Changes could be coming to the Matchett Road-Sprucewood Avenue intersection.
LaSalle council will be discussing a staff report on Tuesday, October 22 that calls for temporary improvements to the busy intersection that connects LaSalle and Windsor.
According to the report, administration is recommending a signalized intersection with protected left turn lanes on Matchett only.
The report says the estimated cost of the intersection work is around $900,000 and will include widening the road, re-paving, underground infrastructure and installing the signals.
Mayor Crystal Meloche says it's an interesting intersection because third-quarters of it belongs to the city but it affects the town more.
She says the work is temporary because there is an agreement in place with the developer of the raceway lands to improve the intersection if the property is developed.
Meloche says the town has heard loud and clear from its residents that improvements are needed.
"We're growing in Town of LaSalle, we're growing fast and we have a lot of projects coming up in the next few years so we think this is a really good time for us to focus on improving this intersection," says Meloche.
She says since it's a temporary fix, the town is not considering a roundabout at this time.
"Temporary fix could be five, 10, 20 years," she says. "We're still unsure, we're being told at this point, there are no plans for development at that corner so as long as new development takes place, they own that land then there's not going to be an improvement made to that intersection."
Meloche feels some residents will be upset with the price tag.
"We just did the intersection on Sandwich Parkway and Huron Church and that one there was not far off from this price tag and that's about the cost to make these types of improvements when you're adding turn lanes, and you're adding signals," says Meloche. " But for us we're looking at it as this affects our residents, it will improve traffic flow for us."
She adds the town has talked to the city and has been told the intersection is not a priority for the city.
"We're going to continue to work with them, we're going to continue to have that conversation with them and see if there's anyway that they can help us with that improvement to that intersection," she says. "But at the end of the day when we make this decision, we're going to have to make this decision with the idea that there's a great possibility that we are paying the entire cost to make this improvement at this time."
Meloche says administration is also looking at extending sidewalks in the area but a small piece of property is required from a property owner.
The report also highlights the Morton-Matchett intersection and possibly adding turning lanes on Matchett at Morton.
The estimated cost for all the work is $1,450,000.
Meloche says if approved, the improvements would be done by the summer of 2025.