A city councillor believes it’s time to address what he dubs ‘serious traffic concerns’ throughout Old North London. Sam Trosow has arranged a public meeting on July 23rd. It will feature police alongside municipal and independent traffic engineers. The gathering will take place less than a month after a school crossing guard was seriously injured when she was struck at the intersection of Colbourne and Saint James streets. Trosow contends that, at the bare minimum, the crossroads should be converted to a four-way stop. It already features a pedestrian crosswalk. “It’s time for action. I would like the city to undertake a general review of traffic safety in the entire Old North neighbourhood because this is not the only intersection that’s been a problem.” Trosow states rapid suburban growth is partly to blame. “Much of it is due to the development on the outskirts. People are looking for routes that they can cut through when they take Oxford, Wonderland or Richmond. So, they will figure out where they can cut through in the neighbourhood. And I think that that creates just more of a general peril.” The public meeting takes place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church. “I think what’s going to come out of the meeting is you’re going to hear a lot of really good ideas coming from some of the residents who have thought about this for a long time,” said Trosow. Already, petitions are circulating asking for calming measures at multiple intersections. “In addition to filling in the four-way stop signs where they’re needed, we might need a traffic diverter or two at the appropriate place in Old North,” concluded Trosow.
