The Editor,
I am writing about changes that need to be made at what I consider one of the most dangerous intersections in Richmond: Williams Road and Shell Road (west side.)
There have been numerous traffic accidents and near hits of pedestrians that have happened here. With parents walking their children to Thomas Kidd elementary, or older children walking to school alone, something needs to be done.
There will be a pedestrian fatality at this location, it's a matter of time. There are two pedestrian controlled lights, one recently installed by the railway tracks and the other some feet away on the west side of them.
My teenage boys have been narrowly missed a few different times because most drivers do not obey or even notice the lights that are clearly flashing.
A couple of months ago, a car was flipped on its side, which brought two ambulances, two fire trucks and a few police cars. Then, a week later, I was driving to pick my boys up around 8:30 p.m. I was stopped on Shell Road heading north, waiting to cross Williams. Two pedestrians pushed the controlled light wanting to cross north on Williams.
Lights clearly flashing, they were half way in the middle of the intersection when a woman in a mini-van heading west on Williams slammed on her brakes because she did not see the lights. She was then almost rear-ended by another car.
The newly-installed pedestrian lights that were put in for the paved Shell Road trail is also a hazard.
About a month ago an elderly couple had pushed these buttons waiting to cross south by the tracks.
After checking for cars and with the lights flashing, the couple started to cross. A car heading west on Williams stopped for the elderly couple, however another car heading east on Williams did not and, again, we almost had a serious accident.
I have more examples, but the point is, we need a regular traffic light at this intersection. This is a death trap waiting to happen.
Lorraine Johnstone
Richmond
