The Bruce County Transportation and Environmental Services Committee has approved the purchase of a new $26,000 traffic signalling system for an intersection in Sauble Beach.
During a committee meeting on April 21, a report was brought forward by Director of Transportation and Environmental Services Amanda Forese. It recommended using the funds from the Traffic Control Reserve to purchase the new traffic detection system for the signalized intersection on Bruce Road 8 and Bruce Road 13.
The report says the current device at the intersection in Sauble needs to be repaired or replaced as it is no longer supported due to the antiquated hardware.
The report adds they have received complaints regarding vehicles not being detected at the intersection, resulting in the lights failing to change and let traffic pass through.
The committee reviewed other options for detection devices including loop detection in the asphalt, radar, and camera and video detection. The committee decided to continue with the detection system which has video capabilities.
The report says the department can utilize this system to video monitor winter weather, something they are no longer able to do with the current system. The OPP has reached out to the committee on several occasions asking to obtain video footage from the traffic signal cameras, but they are unable to record. This can change, however, by switching to the new system.
While conventional loop detectors are the least expensive option by about 20 per cent, they do not provide video viewing, recording, or maintenance and troubleshooting remotely.
Mayor Janice Jackson says the lights have been a problem for a long time.
“It’s nice to see this resolved and also the study for the intersection itself with the turning lane congestion that happens in the summer time that can quite often back up to Hepworth, because of the lack of turning lanes,” says Jackson.
