After several accidents on Highway 19A just north of Courtenay, MLA Brennan Day is calling for improved safety in the area.
He is asking for action from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to eliminate dangerous conditions at the intersection of Huband Road and Highway 19A, and the Highway 19A Corridor.
Day said this issue is no longer just a concern, but rather an avoidable tragedy in the making.
“I’ve now met with longtime residents, local parents, and even former Highway engineers, and the message is clear: this stretch of highway is unsafe, and it’s only getting worse.”
Day is calling for improvements to signage and brush clearing for better visibility, speed reductions, the removal of dangerous passing zones, design work for intersection widening and turning lanes, and installation of traffic signals at Huband Road.
The call comes after multiple recent crashes in the area over the past few weeks, one involving a mother and her children and the other between a commercial truck and three other vehicles.
Day added he has an upcoming meeting with staff of the Ministry of Transportation, and this issue will be at the top of his list.
“We’re dealing with a highway that serves as a commuter corridor, a school route, and a growing commercial area, and yet there are no lights, no merge lanes, no school zone signs, and no turning bays.”
If necessary, Day said a petition drive will be launched with residents, Huband Park Elementary PAC, and local business owners.
