County reviewing options to improve dangerous intersections

By Casandra Turnbull

Some of Paris’ most dangerous intersections are under the microscope as councillors investigate ways to make it safer for motorists and pedestrians to navigate the streets as the town continues to grow. During Tuesday’s Administration and Operations Committee meeting, councillors heard a report from Rick Knap, C.E.T., Roads Technologist, which presented an option to improve the Grand River Street South and Dumfries Street intersection

Anyone who’s travelled through this intersection knows how frustrating and dangerous it can be when someone fails to signal their direction With more and more vehicles heading in and out of downtown, something must change to keep traffic flowing smoothly and safely To add more concern to this intersection, last year the Grand Erie District School Board announced changes to the school boundary zones, particularly Cobblestone and Paris Central Schools Starting this September, kids who attended Cobblestone will shift over to Paris Central School, many of them having to cross at this unusual intersection

It was noted in the report presented to the committee that staff have received numerous complaints regarding this intersection in the past In 2022 staff investigated the possibility of traffic signals but found they are not warranted based on the number of pedestrians who walked the route, nor would it be conducive to handle the traffic with this intersection’s geometry.

So, staff is urging council to explore the possibility of a mini roundabout to determine if it is physically possible and economically feasible. It would be a couple of years before this roundabout is installed because the project would be timed with the reconstruction of Grand River Street North and planed design changes to Downtown in 2025/2026.

An interim solution to address immediate safety concerns is to install a pedestrian crosswalk further down Grand River Street South at Burwell Street. That crosswalk could be installed sometime this year. “We are trying to build a wholesome plan for the neighbourhood to try and accommodate growth in the future,” said Director of Roads for the County of Brant Greg Demers, as he addressed questions from committee members.

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A traffic study report showed just how busy this intersection can be at any given time. Traffic data was collected in November 2022, during peak commute times, and it revealed that 10,000 vehicles per day travel on Dumfries Street and 15,000 vehicles per day on Grand River Street South. Those figures will only continue to rise as the town grows

A bulk of the costs to install the roundabout, if approved, would come from the Capital Funding Budget through planned reconstruction Surrounding crossing upgrades smaller in nature will be funded through the Brant Safe Streets Operating budget. Committee members supported the recommendation that staff move forward with investigating this option

Another dangerous intersection on the County’s radar is at the top of the hill where King Edward Street meets Dundas St West (beside Queensview Retirement Home), which happens to be the only direct vehicular access to Lion’s Park, the Paris Community Pool and the baseball diamonds

Mark Eby, Director of Infrastructure Service submitted a report to committee members that recommended staff proceed with designs to improve the flow of traffic at this intersection, especially as the Nith Peninsula subdivision development off Barker’s Bush will undoubtedly make the road more congested. By installing a pork chop shaped island, the redesign would only allow for right in/right out access to and from King Edward Street. The right-out only works well in conjunction with the mini roundabout the developer will construct on Dundas St West to access the Nith Peninsula subdivision.

County staff also recommends that a traffic signals are erected at the west intersection of Dundas Street West and King Edward Street (past the cemetery heading out of town towards Falkland) for inclusion in the 2024 County budget process Committee members voted in favour of moving forward with these design suggestions.

“This is a dangerous intersection,” said Rob Walton, General Manager of Operations for the County of Brant. Safety at this intersection is paramount, he said, trumping any argument that these design changes would be an inconvenience to motorists.