Last month, School District 46 (SD46) celebrated milestone safety improvements around problematic intersections near schools and also wrote to the Ministry of Transportation and Transit, requesting additional support.
During the school district's March 12 regular meeting, board members agreed to express appreciation for the completed upgrades at Pratt and Chaster Roads and to advocate for prioritizing safety improvements at the Port Mellon Highway at Forbes Road and Gibsons Way at School Road intersections.
The secretary-treasurer report from the meeting said upgrades at the Pratt and Chaster Road intersection completed by the Ministry of Transportation and Transit, “significantly enhancing safety for pedestrians and cyclists.” It states the improvements support increased active travel for students attending Cedar Grove Elementary and benefits the broader community.
Two areas remain high priorities for the SD46, however.
Port Mellon Highway at Forbes Road, which the report says serves as a critical crossing for children attending Langdale Elementary as well as residents accessing transit and recreational areas, sees high pedestrian volumes and vehicle speeds exceeding posted limits. Suggested safety upgrades include a rectangular rapid flashing beacon and improved crossing infrastructure.
The second intersection, Gibsons Way at School Road, “has been identified as one of the highest-risk intersections in the area, with a history of accidents, congestion, and visibility issues that impact pedestrian and cyclist safety,” the report states. Because the intersection is so close to Gibsons Elementary, Sunshine Coast Alternative School and Elphinstone Secondary, safety improvements such as enhanced traffic control measures, clearer pedestrian crossings, and dedicated infrastructure for cyclists are “urgently needed.”
In an interview with Coast Reporter, board chair Amanda Amaral said the school district has not received a response from the ministry yet and said many safety improvements come with the help of surrounding municipalities like the District of Sechelt, Town of Gibsons and Sunshine Coast Regional District, which they have “great” relationships with. Amaral highlighted the recently added walking routes in West Sechelt and the reduced speed limit on School Road.
Amaral explained the intersection at Gibsons Way at School Road is, “unique across the province,” on top of facing commercial and industrial traffic, this intersection is also where high volumes of ferry traffic pass through. She also pointed out that Gibsons Elementary, Elphinstone Secondary, Sunshine Coast Alternative School and the Heritage Playhouse are all within 100 metres of the intersection.
Jordan Copp is the Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
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