‘Something has to be done’ about Moyer intersection
Residents suggest turn lanes, red-light cameras, traffic circle
The number of collisions Roy Wiley has witnessed at a busy rural Welland intersection came to a head on the weekend, prompting him to start an online petition that calls for Niagara Region to consider changes to its layout.
The intersection at East Main Street/Schisler Road and Moyer Road/ Doan’s Ridge Road was the scene of a bad crash Saturday morning.
A 2008 Mazda driven by a 35-year-old Port Colborne woman failed to complete a safe left turn while heading east, causing a collision with a 2007 Dodge Dakota driven by a 59-year-old Welland man. The woman was charged with careless driving.
One of the two passengers in the Mazda had to be airlifted to an out-ofregion trauma centre.
A 10-year-old boy was one of the injured individuals in the vehicle, said Niagara Regional Police Const. Phil Gavin, who was unable to provide an update on patient conditions when interviewed Monday afternoon.
The other injuries were considered serious but not life-threatening.
Gavin did not have statistics on the amount of reported collisions at the intersection readily available.
As of Monday afternoon, Wiley’s petition had attracted 550 signatures.
In an interview at the intersection, Wiley said that a child was seriously injured in the weekend crash prompted him to take action.
“That’s the biggest thing. Something has to be done,” said Wiley, who hoted his girlfriend was involved in a serious collision at the same spot nearly three years ago.
He believes a roundabout is the “best solution,” but is open to anything that will make the junction more safe, such as turning lanes, cameras or an advanced green light.
Heather Scott said she has been witnessing crashes at the intersection regularly for the 16 years she has lived nearby.
“This has been going on forever.
“This isn’t new.”
She disagrees that a roundabout will be the right solution, preferring turning lanes from all four directions in place.
“That’s all it will take to stop the problem,” she said.
Most of the collisions she has seen involve cars using the shoulder of the road to pass vehicles making left turns.
“If there’s enough room to drive around a person, there’s enough room to put in a turning lane,” said Scott.
A camera that nabs people running through red lights in the area should also be a part of the plan, she said.
“That will pay for itself in the first year.”
Ward 4 Coun. Bryan Green plans to make a motion at an upcoming city council meeting to request a Region traffic study.
“This intersection has a lot of history and it’s time the Region takes a serious look at what needs to be done,” he said.
Regional Coun. Leanna Villella said she has received eight calls and emails from constituents since Saturday’s collision. She also wants the Region to investigate.
“It’s a danger zone. There’s no doubt about it,” she said.
“If there’s anything we can do to lessen the chances of something happening at that intersection, we have to try.”
Daryl Barnhart, communications officer for Niagara Region, speaking on behalf of the transportation services division, said staff will consider options for the intersection.
“We take all concerns very seriously and we’re looking into it,” he said.
The speed limit on East Main Street, Moyer Road, and Schisler Road is 80km/h; it is 60km/h on Doan’s Ridge Road.