East Gwillimbury asks region to halt new Mount Albert traffic light

YorkRegion.com
Sept. 19, 2017
Simon Martin

Don’t put those traffic lights in just yet.

A week after a large contingent of Mount Albert residents voiced their displeasure over proposed traffic lights at the corner of Centre Street and Mount Albert Road, East Gwillimbury council has appeared to have heard the complaints. Council passed a motion Sept. 19 asking the region to defer the decision on the traffic signal to permit alternatives to be considered and time for further public engagement.

Mayor Virginia Hackson said she would bring the motion to regional council later this week after she heard numerous complaints about the light including a one-on-one with the mayor event at the Ross Family Complex that became a de facto public meeting on the topic.

Other members of council agreed that more consultation was needed to figure out how best to handle the portion of Mount Albert Road in question.

“A lot of the complaints were about the corridor not just the Centre Street intersection,” Coun. Tara Roy-DiClemente said. She said it’s important for the region to also consider residents' concerns about Don Rose Boulevard and King Street while looking at the traffic issue.

Coun. James Young echoed that sentiment and said the region should have done more public consultations with residents on this particular issue.

Last week, a group of residents voiced their displeasure about the region’s plan to build a light at the intersection. Their concerns ranged from making the hill more dangerous in bad weather to the light doing nothing to stop speeders.

“I cannot imagine a school bus having to stop on that hill in good weather, let alone in rain or snow. Please reconsider this choice,” Rebecca Doner said.

Last week York Region manager of corridor control and safety Nelson Costa said the region is still planning to install a light at the intersection this fall. “A consultant was retained to review the intersection and the recommendation to address the poor sight distance and pedestrian safety was to install a traffic control signal,” he said.

Whether the motion from East Gwillimbury council will change the region’s tune remains to be seen.

Mount Albert Road is a regional road so any traffic decisions are ultimately made by the region. Hackson said the town forwarded concerns about that particular intersection to the region in 2015.

Costa said the east-west signal on Mount Albert Road will remain green until activated by a pedestrian or motorist turning left.  The signal will also provide a protected phase for pedestrians crossing Mount Albert Road, he said. Other intersection improvements include new curbs on all quadrants, new pavement and markings to current pedestrian crossing standards and the intersection will be illuminated.

Last week Hackson said for the town the most important thing is the safety of its residents. “We have received a number of complaints and concerns specifically in relationship to the school and Centre Street.”

Hackson said the regional traffic study and traffic engineers have recommended a traffic light as a means to make the intersection safer.