Barrhaven resident Suzanne Westover has experienced what many Ottawa parents fear daily: watching their children navigate streets where speeding cars pose constant danger. Her daughter Elise's daily journey to St. Joseph High School has become a nerve-wracking routine that highlights the urgent need for better traffic safety measures in the community.
The Clearbrook Drive Speedway
Clearbrook Drive at Highpoint Crescent in Barrhaven holds the dubious distinction of ranking fifth-worst citywide for speeding among neighbourhood collection routes. Westover describes the street as resembling a "Formula One raceway" during morning hours when students commute to school.
"I've waved my arms and shouted at the Max Verstappen wannabes," Westover admits, referring to her attempts at what she calls "suburban mom-shaming." She quickly discovered that parental disapproval proves ineffective against speeding vehicles that routinely ignore pedestrian safety.
Inadequate Safety Measures
The intersection presents multiple safety concerns that disproportionately affect students. While there is a crossing guard present in the afternoon to accommodate elementary school children, no crossing guard is available during morning hours when older students in grades seven to twelve travel to St. Joseph High School.
Westover has personally tested the effectiveness of current safety measures, standing at the corner with hand extended, signaling her intention to cross. "I waited, watching six or seven cars drive by, entirely oblivious," she reports. Unlike lit crosswalks, yield signs and zebra stripes appear to be treated as suggestions rather than legal requirements.
Winter Conditions Compound Dangers
The situation becomes particularly hazardous during Ottawa's winter months. Students begin gathering at bus stops around 7:15 am when darkness still prevails, wearing dark-colored winter coats that reduce visibility. Many have earbuds in and eyes on their phones, further decreasing awareness of their surroundings.
Adding to the winter danger, traffic calming barriers are removed during colder months, and icy road conditions make stopping more difficult for vehicles that already travel at excessive speeds of 70 to 80 kilometres per hour in a residential area.
While Barrhaven East city councillor Wilson Lo has acknowledged the problem, current solutions fall short according to Westover. Construction work to square the curb and tighten the turning radius only addresses turning vehicles, not the through traffic that constitutes the primary speeding problem.
Westover's experience echoes a broader concern about pedestrian safety in Barrhaven, transforming what might be comedy fodder on television into a sobering reality for local families who simply want their children to reach school safely.
