At the Public Works committee meeting, Terry McCann, director of public works made a presentation on one of the most requested road features his department deals with; pedestrian crossings. He noted that the county follows provincial regulations and guidelines to determine if a crossing is warranted. He reported that pedestrian volumes of 100 or more within an 8 hour period along with traffic volumes greater than 750 vehicles over the same time period are required before considering some type of crossing. The proximity to any existing traffic control feature is also taken into consideration. He covered the various types of crossings, some which use lights and some which employ only lane markings and signs. He pointed to Carleton Place’s Townline Road as an example. The intersection of this county-controlled road and the Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail has seen both trail user and vehicle traffic increase to the point where a signalized crossing is required and it will be installed in 2021.
As the county is responsible for a substantial number of roads, the public works department has made some changes to its operations to ensure snow clearing service (as well as other duties) can be maintained in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. Operators have instituted a new and thorough sanitizing regime of equipment and trucks and have made arrangements with outside contractors to assist if the county’s own operators are off due to symptoms and waiting for a Covid test.