I wrote a letter titled Banff traffic problems that was published in the April 23 Outlook.
That letter listed five reasons why I feel the Banff Avenue/Caribou Street crosswalk should be eliminated. It is highly likely that the same observations apply to the other two scramble crosswalks.
Following are three additional observations (one pro scramble crosswalks, and two cons) that I should have included in my April 23 letter.
Pro 1: There now seems to be fewer jaywalkers impeding the flow of vehicular traffic.
Pro 2: When the light turns green vehicles are able to make a right turn quicker because the Don’t Walk sign is activated throughout the entire time that the green light is activated.
Con 6: It is highly likely that a driver who drives the length of Banff Avenue, starting at Moose Street, intending to go to the Banff Springs Hotel, will be forced to stop eight times before making the left turn off the Bow River Bridge. The six traffic lights, starting at the Banff Avenue/Moose Street intersection, are not synchronized. Even if the traffic lights were synchronized that synchronization would be rendered ineffective because pedestrians can force all vehicles to stop at any time at the mid-block crosswalks in both the 100 and 200 blocks of Banff Avenue. Many, if not most, knowledgeable Banff drivers, including bus and delivery truck drivers, avoid Banff Avenue as much as possible. Beaver Street, at least half of which is residential, now experiences much heavier traffic than in the past.
Con 7: As a result of Con 6 there is now much more CO2 spewed into the atmosphere as a result of the more frequent stopping and starting of vehicles and more lengthy waiting time resulting from the longer wait at intersections because of the scramble crosswalks.
In spite of the seven “cons” listed in my two letters I understand that the London bookies are offering odds of a gazillion to one that Town of Banff officials will declare the scramble crosswalks a success and will continue their operation.
Jon Whelan, Banff
