I read with interest your article about parking changes in Oak Bay.
I am the property manager of the 92 unit apartment building at the corner of Foul Bay Road and Granite. My suite that I live in, is also located right at that corner. I have a 24 hour a day view of that intersection and Granite Street. I feel like I could be the consultant for the city as far as traffic at that corner goes. Traffic volume has increased substantially just in the last four years I have lived here.
Last year, I requested engineering to increase the amount of yellow curb on both sides of the road on Granite, just before it approaches Foul Bay. They declined .
As an observer 24 hours a day, what I have witnessed is appalling. So many people turn off of Foul Bay on to Granite, then immediately park in the yellow curb zone, and answer cell phones or stop to send text messages, creating a bottle neck situation.
Any vehicle larger that a Volkswagen needs to pull over as its just too tight and too narrow. Cars are honking, near rear end collisions almost happen, and borderline road rage incidents occurs. Large commercial garbage trucks, recycling trucks, delivery trucks – all have difficulty entering into the parking lot of my building at this section of road.
In my opinion, there should be no parking at all on the east side of Granite until at least the United Church. Granite Street is just too narrow to handle the traffic.
Doug Wheeler
Oak Bay