Fixing frustrating corner a very worthwhile goal

It is very good news that the city is planning to try to improve traffic flow at the intersection of Downie Street and Lorne Avenue. It is easily the most congested corner in the city, and a source of ongoing frustration for motorists, especially truckers who are giving it their best shot at keeping their rigs out of the downtown area. There is not much incentive for them, especially those heading east on Lorne, when lineups of 20 to 25 vehicles are a regular occurrence at the lights at various times of each day when eastbound motorists on Lorne are trying to turn left onto Downie.

Over the years since the corner was changed from a four-way stop to one controlled by traffic lights, there have been  a seemingly endless lineup of complainants who detest the intersection. Many even say it was better as a four-way stop. And the question is often posed: Why didn’t the city widen the intersection with proper turn lanes when it introduced lights to it?

It seems the message has gotten through and recently the city’s public works committee passed a motion to include improvements at Downie Street and Lorne Avenue in the 2009 capital budget.

And city staff have been given the task of determining whether MTO Municipal Road and Bridge Infrastructure Investment funding could be used to help pay for the project.

According to background information provided by city staff, traffic flow at the intersection would be improved by adding a left turn lane, allowing vehicles eastbound on Lorne Avenue to bypass a turning vehicle. A temporary solution, which included narrowing the lanes to accommodate a left-hand turn lane and widening the road at the southwest corner, was outlined by staff but is not being acted on at this time. The formal intersection improvements, which would include a dedicated left-hand turn lane, are expected to cost over $100,000.

The city is not going to get it right 100 per cent of the time but if it is serious at all about developing a truck route around Stratford, it cannot afford to drop the ball this time. Do it right and don’t delay!

Thanks Julia!
What more can be said about the accomplishments of Stratford’s own Olympic swimmer, Julia Wilkinson? Though medals eluded her in Beijing, she broke Canadian records and acquitted herself very well. She will be back, stronger than ever. Meanwhile, her value as a role model has been cemented. That can be seen in the faces of the kids who joined her for a celebratory swim in Lion’s Pool last week. The Olympics are about much more than sports and so is Julia. She can be justifiably proud of her accomplishments and so can we.