Best Circle resident Liz Chong said she has asked for changes at the intersection at the west end of her Newmarket street for nearly two years.
She said traffic the intersection with Stonehaven Avenue has increased over the years, adding that a a 67-year-old woman was killed in a collision down the street from the intersection in October 2020.
“It’s dangerous,” Chong said. “It’s a dangerous corner, especially since they put the (plaza) down there and the people want to use it to go over to that side … The neighbourhood has more children in it than before.”
Newmarket council opted against an all-way stop at the intersection Feb. 7, as staff recommended after a study. But at the request of area ward Councillor Grace Simon, staff are set to bring back recommendations for other traffic calming measures in the area.
Simon said although the study indicates the all-way stop is not justified currently, residents are asking for something now to help with traffic.
“What we’re dealing with is residents, and what they have experienced is near accidents. We had an incident, a fatality, of course, that never goes away,” Simon said. “Residents who live there ... witness near accidents with children crossing that area.”
The review in late 2021 found there were no collisions at the intersection in the prior 12 months. It said that although the volume on Stonehaven was high enough to meet a needed threshold, the incoming traffic from Best Circle was well short at 13 per cent of the minimum 200 turns or pedestrian activities in a five-hour traffic count at peak times.
The review added that all-way stops do not necessarily work as a speed control measure and are better for right-of-way control.
“Unwarranted all-way stops create additional issues, such as stopping non-compliance, thereby posing a potential new danger to pedestrians. The compliance rate for motorists stopping at unwarranted all-way stop controlled intersections has been shown to be low,” transportation services manager Mark Kryzanowski said in a report.
Other intersections on the street do have all-way stops, including the east end of Best Circle, near Stonehaven Elementary School.
Best Circle resident Simon Watkinson said Stonehaven stands to get busier with the future residential development at 600 Stonehaven Ave. He said temporary measures like police enforcement may not do much in the long run, and if that cannot make an impact, speed bumps could be needed.
“It’s quite a long stretch in both directions. So people can get quite a bit of speed,” Watkinson said. “The idea is not to have an accident and wish you had done something.”
Chong questioned the all-way stop assessment and recommendation against it, but added as a bare minimum, she would like to see a crosswalk with lines painted and signage.
Council recently held a workshop about speeding control options, with the municipality exploring ideas like more solar speed boards and line painting to narrow roads.
Mayor John Taylor spoke in favour of alternative options for the intersection.
“There’s a lot of interesting ways now to bring attention to a segment of the roadway and enhance safety,” Taylor said.
