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.