Town officials are examining ways to improve traffic flow through the Hwy. 1A construction zone.

Mayor Jeff Genung and town councillors have received an abundance of emails, social media postings, and calls about the additional congestion on an already busy corridor. At one point this weekend, Mayor Genung says he briefly turned off his phone.

In his opening remarks at last night's town council meeting, Genung says town officials are looking at a variety of options to improve the situation, including enforcement, signage, and signalization.

"All of those things are going to be considered, and they are going to be implemented in some form."

He says they'll continue to revisit the issue throughout construction and adjust accordingly.

Even before the project started, Mayor Genung had been anticipating an outcry but says the short-term pain is worth the long-term gain.

Some motorists have been trying to beat the system by travelling through the Gleneagles neighbourhood, and its residents are concerned.

Town Councillor Alex Reed, a resident of Gleneagles, says it has become a speed lane for those wishing to reduce their transition time through the construction zone, and there has been at least a ten-fold increase in traffic.

He said several suggestions have been made by Gleneagles residents to address the issue, including additional police presence, ticketing, and more stop signs at major intersections in the neighbourhood during the construction.

"As a last resource, if the town administration is unable to address these concerns, giving that the Gleneagles residents paid for the Gleneagles Drive infrastructure themselves, some of the residents of Gleneagles feel it's only fair that they should see a reduction in their property taxes," Reed explains in a letter to town administration.

Town officials say it was one of the anticipated consequences, and that additional enforcement has been deployed. It will continue to monitor the situation and adjust strategies as necessary.

Related Stories