One of the main topic when I knocked on doors last fall during the 2017 municipal election campaign was how to curtail speeding on certain streets.

Working with our newly constituted Traffic Committee, chaired by Councillor David Tordjman and staffed by Engineer Spyro Yotis, there were five specific targets for me in District 2:  vehicles making dangerous U-turns at the corner of The Avenue and Park Place; evaluating the speed bumps on Marc Chagall Avenue near Kildare Road; analyzing the problem of vehicles darting out of the rear parking lot exit of the City Hall/Library complex on Sir Walter Scott Avenue; speeding  on Rembrandt Avenue; and the logjam of cars at the corner of Kildare  Road and Rembrandt during rush hour.

Park Place resident Corey Frenkiel provided some good feedback about vehicles entering  the Quartier Cavendish via The Avenue and then making U-turns on his street.  These drivers were too lazy to turn into the actual lot. A No U-Turn sign was installed recently and the problem seems to be resolved. We are now concentrating on the crosswalk from the apartment building on The Avenue leading to the Quartier Cavendish entrance next to the café. Some vehicles are driving much too quickly in that section as well. For starters we have installed flower pots to slow them down. Mr. Yotis will continue to monitor the situation to see if any more corrective measures are necessary.

Speed bumps on Marc Chagall.

We placed speed bumps on Marc Chagall last year on a trial basis after many complaints from residents  of speeding cars. The situation was exacerbated by the many construction vehicles going back and forth almost daily for the new Equinoxe twin towers condo apartment project. Phase Two has not even commenced yet so we expect work there to last another 18 to 24 months. The speed bumps have been deemed successful, notably by some residents of Les Cours Marc Chagall town houses which are right in front of this new deterrent.

Making the Sir Walter Scott turnaround safer.

 With the beautiful reconfiguration of our parking lot at the City Hall/Library complex, the rear exit/entrance was changed.  Not only were many vehicles speeding in and out, most were not using the turnaround. We have installed very large signage directing vehicles appropriately and in the last few days,  speed bumps. This course of action should eliminate the problem and force motorists to be more prudent.

Our Public Works crew installs new speed bumps at the rear entrance of the City Hall/Library parking lot.

Rembrandt Avenue is home to five high rise condominiums, a park, a town house complex and via the turnaround on Merrimac Road the 127 unit Meadows condo.  Many people cross the street to take the laneway to Heywood and Cavendish Boulevard. Rembrandt residents  in particular  asked me to please push for a speed bump. We never had one there before. It is now in place and I have gone on site to observe.

Finally, for years the corner of Rembrandt and Kildare Road has been a problem; notably for Rembrandt motorists trying to make a left turn on Kildare during rush hour. This problem is most acute during drop off and pickup times for JPPS/Bialik.  We have looked into the possibility of installing stop signs, as requested by one resident. For now our Traffic Committee is not recommending this, reasoning that it would create even more problems. At my request we did add stop signs a few years ago at the corner of Sir Walter Scott and Kildare. This was more feasible and had the desired positive effect.

While on the subject of traffic safety, let me share the news that Crossing Guard Norman Klein has resigned. For the last number of years he did an excellent job at the Kildare/Cavendish corner, filling the huge void left following the passing of his predecessor Archie Kwiatt. Our Human Resources Department is seeking a replacement. If anyone knows someone who might be a good fit for this job please let us know. We will maken an official posting.