Dear Editor:
Another Friday afternoon traffic incident(s) on the Second Narrows Bridge displayed a reoccurring theme on the North Shore: gridlock.
As a local resident whose residential street becomes a gridlocked parking lot, situations like this should be considered a public safety emergency.
For the hour-plus delay, my thoughts went to: a mother with a choking child, or any medical emergency and an ambulance and fire crew being delayed in assisting, a house on fire, a criminal situation - all of which would result in a long delay in response, lending itself to a greater harm and or further injury.
This has occurred at least five times in 2022, map apps directing vehicles to flood residential roads to avoid backed up arteries.
I left my residence and moved three blocks in 45 minutes with those attempting to turn around and retreat also blocked with residential parking.
Fire department vehicles, paramedics, and police would all be blocked/delayed while confused and pressured drivers would seek to clear the path. I will not even go on about the environmental impact of hundreds of vehicles that sit idling in the clogged roadways for these long delays.
Its long overdue to action (not discuss) another crossing. It just needs to happen.
All levels of government need to be actioning this now, today, with all contributing. No more development till developers contribute to another crossing. We appear to be people and vehicle saturated on the shore and public safety needs to have some priority.
Rene Bernklau
North Vancouver
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