Editors Note: A correction was made on ward numbers of the two Hamilton councillors attributed in this post following its publishing. More detailed information on upcoming safety measures was also added to this story, including signal changes, water barriers and concrete bump-outs.
Another crash at a misaligned east-end intersection in Hamilton, Ont., has a pair of councillors seeking to expedite a safety plan already in the works for the thoroughfare.
Hamilton police say for the second time in just three months, a building in the Ottawa St. N. at Cannon Street area was hit by a car damaging the side of a large storefront window at the Poke Co restaurant.
Const. Krista Lee Ernst said fortunately no one was hurt and no charges are pending from the incident that happened around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday at 179 Ottawa Street North.
“Damage was estimated at $10,000, but does not interfere with the structural integrity of the building,” Ernst said.
Ward 4 Coun. Tammy Hwang says the crossroad has been on hers and Ward 3 Coun. Nrinder Nann’s mind since early 2023 when the pair brought a motion forward seeking a clear “plan of attack” to improve safety at the intersection.
The councillors recall some five crashes that they know of in recent years, including an August occurrence in which the Cannon Coffee Shop was struck.
Hwang says some temporary measures are being implemented this month with more robust measures expected in the coming year.
Enhanced markings were installed last month including the altering of pavement markings within the intersection and roadway segments leading to it.
“So staff have been really good and responsive as they did immediately changed up the bike lane paintings,” Hwang said.
“We did get some updates today that they will be changing up some of the crosswalks, (and) will be also looking at the signals changing as well.”
The signal operation changes, targeting conflicts between vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians, take effect on Nov. 8 with paid duty police support to start.
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Nann says geometric changes will also be made with the aid of a roadway safety specialist to reduce the possibility of vehicles striking buildings or driving up and onto sidewalks.
Water-filled jersey barriers are part of temporary modifications appearing in November until concrete bump-outs are completed in 2024.
“So similar to some of the concrete ones that we see during construction periods, but these ones are more of a buffer if impacted … water slows down the momentum of the vehicle,” Nann said.
In a statement, the city’s Transportation Division recently completed a comprehensive safety review in Q3 and said permanent bollards and another realignment of pedestrian crossings are also coming in the spring of 2024.
Hwang says more motions will be coming at future public works committees as council and transportation staff go through a “neighbourhood by neighbourhood” safety audit identifying other streets of concern.
“We’re also going to see several large developments coming forward, so with those … that’s also going to impact traffic,” said Hwang.
“So we’re trying to take a bit of a holistic sort of approach … trying to ground everything in data.”
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