Make road near Sarnia school safer, resident urges county council

Sarnia resident Robert Dickieson says a stretch of Sarnia’s busy London Road should be made safer for pedestrians, particularly pupils of a nearby public school.

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Dickieson, whose daughter attends London Road elementary school, asked Lambton County Council on Wednesday to consider changes to the four-lane street, which is part of the county road system.

While drivers using London Road aren’t likely to have concerns with the current street, “the perspective changes quickly when you walk,” he said. “When you walk, it’s unpleasant.”

He asked for improvements to enhance pedestrian, cyclist and transit user safety, including changes to slow drivers down and pay more attention to pedestrians.

Pupils from neighbourhoods south of London Road use a school crossing on their way to and from school, Dickieson said.

“In my experience, motorists blow through, not seeing the school crossing guard in the middle of the road,” he said.

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Dickieson asked the county to consider changes to boost drivers’ attention on the roadway, slated for resurfacing in the next few years.

“There’s a unique opportunity to improve it,” he said. “Each time you touch a road, let’s make it better for all of us.”

There are simple ways “to reduce the speed and incorporate more active transportation, and not necessarily limiting the amount of traffic,” Dickieson said.

That could include changing lane markings on the street where left hand lanes currently serve as both passing and turning lanes, which is “particularly dangerous,” he said.

Bike lanes could also be added, along with a raised crosswalk at the school crossing that would act like a speed bump to slow traffic, he said.

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“There are many, many ideas,” Dickieson said. “We don’t have to reinvent the wheel here.”

County council backed Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley’s motion to have Lambton’s Infrastructure and Development Services Division explore Dickieson’s request and report back.

“Everything you’re presenting is not controversial,” said Dan Sageman, deputy mayor of Lambton Shores. “It is a proven concept, and it actually creates a really beautiful urban environment when it’s executed correctly.”

Jason Cole, the county’s general manager responsible for roads, said county and city officials have “been in touch about improvements along that section of road.”

It’s not yet known “exactly what that entail would be, but we would want it to match the scope of the project, and also reflect the arterial nature of that roadway,” he said.

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Improvements on London Road from Murphy Road to the waterfront are part of the county’s five-year capital plan, Cole said.

The county is working with local municipalities to plan projects on its roads when underground municipal services also need attention, he said. “In this case, we’re still exploring that with the city.”

Previously, the county included “road diet” lane changes when upgrading sections of Front Street and Michigan Avenue, which are county roads, Cole said.

“I think they’ve been received very well,” he said. “Those streets are probably not quite as busy as London Road, but there may be opportunities to consider things like that.”

Cole said the county may ask a consultant to come “onboard and we’ll collectively look at that with the city.”

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