We would like to congratulate the Prince Rupert RCMP for stepping up their enforcement around our schools.
Since articles published in the Northern View in November 2015 about dangerous traffic patterns around area schools, there has been an upgraded, noticeable police presence resulting in a number arrests and citations.
Most notable of these sites is Conrad Elementary, one of, if not the most, dangerous school areas in this city.
The narrow street, combined with speeding and, daresay, potentially criminally negligent parking behaviour by those picking up or dropping off students has made the streets around this Prince Rupert elementary school particularly dangerous.
We also wish to commend the staff and management at Conrad for their proactive stance of posting new and more effective warning signs.
However, at the end of the day, more needs to be done.
The first and most effective step that can be taken is to make Conrad Street a one-way street.
Secondly, is for the City of Prince Rupert to more effectively enforce current parking bylaws.
The police do not and should not be responsible to enforce parking bylaws.
There is no question that the narrow confines of Conrad Street promote unsafe congestion and leads to flagrant parking violations, both on Conrad and adjacent avenues.
This congestion and negligent motorists (mainly parents) will lead, ultimately, to not whether a school child is killed or severely injured but rather when.
We call on the City of Prince Rupert to make Conrad Street a one-way street, install speed bumps and increase parking enforcement, specifically during drop-off and pick-up times.
The minimal cost versus what very well may happen — and nearly has on several occasions — is a very small price to pay.
We are extremely confident that homeowners in the area will not only agree but wonder why it has taken so long to identify this dangerous situation.
While we talk Re:Design Rupert and Re:Build Rupert, why don’t we start with Re:Sponsible Prince Rupert.
The Conrad solution is a no-brainer.
It is what a Re:Sponsible council would do.