Four-way stop sign at William Booth and Knapton a step closer
At the Town of Newmarket Jan. 14 committee of the whole meeting, Knapton Drive resident Matthew Reilly presented on behalf of his neighbours a detailed, 17-page PowerPoint about the need for a four-way stop sign at Knapton Drive and William Booth Avenue.
“It’s become increasingly busy over the last few years and with William Booth Avenue opening up to Davis Drive, that has increased traffic further,” Reilly said.
Reilly worked with other residents in the existing subdivision near the new Sundial Homes development on the former Toth farm, on the north side of Davis Drive, to develop a case for the new signage.
“We feel a lot of difficulty crossing there,” he said.
He explained with diagrams, site plans and other graphics that the physical nature of that intersection, with its poor sight lines and elevations, and significant right-of-way in all directions poses a hazard to pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, who all have difficulty crossing or merging onto William Booth Avenue from Knapton Drive.
The reason for this, Reilly said, is that there’s no stop sign allowing for right-of-way.
Reilly then provided background information on the area’s development, including that the new Sundial development of Toth Farm intersects with the existing neighbourhood at Knapton Drive and William Booth Avenue. A temporary stop sign placed by the developer at Tango Crescent north, just south of Knapton Drive to align with a possible future school is ineffective.
A rationale followed, along with a 37-name petition from residents who’d like to see the stop sign go forward, and a conclusion: “It is requested that Council direct staff to report back on this request, taking into consideration the concerns of residents, current best practices, and future plans for the road. Should this proposal be acted on, it will greatly improve safety and overall functionality of transportation in this neighbourhood.”
Mayor John Taylor was taken aback with what he called an “exceptional, model presentation”.
Councillor Christina Bisanz acknowledged that the intersection in question has been an issue for some time.
“I’d like to support requesting staff look at this,” she said. “Several residents worked on this issue and brought it forward with such thoughtfulness. It demonstrates there is considerable concern with this intersection.”
Council passed a motion directing town staff to investigate the issue and report back.
Traffic assessment at Glen Cedar Public School a step closer
Ahmad El-Farram delivered a five-minute pitch about his concerns regarding traffic and street parking on Wayne Drive, in front of Glen Cedar Public School.
The father of three’s extensive research into the matter included monitoring morning and afternoon arrivals and departures by car and school bus, complete with photos and diagrams of what he believes are potential safety trouble spots.
“I’m here today hoping to have a traffic assessment done on Wayne Drive in Ward 3 in front of Glen Cedar Public School which will, hopefully, lead to signage changes including kiss-and-ride signage for drop off and pick up times," he said.
The current school council chairperson said there was just under 200 students at Glen Cedar about two years ago. The student population at the elementary school has grown to 265 as it’s a holding school for the nearby Sharon residential developments.
In addition, on mornings and afternoons, there are now two buses, one short and one full-size that’s maxed to capacity, along with two accessible taxis, that turns what was once a school driveway into a bus loop.
“And it looks like we are getting a second full-size bus in September (2019),” El-Farram said.
Council heard that El-Farram and a school staff member have since September 2018 regularly suit-up in crossing guard outfits to help monitor the traffic at the school, help children get out of vehicles and into the school safely, and ensure parents are making wise decisions.
“But we continue to run into challenges,” he said, adding he has spoken with other local schools about safety during drop-offs and pick-ups and there’s widespread concern.
One of the solutions El-Farram proposed is to have a kiss-and-ride on the northeast side of Wayne Drive. This new signage could indicate stopping times allowed, along with an attendant to help keep traffic moving and ensure student safety.
“We need a traffic assessment because this is out of our scope,” he said. “The biggest problem we’re facing, after speaking with local families, is we have people parking on both sides of Wayne Street now and there’s no other option for cars. Based on the signage there now, there’s no stopping and everyone is liable to get a ticket.”
Council weighed in on the issue, offering information and advice to help move the issue toward a solution, and town staff on hand provided feedback.
“You’ve outlined it very carefully,” Mayor John Taylor said.
Councillor Jane Twinney recommended the matter be referred to staff for a review and to find solutions to ensure the most safe environment for the children.
“Things change and happen in the community and that's because of everybody getting involved, like you,” she said to the deputant.
Councillor Kelly Broome told El-Farram he could ask the school principal to request a traffic flow study on school property, as well as the York Region District School Board plant services to take a look at the current signage.
“That, in combination with our study, maybe we can fix multiple things at once to try to make this work for you,” Broome said.
Council passed a motion directing town staff to investigate the issue and report back.
