Pedestrians can be seen walking along No. 3 Road as cars come barreling down a ramp from a parkade at Richmond Centre.
While there is a “Don’t walk” sign for pedestrians when the cars on the ramp have a green light, it seems many people – as well as some cyclists – don’t seem to notice it and scramble to cross in between the cars.
The city hasn’t received any complaints about the intersection, and it will eventually be changed when the mall is redeveloped, explained city spokesperson Clay Adams.
But Judy Kim, who lives in Surrey but spends a lot of time in Richmond, said she is worried someone is going to get hit there.
Kim said, after she went back to look at the intersection again, she noticed the “Walk/Don’t walk” signal for pedestrians, but it wasn't obvious to her previously.
“I’m worried someone is going to get killed there,” she told the Richmond News.
The whole area, including foot traffic from the Canada Line Brighouse Station and vehicle traffic around the mall, is very busy.
“There’s too much going on in that area,” she said.
Adams said pedestrians, like vehicles, have a “shared responsibility” around safety.
“While drivers must adhere to lights and signs, so must pedestrians,” he said. “Entering an intersection on a ‘Don't walk' sign is not permitted and crossing timers are to inform how long a person has to exit the crossing, not actually enter and cross the roadway.”
Eventually, the driveway with the ramp will be removed and a crossing with curbs and ramps will be installed once the mall is redeveloped into a mixed commercial/residential area.
CF Richmond Centre has started demolition work in anticipation of redevelopment with the parkade at the south end going first.
