Council reviewed a plan based on a report from Transportation Department consultant Parsons Ltd., which reviewed recent collision data from the intersection.
That data found that 10 collisions occurred in the past five years, five of which happened in 2020.
The plan calls for the southbound rumble strips to be removed from CR7. The northbound strips were removed during a resurfacing project and had not been reinstalled. Additional signage that reads “Cross Traffic does not stop” will also be installed on both sides of CR7.
An optional $5,000 traffic study for “Sun Glare” was listed in the recommendations to council, but not all members were supportive.
Councillor Lochlan McDonald (South Glengarry) said the one bad year of traffic collisions made a large variance in the numbers.
“I’m okay looking at this and doing the recommended,” he said in support of new signage but not any further study.
Councillor Theresa Bergeron (North Dundas) said the intersection is safe, but blamed distracted driving for a majority of the collisions.
Warden Tony Fraser, also represents North Dundas, said the $5,000 option to study sun glare should be completed Councillors Carma Williams (North Glengarry) and Jason Broad (South Dundas) agreed to adding that study to the plan.
“I support [adding the study],” said Broad. “I’d also like to make all our future decisions based on facts and the data. If there are future accidents at any intersections, if we could get to the root causes in the details then that would give us information as opposed to making assumptions of why the accidents are happening.”
Council voted in support of adding the “Sun Glare” study to the improvement plan, which was also approved by council.
This article was originally written for The Morrisburg Leader.
