Councillors are calling on the county to install traffic lights at a busy Washago intersection.
Severn Township Coun. Sarah Valiquette-Thompson refers to the intersection of County Road 169 and Muskoka Street as a “death trap.”
“The intersection is crazy. The sight lines — you’re just sticking your nose out. It’s kind of like a Hail Mary,” she said.
Those turning left onto County Road 169 have to drive well past the white stop line to see oncoming traffic. Even then, a building on the corner obstructs the view.
Valiquette-Thompson isn’t concerned only about drivers. There is no crosswalk or “safe passage” for pedestrians to cross County Road 169 to access Washago Centennial Park.
On Canada Day, she said she saw people “dodging traffic” to get to the park.
“For someone with accessibility issues, it would be a suicide mission,” Valiquette-Thompson said.
It’s a concern for the township, which is trying to attract more people to the park by adding new features and offering additional activities, she said.
The concerns are shared by Ramara Township Coun. David Snutch, whose ward borders Washago.
“I’ve been frustrated with this intersection for decades,” he said, adding he recently stopped traffic to allow a person in a wheelchair to cross the road.
In response to the concerns, the County of Simcoe conducted a traffic count in May. The results did not justify stop lights, according to the county.
The county looks at traffic volume, delay, pedestrian volume and collision history when determining whether stop lights are warranted.
“Traffic volume is recorded based on an ‘average’ day,” explained Christian Meile, the county’s director of transportation and engineering. “The most recent data was obtained on May 8, 2019, and is based on the highest eight-hour volume over a 12-hour period from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m."
May 8 was a Wednesday, and Snutch would like to see the results of a traffic count on a busier day.
“That’s not talking about a long weekend in the summertime,” he said. “To me, it’s just common sense.”
The push for stop lights has support from Severn Deputy Mayor Jane Dunlop, who represents the township at county council.
“Those people who live across County Road 169 have told me they don’t even attempt to cross it,” she said, noting that's the only way for them to access the commercial hub of the village. “I, personally, think that’s not fair.”
She also pointed out the township is “trying to expand at that beautiful park” and is considering relocating the rink there from the community centre.
Economic development is another concern Dunlop has, as she worries the intersection could deter people from setting up shop, or even shopping, in the village.
“If we don’t do everything we can do, shame on us,” she said. “Staff can do all the counts and do everything by the book, but we’re the ones who live here.”
Valiquette-Thompson and Snutch said they would be open to the idea of the cost of the stop lights being shared equally between their townships and the county, though “it’s a county road and it shouldn’t be Ramara and Severn” paying for it, Snutch said.
Simply offering to cover some of the cost won’t make it happen any sooner.
“Although cost is always something to consider, the reality is once a traffic signal is warranted, the county will plan for, budget and install a new signal,” Meile said, but added, “Funding from member municipalities is always welcome.”
“We understand and have listened to the concerns at a local level and continue to evaluate and work with the township to address questions and communicate our findings and recommendations,” she said.
“Road safety and flow of traffic and pedestrian movement is of utmost concern and importance to the county. We follow provincial policy to ensure that our roads are among the highest quality in the province," Meile noted. "We are also open to further discussion and conversation and we continue to monitor and listen to the needs of our residents and municipalities.”
Snutch and Valiquette-Thompson encourage residents of both townships to write their councillors and indicate their support for stop lights. Snutch can be reached at [email protected] and Valiquette-Thompson’s email address is [email protected].
