At the April 5th Council meeting, the pilot program passed unanimously and proposes five areas, including the Royal West Drive and Elbern Markell Drive neighbourhoods in Ward 5, to have speed limits reduced and study the program’s effect on driver behaviour.
As required by the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, the speed limit for roads within the City of Brampton are set at a default speed of 50km/h unless there is a posted speed limit indicating otherwise. Drivers are expected to be aware of and obey the posted speed limits.
The pilot comes after City staff reported 2400 service requests in the past two years regarding aggressive driving and speeding on local residential roads. As a result, City staff conducted over 447 speed studies and have implemented reduced speeds accordingly.
On May 30th, 2017, the Province of Ontario passed Bill 65, the Safer School Zone Act, which permits municipalities to enact neighbourhood speed limit reductions.
Paul Vicente, the Regional Councillor and Chair of the City’s Public Works and Engineering department says the unanimous is a positive step towards promoting road safety, reducing traffic fatalities and severe injuries, “Community safety is a top priority.” said Vicente in a statement. “We constantly hear concerns of aggressive driving in our Wards. I am pleased to have the pilot program launched in the Estate of the Credit Ridge neighbourhood, with possible expansion in other areas after the pilot program has been assessed.”
“The implementation of additional traffic calming through Community Safety Zones, Automated Speed Enforcement cameras and other road safety strategies like Vision Zero will help promote a safe community.” said Vicente.
Vision Zero is a road safety strategy that aims to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries while increasing safe, healthy and equitable mobility for residents. Implementing neighbourhood 40km/h speed limits is a measure that can contribute to achieving the Vision Zero goal.
For more information on road safety in the city, visit: https://www.brampton.ca/EN/residents/Roads-and-Traffic/Road-Safety/
