Letter to Grey County Council: Grey Road 1 Safety Concerns Warrant Investigation
A resident of Georgian Bluffs shares her concerns about pedestrian and cyclist safety on a specific stretch of Grey Road 1 and requests the county conduct a traffic safety review.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Lyssa Ireton of Georgian Bluffs submitted the following letter to Grey County Council on June 24, then to Owen Sound Current on July 7, 2026.
To Grey County Council,
I am writing to request a traffic safety review of Grey Road 1 from the point where Frank street becomes Grey Road 1 through to Concession 24.
I have lived on this stretch of road for approximately ten years. During that time, I have watched traffic speeds and driver behaviour become an increasing concern, and I believe the situation is getting worse.
This is not simply a rural highway. This stretch of Grey Road 1 is home to dozens of families. There are school bus stops, pedestrians, cyclists, dog walkers, driveways, mailboxes, local traffic, tourists, Airbnb’s, an airport, small businesses, and users accessing the Bruce Trail.
While Grey Road 1 is an important transportation corridor, it is also a place where people live.
Over the years, traffic on this road has changed how my family uses it. We do not bike on the road. I walk my dogs less than I would like because I can not trust that passing vehicles will respect the space available. My children are older now, but I still think about traffic whenever they are near the road.
Winter conditions present additional concerns. Portions of this corridor are open and prone to drifting snow, and snowbanks significantly reduce the available space between pedestrians and passing vehicles.
Despite these conditions, speeding and passing behaviour continue throughout the winter months, leaving even less room for error for residents using the roadside.
My concern is not simply the posted speed limit. My concern is that many vehicles appear to be travelling well above it, and that this creates aggressive and dangerous passing behaviour.
Importantly, many drivers do follow the speed limit. Unfortunately, that often seems to frustrate other drivers, resulting in passing manouvers by people who are unwilling to slow down. In my opinion this is one of the biggest safety issues on this corridor.
I regularly observe passing along this stretch of road, and I recently drove the corridor from Frank Street to concession 24 specifically to review the pavement markings. From Lake Street to Concession 24, passing opportunities exist along much of the roadway. Given the residential nature of this corridor and the driver behaviour residents are experiencing, I believe these markings deserve review.
My concerns are based on more than frustration.
I have experienced several incidents over the years that continue to stand out to me.
Most recently, I was nearly struck while standing at my mailbox when a vehicle passed another vehicle at a high rate of speed in close proximity to the shoulder. On other occasions, I have had drivers attempt to pass while I was waiting to turn left into my driveway.
I have also experienced situations involving my dogs near the roadway where approaching drivers failed to slow down despite obvious efforts to warn them.
In just three mornings while waiting for the school bus, in a ten minute span, I observed the following:
June 22
Approximately 6-7 vehicles travelling significantly above the posted speed limit.
One vehicle passed the school bus between our stop and the stop before us.
June 23
Approximately 7 vehicles travelling at speeds above the limit.
June 24
One vehicle passed two vehicles in succession in front of our bus stop.
I understand that Grey County cannot control every driver. However, I believe that the current situation warrants a review.
I am requesting a comprehensive traffic review of Grey Road 1 from Frank Street to Concession 24, including vehicle speeds, passing behaviour, school bus safety, pedestrian safety, cyclist safety, and driveway access.
While I am open to whatever solutions County staff determine are appropriate, I would strongly encourage consideration of:
Reviewing and reducing passing opportunities through revised pavement markings where appropriate;
Increased and visible traffic enforcement;
Speed feedback signs to encourage compliance with posted speed limits. Vehicles travelling on Grey Road 1 need to slow down.
Residents should be able to walk their dogs, check their mail, access their driveways, wait for the school bus, and allow their children to use the roadside without worrying that someone travelling too fast or passing aggressively will cause a tragedy.
I would welcome the opportunity to speak to Council regarding these concerns and the lived experiences of residents along this corridor.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Lyssa Ireton
Georgian Bluffs
Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of The Owen Sound Current and its editor or publisher.