New traffic signals were activated along University Avenue last week, after peak traffic volumes along the four-lane roadway generated concern from the OPP and Hydro One.
Approved as part of the 2023 budget, the new traffic and audible pedestrian signals are located at the intersection of University Avenue and Swinimer Drive, as well as the entrance to Lakehead University, and the lights became operational on June 18.
Traffic in the area has been a concern of the Orillia OPP in recent years, with police highlighting speeding concerns, along with collision statistics at the Old Barrie Road intersection at a council meeting last year.
“I brought forward some concerns about the number of accidents that have been in this area, and some were at the intersection of Swinimer and University,” Orillia OPP detachment commander, Coyer Yateman, told OrilliaMatters.
Yateman highlighted issues with turning onto University Avenue during peak traffic, with the Orillia OPP detachment near the intersection, and he said the lights should ease traffic concerns for the OPP and community members alike.
“University is a four-lane roadway, and it's a relatively busy roadway during the day,” he said. “The set of lights will greatly improve safety, not only to our detachment to the people that attend here, the people that work here, but all the businesses that are on Swinimer and, of course, the university students as well.”
Between January 2018 and 2023, 37 collisions took place near University Avenue and Barrie Road, with three of those occurring at the intersection with Swinimer Drive, the OPP previously reported.
Traffic data from last year shows speeding is an issue along University Avenue, as well, with the 85th percentile speed hitting 66 hm/h travelling northbound and 69 km/h travelling southbound, against a speed limit of 50 km/h.
