From time to time, Jacques Matte fears for the safety of people walking along Lennox Drive.
There was the time he saw a mother pull her child back from the road seconds before a dangerous crossing; another time, he recalls, a family was crossing the road and a vehicle swerved around them instead of stopping to let them cross.
Matte is passionate about safety on Lennox Drive, which could be the next road in St. Albert to get curb extensions, depending on feedback from residents.
He believes curb extensions at strategic locations along the stretch of road could help ensure families are safe.
"They've addressed other (roads) – now it's time to address this one," he said.
Lennox Drive is a collector road in the Lacombe Park neighbourhood that connects St. Albert Trail to Dawson Road.
Residents say speeding isn't really an issue on the road, although they've seen more vehicles use the road than in the past. More importantly, drivers all too often don't stop when they should.
Some residents, like Matte, say they have spent years trying to get the city to introduce traffic calming measures of some sort.
Rob Houlden, who has lived on that road for decades, says he believes the city has now gotten to a good stage in the process. He says the city's engineering department deserves kudos for putting out a good survey and gathering feedback.
"We've asked them in the past to look at it. The volume on this road has increased with growth," he said.
Jon Cleland, the senior project manager for traffic calming on Lennox Drive, says the city hopes to hear from as many residents in the area as possible. The city issued a survey to residents recently looking for feedback on the issues along Lennox Drive, with a response deadline of Aug. 3.
"We want to make sure there's a balanced viewpoint," Cleland said, noting the stretch of road has been on the city's radar for a while.
"At least then we get a clear picture for what the feeling is in the area, and not just a few people really intent on moving it forward."
Houlden says he thinks the issue is on the road to being handled properly.
"I'm a firm believer in getting numbers and facts," he said.
Some neighbouring residents aren’t so sure though. Basil Delaney, who lives on Larose Drive west of Lennox, says he thinks driving traffic off Lennox Drive could spread the problem elsewhere in the neighbourhood.
"Anyone who's on the east side of Lacombe Park (is) impacted by this decision," he said.
Once the city reviews the feedback from its survey, staff may hold a walking tour of the area before bringing their proposed solutions to an information session later in August.
Cleland said staff will come back to residents again after that information session to gauge support for a final traffic calming plan, before installing temporary measures.
"We can have about a year of them being in place so we can monitor them and make sure they perform like everybody thought they would," he said.
"Sometime later, they would be permanent, if everyone is satisfied with the installation."
