KlTCHISSIPPI T IMES NEWSWEST October 1, 2015 • 26

Sherbourne Road Audit Safer streets a priority By Nandita Bijur and Neeta l\llcMurtry Ecology Ottawa I Ecologie Ottawa The sun was still shining at 6:30 p.m. when residents of Carlingwood and McKellar Park Community Associations, and Ecology Ottawa volunteers convened at Westwood Park 10 conduct a walk and cycle audit of Sherbourne Road on September 14th.

The audit atlfac.ted over 50 pa,ticipants ranging in age from I 10 8 1. It's goal wa510 gather input from people of all ages and abilities in evaluating pedestrian and cyclist safety conccms in neighbourhoods along Sherboume Road. One of the main con­cerns is the level and speed of commuter n-affic in this residential ru1d school ru-ea.

Parents in ire ru-ea note ire increasing number of school-aged chiJdren having 10 cross Sherbourne twice daily without any safe pedestrian facilities. Seniors who walk lo Carljngwood Mall and dog-own­ers who walk to off-leash West wood Park, are also raising concems. The wide road and unmarked lanes, coupled with the lack of pedesn·ian ru1d cyclist infrastruc­tu,-e, encourages drivers lo speed and makes crossing the road unnecessarily dangerous.

"It's afready busy and we expect it's only going to get busier," says Christine Barlow, a concerned Sherbourne Road homeowner. ''Without appropriate traffic­calming measLU-es, Sherboume is an acci­dent waiting to happen."

Barlow is referring to the City of Ottawa's Light Rail plans, which include stations at Dominion and Cleary. Residents wony this could turn Sherboume into an unofficial extension of the 417 between

the Maitland ex.it and LRT stations. With scheduled resurfacing on the ho­

rizon from 2015 to 2018, this is an oppor­tunity for Mc Kellar Park and Cru·lingwood residents to raise traffic safety concerns with. the City. The inclusion of"Complete Su-eets" in council priorities brings all fu­m,-e roadwork into the design and imple­mentation process. This type of planning wiU make st,-eets safe and accessible to people of aU ages and abilities, including cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists.

Ecology Ottawa volunteers will be aid­ing in this process by compilfog all the i.nfo,mation collected on September 14, analyzing it, and composing an active transponation audit repon. This document will include a list of immediate actions to inc,-ease pedestrian and cyclist safety, .is weU as long te,m ideas for Sherboume Road development.

The prutnership between the commu­nity and Ecology Ottawa has yielded an opponunity to address core safety issues for the community. ''Having Ecology Ottawa assess traffic concerns along one of the gateways to our communities is invaluable," says Sybil Powell of McKellar Park Community Association. ''It will organize traft,c concerns we have throughout both neighbomhoods."

The three organizations ru-e asking con­cerned citizens 10 pa1ticipa1e in a shon electronic survey at www.ecologyonawa. org/sherboume_road_survey.

Alternatively, you cru1 contact Ecology Ouawa, McKeJJar Park Community Association or Carlingwood Community Associat)QQ. tQ p.i:o~i~ you,· own input.

Visi1 rie11'.S~:es.1,q,~'?; for a Web-ex1ra photo .~allery of the Sherboume Rd sTreet a11di1.