‘One of those bad, bad roads’: Cambridge council votes to request changes after fatal crash

Cambridge city council has voted to ask the Region of Waterloo to consider changes to a street that has been at the centre of safety discussions following a fatal crash last week.

On Monday night, council unanimously approved a request that changes be implemented on Cedar Street, where a three-year-old died after being struck by a vehicle on Dec. 11.

The next day, CTV News was at the scene again and learned emergency crews had responded to another collision in the same area involving two vehicles. Police said one person was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and one driver was charged.

Those who live nearby voiced their concerns after hearing about the back-to-back collisions, calling for additional safety measures.

The item was brought forward to council on Monday as urgent, allowing councillors to waive a notice of motion and vote immediately.

Cedar Street is a regional road, meaning any changes would need to be approved by the Region of Waterloo.

As part of the request, councillors are asking the region to lower the speed limit to 40 km/h on Cedar Street between Grand Ridge Drive and St. Andrews Street as an immediate safety measure.

Council is also requesting a pedestrian safety review of the area and a review of previously recommended changes.

Mayor Jan Liggett told council she visited the area on the night of Dec. 12 alongside a Waterloo Regional Police officer and stopped at a sacred fire held in honour of the three-year-old.

“One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do because the mother and the father of that little girl got out of a car while I was there. It was her first outing out of the hospital, very difficult,” Liggett said. “The trauma they have gone through, the accidents that have happened at that crosswalk and on that road...there was another one the next day. So, something absolutely has to be done here. It’s just really one of those bad, bad roads here in our community.”

Council’s request will now be forwarded to the region for consideration.