Fast curve sends cars onto Kanata couple's lawn
Couple puts boulder on lawn as defensive barrier
CBC News
Posted: Jan 4, 2012 7:32 PM ET
Last Updated: Jan 4, 2012 7:30 PM ET
Holly Moore and Scott Miller say skid marks like these left on their lawn have been all too common.
An Ottawa couple say close to 40 cars have skidded onto their lawn and driveway because of a dangerous, sharp curve on their street.
Holly Moore and Scott Miller have lived on Brunskill Way in Kanata for two years.
Miller said cars travelling around the sharp curve in front of his house lose control and end up on his property.
Two weeks ago during a freezing rainstorm, eight drivers lost control and jumped the curb onto his lawn, he said, with one car skidding to within a metre of his front window while his two young boys were inside playing.
"It's the speed and the design of the corner and the downward slope ...you have cars even if they wanted to they can't make it," said Moore. "So even great neighbours that I have...even sometimes they are surprised by the conditions here and they end up on my front driveway or in my yard."
Giant boulder put in yard
As a defensive measure, the couple has placed a giant boulder in front of their yard.
"My husband was even trying to convince me to put in some guard rails and I said forget it we'll get another rock," said Moore.
"This curve is just driving us nuts," she said.
Kanata Councillor Marianne Wilkinson said the city has reduced the speed going into the curve from 40 to 20 kilometres, but the couple says drivers are ignoring the change. Instead, they want speed bumps or some other traffic calming measure to get drivers to slow down.
City to inspect curve
Wilkinson and city staff said they will inspect the street within the next couple of weeks to see what can be done.
In a statement, City of Ottawa spokesperson Jocelyne Turner said they were investigating the situation.
"Now that this issue has been brought to the city’s attention, staff will examine this particular circumstance for safety concerns, but it should be noted that speed humps may not be the most appropriate solution in this area," said Turner.
"Speed hump requests, or other traffic measures of this nature, are generally dealt with through the City’s Area Traffic Management Program. However, this program is not geared toward, or intended for, dealing with safety issues that require an immediate response."
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