Residents call for traffic calming on Tecumseh streets amid construction-related speeding, OPP enforcement

Tecumseh OPP are increasing enforcement near Arlington Boulevard after residents voiced concerns about speeding. CTV Windsor’s Chris Campbell has more.

Frustrated residents living near ongoing construction in Tecumseh say aggressive drivers and increased traffic volumes are putting families at risk, prompting calls for traffic calming and greater enforcement.

The Ontario Provincial Police have named Arlington Boulevard a targeted roadway for increased traffic enforcement this summer. But residents say more must be done to protect those living in the area from drivers speeding through side streets to avoid Riverside Drive construction.

“The big issue is with the rude drivers,” said Gary Glatter, who lives on Riverside Drive East.

“This has been going on for two years now. It’s not like people don’t know that there’s construction here.”

Glatter said walking his dog in the morning has become stressful.

“People in this area are really, not only we frustrated, but we’re worried. When we walk our dog in the morning, it’s a very, very tense situation because it’s rush hour. And the time it takes to go around the construction area, maybe two minutes, a minute, and they still speed,” he said.

“I’m just so, so frustrated. They’re rude, they’re arrogant. They feel they are entitled,” said Glatter’s wife, Kathy.

The couple, along with their son Jared, said action should have come sooner.

“Why should it have taken somebody to get injured for them to do that?” Glatter asked.

“This could have all been prevented,” Jared Glatter said.

“People are just flying down because they’re impatient. They can’t go through a small stretch of road. If you go to the detour, it’s two minutes. You can go up Arlington, there’s no stop signs. You go up St. Mark’s, there’s no stop signs. You go up Edgewater, there’s no stop signs. So, people are just going to go flying through. Temporary speed bumps would help that.”

Arlington Boulevard resident Jane McArthur echoed those calls and said enforcement hasn’t been visible or effective.

“We have been communicating with the OPP and the Town of Tecumseh for quite some time around our concerns about increasing traffic volumes and increasing speed, particularly in light of the construction on Riverside,” she said.

“And we have been promised increased surveillance and that police would be around the area to ensure people aren’t speeding. We haven’t seen that, and we certainly haven’t seen it change the behaviour of the drivers and the concerns that those of us who are walking the street have been facing. I want to take seriously that they have heard the concerns that have been voiced repeatedly and again, particularly in light of the horrible incident that happened on Sunday. But I do wonder as well to what extent it will have an impact. I don’t think that that’s actually going to get at the root cause of the problem.”

McArthur said long-term solutions need to be considered.

“Police presence may stop people speeding when they see the police, but really, what we need and what we’ve been asking for for a long time is some traffic calming measures. This is a neighbourhood street,” she said.

“We’ve got four schools in the area. A lot of kids in the neighbourhood walking to and from bus stops and to schools. People walk their dogs. There’s seniors. There’s a lot that happens on the street. And when you have cars speeding by, it’s not safe. It’s been an escalating problem. People’s tempers are running high. We all, I’m sure, are guilty of yelling out to cars to slow down. And it’s unfortunate that a driver now took to violence in order to address their own frustration.”

Tom Fazekas, who also lives on Arlington, said traffic has surged since construction began.

“Since the construction started, this is a very busy corner. Cars are constantly flying back and forth here,” he said.

“We don’t have sidewalks, but which potentially could be a solution to some of these close calls. But enforcement in general is something that should be part of this process.”

Deputy Mayor Joe Bachetti said the town is listening and taking action.

“We take these complaints very seriously,” Bachetti said.

“We need to look at ways and in terms of budget wise, to look at these roads, but not only Arlington but other roads, so that we can have pedestrians walk safely to and from their home. At budget time I’d be happy to present, personally speaking, one of my things is safe school routes. And what that means is whenever you go outside your door, if you’re a child going to school, you have to be able to get safely to a school using a sidewalk. Perhaps a sidewalk gap analysis is warranted.”

According to Bachetti, the town is implementing several measures, including:

• Deploying a speed trailer to Arlington Boulevard to remind drivers of their speed
• Installing a temporary speed cushion as soon as one is available to help calm traffic
• Setting up speed surveillance equipment and traffic monitoring signs next week
• Clarifying that Grant Avenue, Hayes Avenue, St. Mark’s Road, and Arlington Boulevard are not official detour routes for the Riverside Drive reconstruction project
• Confirming a recent inspection of detour signage found no deficiencies
• Exploring long-term sidewalk installation plans, contingent on completion of the Scully/St. Mark’s Pump Station project to prevent future flooding

Residents said they welcome the immediate efforts, but are hopeful for lasting change.