TIMMINS - There won't be new stop signs going in, but there could be changes on the way for a busy intersection.
A community safety zone and curb extensions are likely for the Ross Avenue and Toke Street area. A decision on it was deferred at the March 18 Timmins council meeting to allow staff time to update the boundaries for the safety zone.
In January, staff was asked to consider a four-way stop.
While director of growth and infrastructure Scott Tam said there are issues at the intersection, stop signs aren't in the plans right now.
Instead, he's recommending adding a community safety zone and curb extension.
“And then as we do that we want to continue to monitor it because we do anticipate with some of the growth developments that we will have to enhance that intersection anyways and probably put more of a mechanical or signalized traffic control measures there,” said Tam.
A community safety zone allows stricter enforcement and increased fines for traffic violations, according to the report. It's the suggested area that is holding up its approval.
The suggestion brought to council is to have the zone on Ross Avenue from Patricia to Burke, which is across from the west entrance of Timmins and District Hospital.
Coun. Steve Black asked if it could be extended to Highway 655, which would add in the medical plaza, daycare and park.
There is currently a two-way stop at the intersection, with the signs being for north-south traffic on Toke Street. Just east of the intersection is a lighted pedestrian crossing, and the speed limit is 50 km/h.
The curb extension will narrow a section of the road, ending the four lanes of traffic further east on Ross. It can reduce vehicle speeds up up to 8 km/h.
"Currently the curb lane is often misused as a slip-around lane which can be harmful to pedestrian safety," reads the report.
On March 27, 6,990 vehicles and 40 pedestrians passed through the intersection during a traffic count. In the past three years, there have been 14 crashes at the intersection, according to Timmins Police data. There were three crashes in 2022, four in 2023, and seven in 2024.
Timmins Police's moveable speed cameras that show a vehicle's speed and collect traffic data were also brought up.
“When we first began our term there was a lot of concerns about speeding and then we kind of let our foot of the gas,” said Coun. Bill Gvozdanovic.
“This council has to act on this. These complaints are not going to go away. We can deal with this one intersection here and they’ll be blasting down whatever other street — Ross, Theriault, Father Costello, in every ward. So whether it’s rotating speed cameras or something."
City staff haven't talked to the new police chief or deputy chief about their stance on the signs yet.