Showing posts with label Brentlawn and Beta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brentlawn and Beta. Show all posts
Thursday, August 7, 2014
4-way stop at Beta and Brentlawn
Within 2 weeks of the City of Burnaby approving the recommendation by the Traffic Safety Committee, a 4-way stop was installed on Brentlawn Drive yesterday. The efforts of Brentlawn Drive resident Matthew Senf were instrumental in getting this latest safety improvement.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Brentlawn Drive needs stop signs
A common concern that unites proponents and opponents of major high rise developments adjacent to single-family neighbourhoods is the proliferation of automobile traffic. I've previously pointed out the fact that many drivers already speed through Brentlawn Drive with absolute impunity as I've never seen police authorities place their already under-supported resources on enforcing traffic laws in Brentwood Park. This problem will become even worse once the Brentwood Mall Redevelopment unfolds over the next 5 - 20 years.
The following video provides a brief glimpse into some of the perils faced by pedestrians at the intersection of Beta Ave and Brentlawn Drive. This intersection has stop signs on Beta Ave but gives vehicles and pedestrians on Brentlawn Drive the right-of-way. In the video, many pedestrians crossing the intersection are simply ignored by drivers as if they don't exist. Many drivers approaching Brentlawn simply ignore the stop sign by rolling right through it even when there are pedestrians at the intersection with the right of way as they are on Brentlawn Drive trying to cross Beta Ave. A solution to this would be to place stop signs on Brentlawn Drive and to install well marked crosswalks at the intersection. Significant coloured markings on crosswalks are effective traffic calming measures as drivers are less likely to recklessly encroach onto a well marked, highly visible crossing without concern for public safety.
The following video provides a brief glimpse into some of the perils faced by pedestrians at the intersection of Beta Ave and Brentlawn Drive. This intersection has stop signs on Beta Ave but gives vehicles and pedestrians on Brentlawn Drive the right-of-way. In the video, many pedestrians crossing the intersection are simply ignored by drivers as if they don't exist. Many drivers approaching Brentlawn simply ignore the stop sign by rolling right through it even when there are pedestrians at the intersection with the right of way as they are on Brentlawn Drive trying to cross Beta Ave. A solution to this would be to place stop signs on Brentlawn Drive and to install well marked crosswalks at the intersection. Significant coloured markings on crosswalks are effective traffic calming measures as drivers are less likely to recklessly encroach onto a well marked, highly visible crossing without concern for public safety.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Traffic Counters on Brentlawn Drive
The City of Burnaby had traffic counters set up on Brentlawn Drive and Beta Ave from Tuesday March 27 until some time today. I wonder how accurate the statistics will be considering that this was done during the first week after Spring Break (when considerable numbers of people are still out of town on trips with their children) and was done for less than 6 days. For at least 2 of those days, the counter on Beta leading towards Brentlawn Drive was a tangled mess as it had become loose.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
An accident waiting to happen
The disorganized chaos at Beta Ave and Brentlawn Drive has been allowed to continue for years with no initiative being taken to improve safety at the intersection. The following are factors that contribute to this intersection being an accident waiting to happen.
1) Abnormally aligned intersection. Because Brentlawn Drive changes direction (bends) at Beta, the visibility for drivers trying to cross Brentlawn is very limited as cars coming along Brentlawn are extremely difficult to see until the last moment only after pulling past the stop sign into the middle of the intersection to cross or make a turn. Likewise, the visibility of cars pulling out from Beta Ave is limited for drivers coming along Brentlawn due to the bend in the street.
2) Brentlawn Dr is a local collector street. The fact that many drivers use this street to cut through the neighbourhood at unhindered speeds makes this intersection dangerous to cross. Vehicles approach this intersection at fast speeds and are not required to yield as no stop signs are in place for drivers on Brentlawn Dr.
3) Setback for stop signs on Beta are too great. When drivers are stopped as per stop sign regulations, they are unable to see if it is clear to cross Brentlawn. Although a setback is normally good, it is dangerous in this intersection because of the odd shape of this crossing.
4) Speed limit has never been enforced here. I have never seen a car being pulled over for speeding even though drivers speed through here all day and night (cars are speeding by as I type this).
A major solution to ease the chaos here would be to install a 4-way stop with clearly marked pedestrian crossings between each corner. The requirement of cars on Brentlawn to stop at Beta will prevent some of the situations seen in the video below. This video shows some of the incidents that occurred within a 7-hour period during the day and does not show any of the pedestrian difficulties captured on camera. The kind of stuff in this video happens all day, everyday at Brentlawn and Beta.
1) Abnormally aligned intersection. Because Brentlawn Drive changes direction (bends) at Beta, the visibility for drivers trying to cross Brentlawn is very limited as cars coming along Brentlawn are extremely difficult to see until the last moment only after pulling past the stop sign into the middle of the intersection to cross or make a turn. Likewise, the visibility of cars pulling out from Beta Ave is limited for drivers coming along Brentlawn due to the bend in the street.
2) Brentlawn Dr is a local collector street. The fact that many drivers use this street to cut through the neighbourhood at unhindered speeds makes this intersection dangerous to cross. Vehicles approach this intersection at fast speeds and are not required to yield as no stop signs are in place for drivers on Brentlawn Dr.
3) Setback for stop signs on Beta are too great. When drivers are stopped as per stop sign regulations, they are unable to see if it is clear to cross Brentlawn. Although a setback is normally good, it is dangerous in this intersection because of the odd shape of this crossing.
4) Speed limit has never been enforced here. I have never seen a car being pulled over for speeding even though drivers speed through here all day and night (cars are speeding by as I type this).
A major solution to ease the chaos here would be to install a 4-way stop with clearly marked pedestrian crossings between each corner. The requirement of cars on Brentlawn to stop at Beta will prevent some of the situations seen in the video below. This video shows some of the incidents that occurred within a 7-hour period during the day and does not show any of the pedestrian difficulties captured on camera. The kind of stuff in this video happens all day, everyday at Brentlawn and Beta.
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