Beaconsfield to add more traffic calming measures

The city of Beaconsfield is planning more than two dozen traffic calming measures nears parks and school this year.

As part of the Speed Reduction Action and Concept Plan adopted in October of 2021, the city aims to reduce speeding in residential areas by adding nearly a dozen speed humps across the city.

Beaconsfield city manager Patrice Boileau said the aim of the plan is to get motorists to slow down near parks and schools.

The action plan will also introduce measures to raise the visibility of pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.

Boileau said the city plans to complete all of the traffic calming measures in 2022.

“We hope so, but we have to go to tender. When that's done, it'll probably be by the end of the summer.”

As for the measures themselves, Boileau explained that a speed bump is not as impactful as a speed hump. “A speed bump is something that is used in parking lots. If you use it in the street it could be very dangerous because it's short, whereas a speed hump is long and allows you to drive over it.

“The height of the speed hump determines the speed you could drive.”

A lane reduction island is also planned for Montrose Park. The city also plans to add a handful of speed cushions around the city, including near Prairie Park, Sherbrooke Academy Jr., St. Edmund School, Windermere Park/ Pool and Sherbrooke Academy Sr.

Also planned are more raised intersections at Briarwood Park, Jasper Park, and Windermere Park/ Pool and Sherbrooke Academy Sr.

“We have that at Montrose now,” said Boileau. “So you have to make a stop and it's a little steeper (grade at the intersection) ... about 10 inches higher. So you have to drive slowly and drive across the intersection, which is raised. There is no way you can do a `Stop Américain' at that location. It's a little like a speed bump but there's a stop.”

The city will also be installing street lights at certain locations.

“Those lights are for the pedestrian crossings,” he said. “In some places, the street is too dark. We just want to put lights to make it better lit.”

Boileau also noted that the new speed limit reductions will soon be in effect for Woodland Ave. and Beaconsfield Blvd.

As of April 1, the speed limit will drop to 40 from 50 kilometres per hour on those streets.

Boileau said speeding is a problem across Montreal and Quebec. “We all have to slow down,” he said. “We're not on a speedway.”

The total cost of implementing Beaconsfield's traffic calming budget for 2022 is $375,000.