Timmins resident concerned about speeding, risky driving on Sixth Avenue

2023: People who speed concern a Timmins resident A man who lives on Sixth Avenue in Timmins is taking steps to reduce speeding in his neighbourhood. Lydia Chubak reports.

John Belair is worried someone is going to get hurt on Sixth Avenue in Timmins.

Belair has lived there for about 16 years and over the past year, he's noticed traffic volumes increase and often sees long lines of vehicles during peak hours.

But he said it's the high number of drivers who are speeding that is his biggest concern.

“Maybe they are trying to do a reroute past Algonquin because Algonquin is so rough they’re using now Sixth Avenue as a 401, let’s put it this way," said Belair.

"And it’s too bad, we don’t want to hear anybody getting hurt or killed. Simple as that.”

Belair said he has witnessed several collisions due to people not being careful and the worry has pushed him to bring the matter to city hall.

He would like to see a four-way stop sign set up to slow traffic.

“They responded to me that they were going to install a car counter and then do a traffic survey -- this and that -- but I haven’t got that much of a response from the city," said Belair.

"A four-way stop right dead centre of Sixth Avenue, it would slow them down a bit.”

Belair has also met with Timmins police who said they are well aware of the problems on Sixth Avenue and elsewhere.

“Other sections that have been improved in the City of Timmins seem to be coming, sadly, a bit of a racetrack and we can’t have that," said Marc Depatie, communications coordinator with the Timmins Police Service.

"That’s not a tolerable set of circumstances. We are sharing the roadway at all times, as I said, with pedestrians, small children, senior citizens.”

Police officials said Belair's concern warrants that patrols be stepped up on Sixth and other areas of similar concern to remind motorists to follow the rules of the road.