Macaulay Road was the site of another vehicle roll-over Sunday July 17th, 2022 on the blind corner of the 3300/3400 block of Macaulay Road. “This is the 4th serious accident that has happened on that corner in recent years”, says Suzanne Sawyer, Chair of the Macaulay Road and Area Neighbourhood Association (MRANA). “Macaulay Road is over 17 km long, with no exit. It was an old logging road that was paved in the 1980’s and now with 5 subdivisions using this road as their only access, it has become increasingly problematic for the residents and the amount of traffic using the singular road.”
MRANA members have been surveyed on road safety issues and this corner was identified by one of the members as:“6.4 Km turn before the intersection at Martin Park, 3300 to 3500 block – blind corner before Martin Park Road – traffic slides off road into ditches, hydro poles close to the road on one side, no shoulders – heading east on Macaulay, the corner just past Martin Park is banked wrong, and when it is icy, it is extremely dangerous.”
While it was a summer evening and not icy conditions, it appears that the vehicle tire caught on the road edge and caused the driver to lose control. Oyster River Fire Rescue volunteers and the RCMP attended. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries.
MRANA Directors met with Ashley Cousens, Area Manager, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) and identified problematic areas last November. MRANA Directors were informed that these areas would be reviewed by engineers and the Comox Valley Regional District Elected Directors motioned to establish a planning committee with MOTI to look at planning for permanent alternate road access. MRANA has offered to act as a resource to this committee and is disappointed that this committee has yet to meet.
Macaulay Road and Area Neighbourhood Association (MRANA) is a registered not-for-profit society advocating for safer road conditions and identifying better evacuation routes and road access in the Macaulay Road neighbourhood areas. For more information visit macaulayroadneighbours.com or Facebook at facebook.com/MacaulayRoad