At its December 1 meeting, the Police Services Board brought together representatives from County Public Works Department, OPP, local business, and concerned residents to find ways to deal with traffic congestion and pedestrian crossings at the Burleigh St “curve” between Foodland and Hunter’s in Apsley.
Staff from County Technical Services Division identified contributing factors as:
-many vehicle entrances very near the curve
-vehicle speeds above 50 km/hr
-reduced visibility due to the curve itself and parking on the shoulders
-pedestrian crossings at multiple locations near the curve
-summer congestion leaving no gaps in traffic
-frequent heavy truck traffic
The Board heard analysis of various solutions. Crosswalks are often suggested, but these create a false sense of security when there is not a clear line of sight in both directions. Speed bumps make snow clearing difficult and create slippery conditions, and flashing lights lose their effectiveness over time. Accordingly, the Board decided to recommend actions which could be done quickly, with only positive effects, and to review the situation in mid-2012.
The Board made the following recommendations to North Kawartha Council for consideration at its December 20 meeting:
-eliminate parking directly in front of Foodland
-paint double yellow centre lines and white edge lines throughout the curve
-install pedestrian crossing warning signs 100 metres north & south of the curve
-monitor vehicle speeds using Community Policing’s radar gun
-increase OPP presence to warn or ticket speeding vehicles on Burleigh St
-begin enforcement and monitoring immediately and complete all steps by Spring 2012
These measures will increase visibility for both drivers and pedestrians, will warn drivers of the upcoming congestion and pedestrian activity, and will reduce speed of vehicles in both directions. Further, the Board will continue to publicize this issue so that awareness is maintained.
Barry Rand, Chair, Police Services Board
