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Traffic calming not safe

Dear Editor: I concur with letter writer Brad Braun in questioning and expressing concern about the traffic calming measures that have been introduced on the North Shore (Density+Traffic+Calming=Catatonia, North Shore News, Dec. 14).

Dear Editor:

I concur with letter writer Brad Braun in questioning and expressing concern about the traffic calming measures that have been introduced on the North Shore (Density+Traffic+Calming=Catatonia, North Shore News, Dec. 14). Some of these are not just ineffective but counter-productive.

One example is the roundabout. They are less effective than stop signs and because many drivers are not sure how to proceed through them, they increase the risk of accidents. They can also be quite confusing, like the one at Garden Avenue/Hope Road where there is both a roundabout and stop signs!

Another example of a potentially dangerous practice is the installation of protruding "islands" at road junctions and crossings. These are obstructions which hamper traffic flow and put road users at risk.

The first priority of road planning should be safety, and a key component in this is visibility.

More and better lighting is required, especially at vulnerable spots such as pedestrian crossings. Pavement sections that stick out should be marked with fluorescent paint.

Finally, road dividing lines should be better illuminated, using cats' eyes as a matter of rule, rather than an exception.

Fred Bruhn North Vancouver