Neighbours fed up with drivers ignoring stop signs near LaSalle park

It's one of the first things young people learn in driving school – stop at stop signs.

But at a three-way intersection near Heritage Park in LaSalle, drivers frequently barrel through stop signs at all hours.

"People just don't stop. They have no respect. I've seen the city bus go through it. I've seen school buses go right through it," said Mike Magri, who has lived in the area for 35 years.

"Something has to be done. Somebody might get hurt."

Despite being close to a park, Magri believes drivers fail to stop at the intersection at Rushwood Crescent and Heritage Drive because the layout of the road encourages speeding.

Drivers have a clear line of sight from one end of the road to the other, with the intersection positioned in the middle. With this unobstructed view, some drivers may feel there's no reason to stop – even though stop signs are clearly posted, he said.

Magri added that there have been many close calls at the intersection over the years.

"I had one guy come right up and hit one of my trees on my property," he said.

According to the Canadian Association of Road Safety Professionals (CARSP), municipalities have tools at their disposal to improve compliance with stop signs, including rumble strips, photo radar and speed bumps.

"What we have seen traditionally is that in neighborhoods where there is not enough enforcement, people tend to avoid following road safety rules and regulations," said board member Manan Gupta.

"Not stopping at a stop sign is one of those very common situations."

Michael Cappucci, engineering manager for the Town of LaSalle, said a "road review" was conducted along Heritage Drive near the park in 2023.

Municipalities often use specific criteria to determine where traffic calming measures are needed, ensuring resources are allocated effectively.

According to LaSalle's traffic calming policy, drivers routinely ignoring stop signs isn’t enough to warrant action on its own. Other factors, such as vehicle speeds, traffic volumes and collision history, are also considered.

Each criterion is assigned a score, and a minimum of 35 points is required to justify traffic calming measures.

"The location in question... did not meet the necessary thresholds to qualify for such measures," said Cappucci.

For residents along Heritage Drive near the park, the only recourse is to report reckless drivers to police.

"Police have tried to stop a few people, but they're not consistent. They're not here all the time," said Magri.

The CARSP recommends "education, awareness and a bit of enforcement" to improve driver compliance until more substantial changes to road design can be made.

"We know things like extra signage and safety features cost money. But we cannot stop making safety decisions on the basis of funding restrictions," said Gupta. "Health comes first and the safety of residents comes first."