5 years after tragedy, Vaughan residents want 4-way stop at intersection

'Nothing physically has changed at this intersection'

Yorkregion.com
Feb. 11, 2021
Dina Al-Shibeeb

Five years ago, an impaired driver sped through a stop sign on a rural road in Vaughan, killing three young children and their grandfather.

Kirby Road and Kipling Avenue intersection was home to this tragic accident, where some say road safety measures are still inadequate.

"Five years later, nothing physically has changed at this intersection. The small memorial of flowers and teddy bears can still be seen at the intersection reminding us of the tragic loss of life,” Frank Greco, director of Kleinburg’s BIA, shared with the Vaughan Citizen in an email dated Jan. 28 to the City of Vaughan.

Greco is demanding that the intersection have a full four-way stop with flashing red lights on each stop sign, large markings denoting a stop intersection and warning signs of an impending stop sign.

“It's the responsibility of our elected officials to demand road safety,” Greco added, saying that Vaughan’s country roads have morphed into “major arterial roadways.”

“Some drivers use them as a highway,” Greco said.

Greco and his wife Arpi believe that having a four-way stop there “may have prevented that tragedy.”

There are also some issues at hand.

“We noticed that the speed in which drivers are coming across Kirby -- because there are fewer cars as well during the pandemic -- we noticed that the cars are going a lot faster,” Frank said.

Arpi is worried that once the pandemic is over, telltale signs of further congested traffic will show its ugly side.

“We see construction everywhere, so it's not going to get better, the traffic is going to get worse,” Arpi said. “And once COVID is over and everybody's back to work and driving, people are going to see how much of an issue it really is.”

With Vaughan outpacing the rest of York Region in real estate sales two years in a row, population growth as well as construction is a reality residents are experiencing.

For instance, construction in recent years on Major Mackenzie Drive coupled with a recent closure of Teston Road between Kipling and Pine Valley has diverted and funnelled more drivers to Kirby Road, the Grecos pointed out.

“The traffic counts on Kipling Ave and Kirby Road have been significantly increased,” Frank said. “This increase will be felt even more when the pandemic subsides and people start to drive more.”

The City of Vaughan dubbed safety as one of its “top priorities” when asked about potential changes to the intersection.

The city explained that it has been “working with the community to address traffic and transportation matters in the area,” and said it is “developing a transportation management strategy” to provide a “road map” and ultimately a “road safety program.”

The city said council approved a report and recommendation on June 9 for a speed limit reduction on Kipling Avenue from 80 km/h to 60 km/h, with associated traffic bylaws and signage.

“Line painting along Kipling Avenue, including edge line and centreline, have been implemented and will be refreshed as part of the City’s 2021 pavement marking program,” it added.

Also, speed boards have been installed on Kleinburg Summit Way and Kipling Avenue as a “tool to raise awareness of motorist travel speeds in the area,” which is already part of the development of Block 55 East.

“A report will be coming to a Committee of the Whole in the near future to discuss traffic control measures within the new subdivision,” the city said.

When asked about ticketing and traffic accidents at the intersection for the past three years, the Vaughan Citizen was told to contact York Regional Police to get the figures.

YRP said Freedom of Information request needed to have access to these figures.