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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1974-12-05, Page 1 (2)Zbe 127 -YEAR --49 obtrtclj sic STAR THURSDAY, DECEMBER S -1974 ottleneck on H.ig 11p SECOND SECTION in news This section of Bayfield Road will be widened at the expense aof Bluewater Market and Mr. and Mrs. Frank McArthur, whose home is across the street from the store. Vehicles turning east on Britannia will use a merge lane and all others northbound will have to stop before turning. The scheme will practically, 'remove the off street parking, at the small store. (staff=photo')• tl Traffic moving south -on Victoria $t. has the right of way under the present "system. Under the new plan all traffic turning left onto Britannia will have to stop for,traffic at the end of where the 'Keep Right' sign is now., (staff photo) Road between Bayfield and Victoria will be widened to four lanes. Both stop signs on Britannia Road at Victoria Street -will be removed: Tra'ffie•agoing east and west will have through access at the corner of Victoria. The corner of the two properties shoe property on the the widening sche n here will be put to use as merge lanes. Some s th side of Britannia will also be taken up by the . (staff -photo) G The big question Will plans remove b�ttIenec or just change the location? .BY JEFF SEDDON. '`The � plans for the Bayfield Road,, widening _ project are posted in the town hall and if one observes them, one can't help but wonder if the present hottle,neck will he removed or just reversed. Tlie way highway 21 runs now all vehicles going north and turning left onto Britannia Road must stop.•Under the new plan they mush stop alsq. All'vehicles that are stopped at the corner must wait for traf- fic going east on .Britannia Road to 'clear -before they can , move on. Under the new plan they must wait. • All traffic headed east on Britannia Road but wishing to go south on 21 must now make a sharp left turn. Under the new scheme the turn is; gradual and made out of .a separate lane. This may shorten the w.ait for drivers waiting to turn onto Britannia off 21 because it will no 'longer he •necessary to trust a signal. Drivers will know a' car' is turnip because it is in the proper lain. Traffic going east on Britan- nia off Bayfield•will no longer have to stop but will be ablegto" merge through a yield sign. Traffic going west on Britannia will have. one lane through and one lane for left turn t only. At thf corner of. Britannia. 'and Victoria traffic headed west on Britannia will . have one lane through with no stop sign, and one lane for turning right. The traffic going right onto Victoria off Britannia will have to merge. • • Traffic moving east on Britannia will'have a through lane instead of the present stop sign. Traffic turning left' onth Victoria will do so from a separate turn lane: The traffic•flow "south on Vic- toria will he altered a great deal by the scheme. Under the/ present system all traffic going south on Victoria has a through access. The proposal calls for a° stop sign at the corner so that all southbound vehicles, wishing to go east on Britannia will -have to stop. All traffic 'going west on Britannia will go , through a merge. - Other considerations' in- volved in the new plan are crosswalks for students at Vic- toria Public School and the property purchases necessar2 ' o build the new intersections. All the school children that live north .of Britannia Road will have to cross a minimum of three through "lanes of traffic and one mer"ge lane. All those living on the east side. of Bayfield Road will have the 'game number of Tanes'to, `cross, but the traffic will he ,stofiped " at the stop sign.' ' The intersection expansion will involve property purchases. A section of the southeast cor• ner of Bayfield Road and Britannia Road where the Bluewfater Market is situated will have to be used. The plot ded measures 40 feet by :35 feet. On the opposite side of the street • a section -40, feet by 60 feet will he required. . For the expansion of the Vic- toria -Britannia intersection the north Corners on both sides of Victoria will be needed. Sec- tions measuring 15 by. 20 feet and 15 by 15 feet will he used. The psychological instinct of the average. driver could also pose a problem to the widening project. When the average driver comes into a four lane section of 'road after driving a long distance on a two -lane road, he speeds up. Taking this into 'con- sideration it is:Ypossihle cars, tourists, will he travelling. along the four lane section- in excess of the :speed limit and this combined with' the sudden and unexpected stop at the end of • the road could .he a dangerous situation; These factors are ones that come to •mind when the plans • are examined. At the expense involved one questidons the -ac- ceptance of the plans when it is possible that the bottleneck that exists now_ will still he there when the. construction ends. Let's hear what YOU ' r have to say do** ANIMIIMONIOWIMMINt iNNYIMIN •1� Proposed. pi�ns show Highway 21 south widened to four lanes through Goderich Photos by Jeff Seddon