Drivers flying down a rural Kingsville Road are creating more than a wildlife problem, according to the Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary. The sanctuary went to council Monday asking for new measures to slow traffic along Road 3 West, which runs through the heart of its nearly 450-acre property. Executive Director Matthew Olewski told council Canada geese regularly cross the road between resting and feeding areas on either side – sometimes on foot during molting season, when they cannot fly. Those crossings, Sanctuary staff say, can be deadly. With vehicles regularly hitting birds. “On average, we document between seven and 10 Canada geese killed along this corridor each year and in some years that number is even greater,” Olewski said. “And these are only the incidents that we in fact know about.” ‘Each band tells a story’ The sanctuary is home to North America’s longest-running bird banding program – and Olewski came to council with a stark illustration of the toll along Road 3 West. He paused his remarks to lay a number of bird bands on the table before him. “Each band that you see here tells a story, and each is a recovered band from a goose that has lost its life after being struck by a vehicle over the past two months alone,” Olewski said. The losses have a scientific impact, too. The sanctuary says collisions involving banded birds can mean the loss of valuable data collected through the program. More troubling, Olewski told council staff and volunteers have witnessed motorists who appear to intentionally accelerate toward geese. Some, he said, seem to be looking to swipe the distinctive Jack Miner bands. The sanctuary’s concerns go beyond the birds. Thousands of people visit each year, including close to 2,000 through its education programs. School buses stop at the property, and families regularly move between parking areas, trails, and viewing locations. “It is not uncommon to see drivers suddenly break or swerve to avoid wildlife crossing in this corridor,” Olewski said. “And while we are grateful that no serious collision involving a pedestrian has occurred. Relying on luck is not a sound strategy.” Searching for a way to slow drivers down The speed limit through the area has previously been reduced from 80 km/h to 60. Town administration said a 2016 request to drop it further to 40 km/h and create a community safety zone was not implemented. Jack Miner is now asking council to consider another speed reduction, enhanced signage and traffic-calming measures including removable speed bumps and centreline delineators. Town staff are already collecting data. Public Operations Director Shaun Martinho said radar devices have been placed near the sanctuary to measure speeds, while staff conduct visual inspections to help shape future recommendations. Council stopped short of immediately ordering speed bumps or other specific measures Monday, after administration raised engineering and legal considerations. Instead, it unanimously directed administration to investigate measures addressing speed and traffic safety concerns along Road 3 West in front of the sanctuary. A report with recommendations is expected back by Oct. 5. Mayor Dennis Rogers said council appears supportive of finding a solution but wants the evidence first. “I think there’s just more conversation to be had,” Rogers said. “And I’m always a little wary of us rushing into it.”
