Intersection Upgrades Underway at Ospika & Ferry
Prince George, B.C. – Work has begun to signalize the busy intersection of Ferry Avenue and Ospika Boulevard in Prince George.
The City says work started July 26 and is scheduled to last six to eight weeks (which will be followed up with a commissioning period to test and fine tune the new lights).
Initial work has involved the installation of concrete bases for new poles and will continue with excavations for the installation of ducting, median reconstruction to improve left turns and the installation of new poles, signals and street lights.
The City reminds motorists there will be traffic disruptions at various times as the work proceeds and will include lane closures in each direction.
The work is being done by Westcana Electric of Prince George. The project has been budgeted at $200,000.
Comments
Looks like a a big fail for city planners on their Rainbow drive sidewalk upgrade plans IMO.
Old side walk use to have a grass median between the sidewalk and the roadway… new sidewalk they are installing does away with the grass median and puts the new sidewalk right next to the roadway so that kids can walk right next to the road going to school this spring and the snow can now be plowed onto the sidewalk this winter instead of onto the grass median as before.
Epic fail by the city planners IMO.
Why don’t you speak to the city, write a letter or draft a proposal instead of feeding your ego by whining about it unproductively here?
It must hit close to home for you. It’s a done deal, no letter writing campaign will change that. Doesn’t stop me from pointing out something that I think takes the city back a step rather than progressing.
Thanks for your input about this Eagle1! I fully agree! I shall do a little whining myself: How about assigning a special crew to go around and straighten up the stop signs and speed limit signs that are leaning in one direction or another, except straight up! It looks lousy! They should start taking a four foot level along!
Three guys jumped out of a city pickup last fall, each one grabbed ahold of the bent over stop sign post one at a time and shook it. It is still bent over about 3 feet from plumb. It’s hidden behind a bushy tree. That must be why nobody actually stops at the sign.
Thank you, and I would add the city should buy a weed wacker to get the weeds blocking some of the signs, as well as the median gardens growing up around town.
Eagle if you’re going to make silly comments about truck drivers and all, you should fact check before posting.
I didn’t make comments about truck drivers dumbfounded, but rather called you out on your moronic past posts of your own aggressive driving rants. You’re a loose fuse looking for trouble is how you come across.
Oh my! What did we do before sidewalks?? LOL!
The light by Super Store needs turn signals. Traffic from the hotels and stores on other side increases traffic a lot
I agree with Eagleone, the lost of the existing grass buffer is a stupid design change that compromises the safety of the pedestrians. Yes it is cheaper as now the sidewalk and curb will be done together saving money.
Good to see, that is a bad intersection with a big blind spot.
Nothing wrong with the intersection, it’s all about speed, and if you’re not turning, use the inside lane going north and curb lane heading south, just a simple courtesy. We all know it’s a busy intersection.
By the way, there is no blind spot, just blind drivers.
Oh please.. when turning right onto,ospika from ferry you can only see a little ways back when looking left due to the corner.. I live in the area and see people pulling out that bit extra to see if it’s safe to proceed.
I am sure you are the perfect driver…you have never been in an accident..but have driven away from lots you caused….
wow only 200 accidents and god knows how many deaths later. Probably only 10 years late on this set of lights.
19 accidents in a 5 year span, 9 of which had injuries – I don’t think this intersection has ever recorded a fatality – please correct me if I am wrong
Why was the set of lights removed from 2nd and Queensway years ago by the courthouse? Seemed like an odd thing to do
well its about freakin time … too bad its how many years late ?
i dont remember seeing this out for tender.
How many times do I have to tell you people that the big problem you have with traffic control is that you need someone to set up and maintain your traffic signals.
We have a lot more traffic here in Abby but in the five years we have been here I have yet to see an accident at an intersection..The timing is long enough to clear the intersection that is for through traffic and left turns.. You guys are in to big a hurry for safe driving. Remember ICBC is watching.
Cheers
Good point. When no one is in the turn lane, why does the light stay red but the opposing traffic is going? Makes me laugh.
Actually good design change. When city plows the snow onto the median, it then blocks acess from the sidewalks to the bus stops, which are then covered by snowbanks from the road. Having the sidewalk right by the road makes it much easier in winter because people have direct access. Also, the driveways on that street are almost cut in half by the old sidewalk and residents park, blocking access to full use of the sidewalk. Not a problem for most users but wheelchairs have trouble passing by the residents’ vehicles. So good move by the city.
Actual no, it’s a bad change if wheel chair mobility is the issue. Now the street light standards will be right in the middle of the sidewalk, whereas before the sidewalk bypassed the street light standards.
It’s one of the busiest school street fronts in the city with lots of fast traffic avoiding 5th and 15th, so moving the kids next to the street is just plain dumb IMO. In the winter when the snow is plowed onto the sidewalk the kids will be walking on the street now because the snow bank will be on the sidewalk…. always a smart bureaucrat that has to reinvent the wheel is probably what happened.
If anything I think we need more sidewalks in this city that have a median between the sidewalk and the roadway. I would like to see this along Ospika from 15th to 22nd, as well as around the PG Golf Club between Pine Center and Superstore. It makes using sidewalks to exercise better in the long winter months.
This will also break up the high speed traffic on Ospika. People speed through this intersection in both directions. People coming down the hill to fast failing to slow down to the speed limit. People who need to ramp up as they approach the hill to race up it.
A roundabout would have been a better long term fix imo. Would force drivers who speed on Ospika to slow down, it would also not impede the flow of traffic like stop lights do.
I’m no engineer but it seems to me that there is physically enough space to put one of those in that location.
Response to “its about freaking time” — they have been too busy spending our money on all the bike lanes to paint, signage to put on nearly every freakin street! Now THAT was a total waste of time! Bikes and cars still dont obey them and winter is moot, and next year they’ll have to repaint all over again. This is the second worst feat of the council since changing the name of Fort George Park!
About time this happened! Like or not, it is needed. like to see a few more lights put in place to slow the speeders on Ospika. Many take Baker Road to by-pass the lights at the junction to the university. Don’t forget that there is a 30 km speed limit by the park that 90% of the drivers totally ignore!!
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