'Reinforce the safety': Newmarket considers all-way stop on Penn

Town council pushes for measure to help pedestrians walking to Maple Leaf Public School

Newmarkettoday.ca
May 11, 2023
Joseph Quigley

The Maple Leaf Public School area could soon be getting an all-way stop as Newmarket council was urged to do something to help pedestrians going to school.

Ward 4 Councillor Trevor Morrison requested a stop sign in the area on Penn Avenue, at either Denne Boulevard or Hillview Drive. This was despite staff recommendation that traffic levels did not technically justify a stop sign, with a report instead suggesting traffic controls like bollards.

But Morrison said the traffic data is not necessarily capturing pedestrians who may be walking to school on a stretch without a sidewalk and need a place to safely cross.

“Maple Leaf is one of the most walkable schools in Newmarket,” Morrison said, adding a new all-way stop would “go to reinforce the safety aspect of the neighbourhood.”

A staff report on the matter had examined traffic in the area at the behest of council. It found traffic on the road did not warrant an all-way stop and there also had not been a collision on the intersection since 2016.

Still, director of engineering Rachael Prudhomme said council can have insights and make requests beyond the technical report from staff. However, she added that all-way stops can cause some problems.

“We do hesitate with stop signs because when there’s not enough traffic to warrant it, there is more non-compliance,” she said. “But we can certainly keep an eye on it and adjust as necessary.”

People will not always heed top signs, Councillor Victor Woodhouse said. He said education is key at intersections. He references a crossing guard in his ward who has found people driving past even though they put up a stop sign.

“Crossing streets is a hazardous occupation,” he said. “We need to continue to educate our children and adults, that just because there’s a stop sign there, just because a light turns green, does not mean it is safe to cross.”

A bylaw will have to come back to council for approval of an all-way stop, with staff asked to determine which intersection would be most sensible for an all-way stop. Prudhomme said that would likely be Hillview Drive.

Mayor John Taylor said the move stands to improve safety, even if it may not mitigate speed.

“If you’re concerned, you have little ones,” he said, adding the stop would be "a place you can go and have a safer experience, not a perfect experience. I think it does, in this case, really reflect a community need.