Kincardine has no interest in traffic lights at Highway 21 and Kincardine Avenue

When the Highway 9 construction project is completed, you can say goodbye to the traffic lights at Highway 21 and Kincardine Avenue.

That's the decision by Kincardine council.

The temporary lights were installed last year because the Southline, east of Highway 21 at Kincardine Avenue, is being used as the detour for traffic during the construction on Highway 9.

Last night (June 17), Kincardine council discussed whether to maintain the lights on a permanent basis.

Kincardine mayor Anne Eadie said she had heard comments that the corner seems safer with the traffic lights there. Municipal staff has the name of the Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO) representative to contact if council wants to pursue the issue.

"I've been told the lights are a pain in the butt," said councillor Randy Roppel. "Move them to Tiverton and put them on the main street. That would help out a lot of truckers and tourists."

"The lights are not ours," said Eadie. They belong to the contractor who installed them for the MTO, she said.

Councillor Maureen Couture said the municipality would have to do a traffic warrant study before even considering putting lights at that intersection. "I'm not in favour of it; I don't like slowing down any more than I have to."

Councillor Mike Leggett said the former economic development committee asked the MTO several times for a reduced speed limit along Highway 21 but was told it's a bypass and the MTO's goal is to keep traffic moving in the Province of Ontario.

Councillor Laura Haight said she did a poll in her neighbourhood and it was a 50-50 split of people who liked or disliked the traffic lights. "I've forgotten it's even there and blown right through a red light, turning left off Kincardine Avenue."

Chief administrative officer Murray Clarke said if the majority of council wishes to seek the opinion of the MTO, staff would follow up on this issue. However, he noted that if the municipality wants to put lights at that intersection, the cost would be about $90,000 to $100,000.

A motion to pursue further information on traffic lights at the corner Highway 21 and Kincardine Avenue, was soundly defeated.