A new $75,000 pedestrian crossover is getting the green light from city council after a serious collision between a Windsor Transit bus and a little girl.
Ward 2 Councillor John Elliott thinks getting the crossover is a big win for the neighbouring residents.
"Happy for the family, little Ms. Lila's family of course, and certainly for the community — that area of Mic Mac Park where that crosswalk is — going into the summer, it's going to be important," says Elliott.
On the evening of May 26, 4-year-old Lila Jane was hit by a city bus on Prince Road at Barrymore Lane and rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
In the aftermath, the neighbouring community responded with a petition of more than 3,000 signatures calling for a crosswalk to be installed at the nearby entrance to Mic Mac Park.
Courtney Belanger attends a vigil at the opening to Mic Mac Park for her niece Lila Jane — who remains in critical condition after being struck by a Transit Windsor bus on May 26 — on Sunday June 3, 2018. (Photo by AM800's Gord Bacon)
At the June 4th meeting of council the study needed for the project was fast-tracked. The study found 77% of vehicles exceeded the speed limit of 50 km/h on Prince Road in the area of Mic Mac Park. The average speed was clocked at 54.2 km/h while the 85th percentile speed was registered at 62.2 km/h.
Two weeks later, council has approved the project.
Elliott has been getting updates from Lila's family — including a recent video showing her improving condition.
"The little girl her brother, he's a little bit older, he was in the room with her, entertaining her and man she was just cracking up laughing and he had her running around the room and just as happy as she wants to be," says Elliott. "You know, she's coming along; she's got a long way to go."
The councillor drives down Prince Rd. every day and says it's unfortunate it took a tragedy to see the need for the crossover.
"Sometimes that's life," says Elliott. "You know life happens, it makes us all stop and reflect and learn from it."
Construction is expected sometime this summer.
Charges are not expected against the bus driver in the incident as Windsor police say it appears the little girl darted into the street.