The Ministry of Transportation and Transit is taking a look at the speed limit on Highway 6 in Vernon where a vehicle crash led to a serious injury last week.
The crash took place on Highway 6 at Pottery Road around 4:30 p.m. Feb. 6. BC Emergency Health Services said paramedics provided emergency medical treatment to one person who was transported to hospital in stable condition.
It's far from the first serious crash at the intersection, and an online petition was launched calling for a traffic light and pedestrian crossings to be installed to make the intersection safer.
"Our community, the residents of Vernon Lumby constituency, is persistently disturbed by the growing number of serious motor incidents taking place at the intersection of Hwy 6 and Pottery Road," states the petition, which was launched the day after the crash and has garnered 223 signatures to date.
James Broadhurst lives at the corner of Highway 6 and Pottery Road. He told The Morning Star that the Feb. 6 crash was the second crash at that intersection that week, and there have been many more over the years.
"I've lost count on how many times I've heard a crunch," he said.
A spokesperson from the transportation ministry said in an email Wednesday there are currently no plans to install a traffic light at Highway 6 and Pottery Road, as one already exists on Highway 6 just 350 metres west at Kalamalka Lake Road.
However, the spokesperson said the ministry will be reviewing the speed limit on this section of Highway 6 and on Pottery Road "to inform any future safety improvements."
The speed limit on this stretch of Highway 6 is currently 50 km/hr. It turns to 60 km/hr up the road at the corner where Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts is located. Pottery Road is also 50 km/hr.
"Safety is the Ministry of Transportation and Transit鈥檚 top priority," the spokesperson said. "The ministry continues to work with the City of Vernon on its priorities for safety improvements to highway intersections within the municipal boundaries."
In a statement to The Morning Star on Thursday, Vernon-Lumby MLA Harwinder Sandhu said she will be monitoring the progress of the petition and sharing it with the ministry.
鈥淚 was sad to hear about the accident at Pottery Road and hope the person who required medical treatment is recovering well. It鈥檚 important that everyone in our community feels safe on the roads," Sandhu said.
"The Ministry is reviewing measures to improve safety along this section of Highway 6, and I will make sure to inform constituents of any changes that are coming. We will also continue to work with the City of Vernon to make improvements to make our roads safer and better for the community, for me safety of citizens is of the utmost priority.鈥�
