- York Regional Council recently approved a Community Safety Zone for Ninth Line in the vicinity of the new Blessed Chiara Badano and St. Katharine Drexel YCDSB schools.
- The new Community Safety Zone will be implemented between Stouffville Road and Bethesda Sideroad, increasing fines for traffic violations and reducing the strip’s speed limit to 40 km/h.
- The new zone will be in effect between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, throughout the school year to help enhance safety. The road will otherwise operate at a speed limit of 50 km/h.
- Town Staff are also investigating the implementation of traffic signals at Ninth Line and Meridian Drive following a related delegation from local resident Luisa Amabile.
- Amabile also requested new crossing guards at the Bayberry and Baker Hill roundabout on Ninth Line.
- Traffic flow and pedestrian safety have been major concerns for families with students destined for the new school facility in early 2024.
- Tom Pechkovsky, YCDSB’s Manager of Planning and Operations, supported the delegation in a letter to Council.
- “Active travel initiatives have highlighted the importance of [signalized intersections and crossing guards] in success of residents choosing active modes of travel vs. the private automobile,” his letter explained.
- Town staff have already begun discussions with York Region regarding signalization and changes to road and sidewalk user prioritization at the roundabout.
- Council referred Amabile’s delegation to Staff, who will consider the new crossing guards as the 2024 budget process gets underway later this year.
