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LETTER: Warminster parent starts petition for light near school

Current crosswalk is not safe; Cars are 'blowing through' the school zone with 'zero regard for children' trying to get to school, says letter writer
school-zone-crossing

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It's the second week of school and we are back to some of the same problems as before. Let's pause COVID concerns for a moment ... it's time to tackle some of the things that have gone by the wayside during the last six months of being housebound.

Traffic concerns and crosswalks are one for me. We haven't been as active and out and about as before, but now the issues of the past are resurfacing and becoming more evident as kids are walking to and from school.

My child attends Warminster Elementary School. It is situated on Line 13, on the corner of Highway 12 and Warminster Sideroad (as the major intersection). Currently, there is a flashing light pedestrian crossing that is activated when pushed (formally known to the MTO as a Level 2 Type B Pedestrian Crossover as designed in the newly updated OTM Book 15).

It is most often utilized during school entry and dismissal, however, all ages and abilities use this at any point through the day. It is also the only designated crosswalk in the community across Highway 12 providing access to the post office, a convenience store, gas station, LCBO, a park, soccer fields and people's homes.

I am the least political person I know and the least likely person to cause a stink, but I was appalled at the number of cars I witnessed fly through the flashing light crosswalk this past week as children returned to school.

It wasn't one day. Any given day you could do a tally and see for yourself the number of motorists that refuse to yield, let alone stop to allow people to cross safely.

I literally can't keep quiet about this complete disregard. I'm not talking motorists slowly creeping up to the intersection and then sneaking through once the way is clear but lights are flashing, I'm talking about cars blowing through at 60 kilometres/hour plus with zero regard for the children waiting on either side, in a school zone (40 km/h). 

Thank goodness these kids are well-trained on the etiquette of the crosswalk and don't move until both sides of traffic are fully stopped. But it just takes one miscalculation from a child and an ignorant motorist for fatal consequences.

This was an issue when the installation happened in December 2017/January 2018. The community was rather upset and petitioned for a traffic light. This was denied, obviously.

It was suggested by the MTO that some signage and pamphlets and brochures disseminated through the community would be sufficient for local drivers to catch on.  This is a King's Highway so it would require some getting used to. There are only a handful of these highway crossings in Ontario with Warminster being the first (as indicated from MTO), so many people will have never encountered them before. 

Well, in being a major highway, it is also a significant trucking route, commuter route, and there is an increase in traffic due to the new developments happening around the community. Locals know, but one-time drivers may not know there is an impending school zone, let alone this strange and unusual location for a crosswalk.

Visibility also makes it tricky to slow down in time as signage isn't adequate. 

An email from an MTO representative states "The Warminster PXO was one of the ministry’s first attempts at utilizing this design on a King’s Highway. It usually takes six months to a year for all road users to become familiar to significant changes in roadway/intersection operations."

I would argue a hard no on this. People still haven't figured this out.Things have changed across the community since the installation two years ago. It's been two years and too many close calls. 

I have tried contacting the appropriate figures to help get this some traction again and am imploring the MTO to reassess the need for a traffic light. The Township of Oro-Medonte has said they will bring this up to council Sept. 23, 2020 in hopes to get a formal request from the Township to the MTO to reconsider installing a traffic light. 

To me, this is a simple installation that is more cost effective than a crossing guard or OPP traffic officer (both not safe options for either person standing there on a highway).

A light is more visible from far away, and has the potential to stay green, until activated for crossing or traffic coming down Warminster Sideroad. This also gives children the obvious go-ahead with the flashing walking man symbol or stay put with the hand symbol.

Traffic needs to slow down regardless through the school zone, so the potential to stop isn't impeding traffic flow anymore than it is through Price's Corners or at Line 15 where there are existing lights.

It has been suggested to help substantiate this claim, that a petition be created by concerned citizens.You can sign the petition here

You can also reach out to the appropriate officials in writing with your concerns for this cause. The squeaky wheel gets the grease...I just hope some wheels are put into motion in time and that others stop before a fatality occurs.

Hillary Handy
Warminster

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