Punkeydoodles traffic study moved from 2026 to 2023

A traffic study that will look into improving safety at Punkeydoodles Corners will take place in 2023.

At an Oxford County Council meeting on Wednesday, it was agreed to move the study up from when it was originally scheduled in 2026. $75,000 will be added to the county's budget in 2023 so the study can be done.

Once the new year begins, Oxford County will outline its proposal to Waterloo Region, and Perth County. Punkeydoodles Corners is in between all three municipalities. 

“They can have a look at the scope that we're proposing, and make sure we are all on the same page of what we want to analyze,” said Oxford County Director of Public Works, David Simpson. 

The study will look at the entire Punkeydoodles Corners area and is expected to be completed later in 2023. Once findings are determined, if infrastructure changes are needed, the three municipalities will again have to be involved. 

“Should there be future intersection infrastructure upgrades that are proposed, we would then need to start talking about agreements in terms of how that infrastructure could be cost-shared, and actually constructed,” Simpson said. 

The study comes after a fatal collision at the intersection of Oxford Road 5 and Punkeydoodles Avenue in October. New stop signs with flashing lights were installed shortly after as a short-term solution. 

At the council meeting Ed Danen, chair of the Punkeydoodles Community Association, spoke to council about the importance of improving safety in the area. 

“Our group of citizens was formed after a very tragic loss to try and bring improvements to a group of intersections that have become progressively more dangerous as populations in the area increase.”