What is the value of a life?
Councillor Bob Long posed that question last month when council debated a report on safety measures where Robertson Crescent intersects with 248 and 256 Streets.
A report, requested by council earlier this year, examined the intersections based on traffic volumes, existing signage, visibility and collision history, and concluded that no new measures are necessary.
Of particular concern in the discussion was the intersection at 256 Street, where a 12-year-old boy was killed in February, 2011.
A regular driver in that area, Councillor Kim Richter called it “a dangerous intersection, and the sight lines are not easy.”
She observed that the report did not note the severity of injuries in accidents at those intersections.
“We don’t spend a whole lot of money in rural areas and this is one area that needs attention,” Richter said.
Paul Cordeiro, the Township’s manager of transportation engineering who authored the report, told council that “fatal collisions are rare and infrequent, thankfully, in the Township.”
Long called the 256 Street intersection “scary.”
Mayor Jack Froese, who had lived in the area for about 30 years, agreed. “That intersection for some reason is a scary intersection.”
With the exception of Councillor Grant Ward, Froese and the rest of council voted to send the report back to staff for further examination of the issue.
Robertson Crescent traffic must stop at 248 and 256 Streets, and questions were raised about installing four-way stop signs or overhead flashing lights.
Cordeiro warned in his report that installing signs, etc., when they are not warranted “can lead to undesirable driver behaviour, in disrespecting and not complying with the signs, which can in turn result in a decrease in safety.”
He said that a roundabout would not only be costly, but could not be justified with current traffic volumes.
Flashing lights would cost about $20,000, Cordeiro said.
“I think it’s a pretty good deal,” Long said.
But Ward thought the expense was not justified and would not alter the accident rate.
“We hire the experts and we don’t listen to them,” he said.
“We could put lights at every intersection.” Ward said.
“Every one has a danger. I’m not concerned, because accidents will happen. I don’t see why the rest of us should pay for something that doesn’t have expert advice to back up.”
Councillor Bev Dornan was also reluctant to support lights.
“Funds are scarce and we have to make the very best use of our funds,” she said, pointing to other areas where priorities are higher.
Council should do all it can to make the intersection of 256 Street safer, Long said.
“A life has been lost,” he said.
“A light is very inexpensive compared to a life saved. What is the cost of a life?”