Crosswalk near Richmond's Olympic Oval an “absolute nightmare”

It’s getting more and more dangerous to be a pedestrian in Richmond, according to a couple of ardent walkers.

Janet Russell and her walking buddy Lee Walters stroll around Richmond twice a week. On their treks, they have encountered more than a few close calls, but nowhere have they felt so much at risk than at River and No. 2 Road, near the Richmond Olympic Oval.

Despite there being a crosswalk there, the intersection is "an absolute nightmare."

Drivers are often speeding through the crosswalk with not enough time to stop even if they do see a pedestrian.

"The other day, when we were there, a dump truck was coming along. Although the driver wasn't speeding too much, he was going above the speed limit. But certainly, he wouldn't have been able to stop for us," said Russell, who was glad they saw it in time and got themselves out of the way.

"Every time I’m there, I tell myself I have to make an effort to get something done about this crosswalk because I would feel terrible if there was a bad accident there."

After both Russell and the Richmond News reached out to the city, city staff agreed to meet Russell and Walters at the crosswalk to talk about how safety could be improved.

Staff have agreed to put up barriers that will force drivers to slow down, giving them enough time to react if they see a pedestrian, according to Russell.

Russel said she felt pleased with the meeting and will follow up with the city to ensure the construction progress.