by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
LA PASSE– There’s a dangerous intersection in La Passe and the public works committee of Whitewater Region is hoping Renfrew County will rectify the situation by erecting two stop signs.
The committee is recommending that Renfrew County install two more stop signs at the four-way intersection of Gore Line, La Passe Road, Harry Gervais Street and Lacroix Bay Road.
There is currently a stop sign on Harry Gervais Street and another on Gore Line. Whitewater council is hoping to have a stop sign erected on La Passe Road and Lacroix Bay Road. (Just for clarification, La Passe Road (County Road 49) changes to Lacroix Bay Road at this intersection.)
“It’s a dangerous intersection,” said public works manager Bill Misener at the Jan. 20 public works committee meeting.
Mayor Hal Johnson, who made the request to make this intersection a four-way stop, said it is the responsibility of the county to install the additional signs. Staff at the county has asked that Whitewater Region council make the recommendation of the four-way stop and it will be taken to the county for consideration.
Chief Administrative Officer Christine FitzSimons said Steve Boland, the county public works director, has agreed that this area warrants traffic control and is preparing a report for county council for the February meeting, including that signage be completed by the county.
Mayor Johnson said the line-of-sight is what makes this intersection dangerous. When exiting off Gore Line, there is a house on the corner that prevents drivers from safely seeing to the east, which means they have to pull quite a distance into the intersection to see. While speed may not be a factor, traffic travelling east from Lacroix Bay Road onto La Passe Road, could be involved in an accident with the vehicle entering the intersection to see to the east.
“The issue is solved if they have to stop and re-start, then everyone gets a chance at safety,” Mayor Johnson said.
The committee unanimously agreed to the four-way stop recommendation.
