Redcliff council says no to roundabout trial

By Justin Seward
Redcliff’s town council meeting had a short duration on Sept.11 but there was a lengthy debate on a proposal to install a temporary mini-roundabout on a trial basis at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Sixth Street SE.
Mayor Ernie Reimer submitted a complaint to the town on Aug. 28 on behalf of children in his neighbourhood to install a 4-way stop at Sixth Street SE and Fifth Avenue.
He noted there is a 4-way stop on Sixth Street SE and Sixth Avenue and he proposed to move it one block up on Fifth Avenue to slow traffic down.
Coun. Dwight Kilpatrick was quick to express his frustration about moving the four -way stop.
“Now your recommendation to move it up has nothing to do with priorities,” said Kilpatrick.
“What I see is Sixth Street and Sixth Avenue was supposed to be a thoroughfare for traffic leaving Redcliff’s. It’s suppose to be one of the avenues where traffic would go out. That’s why that 4-way stop is there.”
Reimer mentioned in his complaint there are 12-15 kids living within these two blocks and drivers are speeding.
Kilpatrick said drivers are speeding in two-and-a half blocks because they have to stop at Sixth Street and should have been going through park at Fourth Street.
“If you do that, lets be fair to everyone else in the Town of Redcliff, wherever there is 14-15 kids in two blocks, we better being putting up roubdabouts or four way stops ,” said Kilpatrick.
“Because I’ll tell you what, where I live on Redcliff Way … I’ll guarantee you people do 50 km/ hour down there, if not more. There’s no speed control there. There’s called parenting and keeping your kids in the backyard or supervising them in the front yard. I’m just saying whatever we do here we should be doing at ever y corner in town because there is 14-15 kids in every two blocks.”
Reimer reminded Kilpatrick and the rest of council that there are toddlers on his block and the issue was brought up to him by a resident to bring back to council.
“You have a lot of kids on those three blocks and where else in this town have you been observing?,” said Reimer.
“I drive around town a lot and I’ve observed a lot of kids kitty block from our block. If you want to bring that to my attention, you’re more than welcome to do it.”
Council voted to keep the intersection as is.