Harvey Shaffer

By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

A stop sign that was installed briefly at westbound Fleet Road and Baronscourt in 2021 and then removed a week after that year’s town election will be reinstated as a pilot project, Baronscourt resident Gordon Kugler was told by Mayor Jeremy Levi at the town council meeting.

Kugler, who said he was speaking on behalf of all 14 homeowners on the street, told the council, “we have insisted upon, and been ignored, quite frankly — [regarding] a stop sign at the corner of Fleet and Baronscourt for westbound traffic on Fleet and for people on Baronscourt turning left to go west on Fleet.

“This is an extremely dangerous intersection. Councillor Harvey Shaffer and the previous Mayor [William Steinberg] acknowledged it and they immediately put up a stop sign. A week after this administration was elected, the stop sign was summarily removed for no reason. Someone doesn’t have to get killed or seriously injured to make you act. Please put the stop sign back.”

Councillor Michael Goldwax said the sign was removed because it is not in compliance with Quebec’s Highway Safety Code, “so technically speaking, it wouldn’t be able to be enforced” by police, as stop signs have to be spaced a certain amount of metres apart.

“Having said that, we rediscussed this whole issue and said ‘let’s look at reinstating it on a pilot basis and see how it goes, what the reaction is, the exiting of the homeowners on Baronscourt onto Fleet,” the councillor added. “This means painting a stop line, erecting a stop sign and reviewing it based on vehicle traffic. We’re not against it, but we’re looking at our options right now.”

Mayor Jeremy Levi said there are similarities and differences with the intersection of Fleet and Minden, where there is also no stop sign on Fleet. Drivers on Minden can turn right to go eastbound on Fleet, but not left onto westbound Fleet.

“It’s only dangerous [for Baronscourt residents] if you turn left. If you turn right, there’s a stop sign at that intersection, so it’s not 100 percent a dangerous intersection. We’re going to put the stop sign back as a pilot project and we’ll take it from there.”

Kugler asked how soon the stop sign will be reinstated. Levi said that depends on scheduling and logistics. Goldwax pointed out a line has to be painted, as that has to accompany a stop sign.

“This is not going to take place in five months, but it may not be tomorrow.”

“We’ll proceed based on the results we get,” Councillor Leon Elfassy responded to some shouting residents.