Dear Editor:
Re: City wants stats to see if residents are right, The Record, March 8.
There is absolutely no doubt that traffic has increased on the Pattullo Bridge since the new Port Mann went into business, especially during the afternoon rush.
I live on Ginger Drive and come home from work around 4: 50 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and I have had to change my route to access Ginger Drive ever since the changes to the Port Mann.
I used to approach Ginger Drive from East Sixth Avenue via Cumberland Street and never had a problem getting home.
Then I began to notice it would take me three to four light changes at Sixth Avenue and McBride Boulevard to be able to reach Ginger Drive.
Some days I got so frustrated I would abandon my truck in the Canada Games Pool parking lot and retrieve it after dinner.
Now I have to come up off of East Columbia Street to McBride Boulevard and enter Ginger Drive off McBride.
The other thing I've noticed is on the traffic radio reports, they used to comment on traffic backed up to Sixth Avenue. Now it is 10th Avenue.
I've also noticed a large volume of traffic coming up off East Columbia Street and entering the Victoria Hill area on Royal Avenue and then coming out onto McBride via Memorial. They are doing that to avoid having to travel south on McBride from Eighth Avenue or Sixth Avenue.
I am sure the people who live in that area have noticed a huge increase in traffic in their area and the increase of trucks on McBride is huge.
I am a former truck driver and I have really noticed it, and what annoys me to no end is those truck drivers who think they need to use both lanes to cross the bridge.
That just means they are lazy drivers who don't want the challenge of staying between the lines. Someone should be ticketing them for obstructing traffic.
So for me, there is a dramatic increase of all traffic on McBride Boulevard from the Pattullo Bridge and it has been noticeable on weekends, too.
What's the answer? Increase my taxes and build five new bridges? Sure?
Ted Usher, New Westminster
