Montreal West parents want crossing guard back at troubled intersection near school
Reconfiguration of the intersection is expected to begin Wednesday with the new layout expected to be completed by the first week of October.
Parents of students at Royal West Academy in Montreal West are pleading with police to reinstate a crossing guard at a troublesome intersection near their school. The corner of Ainslie Road and Westminster Avenue has witnessed multiple collisions involving students in recent years. Joanna Duy, chair of the Royal West Parent Safety Subcommittee, expressed frustration, stating, "It is very frustrating.
I feel we have gone a step backwards from where we were last year." In April, Montreal police stationed a crossing guard at the intersection, anticipating the municipality of Montreal West would implement changes, including reducing the number of lanes from four to two. However, upon the school year's end, the guard was removed.
A pilot project aims to narrow the roadway and eliminate left-hand turns to enhance safety. Montreal West Mayor Jonathan Cha emphasized that despite the improvements, a crossing guard remains crucial. Duy added that as the intersection changes, driver frustration may escalate, potentially exacerbating the issue. Cha echoed Duy's plea, requesting the city to provide a crossing guard for another year to facilitate the safety enhancements while allowing time for the adjustments to settle.
Montreal police explained that the temporary crossing guard was a "temporary measure" implemented as an "interim solution" while the municipality assessed the situation and reconfigured the roadway. The reconfiguration is scheduled to commence on Wednesday, with the new layout anticipated to be completed by the first week of October.
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