Suicide Hill to remain open

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star - June 11, 2008

A Vernon institution will remain in place, but some transportation changes are destined for East Hill. City council voted Monday to keep Suicide Hill on 30th Avenue open despite a staff recommendation, but a new roundabout at Pleasant Valley Road and 32nd Avenue will proceed. Coun. Barry Beardsell was adamant that Suicide Hill remain as a primary link to East Hill. “Public consternation was huge,” he said of the closure proposal. As a result of concerns about speed, some special curbing will be installed to try and calm traffic. “This will make it more pedestrian friendly,” said Mayor Wayne Lippert. Staff had recommended that Suicide Hill be closed on a temporary basis and that the matter be reconsidered in a year so changed traffic patterns could be analyzed. But while council was united on keeping Suicide Hill open, it was divided on a roundabout at Pleasant Valley Road and 32nd Avenue.

City staff made the case that a roundabout would improve safety. “A traffic circle physically forces someone to slow down,” said Rob Dickinson, manager of engineering services. He added that there used to be two to three accidents every year by the Schubert Centre, but there hasn’t been one since the downtown roundabout was installed. While some residents pushed for a traffic light at Pleasant Valley Road and 32nd Avenue, Dickinson countered that such a device wouldn’t make sense. “Traffic lights would be five to 10 years away based on (traffic) volume,” he said. Beardsell was extremely vocal in his support for a roundabout. “That intersection is extremely dangerous and something needs to be done,” he said. Opposition came from Lippert and Coun. Patrick Nicol, with Nicol referring to a recent meeting that drew about 100 people. “More people are in favour of a traffic light than a roundabout,” he said. “Comment after comment, people said we could use our money more wisely.” While some land will need to be purchased for a roundabout, the cost for both a traffic circle and a traffic light are about the same, according to city staff.