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Study confirms Clearview students can walk safely to high school By Tina Depko OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF 15 · Friday, January 22, 2010 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com Halton's public school board spent $6,900 on a pedestrian safety study for students from Clearview who attend Oakville Trafalgar High School (OTHS), only to have it confirm what board staff already knew. Clearview parents and Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn requested the independent, third-party study in response to the Halton District School Board (HDSB) changing its transportation policy in 2009. This meant that high school students living within four kilomteres of their designated school, in this case Oakville Trafalgar High School, would have to walk or take public transit. Students in Clearview, which is located approximately 3.7 km northeast of OTHS, had previously been bused to the high school. The conclusion of the 43-page study -- conducted by Markhambased Cole Engineering -- concludes there are no significant pedestrian safety issues and that the intersections examined in the study are compliant with pedestrian safety practices. "Our (HDSB) administration did a review and we took that to the transportation consortia and we believed that there was not a safety risk with respect to students who had to walk from the Clearview area to Oakville-Trafalgar," said Steven Parfeniuk, superintendent of business services with the HDSB, in his presentation of the study at a school board meeting held Wednesday night. "Subsequent to that information going to parents, they contacted their local MPP, who contacted their trustee and a meeting was held between the chair, the trustee, the local superintendent, myself and few others. At that time, we agreed with those present that we would undertake a review and hire an independent consultant (to review this issue)." The study shows that compared to other similar intersections across Halton where the HDSB does not provide bus service and students are required to cross, Ford Drive has lower peak-hour volumes and fewer multi-vehicle accidents. The document goes on to say that a viable alternative to walking is the use of Oakville Transit, which provides a special bus catering to Clearview students attending OTHS. The report also suggests the Region of Halton and Town of Oakville place additional school zone signs strategically along Ford Drive immediately north and south of the key signalized intersections at Sheridan Garden Drive, Royal Windsor Drive and Cornwall Drive, and immediately east and west of Ford Drive on Royal Windsor Drive. "A couple of things it does point out is that there are always ways to make travelling and walking to school safer," said Parfeniuk. "We are going to pass this information on to the local municipality, in particular, on the signage." The major intersections that were reviewed as part of the study were: Kingsway Drive and Ford Drive, Sheridan Gardens Drive and Ford Drive, Ford Drive and Royal Windsor Drive and Cornwall Road and Ford Drive. Reviews of accidents at those intersections showed no pedestrians had been struck by a vehicle between January 2004 and December 2008. Engineers examined the presence and condition of sidewalks, pedestrian walk time (estimated to be 40 minutes on average, with a maximum of 45 minutes), pedestrian push buttons and crossing times, pavement markings and signage. They also looked at alternative forms of transportation, citing the school special run by Oakville Transit. The special bus, taking route 84N, runs once in the morning and once in the afternoon, making a loop through the Clearview community. Student monthly passes cost $58 and estimated travel time is 15 minutes. The study also looked at pedestrian safety at comparator intersections utilized by students, including: Bronte Road/West Oak Trails Boulevard (Oakville); Upper Middle Road/Third Line (Oakville); Trafalgar Road/Glenashton Drive (Oakville); Guelph Line/Upper Middle Road (Burlington); Derry Road/Regional Road 25 (Milton) and Guelph Street/Mountainview Road (Georgetown). Several trustees were disappointed that such a high amount of money was spent on a pedestrian study affecting such a small geographical area of the board. Phillippa Ellis, trustee for Ward 3 Oakville, which includes Clearview, supported the $6,900 study. "There was concern that there was a history of a student wayback-when being hit at the Cornwall/Ford intersection and I think the board felt that they were not experts and that they had to the best of their ability, but if there was going to be concerns about safety in the future and at that point rather than limiting the study to just that intersection for just those parents, it was assured that they were going to study other intersections," said Ellis. To view the complete study, go online to www.hdsb.ca, click on the Boardroom & Trustees Link, then go to the Board and Agendas link. The report starts on page 27 of the Jan. 20, 2010 board agenda. OPEN HOUSE Saturday, January 23rd 11am - 2pm Chisholm High Schools After School Programs Psychological Services 1484 Cornwall Rd., Oakville, ON 905.844.3240 www.chisholmcentre.com We Help Kids Overcome Learning Difficulties Oakville Independent Schools Open House Saturday, January 23 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Find the right school for your child Oakville is home to an impressive selection of independent preschools, elementary schools and high schools. Each school is committed to providing students with a unique and high quality education with a strong academic foundation, small class sizes and personal attention. Visit the schools and discover what each has to offer. Find out which one is right for your child. We Help Kids Overcome Learning Difficulties Appleby College Grades 7 - 12 540 Lakeshore Rd. W. (905) 845-4681 fax: (905) 845-9505 www.appleby.on.ca e-mail: enrol@appleby.on.ca Chisholm Academy Grades 9 to 12 1484 Cornwall Rd. (905) 844-3240 fax: (905) 844-7321 www.chisholmcentre.com e-mail: info@chisholmcentre.com 11 A.M. TO 2 P.M. Dearcroft Montessori Preschool - Grade 8 1167 Lakeshore Rd. E. (905) 844-2114 Celebrating 40 Years www.dearcroft.com email: dearcroft@primus.ca Now home to West Wind Montessori Junior High Program Fern Hill School Preschool - Grade 8 Oakville Campus 3300 Ninth Line Rd. (905) 257-0022 www.fernhillschool.com Glenburnie School Preschool - Grade 8 2035 Upper Middle Rd. E. (905) 338-6236 fax: (905) 338-2654 www.glenburnieschool.com e-mail: admin@glenburnieschool.com also Burlington Campus 801 North Service Road Offering Specialized Academic Upgrading Programs King's Christian Collegiate Grades 9 to 12 528 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W. (905) 257-5464 ext. 508 www.kingschristian.net Director of Admissions: Sharon Roebbelen e-mail: sroebbelen@kingschristian.net MacLachlan College JK - Grade 12 337 Trafalgar Rd. (905) 844-0372 fax: (905) 844-9369 www.maclachlan.ca e-mail: admissions@maclachlan.ca Oakville Christian School Est 1982 JK - Grade 8 112 Third Line (905) 825-1247 ext. 221 www.ocsonline.org e-mail: ocsadmissions@ocsonline.org Rotherglen School g Primary Campus JK - Grade 1 2045 Sixth Line (905) 338-3528 Elementary Campus Grade 1 to Grade 8 2050 Neyagawa Blvd. (905) 849-1897 www.rotherglen.com St. Mildred's-Lightbourn School JK - Grade 12 1080 Linbrook Rd. (905) 845-2386 fax: (905) 845-4799 www.smls.on.ca e-mail: info@smls.on.ca Wildwood Academy Grades 2 to 8 2250 Sheridan Garden Dr. (905) 829-4226 fax: (905) 829-2318 www.wildwoodacademy.com e-mail: admin@wildwoodacademy.com Please call to arrange an interview.