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1979 MARCH 12 A regular meeting of the Municipal Council was held in the Council Chamber, lo^nn^ 31 Hal1, Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C. on Monday, 1979 March 12 at X ? • UU il • PRESENT: Mayor T.W. Constable, In the Chair Alderman G.D. Ast Alderman D . P. Drummond Alderman A.H. Emmott Alderman B.M. Gunn Alderman D.A. Lawson Alderman D.M. Mercier Alderman F.G. Randall ABSENT: Alderman W.A. Lewarne STAFF.: Mr. M.J. Shelley, Municipal Manager Mr. E.E. Olson, Municipal Engineer Mr- A.L. Parr, Director of Planning Mr. J.G. Plesha, Administrative Assistant to Manager Mr. James Hudson, Municipal Clerk Mr. B.D. Leche, Deputy Municipal Clerk MOVED BY ALDERMAN AST: SECONDED BY ALDERMAN MERCIER: THAT Alderman W.A. Lewarne be granted leave of absence from the Council Meeting this evening." 6 CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY W E L C 0 M E His Worship, Mayor Constable, welcomed members of the First Burnaby Boy Scout Troop and their Leader to the Council Meeting this evening. His Worship expressed the wish that the Boy Scouts would find the Council Meeting interesting and informative. M I N U T E S The Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 1979 March 05 came forward for adoption. MOVED BY ALDERMAN AST: SECONDED BY ALDERMAN DRUMMOND: "THAT the Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 1979 March 05 be now adopted." CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY D E L E G A T I O N The following wrote requesting an audience with Council: Concerned Parker-Curtis Residents Committee W.J. Bell, Re: Rapid Increase Of Traffic - Deteriorating Conditions Of Parker And Curtis Streets - Submission Of Petition Spokesman - Mr. W.J. Bell______________ MOVED BY ALDERMAN AST: SECONDED BY ALDERMAN RANDALL: "THAT the Delegation be heard." CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY Mr. William J. Bell, speaking on behalf of the concerned Parker-Curtis Residents Committee, then addressed Council on the subject of the deteriorating conditions of Parker and Curtis Streets. The following is the text of Mr. Bell's address: H u i. 1979 March 12 "The Committee would like to present to Council the anxiety felt by the £ Parker and Curtis Street residents. During the past few years the residents • have been faced with an ever increasing traffic problem. From conversations the Committee has had with residents and also from imput of a public meeting there is indication that occasional approaches to the Municipal Hall and the R.C.M.P. concerning specific situations achieved very little success. First, we would like to acquaint Council with the background of our being here tonight. The first input came when the Neighbourhood Improvement Program was introduced in the Willingdon Heights area. A questionnaire was circulated throughout the area to find out what the concerns of the residents were, the results indicated that one of the major items was traffic and its associated problems. During the latter part of 1978, residents from outside the boundaries the Neighbourhood Improvement Program area residing on Parker and Curtis heard that the NIP Committee was involved with Parker Street problems. Later the NIP Committee and these other residents formed the new Committee. The group through discussions decided on a public meeting which was held in December of 1978. This was attended by approximately 150 residents as well as members of the Transportation Committee. It should be pointed out that this was done on three days notice just prior to the Christmas Holidays. In late January and February the Committee circulated a petition amongst the residents of Parker and Curtis. The petition is in our opinion, very simple and straight forward. It states as follows, 'We,Lthe undersigned residents of Parker/Curtis Street and adjacent areas, hereby petition Council to initiate a study of the deteriorating traffic condition on Parker/Curtis Street. Further, until such time as these are completed and a solution to the increasing traffic volume determined, no proposed physical changes take place that would increase the volume of traffic, nor should there be any installation of traffic signals or stop signs, either mechanical or otherwise.' The petition represents over 300 homes on Parker, Curtis and adjacent streets which works out to 72 percent of all residences. It should be stated that at approximately 7 percent of the homes there was no answer and the remaindeiA disagreed with the petition. The primary concern expressed was that traffic control signals should be installed at Duthie and Curtis. It was the Committee's intent to present a substantial amount of statistics concerning Parker and Curtis but we feel that the Municipality has sufficient data to provide an accurate picture of the situation. It would be correct for the Committee to state that between the years 