Safety Petition
Doane Rd & Leslie St

Securing Safety Measures at Doane Road & Leslie Street

How Grassroots Advocacy and an Engineer's Precision Broke a Decade of Regional Delays

A Tragedy That Demanded Action

On April 26, our community suffered a devastating loss when a fatal collision at the intersection of Leslie Street and Doane Road claimed the life of 17-year-old Samir Osman and seriously injured four other teenagers.

This heartbreaking incident was an "enough is enough" moment for East Gwillimbury. For years, local families have been forced to navigate an outdated, rural-style intersection that simply cannot handle modern traffic volumes. While York Region completed an Environmental Assessment for the corridor in 2013 and originally scheduled construction for 2017, the project was repeatedly deferred year after year.

With explosive growth across Queensville and Sharon, the opening of the Health and Active Living Plaza, the planned Southlake Health hospital site, and the future Bradford Bypass, leaving this intersection unaddressed was no longer an option. While traffic lights alone cannot eliminate reckless driving or speeding, we must advocate for every layer of engineering and roadway safety possible to protect our families and prevent future tragedies.

A Grassroots Demand for Action

Determined to stop a decade of inaction, Queensville resident, father of four, and professional transportation engineer Shahab Aryan stepped up to lead community-wide advocacy. Rather than waiting for another decade of study, Shahab launched a community petition that quickly mobilized incredible local support, officially crossing over 400 signatures.

Shahab organized a community-wide petition demanding that York Region immediately install interim traffic signals and advance the full reconstruction of Doane Road. Neighbours across Sharon, Queensville, and East Gwillimbury rallied together to make their voices heard. Applying an engineer’s precision to community advocacy, Shahab engaged directly with York Region officials and Public Works staff to demand accountability, immediate interim safety measures, and an expedited timeline for the Doane Road project.

Delivering Tangible Results

Our united community voice proved that data-driven, persistent advocacy works. Through this collaborative effort, we secured major regional commitments:

• 2027 Traffic Signals Confirmed: York Region officially committed in writing to installing traffic lights at the Leslie Street and Doane Road intersection by 2027.

• Intersection Improvement Design Expedited: The Region agreed to advance the detailed engineering design for the long-delayed Doane Road corridor reconstruction, starting with the intersection at Leslie Street.

• Stopping the Delays: Together, we ended a decade-long delay on a critical regional project and put the safety of Queensville families, Sharon families, and all road users first.

Next Steps: The 2027 Capital Budget

Securing staff commitment is a major milestone, but our work is not done yet. The next essential hurdle is ensuring the Doane Road items are formally funded and approved by Regional Council in York Region's upcoming 2027 Capital Budget.

East Gwillimbury will participate in a municipal election this October, and our incoming Mayor will represent our town at Regional Council. As the petition organizer, I will present this petition directly to whoever is elected and ask for their absolute commitment to fighting for our community's safety and locking in this funding.

In the meantime, it is incredibly important to continue sharing our petition with neighbours across East Gwillimbury to demonstrate our continued community support: https://www.change.org/Doane_Road

Please read more about the Region's commitments here:

York Region to add lights at East Gwillimbury intersection after tragic collision

For more details, please visit the petition page or contact me directly.

Shahab Aryan, P.Eng.

Your Community Advocate & Petition Organizer