Re: Intersection 240 street / Hill Avenue 

Hello Mark, Harry, Elaine, Gabe, and Dan;

First of all though,  we would like to thank you for scheduling and conducting the survey of the 240th street and Hill Avenue intersection at Albion Elementary School  couple weeks ago. We noticed the apparatus attached to the lamp post. I believe it was there for 48 hours. When will you be receiving the results? Can I please obtain a copy of the results that I can share with the School PAC and our community? 

Second, I haven’t received a reply from my email on April14th.  There were some very important questions suggestions from our community and updates so I hope you will scroll back and read that email and reply as soon as possible. 

Third, in my last email I specifically asked: “When I reviewed the TAC guidelines in 2018 when they were last revised there were specific numbers and stats available. I no longer have a copy of the updated TAC though, Mark can you send me a copy? “

And Finally, yesterday there was a serious accident involving 2 vehicles and the school fence/crosswalk!!! A student driver drove right through the stop sign at Hill Avenue when it was green a green light for vehicles travelling along 240th street in both directions. The student driver’s vehicle hit another vehicle travelling on the green light on 240th street and then crashed into the school fence right where students wait to cross the road! Thank goodness no students or parents were hit/injured or worse! If this intersection had a 4 way controlled intersection with a RED LIGHT at Hill Avenue and exiting the school, this crash likely would have been completely avoided!!! We urge The City of Maple Ridge to act NOW! Before one of our Albion Elementary School students get hit! We should not have to wait for tragedy to happen for the city to fix this very dangerous intersection! The community has spoken and this is what we NEED for the safety of all children, parents, pedestrians and drivers! Please, Maple Ridge, upgrade this intersection NOW!!! 

Here for your convenience is a link to our petition that has now garnered 344 signatures (about 100 just since this morning when I posted about the crash last night) 

Please hear the voice of this concerned community and act quickly before it’s too late! 

Sincerely,
Christina Holland

On Apr 14, 2023, at 11:21 AM, Christina Holland wrote:

Hi Elaine & Mark,

Thank you both for your most recent emails below. 

Albion’s school principal has been in touch with the RCMP/Bylaws etc.  (they actually called during our last PAC meeting. Unfortunately we were met with less than satisfactory responses. There are allegedly only 2 traffic police officers in Maple Ridge. Our principal has repeatedly asked the police department to come down to our intersection during before and after school rush to see what we are dealing with (speeding) driving through the crosswalk while children are actively crossing, etc. Our principal has even offered them to do their paperwork in our parking lot. Visit with the kids etc. but we haven’t gotten much support thus far. 

When I reviewed the TAC guidelines in 2018 when they were last revised there were specific numbers and stats available. I no longer have a copy of the updated TAC though, Mark can you send me a copy? 

One suggestion we had for the city/ or police, in addition to the intersection upgrade was also to put one of those flashing signs that tells drivers how fast they are going in the school zone or maybe even speed bumps and other traffic calming measures. It seems most drivers don’t notice/ or don’t care that they are in a school zone. 

Many of the issues we are facing regarding pedestrian safety would be much improved with upgrades to this intersection with the following parameters: 
1) A full 4 way controlled intersection 
2) Vehicle sensors on Hill Avenue and the exit of the school parking lot that will activate the new lights when the traffic is getting backed up for turning left or right onto 240th street
3) A delay on the green light for vehicles turning left and right on 240th street until pedestrians have finished crossing 240th street in the cross walk
4) A no turning on a red light sign for both left and right turns in all directions 
5) A pedestrian crossing light for pedestrians crossing Hill Avenue and The School parallel to 240th street. (Currently there is a crosswalk but no light telling the children when it is safe to cross) 
6) A crosswalk on the south side of Hill Avenue crossing 240th street. 
7) Removal of 2-3 street parking spots on 240th street on either side of the crosswalk to increase visibility for vehicles attempting to turn left or right onto 240th street. 
8) No parking signs on Hill Avenue from the alley down to the stop sign at 240th street to increase visibility of students approaching the crosswalk 
9) A crossing guard

As you can see Mark, the issues we as a community are facing at the intersection of Hill Avenue and 240th street are solved by the appropriate traffic lights, sensors, and signage as detailed above. The police have not been of much help and until an upgrade is done to this intersection the city is continuing to allow a dangerous school crossing intersection. This is an accident waiting to happen where there have been so many near misses and blatant disregard for the safety of elementary school children. I urge you to please move quickly on this matter before it’s too late and a child is seriously injured or worse! 

Sincerely,
Christina Holland