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Pelham Considers Road Safety Program

It's from Good Roads, a multi-year program focusing on dangerous roads and doing safety audits

Pelham town council has voted to look further into a road safety program.

It's a proposal by Good Roads, a 5-year $183-million program targeting a municipality's most dangerous roads, also doing road safety audits and installing safety measures.

However, Councillor Wayne Olson wasn't sold, saying the Rural Ontario Municipal Association has better focus than Good Roads.  "They don't have the same kind of focus, they don't have the same type of depth of relationship with the government, they're kind of one dimensional." 

Other councillors disagreed, saying Good Roads can at least move road safety forward.

Good Roads stats show fatalities have risen 20% over the last ten years, the vast majority on rural roads.

Councillor Shellee Niznik explained her support.  "Being on the receiving end of several calls, with regards to citizens being concerned about speeding, and unsafe road conditions, and that sort of thing, I would like to support this."

Councillor Kevin Ker sympathized with Councillor Olson, adding this can add more bureaucracy.  He says during his time in politics, he's seen government agencies have to deal with many people, eventually saying they want to hear from not so many people.

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