Mount Pleasant to get four-way stop
Mount Pleasant is getting a new four-way stop at the intersection of County Roads 9 and 10, Peterborough County council decided on Wednesday – even though county staff didn’t think a four-way stop is warranted.
Residents have been lobbying for a four-way stop, however, saying that motorists speed in the area.
“When I am crossing County Rd. 10 in my car, I have to make a mad run for it every time,” said resident JoEllen Brydon in a presentation to councillors on Wednesday.
“Not sometimes – every time, a car is very close to hitting me T-bone style,” she said. “I’ve gotten used to it.”
Mount Pleasant is located just west of Peterborough, in Cavan Monaghan Township. Township council had requested the installation of a four-way stop.
Scott McFadden, mayor of Cavan Monaghan, went to the intersection to observe. He told county councillors that pedestrians have no more than 3.5 seconds to dash across the road.
“Three-and-a-half seconds, in my opinion, isn’t enough,” he said.
Yet county staff said it didn’t recommend a four-way stop at the intersection.
Chris Bradley, the director of public works, said the intersection was studied as part of a County Road Safety Audit that will be released later this fall.
Bradley told councillors that staff audited vehicular traffic, at that particular intersection – not pedestrian traffic – and determined that a four-way stop isn’t warranted.
In an interview after the meeting, Bradley said there have been a couple of minor accidents at the intersection in recent years - but nothing serious.
But that wasn’t the only reason staff didn’t recommend the fourway stop, he said – there were other reasons, too, although he wouldn’t give any details.
“It wouldn’t be appropriate to comment,” he said.
Meanwhile Brydon told councillors that there are more and more parents pushing strollers in the area, and she’s concerned about someone getting hit by a car.
At least six toddlers from Mount Pleasant were in council chambers with their parents on Wednesday: moms and dads were apparently eager to find out if they were getting a four-way stop.
McFadden said he’s very concerned too.
“Ultimately, we have a responsibility for the safety of pedestrians,” he told councillors. “It’s a bad intersection.”
But not everyone on council saw it that way.
Coun. Mary Smith, the mayor of Selwyn Township and deputy warden, said she preferred to wait for the final report from county staff to be released before making a decision. Staff said that could potentially take another six weeks, but Smith said she was prepared to wait.
“We do need to have that technical report, before making an informed decision,” she said. “I think we can wait – I think that’s appropriate.”
Three out of 11 council members voted against the four-way stop: Smith, as well as Warden Joe Taylor and Coun. Dave Nelson (reeve of Otonabee-South Monaghan Township).