Councillor David VanDamme speaks at a Chatham-Kent Council meeting. April 3, 2017. (Photo by Natalia Vega)Councillor David VanDamme speaks at a Chatham-Kent Council meeting. April 3, 2017. (Photo by Natalia Vega)
Chatham

CK Councillor Fights For LED Beacon At 'Rushton's Corners'

A Chatham-Kent councillor says it's time to "pony up" to avoid future collisions and save lives by installing a LED flashing beacon at a Ridgetown intersection.

Councillor David VanDamme is bringing forward a motion to council on Monday that calls for an LED beacon to be installed at the intersection of Ridge Line and Kent Bridge Rd., which has seen more than 60 collisions in the past 15 years.

"Numerous people drive through that intersection everyday and they tell me that they're apprehensive about it because they don't know if they're going to enter into an accident. I can tell you that something is going on there. More often than not, there's going to be an accident," says VanDamme.

VanDamme says it is a recipe for disaster not having a beacon at the intersection.

"The reason why I believe there is going to be an accident is because there are no LED flashing beacons there. I took the time to actually drive Kent Rd. 15 from beginning to end and this is the only intersection on that whole strip of road where there is no LED warning beacon," explains VanDamme.

VanDamme believes the beacon would prevent many accidents from occurring and potentially, save lives.

"They get accustomed to just driving and stopping, but if they don't see that LED beacon in my special corner, which we all know as Rushton's Corners, they're more apt to drive through it or drive through it carelessly," he says.

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