Improving Pedestrian Safety on Durham Street South - Working Together for a Safer, Walkable Downtown

The Municipality of Centre Hastings has been working for more than a decade to improve pedestrian safety in Madoc’s downtown corridor. Since 2012, Council and staff have advanced studies, funding applications, and design work — all aimed at creating safer crossings along Durham Street South (Highway 62), where thousands of vehicles travel daily through the heart of the community.

Our goal: To make downtown Madoc safer and more accessible for everyone — residents, students, seniors, and visitors.

Durham Street South is part of a provincial Connecting Link, meaning the roadway remains under Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) jurisdiction. Before any pedestrian crossover (PXO) can be installed, a specific provincial process must be followed:

1. Engineering design prepared to MTO standards (OTM Book 15 and O. Reg. 402/15).
2. Municipal by-law and Council resolution supporting the installation.
3. Formal MTO review and approval of both the design and by-law.
4. Funding confirmation (through the Connecting Link Program or local budget) before construction.

Even after a design is completed, approval is not guaranteed — the Ministry must authorize all signalized crossings on Connecting Links.

Our commitment: As soon as the MTO approves the designs, the Municipality will move ahead with by-law adoption and construction planning, while continuing to seek funding support from the Connecting Link Program and other provincial or federal opportunities to help make these crossings a reality.

• 2012 – CAO’s Report initiated a municipal review of pedestrian and accessibility needs in downtown Madoc.
• 2019 – Staff and Council began exploring Connecting Link funding to improve pedestrian safety infrastructure in partnership with the MTO.
• 2020 – First Connecting Link funding application submitted for a pedestrian crossover at Furnace & Durham; application denied by MTO. Traffic studies completed, identifying high vehicle counts and speeding trends.
• 2021 – Additional data gathered and discussions continued with MTO to strengthen a future submission.
• 2022 – Staff Report PWK-2022-10 reaffirmed pedestrian safety as a core infrastructure priority and recommended ongoing collaboration with MTO.
• 2023 – Resident petitions and correspondence renewed public dialogue. Council directed staff to explore a Community Safety Zone (CSZ) designation alongside PXO planning. Council Resolution (Aug 16, 2023) authorized CSZ application and speed limit reduction to 40 km/h.
• 2024 – December 10, 2024 – CSZ Stakeholder & Public Engagement Session: Representatives from Council, OPP, HPEDSB, local service groups, and community members met to review data and discuss safety concerns. OPP collision data (2021–2024) confirmed multiple incidents related to speeding and inattention. A local resident delegation appeared before Council, reinforcing community safety concerns. MTO correspondence confirmed PXO design, by-law, and review requirements.
• 2025 – Paradigm Transportation Solutions studies confirmed continued high traffic volumes and speeds. Paradigm retained under current Connecting Link funding to design PXOs at Durham & Elgin and Durham & Furnace. October 2025: The Municipality submitted the draft Community Safety Zone proposal to the OPP and MTO for comment. Once MTO design approval is received, the Municipality will immediately proceed with by-law adoption, funding confirmation, and construction planning.

The Municipality of Centre Hastings is committed to collaboration — ensuring that every major safety decision is guided by data, professional input, and community voices.

In December 2024, the Municipality hosted a Community Safety Zone (CSZ) and pedestrian safety engagement session to review traffic data, discuss safety concerns, and gather feedback from residents, schools, police, and service organizations.

Education: Hastings and Prince Edward School Board

Police: Central Hastings OPP  and OPP Detachment Board, Community Policing Committee

Municipal: Centre Hastings Departments, Hastings County (Emily Galloway), EMCON
Government: MP Shelby Kramp-Neuman, MPP Ric Bresee

Community: Central Hastings Support Network,  Madoc Township, Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, BIT, COPE, Madoc Baptist Church, Central Hastings Lodge, Kiwanis Club and Legion

Residents: Various residents concerned with pedestrian safety.

Engineering & detailed design: $70,000–$90,000 per location
Construction & installation: $275,000–$350,000+ per site
Total per crossing: $350,000–$440,000+ per site

Design completion strengthens our case but does not guarantee approval. Completing design work now ensures that Centre Hastings is construction-ready once approval and funding align.

However, it’s important for residents to understand that the Municipality could spend this money and still not receive approval from the Ministry of Transportation. The cost is significant — roughly equal to a 1% property tax increase for every $60,000 spent — so Council must carefully balance financial risk with community safety priorities.

Residents: Letters and delegations describe ongoing safety risks.

Business Community: BIT Chair emphasized pedestrian safety as vital to downtown revitalization.

Community Organizations: Central Hastings Support Network formally endorsed the Community Safety Zone in April 2025.

Residents often compare Centre Hastings to our neighbour Tweed, which has pedestrian crossings on its Connecting Link. Those installations were approved under earlier MTO standards. Since 2018, provincial regulations have tightened design and justification requirements. Centre Hastings is following the current standards to ensure our crossings are fully compliant and eligible for provincial funding once approved.

• Completion of Paradigm’s PXO engineering review (2025)
• Submission to MTO for technical feedback and design approval
• Immediate municipal action following approval
• Continued pursuit of Connecting Link funding
• Ongoing public updates through Council and the municipal website.

• Contact MPP Ric Bresee to support provincial approval. (bresee@pc.ola.org)
• Share safety experiences or letters of support with the Municipal Office (info@centrehastings.com).
• Encourage safe driving and pedestrian awareness downtown.
  
  Together, we can make Durham Street South safer — one step at a time.