Caledon residents demand safer roads at peaceful Bolton protest

March to Save the Next Life held in honour of Adrianna Milena McCauley

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Caledon residents advocated for measures to increase road safety at a recent protest. 

Just before 6 p.m. on October 3, residents gathered in Downtown Bolton for a peaceful protest demanding safer roads in caledon. 

The protest, titled “March to Save the Next Life”, was organized by the newly-formed Caledon Community Road Safety Advocacy Group (CCRSA). 

The group was created after a September 10 collision at the intersection of Coleraine Drive and King Street West took the life of 23-year-old Bolton woman Adrianna Milena McCauley.

Joanna Valeriani, who helped organize the March to Save the Next Life, said McCauley's death was the last straw for people concerned about road safety in Caledon. She said she's heard that “enough is enough” from so many people. 

The CCSRA has gotten tons of support in a very short time. 

“I have never seen a movement take off so quickly and grow like this has,” said Valeriani. “We're all here for the same reason, we want to save the next life… we're in it for the long haul because this isn't going to happen overnight.”

Valeriani said it will be important for the CCRSA to keep its momentum going.

“We plan to take our momentum across Caledon because we are all in this together,” said Valeriani.

As many people in Caledon are, Valeriani is a commuter. She said it seems like every day she has to take a detour because of an accident. 

“You have to wonder, how does this keep happening… it really gets to you,” she said. 

The CCRSA wants the Town of Caledon to declare a road safety crisis and impose a moratorium on truck-heavy development; to see increased law enforcement on Caledon roads; to see an increase in truck blitzes from police; and to see an urgent traffic safety meeting with appropriate stakeholders held.