News the province is considering lowering, or allowing municipalities to lower, speed limits on residential streets and in school zones seems to have taken some municipal and police officials here by surprise.
“We really haven’t had any kind of correspondence from the province on it directly to the towns,” said Wellington County Warden George Bridge.
“I wish they would be more proactive on some of the other things we want.”
The province is looking into reducing the default speed limit, where there are no signs posted, from 50km/h on residential streets. Reports suggest the limit might be reduced to 40km/h across the province – or municipalities might be given the option to set and post their own lower limits.
Ontario’s Community Safety Minister Yasir Naqvi has been advocating a move to lower in-town limits for more than a year, noting an Ontario coroner’s inquest in 2010 said municipalities should be able set the default speed limit on residential streets to 40km/h.
“As a father, I am pleased that our government is taking the next step to make our streets safer by talking with our municipal partners about lowering the default speed limit on residential streets and in school zones …” Naqvi said in an email statement to the Advertiser.
Starting next month, the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is expected to host a series of “workshops” across the province to gain feedback from municipalities on the matter.
“These consultations are an important next step in this process and something that I think will protect our kids and make our communities safer … Ontario already has among the safest roads in North America, and I am committed to doing all I can to keep them that way.”
Asked if he feels lowering residential speed limits is necessary, Bridge said, “I think it comes down to enforcement.
“I know we’ve had issues at the Minto Clifford school. It’s a designated a safety zone and you can put cruisers down there … and people still speed,” he observed.
Bridge said the Town of Minto has had some success controlling speed in residential areas by adding stop signs.
“If you have a big long stretch (without stop signs) on a back street you could build up speed, but we don’t have a lot of that … but maybe there is in other communities,” he suggested.
Bridge said he hadn’t heard anything on the issue from the province or provincial municipal associations, “other than what I’ve read in the Newspapers.
“It will be interesting to see if there’s anything on it at Good Roads,” he said, in reference to the Ontario Good Roads Association convention held in conjunction with the Rural Municipalities of Ontario Association conference Feb. 22 to 25 in Toronto.
Centre Wellington Mayor Kelly Linton feels most of the areas of potential concern in his community have already been addressed.
“In any school zones or community safety zones, I like the idea of having a 40km/h limit – I think that’s appropriate. Other than that I think a typical municipal standard of 50, I don’t see a problem with that,” Linton said.
“I think a lot of the issues that we have are related to roads that have a lot of pedestrians and children across from either schools or community parks … a lot of zones are already at 40 … I can’t imagine that we need to make a lot of changes there.”
Linton said he hasn’t heard anything coming from upper tiers about lower speed limits, but noted, “I knew there were some issues in some of the towns.”
Linton said he doesn’t expect municipalities to have much say in the matter.
“If the province wants to move to reducing it to 40, there’s nothing you can do.
“The biggest thing is … How are you going to enforce it? If all the streets within the urban boundary were at 40, that just adds to the challenge for the OPP to enforce it.”
Wellington County OPP
media relations officer Bob Bortolato said the local police force will rise to any such challenge.
“The OPP already incorporates traffic safety as one of its core functions,” Bortolato said. “We will continue to enforce whatever laws are put in place … Traffic safety is very important to us.”
While he conceded speeding is always “a concern,” Bortolato told the Advertiser he has not heard any discussions locally about lowering residential speed limits.
He said it’s “hard to speculate” whether a lower limit would improve safety for motorists and pedestrians.
Last year there were seven reported vehicle collisions involving pedestrians in 50km/h zones throughout Wellington County, and another three involving cyclists, Bortolato said – and all 10 incidents were “minor” in nature.
He also stressed there are incidents involving “distracted pedestrians,” including those wearing headphones or using smartphones or other handheld devices.
The MTO has already begun consultations on the possibility of lowering speed limits in residential areas, spokesman Bob Nichols told the Advertiser.
An online survey (at www.surveymonkey.com/s/SpeedLimitOntario)was posted on Feb. 2 and will be available until Feb. 27.
“Following this period, the ministry will host a series of workshops across the province in March and April to consult with municipalities and various stakeholders,” Nichols stated in an email.
He explained workshops will be held in-person but a webinar will also be available for those unable to attend.
“Workshops will be held at a venue in each region of the province (exact locations have not yet been determined),” added Nichols.
