The Editor:
(I am) someone who knows and understands the value of calm traffic (having lived) in other parts of the Lower Mainland for time periods at different parts of my life.
Just like Mr. Mayor, I still consider myself a lifelong resident. Growing up in this city with trail access at my parents’ back door, I am now living on the outskirts of the downtown core of Port Coquitlam.
The freedom to wander and explore the trails as I grew up is always with me still to this day; I know most, if not all, of the city trail system by memory.
In the last few years since 2017, I have become an avid cyclist and off-road mountain biker and ultimately my bike is my car and those trails are my roads. The city of Port Coquitlam’s effort to calm traffic is something I know is true long-term value for the density the city is seeing.
Aggressive road humps are aggressive to calm down motorists for pedestrians, cyclists and, most importantly, the overall theme here is public safety. Simple improvements on that issue, like better signage leading up to aggressive road humps, might calm down a motorist before aggressive nature hits them and resident feedback is always welcome through sorting it and reporting it. The city is changing and pedestrian and cyclist safety improvements are much needed.
The city of PoCo and Mr. Mayor are doing every resident a favour on calm traffic.
Roundabouts or traffic circles to improve visibility in intersections should also be appealing to residents with low shrubbery, pollinating perennials or local artist murals to engage everyone in making Port Coquitlam a calm traffic city. Blending into the streetscape as much as possible just like the streetscape of tree-lined maples in medians around the city that make this city a beautiful ride for cyclists of all ages.
Residents and non-residents can do every local resident a favour by making it known our roads are safe for all by staying off the traffic-calmed roads, thoroughfares and residential neighbourhoods by keeping all motorists onto the arterial routes as much as possible to reduce noise pollution from aggressive traffic for local residents, cyclists and pedestrians.
Staying safe as a cyclist or pedestrian means being aware of your surroundings and aggressive traffic is a real danger. I take this stance publicly as a resident, a motorist, a cyclist, and a pedestrian. I know all too well the close calls or the near clips of a vehicle while on my bike on congested thoroughfares or low vision intersections within the downtown core of Port Coquitlam and the city in general. Calm traffic is a public safety measure for all residents.
Brendan Bryan, Port Coquitlam
