MEMBERS of Norfolk County Council sitting as the Budget Committee last week heard a deputation from Port Dover resident Peter Ziegler about his concern regarding speeding near Lakewood Elementary School on St. George Street.
Mr. Ziegler said he lives on the street across from the school and was representing the area’s residents, who he said are concerned about “people speeding and not stopping at the stop sign at Greenock,” which intersects with St. George Street.
“We just have some serious ideas about what we should have in that area,” he said.
He said he expressed his concern to Ontario Provincial Police, who recommended installing speed humps as a measure to slow traffic.
He mentioned that stop signs near École St. Marie in Simcoe have flashing lights on top and below to make them stand out and proposed that may help reduce speeding.
“The crossing guards have said on several occasions that people have driven right through the stop signs, and when he stops them they’ll say things like, ‘Oh, I didn’t know there was a stop sign here,’ ‘I didn’t see it,’ ‘I had no idea,’ so we’re suggesting maybe lights on that,” he said.
Another suggestion was installing a flashing red light like the one at the intersection of Nelson and St. George streets. He said it would cost approximately $2,500.
“Many of the people that we’ve spoken to on those corners would not have an issue with it,” he added.
He shared anecdotes about traffic incidents and close calls with youths chasing balls onto the busy street, emphasizing that speeding puts their safety at risk.
“The biggest concern is that from Dover Avenue all the way down to Greenock, at least, people fly like there is no speed limit,” he said.
“It’s the same problem that’s going on all over Dover, with speeding everywhere, practically.”
After Mr. Ziegler’s deputation, Ward 4 Councillor Chris Van Paassen asked staff if the Road Safety Committee knew about the issue.
Andrew Grice, general manager of environmental and infrastructure services, said the committee was unaware, but he thinks “it is warranted for review and staff to investigate and come up with some solutions.”
Subsequently, Ward 7 Coun. Kim Huffman moved to direct staff to investigate and provide solutions for the issue through the Road Safety Committee. Council approved the motion unanimously.
Ward 6 Coun. Adam Veri asked Mr. Grice how long it usually takes for an issue such as this to move from the committee’s agenda to a resolution.
“That would vary depending on the complexity of the solution. Listening to the deputation, flashing red lights on top of a stop sign, that is very quick. Though we meet every quarter, something like that could be actioned in a matter of months,” he said.
“Simple things can be done within weeks and more complex measures may take us a year or up to a year to construct.”
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Originally published January 22, 2025
