Therrien calls for lower residential speed limits
Mayoral candidate wants safer streets, with 40 km/h residential speed limit
Vehicles speeding on residential streets is an issue mayoral candidate Diane Therrien hears a lot about.
“It is a big concern. I’ve heard it at the doors, in all neighbourhoods, all over town,” Therrien said.
That’s why she said safe residential streets is one of her most important policy commitments in her 39-point plan.
Therrien, a Town Ward councillor, is running for mayor against two-term incumbent Daryl Bennett.
The mayoral hopeful reaffirmed her pledge for safer streets to families living on Settlers Ridge in the city’s north end Wednesday.
That street doesn’t have a speed limit posted, nor does it have completed sidewalks.
Without any signage, residents Beth Morgan and Chris James say drivers just choose their own speed.
And with two little ones playing out front, that’s worrisome, the couple said.
“We’re very concerned about the kids’ safety. We have to keep our eyes especially close on them because of this,” Morgan stated.
Therrien proposes lowering the speed limit from 50 km/h to 40 km/h in residential neighbourhoods and to 30 km/h in safety zones.
She’d also like to see designated family safety zones near playgrounds and schools, and Senior Safety Zones near retirement residences.
Bennett, however, pointed out that plans can’t be implemented without getting a staff report to look at the complications that might arise from it.
“I assume (Diane) wasn’t naive enough just to suggest that she would just go ahead and bring that forward,” Bennett said of Therrien’s plan to lower the speed limit.
The city is currently doing a transportation study in East City because of the planned new Ashborough Village subdivision off Ashburnham Rd., the mayor said.
That could lead to changes in the
speed limits, but when you do that, you force traffic onto other areas that are already impacted by heavy traffic, Bennett said.
“So, you’ve got to be a little bit guarded in just making a bold statement of that nature, in favour of asking staff to bring you back a report to give you an idea of what the changes might entail,” he said.
Unlike Therrien, Bennett said he doesn’t get many complaints about traffic speed limits — he typically hears about traffic in general.
“We are certainly hearing lots of complaints about traffic in the city and that’s something we need to address,” Bennett said.
During Therrien’s four years on council, she said city council has discussed and studied lowering speed limits on residential streets. Ways to approach the issue were also identified in the transportation master plan.
Residents are still waiting for something to be done, she said.
Therrien suggests implementing some immediate actions to reduce speeding such as turning restrictions during certain hours, a smart traffic light system to better co-ordinate the lights, better signage, better marked crosswalks or curb bulbouts, for example.
At the end of the day, Therrien said there’s clear evidence that 50 km/h is too fast around children and pedestrians.
“An extra 30 seconds to get to work is a small price to pay for the health and safety of the residents and children in these neighbourhoods,” she said.
‘‘ An extra 30 seconds to get to work is a small price to pay for the health and safety of the residents and children in these neighbourhoods. DIANE THERRIEN PETERBOROUGH MAYORAL CANDIDATE