Algonquin Highlands public works manager Adam Thorn told council at a Sept. 19 meeting that data collected from electronic traffic signs along North Shore Road this summer showed most travellers in the area drive under the posted speed limit.
He was following up on a presentation made by Rae Mavor earlier this month, who, as a resident of the road, said she and many neighbours no longer feel safe walking the busy thoroughfare. Some, she claimed, have had to take evasive action to avoid oncoming traffic, with one neighbour reportedly forced to jump into a ditch earlier in the summer.
Mavor presented a petition to the township, signed by 99 people, calling for the implementation of a community safety zone. Council has stopped short of doing that, with Thorn saying all evidence suggests speeding isn’t a major issue on the road.
Signs were displayed in two locations – near the intersection with Dawson Road and by 1256 North Shore Rd. It was at Dawson Aug. 7 to 22, capturing 2,471 vehicles travelling west with 94.71 per cent driving under the limit, and 2,983 vehicles headed east with 87.79 per cent in line. It was there again Aug. 23 to 28, with 950 vehicles travelling west and 92.85 per cent driving under the limit. Thorn said 1,014 vehicles were clocked heading east with 87.47 per cent under the limit.
The signs were at 1256 North Shore Rd. Aug. 7 to 22, clocking 5,127 vehicles heading east with 72.55 per cent within the posted limit and 5,630 vehicles travelling west, 33.79 per cent under the limit. Between Aug. 23 and 28, of 2,628 vehicles travelling east, 69.72 per cent were under the limit, while only 34.09 per cent of 2,018 westbound vehicles were driving within the limit.
“Data shows the majority of traffic is going under the speed limit,” Thorn said. “If you’re standing on the road, you can think someone is doing 80 km/h, but they’re only doing 45 km/h. I’ve had three people come forward to say they were waved at to slow down despite them all doing under the speed limit.”
He said of vehicles caught speeding, most were within 10km/h of the limit.
Thorn added there’s no evidence suggesting the road has gotten busier this year following the upgrades to the Maple Lake landfill, in fact he said traffic stats from 2016 showed there are fewer cars on the road today.
“We found in our files that on one day in September 2016, there were 899 cars on the road. That’s more than I was able to track in a two-week period this summer,” Thorn said.
Mayor Liz Danielsen felt the numbers, “do not indicate we have a serious speeding problem.”
There was no appetite among council to create a community safety zone – Thorn indicated the stats don’t justify one and CAO Angie Bird said she broached the idea with Haliburton Highlands OPP recently and was told it was a bad idea.
Deputy mayor Jennifer Dailloux enquired about painting lines to establish a hard shoulder and give people a safe space to walk. Thorn said the road is too narrow for official lanes and that even creating a marker may have little impact. He estimated there would be 1.5 feet between the white line and the slope of the ditch.
He said widening the road could be an option in the future but would be costly.
Dailloux seemed uncomfortable doing nothing – asking Thorn what measures could be taken to alleviate “problem spots” on the road. He suggested installing signs on sharp turns warning drivers to be mindful of pedestrians. Thorn also felt installing flashing lights on existing signs could help.
No action was taken at last week’s meeting, with Thorn directed to come back with another report looking at how to improve safety in problem areas.
