Orléans residents pushing for protected left-turn signal after 65 collisions at St. Joseph intersection
A blind left turn from St. Joseph Boulevard onto Orléans Boulevard has become a safety flashpoint, with residents asking why the intersection doesn't meet provincial upgrade guidelines.
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For Orléans resident Catherine Luxton, a left turn from St. Joseph Boulevard northbound onto Orléans Boulevard feels reckless: "You almost have to hope that people are respecting the speed limit when you try to turn left." She avoids the intersection when possible.
More than 65 collisions were reported there between 2017 and 2024, with a turning motion cited as the initial impact type for 21 of those crashes. The intersection lacks a protected left-turn signal — an arrow allowing left-turning vehicles to cross before oncoming traffic gets its green light — even though every other direction in the four-way intersection has one.
Orléans West-Innes Councillor Laura Dudas says she's heard "loud and clear" from residents about the problem. She's asked city staff to complete multiple traffic assessments to determine if the intersection qualifies for an upgrade under guidelines established by the province and the Ontario Traffic Manual. The most recent assessment, completed in 2025, found it did not meet those criteria.
But Dudas is hoping the nearby Convent Glen LRT station, slated to open soon as part of the long-awaited east extension, might change the equation. "Staff have been asked to go back out as soon as things perk back up again in September to see if the intersection met any particular requirements in terms of improved pedestrian safety, or if it had finally met the requirements for a left-hand turn as residents have been asking for," she said.
The city evaluates intersections for protected left-turn phasing by looking at accident history, how well the left-turn movement operates without a signal, and how much the signal would increase waiting times for other traffic. Different locations warrant different signal types depending on their specific characteristics, city traffic operations manager Stuart Edison said.
Barrhaven East Councillor Wilson Lo has spent four years pursuing the same upgrade at Greenbank Road and Highbury Park Drive. After first requesting it in 2022, he learned only recently that the intersection had finally met the guidelines and been approved for a protected left-turn signal — a timeline that illustrates just how slowly these decisions move. The process is not quick, but for residents navigating blind turns daily, it rarely feels quick enough.
What are the specific Ontario Traffic Manual thresholds that determine whether an intersection qualifies for protected left-turn signal phasing?
When will staff reassess the St. Joseph and Orléans intersection, and what pedestrian-safety metrics will they use?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
At a glance
Where is the dangerous intersection Orléans residents are concerned about?
The intersection is at St. Joseph Boulevard northbound and Orléans Boulevard in Orléans. Between 2017 and 2024, more than 65 collisions were reported there, with 21 involving turning vehicles as the initial impact.
What safety feature is missing from this intersection?
St. Joseph Boulevard northbound onto Orléans Boulevard lacks a protected left-turn signal, even though all other three directions in the four-way intersection have one. A protected signal would allow left-turning vehicles to cross before oncoming traffic receives its green light.
When will the intersection be reassessed for a left-turn signal?
City staff have been asked to conduct another traffic assessment in September 2026 to determine whether the nearby Convent Glen LRT station opening might change whether the St. Joseph and Orléans intersection meets provincial upgrade guidelines.
