2 Friday, June 19, 2020 brooklintowncrier.com Letter to the Editor: Myrtle Station Resident Speaks Out Please help us! This email is to remind you and anyone else in the position to help of the dangers of Myrtle Station. We have only lived here for 5 years and have MANY close calls. From what I understand the community has tried for years to get the traffic to slow down here with no success. I can't believe this has been allowed for so long! Why does it always take a tragedy to happen, I don't understand why we wouldn't want to get ahead of it and prevent it? I was almost killed last night (June 9) simply putting my recycling to the curb. Here are a few incidents that have happened in the short time we've lived here: An 18 wheeler had to jump onto the side of the road (where many people walk their dogs) because the school bus was stopped and he didn't have time to slow down when he saw it coming south over the hill. Countless near misses when we are entering or exiting our driveway. We cannot see at all the traffic coming south from port perry so we have to pay attention to the cars entering the valley and watch for when we "think" there are no cars. When we or any friends/family turn left into our driveway, most cars have to go onto the side of the road because of their speed. When we turn into our driveway we have almost been rear ended at least 50 times. Screeching brakes, swerves. I have 2 teenage kids with less experience that have to maneuver this daily. CONSTANT speeding. 3 accidents at the tracks since we've lived here At least 10 accidents at the lights of Myrtle Rd and Hwy 12 Daily trucks with their air brakes pumping from going to fast Cars passing each other while going up the hill causing other cars coming over the hill to honk, swerve, slam on the brakes. The scariest of all, a drunk driver speeding last night(June 9) almost killed me while I was putting my recycling out. She crossed the lane and hit the pole on my front lawn a few feet away from where I was standing. These are just my stories. If you knock on anyone's door along this stretch, you will get more horrific stories! This should not be happening! There are so many options to make cars aware of children, hidden driveways, and the dangers of speeding through a small community. Warning lights, traffic lights at townline and 12. Higher fines if caught speeding? We need help, and as a mother of 3 who realized what could have been lost last night I will NOT back down from this. Please forward this to whomever can help. Thank you, Jennifer Bailey Myrtle Station DRT To Resume Fare Collection After suspending fares on March 23 to support the physical distancing measures required as a part of the COVID-19 response, Durham Region Transit (DRT) is set to resume fare collection on July 2. Along with fare collection, the resumption of front door boarding (and implementing rear door exiting) will begin to ensure one-way passenger flow and eliminate bunching at the front doors. Also effective July 2: 2020 fare rates: 2020 fare rates will be in effect (approved as part of the 2020 budget). PRESTO card is still the fastest and easiest way to pay your fare. Using PRESTO also comes with huge savings: $10 for every 14 trips, when compared to using cash! Cash fares will go up by $0.25 and PRESTO single ride taps by $0.05. There is no change to DRT's Co-Fare ($0.80) or monthly pass prices. Children ages 12 and under ride DRT for free and are no longer required to be accompanied by a fare paying passenger. Customers can top-up their fare on board until July 31. From Aug. 1 until Sept. 30, customers can exchange any valid tickets for equal value, which will be put onto a PRESTO card (card costs $6) at DRT's Customer Service Centre. Customers can visit DRT's Where to Buy page for a points of sale listing that are open or will soon be open; this information will be updated daily as locations continue to reopen. Contactless fare collection: To ensure the safety of operators and customers, and encourage contactless fare payment wherever possible, DRT will be suspending paper transfers, eliminating all paper passes except for the Access Pass, and limiting paper ticket sales to social and community agencies only. Customers paying with cash or ticket will need to pay each time they board a bus. Transfers continue to be available when paying using PRESTO. Visit prestocard.ca to learn more about PRESTO and how to get a card. More great news: the newly updated PRESTO app is a safe and contactless way to instantly load your PRESTO card with an iPhone or Android device. To assist customers who usually pay using cash, DRT will also be distributing up to 4,000 free PRESTO cards. Distribution of the cards is being finalized and more details are forth-coming. Fare incentives: Several exciting PRESTO-based fare incentives are returning, making it easy and affordable to ride DRT: the third year for DRT's Youth (ages 13-19) monthly 2-for-1 pass for July and August, as well as the Transit Assistance Program (TAP) for persons receiving social assistance in Durham. More information about the TAP program is forthcoming. For all fare-related questions or for help planning your trip, visit the DRT Customer Service Centre - which is now open at 110 Westney Rd. S. in Ajax - or call us at 1-866-247-0055, open Monday to Friday 07:00 to 19:00, and Saturday and Sunday 08:00 to 16:30. For more details about fare collection, incentives and payment visit durhamregiontransit.com. Updated information about the operational protocols in place to support our COVID-19 response is available at durhamregiontransit.com/COVID-19. Additional information will be shared soon about the additional measures DRT is taking to ensure the continued safety and well-being of our customers and staff, including enhanced onboard protocols to support fare collection