Slippery streets, traffic mayhem THE AFTERNOON rush hour on “Valentine’s Day made a few hearts flutter as ruany tense North Shore motorists had a slow, slippery ride home in the snow. By Anna Marie D'Angelo (eee reste nS News Reporter North Vancouver City (NVC) streets and parks superintendent Gary Palmer suid if the ~ snow had started to stick an hour before or an hour later, the commute home for.many res- idents would have been easy, “It couldn't have happened at a worst time. It hit exactly when the traffic volume is at its maximum.” said Palmer. Palmer said NVC snow clearing and salt- ing trucks went out at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, 30 minutes after the snow started to stick. But the trucks had to turn back and get chains because of icy conditions. “Normally we don't have to put chains on until the snow builds up to quite a thick depth,” said Palmer. He said that rush hour traffic was block- ing snow.crews from getting to bad areas. Palmer said East 3rd Street and East Keith Road hills were two major problem areas where cars were piling up. “We were trying to get to Lonsdale (and points east), but with all the vehicles block- “ing our access points, we were having prob- NEWS photo Brad Ledxidge BUSES WERE stopped on Lonsdale Avenue curing afternoon rush hour on Tuesday awaiting snow crews to plow the hill. lems.” he said. He said traffic has to go over salted streets for the substance to work in freezing condi- tions. “Everybody says, ‘Why don't you salt ahead of time?’ * said Palmer. “But that doesn’t do any good because if there is no snow, the traffic just blows it all off the street.” ays for caj He said all the main roads und bus routes were sanded in NVC before morning rush hour. Meanwhile a North Vancouver RCMP spokesman said the police were “busy” with accident reports all evening. Some streets, including Lonsdale Avenue, were blocked off temporarily until municipal snow trucks went over the roads. North Vancouver District (NWD) public works manager Boh West-Sells said all municipatities had to second guess when the snow would hit. He said equipment was out during the afternoon with all tracks working to remove snow by 7:30 p.m. “The hill areas are always a problem” said West-Sells, adding rush hour traffic cre- ated problems for snow-removal crews, He said bus routes are a priority when it comes to snow clearing. “Our philosophy here is that you are bet- ter off to get stuck in your side street near your: house instead of getting stuck aa major intersection.” In West Vancouver, police responded to “many multi-car accidents. A West Vancouver police cruiser going to an acci- dent scene was itself involved in an accident, according to a West Vancouver Police spokesman. The police spokesman said problem spots during the snowfall included “anything with a hil) that was frozen.” a That included Taylor Way and the 22nd Street Exit off the Trans-Canada Highway. West’ Vancouver Public Works Yard employees were finally able to clear the 22nd Street Exit the next afternoon as many motorists decided to abandon their cars near the exit. B.C. Transit spokesman Trace Acres said North Shore buses were running almost on time the morning after the snowfall. “Out of the entire system, the North Shore was as close to schedule as anybody,” said Acres. Vancouver and Burnaby buses. he said, were running late i in comparison. ith land 66 ( Councillor Janice Harris) believes GUARD has not jumped . the gun in its early ‘for to thwart phases two and three. 9F From page 4 drive to block development. North Vancouver District Mayor .. Murray: Dykeman said council has requested that topographical studies be done for the two proposed areas. Specific developinent plans are not in place. He said the studies will recom- mend ,where various aspects of development —— such as protected areas, school sites, residential units and road access — should go, and what the land would support under today’s environment. and develop- ment policies. “Certainly, it is time to confirm ‘the basics of future development planning,” Dykeman said, adding he favors development consistent with district principles of environ- mental protection and maintaining greenbelts. He said accurate population pro- jections will not be available until - surveys determine the development scale of the areas. North Vancouver District Coun. Janice Harris agreed the two future developments remain on the hori- zon, but believes GUARD has not jumped the gun in its early effort to thwart phases two and three. ; She said cither this council. or the next one will make a decision on the project, adding the district pays for all capital projects with land sales. She hopes pressure from groups wanting to stop the developments will force thorough ecological inventories and economic studies to be completed before decisions are made, The district's assistant manager ef planning Jim Masterton said it's too early to project how much money the projects will’ add to dis- trict coffers because, until studies are complete, the district will not know how much fand ‘is available for development. “Very hypothetical” figures con- tained in the Seymour official com- munity plan call for about 900 housing ‘units in Cove Forest and 1,300 units in Mountain Forest, said Masterton. ' He added the district is looking at development beginning seven to 10 years from now, but Mountain Forest may be brought forward because much of the land, like that in Northlands, is owned by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC). The CMHC could not be reached for comment to press time. NEWS photo Cindy Goodman FRANK WOLF may face a rough ride in his ‘effort to save Seymour mountain biking traits from potential development. Ian Ashdown Ruth Skinner West Vancouver As a Canadian taxpayer and inde- pendent businessman. 1 need not enumerate the reasons for this mes- sage: no more taxes! Ted Cooper North Vancouver District No. They’ve got the, money they need. Let them use only that money the same way as I have to with my pay cheque. West Vancouver : No. | believe legislation should be passed requiring the government to spend nota penny more than i it takes in. No more deficit. Diana Gunstone North Vancouver No { would not. Thank you for lis- tening.