Gananoque council is set to receive a report from its public works department regarding a proposed installation of a crosswalk.

The crosswalk would be located at the intersection of Kate Street and Water Street, and would involve the removal of stop signs at the location.

Gananoque’s council meeting takes place Tuesday at 6 p.m.

The area in question was revitalized in 2022, and staff has been monitoring the area for efficiencies in vehicular and pedestrian traffic since the completion of the project.

The town does not have current or historic pedestrian counts for this area, however, staff has noted that the potential removal of the stop sign at this particular one-way intersection would encourage vehicle movement in a manner so as not to impede vehicles parked in the area.

According to staff’s report, a 'PXO,' or pedestrian crossover, is most suitable for the area, however, a traffic engineer, should be commissioned to perform an analysis to determine the most suitable treatment for the subject area.

Staff recommend a PXO treatment rather than a courtesy crosswalk, as a PXO is enforceable under Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act (HTA), thereby reducing the risk to pedestrians while also encouraging fluid vehicular movement throughout the area.

If council would like to act on this item, staff would require direction to refer $17,000 to the 2024 draft budget or approve a budget deviation for 2023 to undertake this project.

The costs for a courtesy crosswalk treatment at this intersection would be approximately $17,000, staff’s report reads, which includes a traffic study completed by an engineer. Currently there is no available funding for this in the 2023 operational or capital budgets.

(Keith Dempsey is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Brockville Recorder and Times. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.)

Keith Dempsey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Brockville Recorder and Times