Region of Waterloo taking over portion of road running through Punkeydoodles Corners

The Region of Waterloo is taking over ownership of a once-dangerous stretch of road in Wilmot Township.

Punkeydoodles Corners is an infamous intersection that represents a three-way border between Waterloo Region, Oxford County, and Perth County.

Roadwork was completed this month at the intersection to improve safety, including updated signage, road repaving, and increased lanes.

The western portion of Punkeydoodles Ave. at Perth Rd. 101 and the northern portion of Township Rd. 11 at the intersection of Perth Rd. 101 will also be permanently closed according to Oxford County.

Waterloo Region took on a portion of the $1 million bill for those upgrades.

Wilmot Township requested that the Region of Waterloo take over ownership of the road, as it has become an increasingly congested inter-regional road connecting commuters from Oxford County and Perth County to Waterloo Region.

In taking ownership of the road, the regional government is now responsible for the maintenance Oxford Rd. 5 for a 5 km stretch south of Punkeydoodles Corners.

The safety upgrades to Punkeydoodles Corners were prompted by a fatal collision that took place in Oct. 2022 when a 22-year-old woman was killed after her car was t-boned at that intersection.

The driver of the other car, 21-year-old Thomas Rea, was sentenced to two years behind bars in September.