FLETCHERS LAKE: A Fall River youth is getting praise form the local councillor for his initiative in collecting signatures on a petition about installing a much sought after crosswalk.
Jack Lerner has collected close to 200 names on a petition to have a crosswalk placed at Highway 2 and Coach Avenue (by Fletcher Drive). He spoke in a meeting to Councillor Steve Streatch, who said he would take on the task and work on making the idea become reality.
“He spoke for himself and very freely to his concerns in the meeting he and his mom had with me,” said Streatch. “He told me public safety was at risk crossing Highway 2 close to his house.
“He asked me what he could do to help get a crosswalk installed there.”
Streatch said safety while crossing the road is an issue in District 1.
“It is apparent to me that there is a great safety concern not only at this location relating to speed and the ability of pedestrians to cross the road, but other areas in this district and throughout HRM,” he said.
He said the current HRM policy doesn’t allow the installation of crosswalks with speed limits as what is posted for Highway 2.
“This might be a multi-layered approach where we may have to look at the speed limit,” Streatch said. “We know there are safety concerns.
“I support the installation of this crosswalk and I think it’s about time our staff recognized that these safety concerns are real and that the policy may have to be revisited.”
Streatch hopes it doesn’t take the worst case scenario for HRM’s traffic authority to be proactive.
“Nobody wants the worst case scenario where somebody’s hurt or injured or worse,” he said.
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