'Something has to be done': A tragic crash south of Strathroy has renewed calls for safety improvements at a busy rural intersection

Two people died as the result of a crash at the intersection of Glendon Drive and Melbourne Road Tuesday morning, renewing calls for safety improvements at the site.

"Something else besides rumble strips and besides a big, old stop sign,” says Nate Stinson.

Stinson has lived in the region his entire life. He says he passes through the intersection about three times a week and has seen many close calls.

“People just carry their speed all the way up to the intersection and, a lot of the time, they're just rolling straight through the intersection,” he says. “There's not even a stop happening."

The collision on Tuesday happened around 6:30 am and involved a transport truck and a passenger vehicle.

Another crash involving similar vehicles happened at the intersection in November 2019. That collision claimed the life of four-year-old Mariia Bundur.

Improvements were made after the 2019 crash, including deeper rumble strips that create more vibration and more noise. They were added further back from the intersection, and were in addition to existing rumble strips.

Residents living near this intersection say there are a number of factors that contribute to the number of accidents and the severity of accidents at Melbourne and Glendon. They point to the fact that the speed limit on both roadways is 90 km/h.

"I mean, every day, I'm surprised there's not more accidents,” says neighbour Cheryl Burleigh.

Lower speed limits is where she would start. She and her husband, Bob, live on Melbourne, about 200 meters north of the intersection.

“Just because of the speeding that goes on here, they should reduce the speed limit,” Burleigh says.

They also point to the mix of vehicle types, with farm equipment and many heavy trucks intersecting with passenger vehicles. There’s also been higher traffic volumes with nearby communities continuing to grow quickly.

After the 2019 fatality, there were petitions calling for a traffic roundabout but that was ruled out. Neighbour Danny McKinnon understands it may take some time to build, but believes it should still be a consideration.

"We don't want to let it go by the wayside,” he says. “We had a crash here yesterday and now we'll stop talking about it. We have to keep talking about it. Something has to be done."

Both Glendon and Melbourne are maintained by Middlesex County. Melbourne straddles the communities of Southwest Middlesex and Strathroy-Caradoc.

Strathroy-Caradoc mayor Colin Grantham says he can't get into specifics but says a review of safety measures at the intersection is being undertaken.