The Wellington County roads department will install a remote-activated, solar powered crosswalk beacon on Toronto Street (Wellington Road 5) in Palmerston in response to a request from a blind individual.
County council approved the roads committee recommendation to proceed with the installation at on Jan. 28.
At the Nov. 26 meeting a report from county engineer Gord Ough explained a Palmerston resident raised an accessibility issue regarding the intersection of Toronto and Prospect Streets in Palmerston.
The resident, who is aided by a guide dog, finds the intersection dangerous due to the speed of traffic on both streets, explained Ough.
The resident requested an all-way stop or crosswalk be installed at the intersection but Ough explained a traffic count was carried out and the “technical warrants” were not satisfied.
Instead, staff recommended a pedestrian crossing sign option. However, after councillors Andy Lennox and Kelly Linton expressed concerns about costs, council deferred the issue pending development of a county-wide policy on accessible crossings.
The roads committee brought the recommendation forward again at the Jan. 28 meeting, following a presentation on the county’s obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act at its Jan. 12 meeting.
Roads committee chair councillor Gary Williamson told council the committee determined “the best way to address the situation was with a solar-powered cross walk beacon; this also meets our responsibly under the disability act.”
Solution for Main Street?
At the Feb. 2 Town of Minto council meeting, county councillor David Anderson advised the local council of the decision.
Minto councillor Ron Elliott asked if this style of crosswalk signal could be a solution to long-standing pedestrian concerns about crossing Main Street in Palmerston.
“It’s getting more and more difficult for people to get across the street. So this is something we could maybe consider for downtown?” asked Elliott.
“This is a directive under the accessibility act,” Anderson pointed out.
Elliott noted, “It’s basically the seniors and children, more children, that have difficulty getting across the street, the average person can get across the street … What would we have to do as a community if we desired something like that for our Main Street?”
Anderson pointed out there’s “been quite a history” of discussion on traffic control in downtown Palmerston.
“Initially there was a request of stop lights and there were many traffic studies at the time and there was a conclusion there wasn’t a need for a set of stop lights at the time.”
Anderson suggested the town could consider sending “a letter of concern” to the county asking “is it time to reevaluate the downtown part of Palmerston?”
Warden George Bridge has suggested it could cost around $1 million to install a set of traffic lights. The cost of the solar crosswalk beacon for Toronto Street is about $7,000.
