Council responds to traffic woes 

In an effort to show it’s taking traffic safety concerns seriously, the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MCK) released a list of measures it’s considering implementing along the territory’s busiest roads.

“This is something that comes up almost every week because it's an issue in the community, and we have to work diligently on it,” Council chief Jeremiah Johnson said. “We've also come to the realization that there's not one fix for this issue, it's going to require a multifaceted approach.”

Some of those measures have already been shared publicly, like those that revolve around installing radar cameras, tolls on highways, and the eventual implementation of a specialized highway patrol unit headed by the Kahnawake Peacekeepers. 

Last week, the MCK shared that it's also considering expanding its ban on trucks during rush hour. There’s already a ban on trucks on Route 207 and Old Chateauguay Road, with exceptions for local deliveries. Council chief Jeremiah Johnson said roads connected to the 207 like Peter Foxy’s Road could also be targeted.

The closure of some residential streets during peak hours is also being studied.

Other traffic calming measures being floated revolve around school buses, like the installation of stop arms that would block advancing traffic whenever children get out. Another idea is to have peacekeepers assigned to trail along school buses to force motorists to stop.

“It doesn't happen often, but once in a while there are cars who will disregard the stop sign and the flashing lights of the bus and just drive around it,” said Kyle Zachary, spokesperson for the Peacekeepers.

A new procedure has already been implemented for school buses dropping children off along the 207 as of late November. Students are now picked up and dropped off on the same side of the road as the exit door, to prevent them from needing to cross over to the other side.

“What they're doing now is going up and down both sides of the road,” Zachary said. “So they'll pick up all the kids on the southbound side, and then they'll turn around at the end of the highway, double back and pick up all the kids on the northbound side.”

The implementation of “pace cars” on certain roads during rush hour is another consideration. That could be Peacekeeper vehicles or even ones driven by Public Works, Johnson suggested.

He commended the police force for its surveillance of Route 207 in the mornings, at the entrance in particular.

“They'll let about 15 cars go through, and then they'll stop them for a few minutes, and then let another 15 through,” he said. “The Peacekeepers have definitely been putting in every effort on their part to try to mitigate.”

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