1971 and 1977, a small space of six years, the traffic has doubled. Using these two periods, there was a better than 30 percent increase in traffic accidents even though there were significant changes in the traffic control measures such as the installation of traffic signals at Parker and Willingdon in mid 1971 and Curtis and Sperling around 1974 - 75. Further, four=way stops were installed at Parker and Holdom in September 1973, and Gilmore and Parker in 1976. The Committee took the 1977 average weekday traffic volumes as produced by the Municipality in January 1978, which shows 12,100 vehicles between Willingdon and Holdom. We have been further advised the traffic flow east and west bound on Gaglardi Way, just west of the University intersection, carried 11,000 vehicles per day. This is composed of 7,200 vehicles going to and coming from the University and 3,800 commuters. Taking the 12,100 vehicles per day and subtracting 5,000 that used Parker during the morning and evening rush hour, each based on a two hour period and taking 400 vehicles using the street between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m., this left a figure of 6,700 vehicles using the street for fifteen hours. This amounts to an average of one vehicle every 8 seconds. During the rush hour, the traffic rate rises to one vehicle every 2.14 seconds. The figures for the early morning hours averages 1 vehicle per every 45 seconds. The residents have justifiable grievances ranging from pollution to safety. Normally, homeowners enjoy the pleasure of being able to open the windows and doors of their home in the summer time but due to the constant noise and dirt generated by the heavy traffic volume, some residents feel that this is no longer possible. Even with doors and windows closed, residents complain of outside dust and noise infiltrating their environment. Double ^ glazed windows prove ineffective against the noise pollution. Otner ™ 188 2. 1979 March 12 pleasures that come with better weather such as gardening, backyard bar-b-que, or just over the fence conversation have to compete with the constant roar of traffic. Try planting a bed of flowers in the median of the Trans Canada Highway and you will see what it is like working in the front yard of your home on Parker or Curtis. Or, consider yourself an elderly person, living adjacent to a four-way stop where two collectors intersect, working in your garden until the fumes get so heavy you have to go inside. Normal life functions such as greeting or bidding farwell to company, calling children or simply acknowledging a distant neighbours greeting are sometimes impossible. Every resident of Burnaby should be able to have free and easy access and egress to their property or side street but the residents of Parker and Curtis that have their driveway entering onto the street have considerable difficulty to get off their property during peak periods. Residents that live on Blaine Place, Yorston Court, and find it diffucult to leave their street to go to work or to shop during the heavy traffic periods. Try to get across two lanes of back-up traffic when there is only one legal traffic lane. We have received comments con­ cerning lanes being used asja by-pass of traffic congestion from the residents in the 4400 and 4500 blocks. Surely the residents should not have to be surrounded by heavy traffic volume. Residents who have lived on the street for an exceptionally long time are appalled at having to pay twice to have their street improved and then face an overbearing traffic situation. Put yourself in the plight these long term residents of Burnaby face just to cross their street. Also consider the other side of the scale, the children that have to cross this arterial route to go to school every day. It is not uncommon to see mothers escorting their children to school. It has been stated that children are not given the right of way when attempting to cross Parker on their way to school and in fact the motorist use their horn to emphasize their, right to the road. In the area of the Junior High Schools there are no designated crossings so students cross anywhere they wish sometimes testing the drivers patience. Council has just approved the expenditure of $185,000 to improve Hillingdon Heights Park yet has Council given consideration to the children that will be crossing this busy street to go to the only playground in the Hillingdon Heights area? The Committee's views of this arterial corridor are as follows: 1* Parker and Curtis provide reduced travelling time in comparison with Hastings Street and the Lougheed Highway. Until this is changed traffic will continue to avoid the use of these other arterial routes. 2. The barricading of other residential neighbourhoods such as Brentwood, Springdale and Sullivan Heights has thrown additional traffic onto Parker and Curtis.

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