Dear Editor:
Re: Ticketing Blitz Putting Brakes on ‘Rat Run,’ July 28 front-page story.
Kudos to the Cloverley neighbourhood for putting the brakes on rat runners in their community.
On the opposite side of the North Shore, at Capilano and Marine Drive, there is another community dealing with rat runners every day.
The Squamish Nation residential roads (Xwemelch’stn or Capilano 5 First Nations Reserve lands) are used daily by rat runners to access Welch Street with vehicles ranging from semi-trucks to commuters. One afternoon rush hour, 194 rat runners were counted and the number increases when there is an accident on the Lions Gate or Ironworkers Memorial bridges.
In the Aug. 9 letter to the editor, Cloverley resident Colleen Dawson says “speed humps have done nothing to slow cars down” in her neighbourhood. She is correct.
Squamish Nation homeowners have resorted to placing barriers on the streets, amidst the numerous speed bumps, to slow traffic and protect their children and pets. Do you think the rat runners are cognizant of what the barriers mean? No, they simply dodge and speed up between the barriers/bumps to wait at the stop signs to join the bumper-to-bumper cars heading to West Vancouver.
I have petitioned the Squamish Nation to mirror the Norgate community and eliminate access to Welch Street. In the meantime, rat runners be aware the labyrinth may soon change.
Karen Lewis
Squamish Nation member
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