The intersection where Third Street and Keith Road meld into Marine Drive and cross Bewicke Avenue is the worst on the North Shore, according to North Vancouver cyclists.
That is among the conclusions of a survey conducted by the Norwest Cycle Club, a North Shore based group of recreational cyclists and cycling advocates.
Norwest group member Robert Wyckham presented the survey results to City of North Vancouver council Nov. 25 in hopes the group could advise council and spur future bicycle safety planning.
Of the 508 North Shore residents who took the online survey, 61 labelled that intersection as the most dangerous, owing to heavy traffic, turning vehicles and lack of bike lanes. Other ones on the list included Third Street at Low Level Road, Taylor Way at Marine Drive and Forbes Avenue at Marine. In keeping with the trend, Marine Drive topped the list of most dangerous roads due to its high traffic, narrow surface and spotty bicycle lane coverage.
But, the City of North Vancouver is a leader in the Lower Mainland when it comes to bicycle infrastructure, Wyckham told council members.
Norwest's report also made suggestions as to how cyclists can best improve their own safety - including that they obey the rules of the road.
That prompted an anecdote from Coun. Rod Clark who, that morning, witnessed two cyclists blow through the stop sign at the bottom of the hill on Low Level Road.
While the cyclists' behaviour was "very foolish," Wyckham said, cyclists are tempted to roll through stops since they are relying on their own power to build and maintain momentum.
He added, there is a growing trend in North American jurisdictions to allow cyclists to treat fourway-stop intersections as yields if there are no other cars approaching, what's known as a "California stop."
While there wasn't any interest shown at the council table for allowing California stops, council agreed to post Norwest's survey report on the city website.
