VIDEO: City Council Votes to Add Pedestrian Crossover on Ormond Street at Front Ave./Charlotte Place & Make Apple Street One-Way Northbound

Brockville – City Council voted at Tuesday night’s meeting to install a Level II, Type C illuminated pedestrian crossover (PXO) at the intersection of Ormond Street and Charlotte Place/Front Ave. and to make Apple Street in Downtown Brockville a one-way street northbound.

The changes came about after a motion was made by Mayor Wren at the General Committee meeting of June 2024 that staff be directed to establish a Four-Way Stop at Ormond Street and Charlotte Place/Front Avenue and Water Street and Apple Street and to report back to the General Committee in September with a recommendation for approval.

There were complaints from area residents concerning the intersection of Ormond Street and Charlotte Place, residents of Charlotte Place had indicated challenges with safely crossing Ormond St. The complaint referred to a lack of motorists yielding to pedestrians waiting to cross Ormond Street at the intersection courtesy crosswalks.

For the intersections at Apple and Water Streets, residents had indicated challenges concerning the poor sightlines for southbound vehicles at that intersection. The challenging lines of site for motorists are a result of existing buildings at the intersection having no setback from the sidewalk, which exists in several locations along Water St.

Video excerpts from the staff report from Phil Wood, Director of Operations:

Following a review by staff, they recommended the installation of an additional illuminated pedestrian crossover on Ormond Street like the one already in place further north on Ormond at Bramshot Park instead of a four-way stop. They said that traffic volumes and that Ormond Street is a main thoroughfare for ambulances to get to the Brockville General Hospital did not warrant a four-way stop and that the pedestrian crossover would be the better choice.

For the intersection of Water St. and Apple St., the recommendation to establish Apple Street as a one-way northbound street was a better choice than a four-way stop as Water Street has high volumes of traffic and does not impede it.

City staff will install new signage, provide the required road line painting and notify the public of the changes.