Safety concerns raised by the Smiths Falls Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) have prompted council to order a more detailed review of one of the community’s busiest intersections while keeping a $6-million bridge rehabilitation project on schedule.
At its July 29 committee of the whole meeting, council reached consensus to commission additional engineering work on the channelized right-turn lane at the Beckwith Street and Lombard Street intersection after hearing concerns from the AAC about pedestrian safety and accessibility.
The decision allows the broader Beckwith Street bridge rehabilitation project to proceed while engineers take a closer look at possible improvements to the intersection.
AAC chair Lucie Bingley told council AAC members visited the intersection to assess it from the perspective of people with mobility challenges and other disabilities.
Among the concerns identified by the AAC were insufficient time to cross before traffic signals change, limited visibility around the channelized right-turn lane and challenges for people with hearing and visual impairments.
“Many people must avoid the intersection altogether, as they do not feel safe using it or having their child or children using it,” Bingley said.
She said the proposed black bridge railing also appears solid when viewed from the corner, making it difficult for pedestrians to see approaching traffic until vehicles are already close.
The AAC recommended a detailed design study that prioritizes pedestrian safety, accessibility for people of all abilities, active transportation, traffic operations, vehicle safety, improved access to Victoria Park and accepted transportation engineering best practices. It also asked to be consulted throughout development of the preferred design.
Council also heard from Emmett Prue, a professional engineer with the City of Ottawa who specializes in transportation planning and neighbourhood traffic calming. Prue outlined Ottawa’s experience with protected intersections, saying they improve safety and visibility for pedestrians and cyclists by reducing conflicts with turning vehicles.
Coun. Chris McGuire said the updated engineering report itself recommends a more detailed study before a preferred design is selected.
“If we’re going to do this job, it’s going to be like this for the next 50 years,” McGuire said. “We’ve got one chance to get this right.”
Mayor Shawn Pankow said his perspective changed after visiting the site with members of the AAC.
“I think, given a choice, we should make the choice that best secures the safety of all participants at an intersection,” he said.
Pankow said the project should prioritize pedestrians, cyclists and people using mobility devices because the intersection will serve the community for decades.
Coun. Jennifer Miller also supported the additional review, describing the intersection as difficult even for able-bodied pedestrians.
“I’ve lived in two different houses on that side of town and have been a pedestrian at that intersection many times,” she said. “It’s tricky. It’s a blind intersection.”
Director of Public Works and Utilities Paul McMunn said staff remain committed to moving the overall project forward while completing the additional engineering work.
He cautioned against redesigning the intersection before determining whether changes are feasible.
“The only way that we would be able to address the particular questions that’s coming from Coun. McGuire would be to do a full-on traffic analysis,” McMunn said.
McMunn said the town has structured the tender so the bridge rehabilitation and intersection improvements can proceed separately. Bridge work is expected to begin this summer, while intersection work is anticipated in 2027.
The rehabilitation project is supported through approximately $6 million in Ministry of Transportation Connecting Links funding and must be completed by March 2028.
Elements Engineering has submitted a proposal of $24,900, plus HST, for the investigative portion of the study. If the review concludes changes are warranted, completing the detailed design would bring the total cost to $47,220.
McMunn said the additional engineering work can be incorporated through change orders without delaying the bridge rehabilitation.
Council also asked staff to determine whether the existing stairs leading into Victoria Park are included in the project scope. If they are, the AAC has requested that a ramp be considered instead.
Council reached consensus to proceed with the engineering review while allowing the bridge rehabilitation project to remain on schedule. Staff expect bridge work to begin in 2026, with the intersection improvements following in 2027.
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