whats-happening-with-the-massey-tunnel-replacement?-this-delta-councillor-wants-to-know
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Whats happening with the Massey Tunnel replacement? This Delta councillor wants to know

ByCharlie Carey

Posted September 19, 2024 7:55 am. Commuters heading to the Massey Tunnel can expect another day of gridlock with no word on how the replacement project is going. Delta Coun. Dylan Kruger isn’t happy, as the B.C. government hasn’t provided much of an update on the replacement project. Kruger’s wondering what’s going on. “We should have had a new crossing completed over two years ago … to relieve what is the biggest bottleneck in Metro Vancouver — over 100,000 commuters going through that crossing every day, stuck in traffic,” he told 1130 NewsRadio. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE! Instead, Kruger says they’ve been given no information at the Union of BC Municipalities Convention, currently underway in downtown Vancouver. “There’s been no update to timelines or budget since pre covid. We are seeing almost every major multibillion-dollar infrastructure project go over time and over budget right now,” he explained. “I’m very concerned about the ability to deliver this project at the quote of $4.1 billion from a number of years ago, and I’m also increasingly concerned about meeting that 2030 deadline when we still don’t have an improved environmental assessment.” He points to what’s happened with other major projects like the North Shore Waste Water Treatment plant and the new Pattullo Bridge. Both have seen their price explode by billions of dollars, and delays in when the work is supposed to be done. “Building a tunnel is complex. You have to build it in segments on dry land and then plunk massive concrete tubes into the middle of the Fraser River estuary, so we still have an improved environmental assessment on the project and I’m also concerned about short and long-term impacts of one of our best regional parks in Metro Vancouver.” He says if the NDP had stuck with the project the then-BC Liberal government was building, people would already be using the new bridge. Kruger is crossing his fingers that Eby will give civic politicians an update at Thursday’s Union of BC Municipalities Convention.

calls-for-traffic-calming-measures-on-east-vancouver-streets
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Calls for traffic calming measures on East Vancouver streets

ByCharlie Carey

Posted September 12, 2024 6:42 am. Last Updated September 12, 2024 6:53 am. Worried for the safety of his toddler, a Vancouver man is voicing his concerns about speeders in his neighbourhood. Wilson Tran lives at Adanac and Skeena streets in the Hastings-Sunrise area of East Vancouver. It’s a 30km/h zone and there’s a park nearby frequented by the Tran’s and their neighbours. “Adanac is not officially a major thoroughfare road, but a lot of rush hour traffic uses it to avoid congestion on Hastings Street and Boundary. So, during the peak rush hour periods, there’s a heavy amount of traffic that goes through,” he explained. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE! The intersection has a three-way stop with one pedestrian crossing. “We have to hold ourselves there because a car charges through the stop sign without slowing down or recognizing that we’re there. And just the traffic, in general, is pretty terrible and dangerous, frankly,” Tran said. “At times, I can just look out my front window and I’ll watch as, say, a senior pedestrian will be crossing, and he has to stop because a car literally charges through in front of him.” From his vantage point, Tran says drivers almost never go the posted limit, instead opting to go around 50km/h. “There’s actually a couple of speed bumps as well, but a lot of times I would say 50km/h, minimum 40km/h, definitely not 30 km/h,” he explained. Wilson Tran lives at Adanac and Skeena streets in the Hastings-Sunrise area of East Vancouver. It’s a 30km/h zone and there’s a park nearby frequented by the Tran’s and their neighbours. (CityNews Image / Sonia Aslam) Tran wants increased police enforcement in the area a couple of times a week to help curb the number of speeding drivers. “[I’m] scared for my kid’s life. He’s been such a great change in our lives to have him. He’s our first child and just knowing that drivers are going through and many times not paying attention, either they’re focused on getting to work or home on time or in a rush and they don’t watch,” Tran told 1130 NewsRadio. “He’s my first kid. I, obviously, care a lot for his well-being and obviously our own. It’s a terrible thought that he could get seriously hurt.” He says the number of near-misses in the area are concerning. “I’ve been in so many near-misses that it really is a matter of time until someone gets hurt or worse.” Tran suggests the city put up warning signs in the area to slow down. “The 30km/h sign clearly doesn’t have any effect to something that has flashing lights or something that gets attention would help.” The City of Vancouver tells 1130 NewsRadio it has a plan to improve the area . It says the entire neighbourhood will become a 30km/h vehicle travel zone by no later than next year. “Speed humps on Skeena St. between Turner and E. Pender St. [will be] installed 2024/2025. Raised crossings on Adanac Street integrated into future design between Rupert Street and Boundary Road [will be] installed sometime 2026 onwards,” it shared in an email . The city adds the overall goal is to improve safety for all road users and reduce vehicle speeds. Tran believes having some of the changes not kick in until 2026 is too late. “Of course, their intent is for improvement in the long-term but there’s a long two-year wait before something happens and in two years a lot of bad can happen if they don’t do something about it right now,” he said.

icbc-taken-to-court-by-driver-who-says-he-was-wrongly-blamed
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ICBC taken to court by driver who says he was wrongly blamed

ByBeth Rochester

Determining who is at fault when a traffic accident happens is part of the usual investigation process for ICBC insurance claims. One incident took things a step further when a driver claimed ICBC had incorrectly found him at fault and decided to escalate the situation in court. Kuldeep Gill filed a claim with the BC Civil Resolution Tribunal against ICBC for a review of ICBC’s liability finding and a refund of $3,190.93 in premiums he paid after he was involved in a motor vehicle accident in October 2021. In Gill’s version of events, he was driving westbound on Lougheed Highway when a vehicle hit the side of his truck as he was stopped in heavy traffic. Fortunately, neither his truck nor his empty trailer was damaged. When ICBC conducted its usual investigation protocol for the accident, it found a different account of events. The other driver involved in the accident told the insurance company that Gill had instead merged into the other vehicle’s lane and hit the vehicle. They said that due to the construction, Gill’s lane eventually needed to merge into theirs, but not at the point where the accident happened. ICBC also interviewed an independent party that had witnessed the accident. They said they “were driving behind Mr. Gill in the right lane when Mr. Gill tried to merge into the left lane and hit the other car.” They also told the insurance company that “there was nothing the other vehicle could have done to avoid being hit.” In addition to these statements, ICBC found that the damage was consistent with the account that Gill had turned into the other vehicle. Gill tried to argue his account of events by claiming that the other driver’s side mirror being flipped was evidence that they must have hit him. This argument did not hold up in court. The tribunal decided that Gill failed to prove that ICBC acted “unreasonably or improperly in investigating the accident and assigning fault.” It was also found that the $3,190.03 Gill claimed he paid in insurance premiums was the amount ICBC paid to repair the other vehicle in the accident. As such, the court dismissed Gill’s claims, and ICBC was not ordered to reimburse him.