Region and Township to discuss traffic lights on Highway 9
By Bill Rea

Mayor Margaret Black recently presented Certificates of Achievement to Elaine Robertson, in the built heritage category, and Virginia Atkins, in the cultural heritage category as part of the 2007 Heritage Community Recognition Program.

York Regional councillors are interested in installing more traffic lights along Highway 9.

Council Thursday approved the recommendation from its transportation and works committee to call on staff to hold a meeting with interested parties for further discussion of this issue, with the idea of installing at least two sets of signals somewhere along the road, with exact locations to be determined.

That meeting is set for today (Wednesday), and while she was pleased to see movement on the issue, Mayor Margaret Black said it's going to be hard deciding where they should go.

"I drive it fairly frequently," she remarked. "I don't know the answer here."

The meeting is to involve Regional and King Township staff, and Black herself.

The issue was raised by Councillor Jack Rupke in the fall. At the time, he pointed out that between Newmarket and Highway 400, there is nothing to stop traffic, meaning people trying to get onto the road frequently have a hard time finding breaks that enable them to enter the flow.

But Black pointed out there aren't many intersections there that would lend themselves to lights being installed. The sections of both Jane and Dufferin Streets running north and south from the highway don't meet, she observed. She added it might be an idea to install them at the entrance to Cardinal Golf Club.

Rupke, in September, had suggested they could be installed at Keele Street, commenting that when the highway was redesigned a couple of years ago, the necessary wiring was put in place.

Black added traffic speed is not really the issue here. It's more a matter of traffic volume.

The Regional staff report that went to committee earlier this month had recommended against traffic signals, but the committee members opted for them. Staff had stated none of the intersections between Bathurst Street and Highway 400 had the traffic numbers to warrant such signals. They reported that such unwarranted signals could reduce overall intersection safety, and increase the likelihood of certain types of accidents, such as rear-enders.

Regional council did issue direction in December, which staff said has been acted upon. They reported they have started the process of renaming that stretch of road from Highway 9 to Davis Drive West. They are also planning to install signs notifying motorists of the penalties for excessive speeding.