Two fatalities in the last eight months have underlined the challenges motorists and pedestrians alike face daily at the busy intersection of Colborne and West streets in downtown Orillia.
On Jan. 20, Avalon Jamieson, six, was killed in a two-vehicle crash at the busy intersection. Eight months later, Jason Sawyer, 48, was killed in a motorcycle collision on Labour Day weekend.
Rachel Francey, who works at The Water Market at 7 Colborne St. — in the heart of the intersection — says she has seen plenty of crashes and witnesses a near accident at the intersection at least once a day.
"People are whipping through at high speeds without paying attention," she said. "We've seen multiple serious accidents here."
Because drivers get stopped by a series of traffic lights at every corner of downtown, Francey speculates many grow impatient as they travel through the downtown core.
"They are trying to make their way down, so they run the yellow and red lights to get through," she said. "The amount of people that we see just go through on a red to get through the intersection is wild."
Francey, who has worked at The Water Market for two years, says she's also witnessed several drivers talking on their phones while going through the busy intersection.
"It's just ignorance," she said. "They aren't paying attention to anything that's going on."
She notes that multiple times a day, herds of Lakehead University students cross through the intersection on foot to enter the downtown campus.
"I'm worried about them," Francey said. "I don't even like looking outside anymore because I'm terrified something bad is going to happen."
Francey says she witnesses an accident almost monthly at the intersection. She believes speed bumps or cameras at the intersection could help drivers become more cautious around the area.
When Francey comes and goes from work, she says she avoids the intersection at all costs.
"I'll take the extra time to go around," she said. "It's just not worth it."
Guy McBride, an Orillia resident of more than 45 years, says the intersection has always been dangerous, but it's getting worse.
"I think people in the last three years have become impatient," he said. "Because of everything that's gone on with COVID and having to stay home, people don't want to wait."
McBride suggests the city should try installing rumble strips as a possible fix for the issues at the intersection. It would alert distracted drivers, he suggested.
"If you hit that, it will catch your attention," he said. "They got to do something."
McBride says it's inevitable that more accidents will happen if there's no change.
"Somebody on council has to do something with that corner," he said. "I'm sure there are other intersections that also need attention, but this might be the worst one."
While Orillia OPP Const. Shelby Russell says she can't provide specific analytics about the intersection, she says 411 people died in collisions on OPP-patrolled roads in 2023.
Speed, alcohol and drugs, inattentive driving, and a lack of seatbelt use were contributing factors to the significant number of the fatalities.
Russell says drivers and other road users can significantly contribute to safer roads by avoiding taking unnecessary risks and complying with all traffic laws.
"The OPP is committed to reducing traffic-related fatalities and injuries and ensuring all road and waterway users – drivers, pedestrians and passengers alike – make it safely to their destination," she said in a written statement.
"Traffic safety remains a top priority of the OPP and a key component of its public safety mandate."
