Region of Queens councillors to tackle traffic again at Tuesday’s meeting
Region of Queens councillors will again discuss traffic safety in downtown Liverpool, at their regular meeting on Tuesday. (Rick Conrad)
Traffic concerns, a heritage property and money for community groups are some of the issues Queens County councillors will be discussing on Tuesday at their regular council meeting.
At their April 23 meeting, councillors wanted more study of traffic safety issues in downtown Liverpool.
They voted to defer a decision on whether to install orange crosswalk flags at the three-way stop at Main and Market streets. Staff did not support that idea. But councillors plan to discuss it again on Tuesday.
Councillors also plan to consider a motion on Tuesday to spend $1,000 on a traffic study on Main Street, from School Street to Riverside Drive near Fort Point Lighthouse Park.
This was after a petition from residents in November, urging the region to lower speed limits in the area and to create a four-way stop at the Main and School Street intersection. Residents want the current 50 km/h limit lowered to 40.
At their April 23 meeting, councillors heard from Adam Grant, the region’s director of engineering and public works. He said an outside consultant in February studied municipal roads that might meet the provincial criteria for lowering the speed limit to below 50.
That work found that 85 per cent of the traffic on the section of Main Street from School down to the park was already topping out at 42 km/h.
Grant told councillors it would cost $35,000 to hire a traffic consultant to study the feasibility of a four-way stop at Main and School streets.
The municipality also plans to use three mobile speed feedback signs to help with lowering speed in the area.
Mayor Darlene Norman summarized Grant’s report.
“We can let the petitioners know that it is possible to reduce the speed from School east to Main. We are going to continue to do the investigation to reduce speed in that area. … We are doing three speed feedback signs, so that’s speed calming, which we can place in other areas.”
Staff are recommending that council spend the $1,000 to study the section of Main Street from School Street to the park. But they are not recommending crosswalk flags at the three-way stop on Main Street.
Councillors will also vote on Tuesday on requests from 18 non-profit groups for operational, capital or event funding through the region’s community investment fund.
Another 16 groups applied for funding of less than $1,000 each. Those requests do not require council’s approval. Staff assess those applications. If councillors approve the requests, the region will be giving $147,858.64 to community groups around Queens County.
And the Medway Area Heritage Society is applying for a municipal heritage designation for Seely Hall in Port Medway.
Built as a general store, warehouse and shipping office in the mid-1800s by the family of privateer Caleb Seely, the building is now used for community events, such as the Medway Head Lighthouse Art and Craft Show every summer.
The region’s heritage advisory committee recommended the property for heritage designation. It said the role of the building as a community hall and general store and the prominence of the Seely family is of great historical significance to the area.
Council meets at 9 a.m. on Tuesday in council chambers on White Point Road. You can also watch the proceedings live on the Region of Queens Facebook page or YouTube channel.
Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com