Region looks to add crossing light at Laurel Creek Trail and Bridgeport Road

Residents of the Peppler Street and Bridgeport Road area who were worried about the removal of the Peppler Street crosswalk will be able to keep the light after regional council voted unanimously to look at an alternative plan. 

Regional council voted unanimously at a planning and works committee on Tuesday to look into keeping the Peppler Street crossing and add a second set of lights down the street, where the Laurel Creek Trail meets Bridgeport Road.

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The original staff recommendation was to relocate the Peppler Street crossing light to the Laurel Creek Trail area as a result of more pedestrian traffic.

Regional staff conducted a study that showed 61 per cent of crossings happened at the Laurel Creek Trail as opposed to the 38 per cent at Peppler Street.

"We were in support of the Laurel Trail crossing, but what was not addressed through Waterloo region staff was the option to keep the Peppler Street crossing," Daisy Arsenault, a delegate at the meeting and a resident of the Peppler Street area, told CBC News.

"Even when we addressed that with [staff], they did have concerns."

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Waterloo Mayor, Dave Jaworsky, brought the alternative motion forward at the meeting after five neighbourhood delegates voiced concerns around safety, some saying better approach would be to have two crossings. 

"It's going to cost us $15,000 to remove a crossing light that obviously we can see citizens in front of us want," Jaworsky said at the meeting.

After the meeting, Arsenault said she was pleased to hear council's decision. 

"I did not expect a unanimous vote especially given such a strong staff recommendation," she said.

"We gave perspective to the recommendations and gave that lived experience, and I think that helped to picture what really goes on there."