New safety measures coming to Punkeydoodles Corners

New safety measures are coming to a dangerous rural intersection.

Oxford County said oversized stop signs with flashing lights will be installed at Punkeydoodles Corners.

“We recognize that as priority,” said Ben Addley, interim CAO for Oxford County. “The larger stop sign and flashing light are obviously in regards to better identification and safety.”

The added measure follows a deadly crash at the intersection of Oxford Road 5 and Punkeydoodles Avenue over the weekend.

A 22-year-old woman from Wilmot Township was pronounced dead at the scene and her 16-year-old sister, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

A report by the township said, between 2013 and 2021, 11 collisions had been reported by Waterloo regional police and OPP at Punkeydoodles Corners.

“That comes to about 1.3 collisions per year,” Addley said. “Which is below the [Ministry of Transportation’s] mark of 1.4 collisions per intersection.”

Currently the intersection is a two-way stop going north and southbound. The county said it’s looking into whether the intersection warrants a four-way stop.

“That will probably be something that by the end of November we’ll have a firmer decision.”

Addley said the county’s 2019 Master Transportation Plan did identify a potential evaluation for a roundabout at Punkeydoodles Corners, however that decision on that could come as late as 2028.

“[Roundabouts] are not necessarily identified as a safety improvement. The purpose of roundabouts are to improve traffic flow, and how the traffic flows and moves through that intersection. But not necessarily for reducing collisions,” Addley explained.

The intersection straddles three different municipalities: Perth East, Wilmot Township, and the Township of East Zorra-Tavistock.

Oxford County manages the operations of the intersection on behalf of the three jurisdictions.

“The actual design of the intersection itself takes a tri-party agreement, so we’ll have to work with those area municipalities to make decisions around that,” Addley said.

He added the larger stop signs with flashing lights have been ordered and will be installed as soon as they arrive.  It will cost the county $3,000, while the estimated cost for a roundabout is about $3,000,000.

RESIDENTS REACT

Baden resident Vinob Chenthivelnathan says she often takes the route with a cautious approach, as the bend in the road and the two stop signs make it very difficult to see.

"It's an easier shortcut but it's a dangerous place also," said Chenthivelnathan. "It's very hard to pay careful attention.

"[The crash], it breaks my heart."

Chenthivelnathan adds that the larger stop signs with flashing lights are a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done.

"Before the stop sign, some attention like 'stop sign is coming, slow down, there's a three-way intersection coming," something like that," said Chenthivelnathan.

New Hamburg resident Howard Reibling says one of the suggestions might do the trick.

"They might even try a roundabout," said Reibling. "That would probably solve most of the problem in that area."