Hamilton councillor pushing to expedite review of King and Main intersection, where crash killed 4

A Hamilton citycouncillor is pushing to expedite areview of the intersection atMain Street East andKing Street East after a crash in the areakilled four people, including three pedestrians,on Saturday.

Nrinder Nann, councillor for Ward 3, told CBC Hamilton she has received consistent complaints from pedestrians about Main and King streets, which are one-way for most ofthe long stretches they run parallel through downtown.

She's also received complaints about the intersection close to where the crash occurred, where the two streets meet. The intersection sits in front of an entrance to Gage Park, one of the lower city's largest parks and home to the Hamilton's Children Museum.

Nann said she's waiting to hear about theaudit of the intersectionfocused on pedestrian accessibility and will see what can be done ahead of the construction of the light-rail transit (LRT)system, which will see two nearby stops installed.

Her comments come afterpolice say a man stole a car nearBarton and Kenilworthearly Saturday morning and was drivingat a "high rate of speed" westboundtoward King Street before ithopped the curb, smashedinto a concrete hydro pole and burst into flames.

It killed the driver of the vehicle and three others, including two people Pizza Pizza said were arriving to the restaurant to do maintenance work there.

It's unclear what impact, if any, the road design and intersection had in the crash.

But Nann said speedingis a city-wide problem.

"The truth of the matter in Hamilton is drivers are driving way too fast on our roads," she said on Wednesday.

"We have a serious problemacross the entire city of drivers not being responsible to the rules of the road and being completely negligent ... it is literally causing death."

Hamiltonpolice said in an email on Wednesday that officers have issued 7,467 speeding tickets since the start of the year. There have been 2,002 tickets issued in March.

Review of arterial roadways needed: councillor

Nann said she thinks the city should redesign roadways based on a child being able to move around the city, even if it means investing "astronomically."

She added there could alsobe betterscreening for those applying for a driver'slicenceand stronger enforcement, though all of that would be out of the city's hands.

Nann said it's time to call for a comprehensive review of allmajor arterialroadways in Hamilton.

"We can't continue having these kinds of incidences break our hearts in the community and have familieshave to deal with the tragic loss of a loved one," she said.

"I think we have a duty and a responsibility as a municipality to address the safety concern that is Main Street and King Street. The fact they are multi-lane thruways being treated as highways adjacent to homes, parks, workplaces is no longer an option."