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Pedestrian stop light installed on Lakeshore Rd at Lakeshore Public School

Following reports of harrowing near misses of children crossing Lakeshore Road to get to the park and public school, staff have just completed installing installing a pedestrian triggered stop light (called an IPS or Intersection Pedestrian Signal).

Currently, the nearest signal crossings are at Guelph Line to the East, and Torrance Ave to the West, leaving a huge stretch of Lakeshore with no signalized crossing – until now. The light will provide greater safety for pedestrians and the crossing guard during school hours. It will also make it safer for residents to cross the street to visit parks or the waterfront at any time of day.

My Take: This is a step forward for pedestrian safety. Thanks to the residents for reporting the situation and our staff for taking necessary action.

Written by Marianne Meed Ward

I was inspired to seek public office because I believe, like so many of you, “I can do something about that” on the issues we face. As councilor, my role is to take a stand on what’s best for residents and go to bat for it. Pushback is inevitable from those who don’t have the community’s interests at heart. I will stand with you and for you, to achieve the best interests of our city, without caving to unacceptable compromise in the name of consensus.

32 Comments

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  1. Considering Marianne’s quick responses to a multitude of concerns, I think we could all employ more thoughtful language.
    We All, ALLOF US, want a more liveable community. You don’t need a hammer to post a note.
    Thanks Marianne, I appreciate your patience with the rhetoric and overstated concerns.
    Now about the New Street road diet. LOL

  2. Awesome news, now if we could only have lights at the Pearl and James Street intersection. It’s so dangerous crossing there!

  3. What would it take to get some safe crossings between Guelph and Walker’s? Have had some awful experiences trying to get across to Sioux Lookout park pushing a stroller.

  4. It would be great if you could add a real set of lights to Brant St and Greenbank Trail. That intersection is an accident waiting to happen.

    • Here is the information from staff:
      Traffic Operations staff have reviewed the intersection of Brant Street and Greenbank Trail to determine if the installation of a full traffic signal from the existing Pedestrian Signal is warranted. The Region of Halton utilizes the standard traffic signal warrant from Ontario Traffic Manual Book 12 as it incorporates the intersection’s physical characteristics, traffic and pedestrian volumes, and collision history. Based on the volumes of the most recent traffic count conducted in 2016 as well as the reported collision history, the intersection does a have a favourable safety record and traffic volumes and delay do not meet thresholds for full signal installation.

      We will continue to monitor the intersection as part of our annual Traffic Signal Warrant program that reviews all unsignalized intersections on Regional Road in Burlington.

  5. I saw the construction yesterday and am so so so so glad for the safety of those children and the public. No child should have to cross a fast moving road like that with only a red moving stop sign to keep away a hit

  6. Kids need to be taught that they should ONLY walk when it is SAFE to walk and having the right of way does not guarantee that. They should be taught to check that the cars have stopped before they walk! Adults could do with paying attention to this too! In Portugal pedestrians at crossings (except at traffic/pedestrian lights) ALWAYS have the right of way and drivers know to come to a stop and do so! We are spending a fortune trying to protect ourselves from each other with speed bumps and traffic calming, none of which is having the desired effect. Too many inconsistencies! At this type of a cross walk you do this, at another you do that! ” Wait for a Gap” are you kidding me?As a pedestrian this is the absolute craziest of them all! Keep it simple, give the pedestrian the right of way and make the penalties enormous so that drivers/cyclists get the message and learn to respect the rules and laws!!!

    • I remember 40 years some odd years ago as a teenager walking on 5th Avenue in Manhattan with my dearly departed uncle (born and bred New Yorker) and crossing the street on a green light. His comment was; watch the traffic – no one ever got run over by a light. Bottom line, although peds may have the right of way, doesn’t mean that they will get it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  7. Thank you Marianne Meed Ward. Big weight off our shoulders as parents wanting to keep our kids safe. Too many near misses. Please add zebra stripes as well

  8. Thank goodness, I’ve had near misses myself with a baby in stroller, toddler and kindy trying to cross here WITH the crossing guard out on the road. With the previous construction on new street many were and are still using lakeshore as a by-pass road and no one is going the speed limit or stopping for pedestrians. 🙁 this will be a very welcome install!

  9. I can’t express how excited we are for the new light. Thank you Marianne Meed Ward for listening to our concerns and stories about the “crazy” drivers that have made our daily crossings a true nightmare.
    My kids are so looking forward to hitting a button and watching the cars stop so they can finally cross safely!! 🚦💕

  10. Put zebra crossings in the other areas that I wrote about some little while ago. The drivers are often speeding through intersections and narrowly missing people.

What's your take?