CORNWALL, Ontario – Early last week, vandals removed a stop sign from the corner of Gloucester and Sixth. The sign was said to have been cut from its post in the middle of the night. Besides the costs associated with replacing the sign, this type of damage puts public safety at risk.
While doing some work outside, one resident said that he saw two cars run the stop sign within a two minute time frame. After further investigation, it was apparent that someone had removed the sign, and city staff had not yet been called to repair it.
“Typically, as soon as we receive a complaint, we send out a dispatcher to check on the damages,” said City of Cornwall municipal engineer, Michael Fawthrop. “If it happens in the middle of the night, we have to call someone in for overtime, and in all likelihood, set up a temporary stop sign.”
Fawthrop says that particularly in the case of a stop sign, safety becomes a primary concern. While reports of this type of vandalism are scattered, even sporadic occurrences can be dangerous.
“We’ve seen a few close calls,” said Fawthrop. “This often happens when a transport knocks out stop sign on major road without realizing it.”
In cases like these, failure to report the damages can be increasingly hazardous.
In terms of money, the highest cost associated with repairs is the labour itself. “It usually costs between $40-60 depending on size,” said City of Cornwall transportation engineer, Enrique Kamm. “The work is the most expensive part, and normally costs more than the sign itself.”
The time to fully replace a sign from start to finish is about two hours, costing anywhere from $300-400. “It depends if both the anchor and post are intact,” said Kamm. “If someone hits a sign, it may need to be completely replaced.”
In addition to concerns around safety and expenses, replacing damaged or vandalized street signs takes traffic sign maintenance workers away from the task at hand.
Fawthrop says that while stop signs are critical to municipal safety, the culprits likely didn’t intend to put anyone at risk. “Someone probably thought it would be a nice addition to their décor,” said Fawthop.
