Shortly after outside protesters chanted, “Hey, hey, ho ho, the killer streets must go,” Hamilton City Council approved a proposal Wednesday that would transform Main Street, the site of several recent injuries and deaths, in two directions. movement.
Despite opposition from councilors Lloyd Ferguson (Ancaster) and Maria Pearson (Ward 10, Lower Stony Creek), the Coun. Maureen Wilson (Division 1, West Lower Town) and Nrinder Nan (Division 3) passed easily after passionate pleas from several councilors who said the change would save lives and honor those killed.
“Imagine that your best friend just turned 49 and as a dedicated transport driver … was hit and killed by a driver who jumped the curb,” Nan said, referring to the recent death of a DARTS driver near to Main and Locke streets after the driver climbed the curb.
“Imagine that your father has booked his flight for your wedding, but he will never succeed because [he and his colleagues got hit while walking to work]She said, referring to a victim killed in March near Gage Park.
The proposal calls for “the conversion of the main street from one-way to two-way to be approved as an immediate safety intervention”.
It also directs staff to create an implementation plan “that integrates a redesign of Full Streets that will allow safer use for all people who need to use the streets, including public transport drivers, pedestrians, motorists and cyclists, and that these spaces also contribute to climate resilience by providing shady trees and permeable surfaces. “
The councilors voted on part of the proposal for the conversion of Main Street, apart from the rest of the document, which also called for measures, including more pedestrian space, temporary lane cuts, removal of parking restrictions, reduced speed limits and review of synchronized traffic lights on main and royal streets.
While Pearson voted against the transformation of Main Street, she voted in favor of the other proposed measures.
Protesters call Maine Street “serial killer”
Earlier on Wednesday, a handful of protesters blocked Main Street West in front of Hamilton City Hall for several minutes, and a group of more than 50 people called on municipal councilors to take immediate action to make roads safer after a series of pedestrian deaths.
Protesters put up signs and banners marking Main Street as a “serial killer”.
This came after a brief demonstration in the front yard of the town hall, where community members shared stories and demanded change.
Linda Lukasik, CEO of Environment Hamilton, told a story about her father being hit by a car in the city. She was among a crowd of more than 50 people pushing for safer streets in Hamilton. (Bobby Hristova / CBC)
“I’m not some militant radical against cars, I’m just a parent who can’t believe how we can normalize the absurd on our streets,” Tom Flood told the crowd.
“Right now we have a very simple choice, we can protect the people in our community or we can constantly protect the roads that steal from us.
The demonstration comes after 11 pedestrians were killed in vehicle accidents in the city this year.
The debate over changing one-way traffic on Main Street to two-way has been going on for years.
A protester is holding a sign calling Maine Street a serial killer in an attempt to raise awareness of a series of pedestrian deaths that Hamilton saw this year. (Bobby Hristova / CBC)
Dave Shelnat, a lawyer for bodily injuries for cyclists and pedestrians, said people should see driving as a privilege, not a right. “If you’ve almost been hit or hit here, can you raise your hand?” He said.
Almost everyone raised their hands.
Chris Ritzma, who helped organize the demonstration, said Main Street was a symbol of the city’s inaction. “This is the beginning, not the end of safe streets throughout Hamilton,” he said.
Some suburban councilors are worried about traffic
Opponents of the transformation, Pearson and Ferguson, worried that suburban residents would have to deal with congestion when they went downtown.
“The concern for my residents is efficiency,” Pearson said, noting changes in traffic synchronization that could allow drivers to drive miles through the city without having to stop. “You have to do it [the speed limit] if you want to make these lights. “
Ferguson was worried about reducing easy access to Highway 403 to the west for his voters working in the center. He said voting on the “emotional” change would lead to poor decision-making, and said he was not aware of any evidence that the two-way transformation would be the “silver bullet” to reduce clashes.
“I need to have factual data because I’m going to be broken up by Ancaster people who use Main Street to go to work.”
count. Russ Powers (Division 5) said he was initially of the same mindset, but changed his mind after consulting with city staff and seeing the support of the four ward councilors, who sometimes include the five-lane road.
“We know it won’t happen immediately, but if we don’t start, it will never be done,” he said.
Earlier in the meeting, Count. Merula himself (Participation 4) presented a proposal to reaffirm the council’s conviction that Ontario must change its policy to recognize the right of pedestrians to cross, regardless of where they are on the road. He initially submitted a similar proposal in 2013.
“I was ruthlessly mocked for being a stop sign for Sam,” he said. “Yes, I probably have the most stop signs [my] department. “
Merula repeatedly stressed during the meeting that lower speeds save lives.
“It’s a good sign of traffic jams,” he said. “The idea is to create traffic jams to slow down traffic.”
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