City takes closer look at accident-prone Sarnia intersection

Brian White says he’s seen a lot of collisions at George and Brock streets in Sarnia.

“That particular intersection seems to have trouble in terms of accidents, and it has been a consistent thing for many years, in my experience,” the city councilor said.

When another crash in February prompted an online discussion, including road design, it seemed it was time to make a change, White said.

“My main concern obviously is public safety in this and making sure we do whatever we can to curb the risk,” he said.

White’s call for a study of the intersection received council support in February, and a more detailed study of the intersection is planned after city staff reported back this week that there have been 35 collisions at Brock and George streets since 2013, and the intersection is in the city’s top five when it comes to the number of collisions relative to traffic volume.

What contributes to those collisions varies, so what can be done to mitigate them needs further study, the report said.

Council green-lit an internal study this week, which may be followed by a broader, more expensive study next year of the one-way Brock Street and Vidal Street arterial roads.

That larger study could look into narrowing the three-lane thoroughfares, which were widened about 50 years ago to give quicker access to and from Chemical Valley or turning them into two-way streets.

Current traffic levels don’t warrant the roads such as they are, wide and straight with synchronized traffic signals, staff said, referring to the city’s 2014 transportation master plan that called for keeping the streets one-way, but building in more active transportation.

Freeway-like roadway design tends to encourage speeding, staff said.

The Brock and George streets study will cost about $25,000 and details are expected this summer, city engineering and operations general manager David Jackson said.

The larger study could cost $100,000 to $150,000 and could be something for council to consider in 2024 budget deliberations later this year, council decided March 13.

White said he likes the idea of ​​two-way traffic flow again on Brock and Vidal.

“I want this to be a good discussion on council and in our engineering department so we can make the best decision,” White said.

“I think ultimately a change is needed, but I don’t want to have a Band-Aid solution. It’s time to move forward in redesigning and making these roads safer, and not just for drivers.”

Robert Dickieson, a proponent for making streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians, said he’d like to see Brock and Vidal delisted as arterial, all traffic lights on them changed to four-way stops, two-way traffic returned, rebuilt boulevards, separated bicycle paths and other pedestrian and cyclist-friendly measures.

A transportation master plan in the works will also look at bike lanes for the corridor, city staff said.

Council also approved $2.9-million in sewer separation work for Brock Street, between Wellington and Talfourd streets, and Vidal Street, between Talfourd and Devine streets.

there’s grant money for that work, so doing it now makes sense, even if the streetscape changes later, Jackson said.

“They are only one block each,” he said. “Of course it would be nice to have a full answer we’re going to do in the future, but we don’t see those as a major issue.”

The contract with Clarke Construction Inc. is about $200,000 more expensive than estimated, and it’s not clear if that will affect what other sewer separation contracts, yet to be awarded, can be completed this year.

The 2023 sewer separation program budget is $7.8 million, staff said.

“If other tenders in this program come in below budget, then the overall budget may be sufficient,” construction manager Rob Williams’ report reads.

“If other tenders are also high, then staff will consider eliminating a planned street, or requesting additional funds.”