If you believe the traffic on Capilano Road is bad, Ramin Parsakish has a bridge to sell you.
After consecutive summers struggling to get in and out of his Capilano Road driveway, Parsakish is trying to persuade the District of North Vancouver to consider a pedestrian bridge.
“It’s gotten really, really bad. Sometimes the traffic is backed up all the way down to the Highway 1 exit,” Parsakish noted.
An overpass in place of a pedestrian-controlled light could ease gridlock by accommodating many of the 5,000 to 6,000 outdoor enthusiasts who flock to Capilano Suspension Bridge just about every day during the summer, according to Parsakish. The number of visitors can reach up to 8,000 during holiday weekends, according to a representative of the park.
In order to put a spotlight on the ubiquitous traffic jams, Parsakish recently launched a petition on change.org to advocate to the municipality for a traffic solution. So far, the petition has been signed by 46 people.
The issue affects everyone in Upper Capilano, according to Parsakish, who said one particular special event at the park left him stuck in traffic for 45 minutes during what’s ordinarily a two-minute jaunt from the highway to his home.
The gridlock worsened noticeably in the summer of 2016 when the traffic pattern was altered, according to Parsakish. With only one lane heading north past Fintry Place, Parsakish said he tries to run errands before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Disputes over parking spots and incidents of road rage are growing more common, he said.
“Ever since the second lane of traffic going north on Capilano Road (between Fintry Place and Ridgewood Drive) was removed . . . traffic has become much worse,” concurred Capilano Suspension Bridge Park spokeswoman Stacy Chala. “It’s got Cap Bridge, it’s got Grouse Mountain, it’s got the Grind, Cleveland Dam salmon hatchery all on one road, so it’s definitely a busy corridor. I can understand the frustration.”
However, Chala isn’t sure a pedestrian overpass is feasible.
The idea was explored several years back but ruled out due to insufficient space as well as concerns about the fence needed to discourage jaywalkers, Chala said.
In an effort to ease congestion, the park has brought in traffic flaggers to work seven days a week, Chala added.
With a line of traffic frequently stretching to Fintry Place, (where two-lane traffic has had to merge into one northbound lane since changes to the street were made by the district in the past couple of years), the park also dispatches employees to the pedestrian-controlled signal to encourage greater efficiency and longer breaks between walk signals.
The flaggers are working hard to mitigate the problem, said Parsakish.
“They’re trying to somehow control the chaos. If anything, they might be helping a little bit,” he said. “I wish they had one here for my driveway.”
The park has also instituted a shuttle service, which brings about 250,000 visitors to the park each year, according to Chala.
While tough terrain and a water main might rule out an overpass and an underpass, Chala said the park is amenable to working with the district.
“We do understand the neighbour’s frustrations, and we are frustrated as well,” she said.
The District of North Vancouver is working with management of Capilano Suspension Bridge Park to “address the concerns of residents in the area,” according to district spokeswoman Stephanie Smiley.
Supporters of Parsakish’s petition have also called for greater co-ordination between the traffic light at Capilano and Ridgewood Drive and the pedestrian-controlled crossing near the park.
