This is a letter to express my disappointment with the city mayor and council’s decision to giveth with one hand and taketh away with the other with regards to a traffic light at the intersection of Hamilton Boulevard and McIntyre Drive.
In the May 13th Yukon News, there appeared to be a couple of suggestions made by councillor Graham to justify their decision.
My response to the suggestions is simple: Why doesn’t the council just honor the request of the Kwanlin Dun First Nation citizens and government and install a traffic light at the intersection of Hamilton Boulevard and McIntyre Drive?
After all, they have been requesting this traffic light ever since the construction of Hamilton Boulevard.
I can testify to this because when I was a member of the KDFN council from the past, we had great concerns this intersection was very dangerous and we let it be known to the powers that be.
As it was recorded, there were 14 accidents at this intersection last year, which confirms our concerns about this being a dangerous intersection. However, just like today, there are numerous excuses as to why the city chooses to ignore the requests of hundreds of KDFN citizens and do their own thing.
Councillor Graham was correct when he said, “Why have a traffic light 500 metres down the road from McIntyre Drive?” Exactly. Why have a traffic light on Sumanik Drive when the heavy traffic is 500 metres away.
I lived in McIntyre for six years and I may have stopped twice at Sumanik Drive because of a stop light.
The logical action to take would be to move the traffic light from Sumanik Drive and install it at the intersection of Hamilton Boulevard at McIntyre Drive.
Do this now, before there is a fatality there.
In conclusion, my constituents were overjoyed to hear monies were in the budget for traffic lights, but were equally saddened to hear the council voted it down.
John Edzerza, MLA Mclntyre-Takhini Whitehorse