There are high hopes that a busy West Island intersection will soon become a lot safer.
The Pierrefonds-Roxboro Borough mayor has confirmed to Global News that painted lines and a flashing light will be installed on Sources Boulevard at the intersection of Pavillon Street.
Jim Beis is hoping the changes to make the area safer will be installed by the end of the year.
“The car culture is alive and well,” Beis told Global News. “And what happens with that is more cars on the street. People are impatient. It causes issues, particularly in residential areas, so we as leaders in the community have to adapt to that reality.”
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On Tuesday, 12-year-old Jamal Naqvi was hit by a car in a hit and run as the Riverdale High School student was crossing the road. Fortunately, his injuries were minor. The Montreal police department are looking for the driver of the car.
There is already a yellow crosswalk with flashing lights directly in front of Riverdale High, only half-a-block away from the busy intersection.
Another school, Saint-Gérard Elementary, is only four kilometres away and sits in the middle of two busy intersections on Pierrefonds Boulevard.
Some parents would like a crosswalk to be added in the middle of Pierrefonds Boulevard but the school and the mayor said they are opposed to the idea.
“That’s a high-density traffic area that even if we were to put a crosswalk with a flashing light would pose a significant danger to the children,” Beis said.
Instead, some signs telling students to cross at intersections have been installed on school property and officials have emailed parents with the same message.