Waterloo residents call for safety improvements following another serious crash

Waterloo residents that live near the intersection of University Avenue East and Woolwich Street are calling for improved safety measures after a woman and the dog she was walking were hit by a car last week.

On Friday, a 71-year-old pedestrian sustained non-life threatening injuries when she was hit by the driver of a vehicle. Her dog was killed in the collision.

Waterloo Regional Police Service said there is no update to the investigation, but charges are anticipated.

Sue Lee’s home backs onto the intersection. She said the woman was hit in the crosswalk while walking across University Avenue East.

“She was screaming. I got up and then a few people were already helping her, giving her blankets. I went to direct the traffic to make sure firetrucks can come through,” Lee said.

Lee has lived near the intersection since 2006 and has been documenting the crashes that happen there. She said this latest crash is just one of many.

“On the regular, once a month now since 2022,” Lee said.

“In the last two weeks, for sure, this is the second one. And the one before was a four car pile up. One of the cars ended up in someone's backyard,” Paul Barry James Wadsworth, who lives nearby told CTV News on Jan. 10.

Lee said there was another crash on Dec. 23rd, 2024. She said residents have been calling on the city to improve safety.

“It's a group of us. For the last two years we tried to talk to city council, the transportation [department], the Chief of Transportation, Waterloo city mayor, but [we’ve received] very minimal response,” Lee said.

Waterloo, Ont. resident Sue Lee stands near the intersection of University Ave. E. and Woolwich St. in Waterloo on Jan. 13, 2024. (Colton Wiens/CTV News)

Traffic lights were installed at the intersection in recent years, but Lee said things have only gotten worse since. She thinks there’s more that could be done to help.

“I think a left-hand turning signal sign or maybe a roundabout. I think the city needs to study that, because there is a slope when you go down from here to go down to Lexington Road, so people usually can not see the coming traffic," Lee said.

No one from the city was available for an interview, but the Director of Transportation Services said in an email the city is sorry to hear about the crash. He added the city started receiving requests for improvements from residents last year.

"In response, the city installed high-visibility ladder crosswalks at this intersection, which are proven to enhance motorist and pedestrian safety. More recently, the city reviewed its entire network of roads and intersections to prioritize locations in most need of road safety improvements,” Bob Henderson, Director of Transportation Services, Integrated Planning & Public Works for the City of Waterloo said in the email.

“I’m also keen to find out more details about the collision when staff have them, so that we can look into other opportunities to make that location even safer,” Jen Vasic, Ward 5 Councillor for the City of Waterloo said in an email.

There is an elementary school near the intersection. A neighbour told CTV News parents won’t allow their kids to walk to the school anymore, and Lee worries about school buses turning at the intersection. Despite the 50 km/h speed limit on University Avenue East and 40 km/h speed limits on Woolwich Street, speeding and noise from the road are also big issues neighbours have reported.

A crosswalk stretches across University Avenue East in Waterloo on Jan. 13, 2025. (Colton Wiens/CTV News)

The city said it recently reviewed the entire road network for spots in need of safety improvements, but this intersection didn't make that list. The city said it will wait for more details from last week’s crash and will look into options to make the intersection safer.