief transgression when entering a different speed zone. However, it will penalize those who willfully ignore the posted limits, putting themselves and others at risk. To summarize their operation, Camera A is triggered when a vehicle passes it. If that vehicle passes Camera B at the other end of the highway too soon, a ticket is issued. The known is the length of the road between A and B, as well as the posted speed. This would lead to an expected window for the vehicle to pass Camera B. If it is too soon you can extrapolate the average speed during the trip. If that is too short, it means they were exceeding the limits. A range of expected times gives drivers flexibility to pass on areas where they may be temporarily exceeding that limit without fear of undue punishment. This system has been used throughout Australia and the UK with great success. An overview in the UK can be found HERE after its implementation in 2017.
As well, we are hoping to have increased communication during the times of an incident. The current system is woefully slow in providing updates. There are too few Variable Message Signs along the route, being too rarely updated. These should be located more strategically in U Turn Locations to allow vehicles to safely turn away when an incident is occurring and the road is expected to be shut for long periods of time. During one recent incident, traffic was halted from passing Britannia Beach from 9PM until 3AM. People were stranded needing water, food, medication and were unable to get reliable communication for a timeline, and they were unable to safely turn around. This leads to people driving on the wrong side of the highway attempting to get out. On previous occasions this has led to ancillary incidents. This signage should also constantly be educating drivers on the protocols and etiquette in case there is an incident as well as the traffic conditions. For example, reminding drivers where to pull over and how to do so to allow Emergency Vehicles to safely bypass the traffic and reach the incident. This could also mean a more reliable fast response system to create U Turn sections with the removal of barriers on a per incident basis. This call seems to be currently made too late and after heavy back ups.
Lastly, Law Enforcement needs to have more resources available to quickly investigate an incident, and those resources need to be available locally. Awaiting a team from the lower mainland is too slow. This needs to be rectified to allow a faster reopening without compromising the safety and efficiency of an investigation.
I am asking for the support of the Members of the Legislative Assembly in supporting this petition as we pass it along (ultimately) to the Ministry Of Transportation in British Columbia. A shutdown in one section of the highway has an effect on all the communities and economies in the corridor. The lack of perceived/actual change is increasingly frustrating for those inconvenienced, and devastating for those affected. These proposals will not be popular among some aspects of the population, as many tend to overestimate their skills behind the wheel. This allows for flexibility with a firm grip. These proposals require both political, and financial support from all levels of government as it crosses districts. Tourism alone is already in a dire strait after COVID 19, delays further affected the thousands of people living, working and visiting the corridor. Many industries are affected as well and the list could go on.
This letter has also been passed to other Organizations/Governments/Interested Parties in the corridor. It’s time to take action. I am available at any time to meet/discuss this
Respectfully Submitted
Matthew Paugh
MPs
I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this. My name is Matthew Paugh, and I am a resident of Squamish, with long economic ties to the Sea to Sky Region, and a concerned citizen with a vested interest in the safety of the Sea to Sky Highway. I am in the Tourism Industry, having spent years travelling this corridor. I am also an Admin of the Sea to Sky Road Conditions Group on Facebook, which has nearly 60 000 members. They are constantly communicating and sharing updates along this corridor. As such I have a very unique viewpoint on the challenges inherent with this highway.
With the recent rash of accidents in mind, but knowing of the history of the highway, I initiated a petition with proposed changes to how the highway is managed from a safety and law enforcement point of view. The details of which can be found HERE
The long term goal is to increase the reliability and safety of the highway for all of those travelling it. This would be through a number of methods outlined in the link above, but the primary method would be through the introduction of Average Speed, or Point to Point Speed Cameras. For whatever reason, there is a lack of policing coverage from a number of detachments along the entire route. This has led to a Wild West of sorts with all kinds of people travelling at high speed on a highway that was not designed for much more than the posted limits. When an incident occurs, people on all sides of it are affected. If there is a fatality, those affected are in a far more dire state, not just the families and friends of those deceased, but also everyone else as the investigation transpires. A camera system such as this would operate all the time, and provides a safety net when staffing is minimal. It also provides drivers more flexibility as it won’t penalize them for a brief transgression when entering a different speed zone. However, it will penalize those who willfully ignore the posted limits, putting themselves and others at risk. To summarize their operation, Camera A is triggered when a vehicle passes it. If that vehicle passes Camera B at the other end of the highway too soon, a ticket is issued. The known is the length of the road between A and B, as well as the posted speed. This would lead to an expected window for the vehicle to pass Camera B. If it is too soon you can extrapolate the average speed during the trip. If that is too short, it means they were exceeding the limits. A range of expected times gives drivers flexibility to pass on areas where they may be temporarily exceeding that limit without fear of undue punishment. This system has been used throughout Australia and the UK with great success. An overview in the UK can be found HERE after it’s implementation in 2017.
As well, we are hoping to have increased communication during the times of an incident. The current system is woefully slow in providing updates. There are too few Variable Message Signs along the route, being too rarely updated. These should be located more strategically in U Turn Locations to allow vehicles to safely turn away when an incident is occurring and the road is expected to be shut for long periods of time. During one recent incident, traffic was halted from passing Britannia Beach from 9PM until 3AM. People were stranded needing water, food, medication and were unable to get reliable communication for a timeline, and they were unable to safely turn around. This leads to people driving on the wrong side of the highway attempting to get out. On previous occasions this has led to ancillary incidents. This signage should also constantly be educating drivers on the protocols and etiquette in case there is an incident as well as the traffic conditions. For example, reminding drivers where to pull over and how to do so to allow Emergency Vehicles to safely bypass the traffic and reach the incident. This could also mean a more reliable fast response system to create U Turn sections with the removal of barriers on a per incident basis. This call seems to be currently made too late and after heavy back ups.
Lastly, Law Enforcement needs to have more resources available to quickly investigate an incident, and those resources need to be available locally. Awaiting a team from the lower mainland is too slow. This needs to be rectified to allow a faster reopening without compromising the safety and efficiency of an investigation.
I am asking for the support of the Members in promoting this petition as we pass it along (ultimately) to the Ministry Of Transportation. A shutdown in one section of the highway has an effect on all the communities in the corridor. The lack of perceived/actual change is increasingly frustrating for those inconvenienced, and devastating for those affected. These proposals will not be popular among some aspects of the population, as many tend to overestimate their skills behind the wheel. This allows for flexibility with a firm grip.
This letter has also been passed to other Organizations/Governments/Interested Parties in the corridor. It’s time to take action. I am available at any time to meet/discuss this
Respectfully Submitted
Matthew Paugh