Carlisle traffic light installation cancelled
City Council has unanimously voted in support of my motion to eliminate the proposed traffic light at Carlisle Road and Centre Road
In 2025, residents across Flamborough, particularly of Carlisle, as well as Millgrove, Freelton, and Campbellville, were vocal in sharing their collective concern for the planned installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of Carlisle Road and Centre Road. With residents citing fears of undue issues to the local area and possibly decreased safety for both motorists and pedestrians, I asked the City’s Transportation Division for the full history of this project and subsequently arranged a Town Hall in June. It was an illuminating meeting. Approximately 150 residents attended to hear the presentation from the City’s Director of Transportation, asked questions of Transportation staff, and provided considerable local insight.
At that meeting, data from staff was minimal, and it pointed to peak time usage to justify a light. Further, Transportation staff acknowledged minimal collisions occur at this intersection, at an average of once per year since 2009, and always minor, with no serious accidents or fatalities having been recorded. Residents rebutted with numerous, compelling arguments as to why they felt their community’s safety would be reduced by a traffic light. Specifically, there are unique topographical factors at this intersection, as it sits at the bottom of two hills, traveling from both the east, as well as the north. Couple that with the fact that both Centre Rd and Carlisle Rd are designated for truck traffic, as part of Hamilton’s Truck Route. Therefore, heavy vehicles are routinely gearing down, on a downhill slope, from two different directions, as they come to a stop sign knowing a complete stop is required. The risk of a truck running a yellow light could be catastrophic if a driver made a choice to accelerate through the pedestrian heavy area. Beyond truck traffic, the corner also hosts businesses with a unique parking and access situation, that would likely be impacted by a traffic light as well.
I would like to thank to my Council colleagues for their unanimous support of my motion to remove the traffic light allocation from the City’s budget. This motion is a great example of two-fold success, as it directly responds to the community’s concerns, while simultaneously reducing the City’s capital budget by approximately $400,000.
My thanks to Acting Director of Transportation, Mike Fields who joined me for a recent tour of Ward 15, including a stop in Carlisle to review the intersection at hand. Acting Director Fields will move away from a traffic light and instead will pursue alternative methods to manage traffic safely and efficiently at the intersection, including a review of the broader area traffic network. Further, the Hamilton’s Truck Route is up for review in 2027, and it is my hope that we can remove this intersection from the Truck Route entirely. In advance of the formal review, I hope to make efforts to expedite a change to the Truck Route.
