Illegal U-turns, inadequate visibility and congested lanes make up the area surrounding Kingsview Market in Airdrie’s southeast, according to businesses in the complex.
Cindy Muise, a representative of Airdrie Dental Choice located in Kingsview Market, said the street is a “nightmare,” taking half an hour to get home during rush hour – what at low traffic times would be a five-minute drive.
“People are getting this massive road rage,” Muise said. “The people behind me are honking because, of course, you’ve stopped before you block the way of people coming in off of Yankee Valley.”
According to Muise, the infrastructure of the area is so terrible, it has created an unsafe environment for drivers. A major problem for businesses in the area is the congestion on Yankee Valley Boulevard that spills onto Market Street, the central road that runs straight through the marketplace.
“Because they have waited so long, when the light has gone yellow they are still blowing through it like they just don’t care. It’s not safe,” Muise said.
According to Airdrie RCMP, so far this year, the intersection of Yankee Valley Boulevard and Market Street has seen four collisions with one traffic complaint/ticket. In 2015, there were 22 collisions with five traffic complaints/tickets.
The market is privately owned by Melcor Developments, which means the city does not maintain the road system in the area, according to Lorne Stevens, director of Community Infrastructure with the City of Airdrie and the chair of Airdrie Traffic Advisory Committee.
But with the major new developments in Kingsview, such as Save-On-Foods and a five-bay strip mall, it’s likely the problems on Market Street will only increase.
Jarret Thompson, a representative of Melcor, said there will likely be a few changes to road networks in the area with the Save-On-Foods opening but said he was not aware of traffic complaints in Kingsview Market.
“We engage in a third party property management,” Thompson said. “Which looks after the centre, so they would not be reaching out to us if they have minor complaints like this.”
Nonetheless, Thompson said he will work to remedy the solution.
Sunny Saini, owner of Quesada Burritos & Tacos located in the marketplace, said the problems in the area are deeper. He said poor planning of the marketplace has significantly impacted his business.
“It is incredibly frustrating,” he said, adding he has called and sent emails to his landlord about the issue. “It is unsafe for my customers and their children. Something needs to be done.”
Stevens said the Traffic Advisory Committee hasn’t received complaints about the issue.
“I can’t recall in the last year,” Stevens said, “or more, or ever actually receiving any complaints through the Traffic Advisory Committee related to that area.”
Stevens, however, encouraged the public to call the City to report any problems in the area, even if it is privately owned.
