A new pedestrian crosswalk helping people manoeuver Highland Street between the township docks and restaurant Hook, Line and Sinker could be coming in the new year, though Dysart et al council has shot down a similar proposal for Mountain Street, in front of the Haliburton Legion.
In May, council asked public works director Rob Camelon to investigate whether crosswalks were necessary in either location. He told elected officials during a Dec. 9 meeting that traffic operations studies were completed in both spots, by Asurza Engineers, in November.
“They are recommending a pedestrian crossover be placed… at the boat launch, which is the opposite of what the last study indicated 10 years ago,” Camelon said.
The issue had been brought forward by coun. Pat Casey earlier this summer, with the Ward 1 representative saying he was worried about public safety, with people routinely dodging traffic to cross the road from the parking lot to the restaurant.
Camelon said Asurza found a crosswalk would be better placed on the road immediately in front of Hook, Line and Sinker, rather than at the intersection of Highland and York. He said the engineer did state, though, that there’s a case for installing traffic lights at Highland and York.
“There is a delay for traffic turning left, southbound, onto York Street from Highland. Over the next 10 years, that is expected to get worse,” Camelon said.
Typically, traffic control devices are kept at least 200 metres apart, but Camelon said the engineer noted a need for both the traffic lights and crosswalk. Council opted to pursue a design for the crosswalk, but not the lights. Camelon asked that the design work be completed to incorporate all of Highland Street to Maple Avenue, as the road is nearing the point where it needs to be rehabilitated.
Highland Street was last resurfaced in 2020, with Camelon saying he hoped to get seven years out of it.
“We’re entering year six of that surface now, so we need to be thinking about this soon anyway,” Camelon said.
Council approved getting cost estimates for a design, with Camelon estimating the project could cost around $100,000.
Mayor Murray Fearrey wondered if the township could hold off ordering any new equipment, such as overhead lights, asking if council should be thinking about redesigning the intersection at Halbiem Crescent for traffic lights. He suggested the crosswalk equipment in place now could be moved to Highland Street.
“Eventually, whether we like it or not, we’ll have to close Wallings Road. There’s potential for about 100 housing units in there, between the old [Ministry of Natural Resources] and one other [vacant] property,” Fearrey said, noting the vehicles are “going to have to go out through Halbiem and that will require lights [installed for that] as you can hardly make a left hand turn out of there now.”
The mayor said the County has stated it will not assist financially in any redesign of Wallings Road, Halbiem Crescent and the proposed entrance to the 92.5-acres the town owns on County Road 21. He said a decision may be required soon.
“There’s an offer coming on that land on Wallings, but they can’t do anything with it because they can’t get people off that road. It’s too bad. We’ve got so much development that could happen, but roads [are preventing it],” Fearrey said.
Legion crosswalk no-go
Camelon said it was Asurza’s recommendation not to proceed with a crosswalk on Mountain Street, despite Haliburton Legion president Mike Waller strongly advocating for one.
“The report recommends a pedestrian crossover not be placed mid-block in front of the Royal Canadian Legion, just because of the proximity between Dysart and Maple avenues,” Camelon said. “It goes back to the desire to keep traffic control systems 200 metres apart throughout town.”
He noted Asurza did recommend installing crosswalks in front of town hall, stretching across both Mountain Street and Maple Avenue. Camelon said that would also require that intersection becoming a four-way stop, though he foresees that being a problem.
“I do have concerns that truck traffic may not be able to navigate that corner if we put a four-way in there,” Camelon said. “I want to get comments from the MTO on this, see what they have to say and then, from a geometric design, make it work on paper if we can. If we can’t, I think we’re back to square one.”
Waller told The Highlander he was disappointed in the decision, but that he has no intention of giving up. Currently, Waller said he helps people parking at the arena, but coming to the legion, cross Mountain Street regularly.
He added a petition calling for a crosswalk to be installed has been signed by more than 500 people.
“Everybody I talk to says this is something they definitely want and definitely need,” Waller said. “This is something the whole community can benefit from – seniors, parents with children, everybody.”
