Radical traffic changes proposed for Vernon’s East Hill are getting a rough 
ride. There appears to be growing opposition to plans that could see a roundabout installed at 32nd Avenue and Pleasant Valley Road and closing off the section of 30th Avenue commonly known as Suicide Hill. “Everyone is just outraged,” said resident Hope Ritchey, who has launched a petition campaign. Ritchey lives on 26th Street and she takes issue with suggestions from city staff that traffic could use 26th Street to access East Hill instead of Suicide Hill. “It makes no sense to funnel traffic from Suicide Hill on to our narrow, little street,” she said. “When backing out of my driveway, you have to be so careful now because traffic is coming from both ways.” Ian Hawes, who lives right next to Suicide Hill, wants traffic slowed, but the route to remain open. “The problem isn’t the volume of traffic but the speed going up the hill,” he said. Hawes also says there is a problem with late-night parties along Suicide Hill and he expects that will get worse if no one is driving by and observing questionable activity.
The prospect of a roundabout replacing the four-way stop at 32nd Avenue and Pleasant Valley Road is raising eyebrows for resident Fred Hartley, who has observed numerous accidents there over the years. “I can’t see the new solution working because if the idiots don’t stop for a flashing light, they won’t stop for a roundabout,” he said. City staff could not be reached for comment, but transportation engineer Lorne Holowachuk recently stated that the changes will improve safety. “That whole area, we plan to be upgrading and revising designs along the routes and the intersections involved,” he said.
But city staff isn’t getting much support from the politicians. “I find the idea to close Suicide Hill personally wrong and some of the expenses are excessive,” said Coun. Barry Beardsell, who lives in the immediate area. Beardsell’s concerns are shared by Mayor Wayne Lippert. “I’m not convinced it needs to be done. We always talk about safety and traffic flow, but I haven’t heard of any complaints there,” said Lippert.The proposed changes will be the focus of a public input meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. at city hall, and Lippert is encouraging residents to come out. “It’s the people living up in that area that will be most affected,” he said.
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Morning Star Editorial May 21 Public missin
g from proposal
One has to believe that City of Vernon staff were only considering public safety when proposing sweeping traffic changes to East Hill, but are they actually in tune with the community? No sooner were plans for a roundabout at 32nd Avenue and Pleasant Valley Road and closing Suicide Hill made public, and opposition started to snowball. Petitions have been launched, letter-writing has begun and a large crowd is anticipated at a public input session at city hall at 7 p.m. Thursday. And the greatest opposition appears to come from those living within the immediate neighbourhood. If there was a traffic problem, they would probably be aware of it, but most of them claim that the issues on Suicide Hill aren’t that significant, and they doubt that a roundabout will improve conditions at 32nd Avenue and Pleasant Valley Road. If anything, they insist the changes will disrupt longstanding routes into East Hill and force vehicles along roads — such as 26th Street — which are narrow and can’t handle current traffic volumes, let alone any more in the future. City staff have indicated that there is a need to improve safety in that area, but are they privy to information that our elected representatives aren’t? Because many council members seem to be unaware of a serious problem. “We always talk about safety and traffic flow, but I haven’t heard of any complaints there?” said Mayor Wayne Lippert. With the number of critics climbing, city staff need to actually justify why changes are needed. If they can’t, the proposal should be abandoned.
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