A Lake Country councillor says he’s unhappy with a Band-Aid solution to a change in an intersection at the corner of Pelmewash Parkway and Oyama Road.
Owen Dickie says the change from a four-way stop at the intersection to a two-way stop with traffic along Pelmewash Parkway having a through road is a safety concern.
“This certainly appears to be a significant safety risk in our community,” said Dickie.
“As well, I feel the highway had evolved into a division of our community which the highway relocation and the four-way intersection was beginning to correct.”
Dickie and Ministry of Transportation officials met at the site of the intersection to discuss matters late last month but the Oyama ward councillor says the province is going ahead with the changes despite his concerns.
In a letter to Dickie, the ministry said it will be installing speed reader boards north- and south-bound on Pelmewash approaching Oyama Road, while zebra crosswalk warnings are going to be installed on Pelmewash on north and south crossings of the parkway.
Dickie says while he did meet with the ministry and was told that the district was consulted before the change, he says it appears the decision had already been made, despite local concerns.
“The engineer repeatedly referred to respecting local input but it was more than obvious that the decision had been made and there were no plans to reverse it,” said Dickie.
“I am hopeful that the public concerns have been noticed and I will continue to work towards returning to a four-way stop.”
