MUNICIPAL POLITICS Fostering concern
Resident requests three-way stop for busy Berwick intersection
Line of sight was the key phrase during the Town of Berwick’s regular Nov. 12 council meeting.
Roberta McGrath, a resident of
Illsley Street, stressed the importance of line of AStreet and Union Street.
A lack of visibility, she said, is the main factor at play in many near-miss situations at that particular intersection.
McGrath spoke to council expressing safety concerns for her neighborhood. She said visibility at the intersection between Union and Foster Street – or rather a lack thereof – has become a safety hazard.
She came to council armed with a suggested solution.
“We believe a three-way stop on the corner of Foster and Union would solve many of the safety issues expressed,” McGrath said.
She referred to a number of safety issues in the area. These included a lack of visibility, an increase of traffic in the area – including commercial trucks and transit buses – and speeding at and near the intersection.
This is of particular concern to McGrath because of the A of that intersection to a school zone.
“Line of sight varies,” McGrath said, saying it can be just as dangerous for children walking to school as it can be for seniors, or even vehicles if they turn onto Foster from Union.
“Foster is being used as a detour from Commercial Street. Traffic and transit are a big issue on such a narrow road,” said McGrath, noting the part of town she lives in is being used by motorists who don’t want to stop as much when driving downtown.
“It’s not big enough for two buses or transfer trucks. That’s a lot of wear and tear on the road and there are fumes. It’s supposed to be a residential, not a commercial road,” she said.
She contended speed would be curtailed with a three-way stop.
“Once they come around the turn from Brown, (motorists) are increasing their speed and not taking their foot of the gas,” she said.
McGrath, who petitioned residents in the area, said she was “overwhelmed” with how many people share her concerns.
She spoke to the RCMP about the matter, and they referred her to the town.
McGrath stressed the need for town council to act, noting there have been many “close calls.”
COUNCIL DISCUSSION
Coun. Ty Walsh said from his perspective, as a board member for Kings Transit, the addition of a three-way stop would not impede buses in the area.
“I don’t think very often there are buses passing each other on that street, unless it’s a delay on the bus route,” Walsh said, addressing McGrath’s concerns about multiple buses in the area being a hazard.
Walsh said the area concerns him as well, noting he walks his dog at night wearing a visibility vest. He added a certain degree of due diligence is needed when crossing any intersection to ensure safety.
Mayor Don Clarke said council will look into the matter of visibility and traffic in the area at its next committee of the whole meeting. Through consultations with public works and Kings Transit, Clarke said a clearer plan on how to move forward on the matter should be ready by December.
However, the mayor said it could take longer if something like a traffic flow study is necessary to determine the best course of action.
Coun. Barry Corbin said the strategy the town uses to rectify the issues near the intersection of Union and Foster should be carried over to inform future efforts to assess traffic flow and safety in town.
“In the last few years, major changes in the town have dramatically affected the flow of traffic,” Corbin said. “I don’t agree with putting a stop sign on every corner, we have to be realistic about improving the flow of traffic, but there are always issues with speeding and we have to try to address that.”