While numbers don’t lie, officials say context is critical, especially when looking at the safety of a roundabout on County Road 93 at the bottom of the hill between Midland and Penetanguishene.
Historically known as Howe’s Corners, the intersection at County Road 93 was, for decades, a straight two-lane road with vehicles travelling down hills at 80 kilometres per hour from both towns with just a street light to moderate traffic as a connection to Vindin Street to the east and Golf Link Road to the west.
It was also known for being a dangerous intersection for collisions, including a fatality in 2016 that prompted the installation of the roundabout in 2018.
At an expected cost of $7.8 million to the county, construction took place over phases through 2021 with completion of the two-lane roundabout in October of 2022 at a final cost of $6.9 million, according to Simcoe County transportation construction manager Julie Scruton.
Southern Georgian Bay OPP Const. David Hobson said just three collision incidents were reported in the year from October 2020 to 2021, but that number increased to 12 collision incidents in the following October 2021 to 2022 span.
“I’m unaware of anything serious happening,” said Hobson.
The officer related an anecdote where he witnessed a cautious driver slowing to assess a merge into the traffic flow, but was bumped from behind by a distracted driver.
“They had a 5 km/h rear fender bender, more of an annoyance for everybody,” he added. “People touching fenders when they’re going around, people failing to give the right of way – it’s all minor stuff.”
Various factors were likely involved in the higher report numbers, said Hobson. He suggested that tourists unfamiliar with the intersection could have played a role, inclement weather especially during the winter months, and speed while staying in control in one’s designated lane.
Hobson also spoke to instances of drivers making illegal turns within the roundabout as well, but said that those infractions were few and far between, and felt that the roundabout was a much safer intersection than when traffic lights were installed at the right-angle roads in the 1980s.
“There was a learning curve and people in the public voiced … about how people (drivers) need to learn to do better going through there,” Hobson said of his time spent in education campaigns at local events, when he handed out pamphlets regarding safety use of the roundabout.
Additionally, the OPP had shared a one-minute Twitter video where Southern Georgian Bay OPP Const. Aaron Coulter explained how “to safely drive this new traffic intersection control device,” which Hobson admitted hadn’t received as much visibility as he would have preferred.
“It’s a normal road,” Hobson stated. “Mind your speed as you approach, enter and pass through the roundabout; always be prepared to yield to other vehicles as you enter; and always signal your intentions as you exit the roundabout.”
When asked if other municipalities should look into installing roundabouts for safety purposes, Scruton said Simcoe County has invested in other projects similar to municipalities across both Ontario as well as Europe, and pointed to a roundabout being built at County Road 53 in Springwater Township at Wilson Drive and Carson Road, just outside Barrie.
“Roundabouts have been selected in these instances due to their many proven benefits,” wrote Scruton, “which include, safety, lower speeds, higher capacity, fewer stops and shorter delays, and less idling and air pollution.”
