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Increased safety coming to Oak Ridges Drive

April 15, 2021   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski

Safety measures are being taken by the Town of Orangeville along Oak Ridge Drive after an impaired driver crashed into a resident’s front lawn last month.

A joint motion brought forward by Coun. Lisa Post and Coun. Todd Taylor at a Council meeting on April 12 was passed, which will see a portable speed sign installed at Oak Ridge Drive between Island Lake Public School and the street’s hairpin bend.

A sign is also to be installed; warning of the bend on the north side of the road near Graham Crescent.

“There was an incident that happened on Oak Ridge Drive and Coun. Taylor and I went and spoke with a lot of the residents in the area,” Coun. Lisa Post recalled. “The residents in the area understand that these safety measures that we’re moving forward tonight wouldn’t have stopped that one incident, but what does happen when an incident like this… happens is all of the residents came out and really started to address some of the other concerns that they have in their neighborhood.

“They’re working together as a collaborative neighbourhood right now to make some suggestions,” she added.

In the meantime, to provide an immediate increase in neighbourhood safety, Coun. Post and Taylor and came up with the idea of utilizing a portable speed sign and sign warning of an upcoming hairpin bend along the street, while they wait for a town-wide traffic calming study to be complete.

“These are items that have been done in the recent past, just a subdivision over and I don’t think they’re going to disrupt things in a major way, but they will create warning to what’s coming, and that is your speed and there’s a curve that’s upcoming,” said Coun. Taylor.

While all of Council was in support of the portable speed sign, a motion to install a sign warning of the hairpin bend narrowly passed 4-3.

Coun. Debbie Sherwood, who opposed the hairpin bend sign, said the incident in question would have happened regardless, as the person who crashed into a resident’s front lawn was impaired.

“We have to be mindful that we have to be less reactive of every incident that happens on curvy roads in this town,” she noted.

General manager of infrastructure services, Doug Jones said it’s an important point to not overuse warning signs as they can lose their impact.

While Insufficient warning signs may leave road users unprepared for encountering hazards, over signing or exaggerated signing may result in complacency, he explained.

Coun. Peters noted that while the Town needs to pay attention to safety in the Oak Ridge Drive area, for the sake of consistency, he could not support the permanent hairpin bend warning sign.

Mayor Sandy Brown said he’s aligned with Coun. Peters’ comments regarding the signage.

“I think we need to look at the town holistically. A criminal drunk driver running from a hit and run is not going to be stopping at any sign or any stoplight or any flashing LED sign or any rumble strip. They’re running from the law and this is what happened here, so I’m in favor of getting some data [with the portable speed sign],” said Mayor Brown.

“We’ve decreased the speed limits in these neighbourhoods now, I would hope that that data is going to reflect that, but I’m certainly not in favour of spending the money on the additional sign on the hairpin [bend].”

Despite Mayor Brown, Coun. Sherwood, and Coun. Peters’ opposition, the motion for the warning sign was approved 4-3.

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