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ES a Parent vows to continue fight for crosswalk A Simcoe Street mother has stubbornly vowed she will continue to fight for changes in her neighbourhood crosswalk, despite assurances from trans- portation authorities who claim little can be done to improve the situation. During a meeting in the Scugog Township council chambers Fri- day morning, Sandra Braham refused to accept information from representatives of the Ministry of Trans- portation and Commun- ications regarding the west crosswalk on High- way 7A. Instead, she told Neil Goldsmith of the MTC that she will continue to fight for lights and a lower speed limit at the crosswalk location. "I won't give up,' she warned. "We have lost one child already. Do we have to lose another?"' She was referring to the tragic death of six year old Dereck Wayne Saunders on June 15, 1983, struck and killed by a car driven by an exhausted factory worker on his way home from Toronto night shift. "If there were flash- ing lights maybe it would have been enough to jolt the man back to reality," she said angrily, when Mr. Gold- smith suggested there was little the MTC or anyone else could have done to prevent that accident. "It was an unfortun- ate situation and I'm not saying it won't be repeated," he said in reply. '"'There's nothing we can do to alleviate the situation. Is there anything different about this crossing than any other?" Since the death of Dereck Saunders, parents groups have repeatedly said yes, there is a difference. Citing the high/rate of speed vehicles along Highway 7A, and the ramp at the intersection of 7A and Queen Street which leads vehicles to the crosswalk at the top of the hill, they have fought to have lights installed and the speed limit, which stands at 60 kilometers per hour, lowered. Mr. Goldsmith, how- ever, says there are thousands of school crossings across pro- vincial highways throughout Ontario, some of which have higher speed limits and more volume of traffic. As an example, he described a through- traffic commuter route in northern Ontario, where a crosswalk bridges a 90 k-hr. zone. "And the volume of traffic on 7A is fairly light compared to other roadways," he pointed out. Although he said he would do anything Mrs. Bramham suggested that would improve the crosswalk situation, he explained that putting lights at the intersection would hinder, not help. "There are draw- 'backs to traffic lights," he said. "There are more disadvantages than advantages. A good crossing guard, you can't beat. Unfor- tunately, a signal light doesn't do you the same service as a crossing guard does." He explained that crossing guards have more 'common sense' than a light. In a potentially dangerous situation, a guard will stop a child from cross- ing, where a light will continue to urge a child. to cross. Motorists in a hurry are often tempted to run yellow and red lights, but are statistically less likely to run through a crossing guard. Combining a crossing guard with a set of lights, as Mrs. Bram- ham suggested, would only cause confusion. Mr. Goldsmith said. In that situation, the lights take priority over cross- ing guard, who must adjust to the timing of the lights. He pointed out how the combination has already accumulat- ed its share of problems at the Highway 7A- Lilla Street intersection. "I think a person has more logic than all the computers you could put here,'"' he added. Friday's meeting included Peter Coghill of the MTC, Earl Widdick of Durham Regional Police, Rev- erend Stuart McEntyre of the Durham Board of Education, Durham Sgt. Jack White, Township Clerk Administrator Earl Cuddie, Township Roads Superintendent Ronn MacDonald and a representative of the Ontario Provincial Police. The meeting was scheduled as a follow-up to a previous meeting, in which Mrs. Braham was not able to fully describe her concerns. "If there was some- thing anyone in this room could do," Mr. Goldsmith reassured her, "Then you can be assured that we would do it." NEED PHOTO COPIES? We can do them for you! PORT PERRY STAR 235 Queen Street 985-7383 B/G... PORT PERRY STAR -- Tues. December 11, 1984 -- 19 after Christmas ALE B/G... BIG Contact Deb or Valerie at the Port Perry Star for more details. PORT PERRY STAR CO. LIMITED 235 QUEEN STREET, PORT PERRY, ONTARIO. (416) 985-7383 me em