Honeywood residents ask County for road safety measures

Written By PAULA BROWN

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

Residents from Honeywood are advocating for the County of Dufferin to implement road safety measures on two major roadways in the community. 

During their meeting on Oct. 10, Dufferin County Council received a delegation from Honeywood resident Nancy Matthews, requesting that the County of Dufferin look at ways to slow traffic down at the intersection of County Road 21 and 2nd Line. 

“This year the traffic has been horrendously more and more aggressive and harassing to all the residents,” said Matthews, who has been a lifelong resident of Honeywood. “I thought ‘I need to move.' Then, I said ‘no, this is my hometown and somebody needs to speak up.'” 

Matthews presented councillors with a petition containing 76 names and signatures of Honeywood residents, who support the need for road safety measures to slow traffic at the intersection. 

“I wanted to see how the community felt and what controls they would like to see so I came up with some ideas and they added some more to the petition,” explained Matthews. 

In the petition, the residents of Honeywood highlighted the different types of safety controls they would like to potentially have investigated to help address their safety concerns. 

The suggested road measures included creating a four-way stop at the intersection of County Rd. 21 and 2nd Line, lowering the speed limit to 40 kilometres per hour on both roads, changing the painted passing lines to doubles lines, camera or speed radar, speed bumps, rumble strips, speed cushions, increased fines, crosswalks and sidewalks for pedestrians. 

During her delegation, Matthews shared with councillors some of the experiences Honeywood residents have had with the lack of road safety on the two roads within the community. 

Matthews noted that residents have expressed being subject to aggressive driving, verbal confrontations, nearly being hit by vehicles while walking, struggling to cross the intersection's crosswalk, and children being scared to ride their bikes or go to the park. 

The intersection also serves as a pick-up and drop-off point for students who use the school bus, and parents have expressed feeling unsafe walking to and from the bus stop as traffic rolls through. 

Recreational amenities in Honeywood include the arena, park and baseball field, all located along County Rd. 21. 

“Many townships and county roads have dropped speeds deemed to be county safety zones [and] no truck zones. Those roads have scattered housing, yet, Honeywood is a village with community recreation facilities, but we have non safety control,” said Matthews.