Westsyde residents and workers worry about high speeds

Mar 15, 2017 | 5:45 PM

KAMLOOPS — It was just before midnight Monday when a 36-year-old man was struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Westsyde Rd. and 8th St. He later died in hospital. 

Witnesses to the collision told police the driver was speeding, which is a common occurrence on the well-traveled road.

“People in general drive fast, the buses drive fast, everybody drives fast on Westsyde Rd.,” said Steve Delaney, president of the Westsyde Community Development Society.

Delaney is one of many Westsyde residents with safety concerns over the busy stretch of road. 

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The speed limit is posted at 60 km/hr, but residents say drivers can reach speeds of 70-80, or even faster at night. 

“At nighttime there’s quite often people hit, or there’s close calls, crosswalk or not,” Delaney said. “I think some of that is to do with the lighting, and it is hard to see.”

There have also been numerous close calls in broad daylight, some even with children in school zones. 

Principal of Westmount Elementary, Carol DeFehr says people travel down Westsyde Rd. beside the school at highway speeds.

“People don’t even slow down when they see the yellow turning to red, they are still flying through those lights,” DeFehr said. “We’ve had many near misses prior to my time here at Westmount, but also near misses, I was at Arthur Stevenson for three years, and same – always problems with kids trying to get to the other side by Arthur Stevenson as well.”

The owner of Curious Minds Montesorri Daycare on Westsyde Rd., Dasa Soth says she has seen that same disregard for the posted speed limit.

“Nobody is slowing down when they see us, regardless if it’s summer time or winter time,” Soth said. “It’s really scary because even though we walk 100 metres, they don’t slow down.”

Dasa says a simple walk to the park with the children in her care is a frightening experience. While she has seen police pulling over speed-demon motorists, it isn’t enough to make a lasting impact.

“They would have to be here every single day to check on the drivers.”

In the end, it’s up to the drivers to make that conscious decision to slow down, and keep Westsyde residents safe.