Drivers taking shortcut irks Dutton Dunwich councillor

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Dutton Dunwich Coun. Ian Fleck wants to put an end to people using an illegal short cut between Marsh Line and Leitch Street in Dutton.

The roadways flank an abandoned rail line where the rails are no longer present.

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Drivers taking shortcut irks Dutton Dunwich councillor Back to video

With the rails removed, passage across the property is possible driving wheeled vehicles.

Fleck told council he has witnessed vehicles travelling at “excessive speeds and flying over” a section of the property which remains as a raised bed of gravel.

“I happened to be down there one night last week and I couldn’t believe I counted 11 cars in no time just flying, they come over top of that (railway bed) and out onto Leitch Street and there’s no stop sign and somebody was almost hit,” Fleck said.

“I don’t understand how we can let traffic go on what’s private land,” he added.

Ryan Brown, the municipality’s public works director, said traffic signs were posted in the area when complaints first surfaced.

The signs direct traffic to turn at the site.

“We have an easement through Entegrus land but we don’t have any agreement with CSX,” Brown said.

Fleck said some kind of barrier needs to be investigated to stop the practice before someone gets hurt.

“One challenge I have with a barrier placement is even though people know it’s an illegal activity, people are using that right-of-way with all sorts of equipment and if you erect some barrier we will have to have them extremely well marked,” Brown said.

Someone could injure themselves hitting a barrier covered with snow and the municipality could be named in a civil lawsuit, he added.

“I just don’t think that’s right that somebody could get hurt coming over there when it’s not a roadway,” Fleck said.

Brown told council the OPP has been contact about enforcement in that area and he will prepare a report on options, including some type of barrier, to curtail the illegal practice.