Kingston’s Main Street needs another crossing - Brothers

BY NANCY KELLY

Kings County Register

Kings County Deputy Warden Diana Brothers is calling on the provincial Department of Transportation to install a cross walk with lights on Main Street in Kingston to improve safe access to the Kingston Medical Clinic.

Doctors MacGuire and Yafai, who between them carry a patient load of approximately 2,000 people, operate the clinic. Their parking lot is on the south side of Highway 1, across from their practice, just west of the Bridge and Main street intersection.

"Right now, there is no safe way for people to get across the street from the parking lot," complains Brothers, "and to access the existing crossing at Bridge Street, they have to walk along the side of the road that doesn't have a sidewalk." She says most people, however, "take their chances" by crossing the highway right from the parking lot.

She adds it isn't realistic for some people, "especially the infirm, elderly or disabled" to be expected to walk on the side of the road to the crosswalk.

There are only two handicapped parking spaces on the north side of Main Street outside the clinic.

"But between the two doctors, there can be upwards of 12 to 15 elderly or disabled people in the office at any given time."

Brothers says the Department of Transportation has had at least two similar requests to remediate the problem. She understands no action has been taken because the location between two existing sets of traffic lights doesn't fit the profile for a new crosswalk.

"Even if it challenges their crosswalk policy, the fact remains that people crossing there are in danger."

Brother contends more needs to be done along that stretch of Main Street to improve safety for both pedestrians and drivers.

"Some (drivers) stop for pedestrians, but some don't. There are all kinds of scenarios where someone could get hurt."