Traffic Light And Crosswalk A Blatant Waste Of Taxpayers’ Money

Dear Richmond Hub,

Prior to completing his final term, former Councillor, Scott Moffatt finds that his operating budget still has some $200,000 in unused funds. Rather than letting these funds lapse, he decides the money could be used to install a new traffic light and crosswalk on Perth Street, which is a major artery in and out of Richmond. This decision apparently gets approved by the City Staff, with a little or no formal assessment of either traffic patterns, pedestrian needs, or location. The new traffic light and crosswalk has now been installed midway between the existing light at Huntley Road and Gamble Drive, where it serves virtually no purpose for vehicle or pedestrian traffic and will likely never be used by either.

A much more obvious need was some form of traffic control at the junction of Shea Rd. and Perth Streets, which is a major access point to and from the shopping plaza, often with traffic line ups waiting to access and exit from both the plaza and the adjoining gas station.

It’s hard to understand how the City of Ottawa, could proceed to install a new traffic light and crosswalk totally isolated from any junctions, (simply on the former Councillor’s say-so) without any formal assessment of traffic patterns, needs and location. Surely this is something the City of Ottawa is functionally and technically responsible for, across the whole breadth of the city, along with related analysis and understanding of both traffic and pedestrian patterns.

As it is, the new traffic light and pedestrian crossing will likely be virtually unused, a blatant waste of some $200,000 from pandering to the request of a former City Councillor, who has no further interest whatsoever.

Bill Williams

Richmond