A little over half of respondents to a survey don’t want speed limits on residential roads in Stratford lowered.
The City of Stratford conducted a survey on potentially lowering the speed limit on residential roads from 50 km/h to 40 km/h, hosted on Engage Stratford.
At the Infrastructure, Transportation, and Safety sub-committee meeting on Wednesday, Nathan Bottema, project engineer with the city, gave a presentation on that potential change and the findings of the survey.
Out of the 713 responses logged online, and the nine additional paper copies submitted, the majority of responses do not support a reduction.
Only 38.8 per cent support an outright speed limit reduction in neighbourhood areas, with 9.1 per cent supporting the idea but would like to see a pilot program first.
Some 50.2 per cent do not support that change.
Respondents also provided comments - a total of 334 written comments were received. One third of those comments support a limit reduction.
The common theme in the comments was related to police enforcement, with many stating that the current speed limits should be enforced while others questioned the effectiveness of a reduction, given the current enforcement levels.
Many of the respondents also recognize that changing driver behaviour through signage alone may be challenging and that traffic calming measures are needed regardless of the posted speed limit.
The recommendation from staff, despite over half of survey-respondents not supporting that change, was to begin implementing reductions.
Taylor Crinklaw, director of infrastructure services, explained that the reasoning behind the recommendation is because of a trend seen across the province and in Stratford.
“Transportation is changing from being automobile driven, vehicle-centric driving, to being a street safe philosophy that is open and accepting to any and all road users,” Crinklaw said. “This is one of (the) many suite of tools that we will utilize to change driver behaviour.”
Still, members of the committee pointed to the findings of the survey and the price-tag of implementing such a change.
If implemented, reducing the speed limits would require 220 signs, costing approximately $235,000.
“Money out the window,” Coun. Mark Hunter called it, saying that he would rather the city concentrate on enforcement and other physical traffic-calming measures than just the signage.
Coun. Brad Beatty called the endeavour “an exercise in futility,” echoing what Hunter had said about police enforcement.
“This isn't something new that we’ve heard at the council level,” he said. “Where people are bringing up the issue of speeding. And then when we have the police provide their insight, there's reality and there's perception. People will think (someone’s) speeding and in reality, they might be driving the speed limit.”
Bottema later indicated that the Stratford Police Services were in support of the recommended change and Crinklaw said that automated speed enforcement options are being considered by staff.
The decision on the matter was deferred to the upcoming committee, where more councillors than just Larry McCabe, Hunter, Beatty, and Jo-Dee Burbach, will be able to weigh-in.
